braytonia

A little back history. Bought my first S2000 about 3 months ago, car came with Project Mu Club Racer pads not sure the mileage on them. Previous owner said he did 3 track events on them. I pulled the fronts off last night to inspect them as I have my first track event in one week. However my question to you guys is should track pads look like this after 3 events? Pads have about 6.5 MM of life left in them and I would like to use them for my first track event. Tech form asks for 5MM or more of thickness and I would hate to toss them if they are still okay to use... I DID buy all new pads and rotors if you guys deem these pads no good. Since it will be my first track event I know I will not be terribly hard on brakes but at the same time I do not want to only get half way through my first event and then be SOL because I used the rest of the pads up... What are your guys thoughts on these? Usable or toss them?? I am familiar with worn out pads but I have never seen any that looked like this. The last picture is the worst pad.

114_ap2

Club Racers tend to do that after the first track day. There is a reason why but I forgot Something to do with the pad compound. It'll still work fine though.

Bullwings

on OEM calipers, once you get fast, front pads and rotors don't last longer than 3-4 events. I would usually crack a rotor and have pads at or close to the backing plate after 3 or 4 events. So, yes that looks normal, and this is likely their last event, watch them through out the session. Or, preemptively pick up a new set of pad & rotors, and keep those as spares you bring to the track.

blueosprey90

I'd run the pads as they have lots of material left. But part of my track kit includes a floor jack and a spare set of pads.

If you can, do a proper job cooling your brakes after the run. I usually take 3 or 4 minutes driving around some unused lot or paddock, then after parking for a few minutes, roll my car half a wheel turn. I try not to shock the rotors by driving through standing water. With this procedure, I've been able to go years before having any sort of cracked rotor problem. Except for pads and braided brake lines, my car is stock.

HawkeyeGeoff

My Project mus looked like that after about 5 events....the rears crumbled when I took them off. I'd run them for another session and see what happens...just make sure to have spares lined up.

roddyc

I ran HC800+ (a step down from the Club Racers) in the rear and Club Racers in the front (both with vented/slotted rotors, no ducting) and the Club Racers lasted me 6 days while the rears have 6mm left (and that is after having to shave them down 2mm to have them fit the Urge rotors). The Club Racers came off looking worse than yours with chunking around the edges.

They are probably good for at least another session, but if you already have new ones lined up, I would replace them if it were me so it wouldn't be in the back of my mind. You can always keep them for spares at the track.

braytonia

Thanks for all the helpful replies guys and the great advice! I will leave those pads on and finish them out but also bring my extra pads and rotors with me to the track. With the amount of meat left and knowing since this is my very first track event I will not be pushing it, they should last me the day. My main focus will be more car control rather than how fast I can dive into a turn and how late I can brake.

DavidNJ

The rotors cool of pretty quickly if you are not breaking hard, corner-after-corner, from high speeds, on the track. The issues in a brake system are heat capacitance during braking (which only lasts a few seconds) and the cooling before the next application. The capacitance is a function of rotor mass and material, the cooling is effected by venting and ducting. The pads and rotors should be designed to operate up to the peak temps they reach. Calipers operate at much lower temps. If they get hot enough to boil any sort of racing brake fluid, there is probably also a seal issue. AP's caliper recommendation is: "It is essential that the caliper temperature is kept well within the working range of the brake fluid to prevent fluid vaporization which will result in the loss of brake pedal. Calipers that regularly run at up to 392°F - Re-seal every other event. Calipers that run intermittently from 392°F to 428°F - Re-seal as soon as possible." Brake fluid is hydroscopic, so comparing wet boiling points is relevant. For example, Motul 660 has a wet boiling point of 399F.

Thermal paints are a low-cost way to determine peak rotor temps. There are also temp strips for calipers.

Don't you stop and take tire temps/pressure as soon as possible after coming off the track?

braytonia

Thanks for the great info!

To answer your question, as stated in my original post I will be attending my first track event Sunday but I WILL check tire temps/ pressure as soon as I come off the track!!

Thanks for that tip, I appreciate it. Anything I can learn helps out!

blueosprey90

Boy, you have to ask the hard question. I run the S is close to stock form; and because of the lack of seats, harness and roll bar, I stick to the Intermediate run group in HPDE. I often joke that I'm out there to look at the scenery. I will generally take temps and pressures only if I feel I'm having an issue. I'm almost more likely to use the infrared device on the rotors and calipers.

Now, when I race the '59 MGA, I've learned that I need to be more careful. I've blown big leads (not for first, mind you - please see my signature) because my tires have gotten too hot and lost grip halfway through a race. I've also blown big leads because my brakes got too hot and seized up. Of course, most of the time when I come in, my tires are the least of my problems, as the car has to immediately go under the knife to deal with a more critical issue.