I am thinking about doing a few lapping days this year at Portland Int. Raceway, however, I know that I need to come prepared with a solid set of brakes. I have made a few posts in the motorsports and wheels/brakes sections and have received several different opinions. Some people say that the stock brakes are fine, some say the stock brakes with new fluid are fine, and some say you need all sorts of new stuff. Right now I have stock calipers, rotors, lines, and fluid with Hawk HPS pads. My initial plan was to get new fluid and call it a day. However, some people have said my pads are not good enough.

So, if you have ever done a lapping day at PIR could you tell me what you personally run and what you think is necessary to have for PIR? Also, what speeds do you get up to?

 

Front race pads/lines/fluid will pretty much cover it.

 

What would you suggest for the pads and lines?

 

Mine was all stock, granted i had only 15000 miles with mild driving on them. They were rock solid, no problems and no problems as of today either. I checked before and after and they look good.
Oh and I was really a noob, but by the 4th session I've gotten close to 110ish on the front straight, that's the hardest braking spot as you enter the festival chicane. The back straight wasn't that bad on the brakes. I was pretty scared on the front straight, especially if you have decently modded evo.

 

I had about 15k on my Evo last year when I did a PIR track day and my brakes were nearly gone after about 7 laps. I put Hawk HPS pads on and two piece rotors, but I haven't been back on the track since. Probably won't be until March until I'm down there again, but I'm definitely going.

DEFINITELY DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN STOCK PADS THEY'RE HORRID.

 

Stock front pads are not up to track use unless you really take it easy - they will fade. I'm not sure about Hawk HPS pads but if they are not true track pads, they will likely also fade, as did the Ferodo DS2500s I tried last summer, though these were far superior to the stock pads.

If this is your first time on a road course, you shouldn't be pushing (no pun intended) that hard and the Hawks might be ok - but be prepared for fade, where it takes more and more pedal force to get adequate braking.

If you are experienced and plan to drive the car to its potential, I agree with KyleR - get front track pads and high temp fluid though I don't agree that SS lines are required.

 

I have not run at PIR but I can tell you now if you drive decently well your pads will be toast after a few laps. To put it simply Hawk HPS are junk for the track...they are basically good daily driver pads and thats it. You dont need lines but I would reccomend some Motul fluid and some PF 97 pads or atleast some Ferodo DS2500 if you still run street tires. If you run 255 or wider tires or R compounds pretty much any street pad will eventually fade if you run 10 laps or more. I myself personally would not be caught dead on a track with stockish pads especially when it only costs $300 or so for decent track pads...trust me it is no fun having brakes fade at 110+ mph...

 

ok let me re post here, here's my situation
it was my first day at CSCC, and I was assigned as group 1. If you are in similar level(entry) I really don't think you need new pads, unless it's worn obviously. I will get new pads for the next spring/summer to get ready for the lapping days and joining latter groups, either with CSCC or TC.

I did not experience any fades, even towards the end of the day. And the last session I was all out. However, I really drive like a grandpa on the street so I had alot of the pads left.

I had very similar questions when I was about to go, and I was told by many people who went on the tracking days that if it's your 1st day, you are ok with stock brake set up since my car was in great condition. For me it worked.
Hope this helps

 

Thanks for the replies, they are all appreciated. I am going to do the Motul fluid for sure, and I am also thinking that I should upgrade the front pads as well. I am just not sure which pads I should go with. I can do the Hawk HP+ pads (front and rear) for about $180, but I am not sure if I should do something more aggressive.

 

Stock brakes are fine, just make sure you have a lot of pad left & the rotors are not close to the wear limit. Then just flush the fluid, SS lines will help.

I tracked cars for a long, long time on stock brakes, with upgraded pads, it was never a problem. PIR is not to hard on the brakes.

 

pads/ lines / fluid. Hawk pads will work great i have them on my 9 and i also had them on my vette.

 

Did you use the HPS or HP+? Thanks!

 

I would start out with the HPS, then move up the HP+, they like heat, & do not stop well when cold, & also squeal a little.

 

Thanks for the input. I am running the HPS right now and I have seen several other posts where people say to not use the HPS for a lapping day. Most of these people also say the HPS+ isn't enough, but then again there are other people who say the HP+ is enough. I am never going to do all out racing in the EVO, I will save that for a day when I can build a civic. Right now I just want to learn and not run the risk of having my brakes fail. Have you personally done a lapping day with the HPS pads?

 

If you have no track experience, stock is best. But as you (not the car) get faster, then you start to change things.

Really, you have to learn how to the use the brakes properly, & be able to repeat it over & over, then you can start moving up & getting harder compound pads.

Your brakes will NOT FAIL unless they are worn & you totally don't know how to use them....