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Do I have enough pad for a track day?

codestp202

Active member
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CA
#1
So I'm prepping the car for a trackday at Buttonwillow on May 14th.

I'm changing fluid and most likely putting in stainless lines and I have the boomba deflectors so hopefully brake fade won't be too big of an issue.

I inspected my pad life today with a pad measuring tool. Fronts: 6mm outside pad, 4 or 5mm on the inside pad. Rears: 5mm on outside pad, 4mm or so on the inside pad.

This falls in the yellow gauges, under 4mm it's would go to the red gauges which obviously means replace.

Is that enough for the day? And what would be the best scenario if I buy pads: 1.Buy pads and install them now 2. Buy pads and install them at the track if burn through my current pads.

Also, I'm open to suggestions on what pads people are running that are a decent compromise for street/track/autox. I don't care about dust, but my rotors are okay for now, wouldn't mind to get 1 or 2 more sets of pads out of the rotors.

Thanks!
 


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84
Location
Brooklyn
#2
From my experience in ST Octane Academy, and if they did not lie about the car being stock + hand brake and uprated brake fluid.... I'll gladly put my money on the oem pads.
 


Messages
10
Likes
1
Location
San Francisco
#3
From my experience in ST Octane Academy, and if they did not lie about the car being stock + hand brake and uprated brake fluid.... I'll gladly put my money on the oem pads.
I use oem pads for track days (thunderhill) they work just fine with uprated brake fluid, I use ATE type 200 racing fluid, no brake fade at all. Just make sure you turn off your ECS by holding it down and upgrade your fluid, stock fluid will boil. As for not having enough brakes, depends on the track, some are more brake demanding. I personally would change the pads, it's cheap insurance.
 


Last edited:
Messages
291
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86
Location
Ontario
#4
So I'm prepping the car for a trackday at Buttonwillow on May 14th.

I'm changing fluid and most likely putting in stainless lines and I have the boomba deflectors so hopefully brake fade won't be too big of an issue.

I inspected my pad life today with a pad measuring tool. Fronts: 6mm outside pad, 4 or 5mm on the inside pad. Rears: 5mm on outside pad, 4mm or so on the inside pad.

This falls in the yellow gauges, under 4mm it's would go to the red gauges which obviously means replace.

Is that enough for the day? And what would be the best scenario if I buy pads: 1.Buy pads and install them now 2. Buy pads and install them at the track if burn through my current pads.

Also, I'm open to suggestions on what pads people are running that are a decent compromise for street/track/autox. I don't care about dust, but my rotors are okay for now, wouldn't mind to get 1 or 2 more sets of pads out of the rotors.

Thanks!
I used OEM pads at Buttonwillow last month and had 0 brake fade. I upgrade my brake fluid to Motul 600.
 


BRGT350

1000 Post Club
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Grand Haven
#5
I would also change pads based upon the thickness. I used the stock pads at Nashville Motor Speedway road course, GingerMan, and plenty of autocrosses and had zero complaints. Hold off on braking until you need to brake and then brake hard. That limits the amount of time they are getting hot. Remember to cool the brakes at the end of the session to avoid boiling the fluid in the paddock. I ran 3 track events back to back to back in a few week span and still had plenty of pedal pressure. I have other cars in which the fluid boiled over and the pedal would be half way to the floor before the brakes would work on the way home. No issues with that with the ST. I also ran the ST in different ESC settings and still didn't have issues with overheating the brakes.
 


Messages
142
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Location
Peoria
#7
I recommend replacing pads and rotors with good stuff if you want to be competitive at the track... if you just want to go fast and have fun, brake early and light and you can use stock pads with relatively no issues.
 




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