Brake Carnage

[FiestaSTfan17]

Last Thursday, I took my FiST out for another track day at Lime Rock Park. I have done 2 prior track events and minimal street driving, approximately 3k miles total on the brake setup. Pads were about 60% at the start of the day. About 10 minutes into the second 20-minute session, I noticed severe brake fade, vibration under braking, and smoke. I felt uncomfortable continuing to push the car and decided to bring it back to the paddock.

I parked and found both slide pin boots on fire, piston seals completely melted on both sides, brake pads completely gone, front and rear, and caliper paint destroyed (disregard the bad paint job, car came like that).

I realize the torque vectoring eats brakes but do you guys think this is a compound issue or over-driving the car for the current brake setup? Pads overheated and melted the resin? There was tons of debris on the barrels of the front wheels.

I have see others running Power Stop Track day pads with success but I personally have never worn front and rear rotors down to nothing, at the same time. Rears usually last much longer.

Current set up-
-Stock rotors & calipers
-Motul 600 fluid
-Whoosh Braided Hoses
-Powerstop track day pads front and rear.


T/C in sport mode for all sessions.

 

[atlantaM3]

damnnation...

 

[Jabbit]

I'm wondering if all the pins seized and never fully backed the pads off the rotors. This is wild. Glad you were safe. Is the rest of your car stock? I'd believe if you were 350+hp, full suspension, etc that you could put that much abuse into the brakes. Suggest a full rebuild of the calipers with plenty of lubrication.

 

[FiestaSTfan17]

I'm wondering if all the pins seized and never fully backed the pads off the rotors. This is wild. Glad you were safe. Is the rest of your car stock? I'd believe if you were 350+hp, full suspension, etc that you could put that much abuse into the brakes. Suggest a full rebuild of the calipers with plenty of lubrication.

I thought similarly but the calipers/pins were thoroughly cleaned and lubed when I put the pads on. Unless the lube wasn't up to the heat range it was exposed to. Everything came apart easily when I swapped pads to get home.

Car isn't stock which might explain it. S280, +30 injectors, e30, falken 615’s, and swift springs.

 

[Jabbit]

It's possible the lube itself caught fire, that would explain what you found. I brought my S280 car to lime rock as well but I was on a big brake kit.

 

[WannabeST]

I'm not sure about fiestas but on the mustang forums there is multiple data research posts showing keeping all the electronic assists on increase all fluid temps. That includes trans, coolant, oil and also brake fluid.

I would suggest disabling as much as possible next time along with a full brake rebuild. If I had to guess the electronics probably over worked the brakes to this failure.

 

[kevinatfms]

I see no ducting at all in your photos.

Novice, Intermediate or Advanced? Sport mode should be all the way off. It wont help anyone over Novice and just boils the brakes with any type of 200tw tire underneath it.

You said you had 2 prior track days on the pads? I cant fathom how you would have 60% left on the pads after 2 track days. After every track day ive run the PST/PSA pads they are always at or below 4mm or so. I would change them after every event with new until i started going to a more race oriented pad compound. Then id get 2-3 days tops on my factory calipers before replacement.

 

[FiestaSTfan17]

I see no ducting at all in your photos.

Novice, Intermediate or Advanced? Sport mode should be all the way off. It wont help anyone over Novice and just boils the brakes with any type of 200tw tire underneath it.

You said you had 2 prior track days on the pads? I cant fathom how you would have 60% left on the pads after 2 track days. After every track day ive run the PST/PSA pads they are always at or below 4mm or so. I would change them after every event with new until i started going to a more race oriented pad compound. Then id get 2-3 days tops on my factory calipers before replacement.

You are correct, no ducting yet. Looking to do the GT3 ducts and pull the backing plates. (much cheaper than boomba with similar results).

Intermediate, haven’t played with the T/C completely off but will do that moving forward. I have a quaife LSD I will be installing before the next event in the hopes to mitigate the electronic assist (even with the T/C completely off).

I’ve had two other track day with 1 20 minute session in each. Should have stated that in the OP. First time it overheated due to the stock rad, ruined the day and the second time was stock rubber intercooler hoses and hose clamps kept coming off.

 

[Jabbit]

You are correct, no ducting yet. Looking to do the GT3 ducts and pull the backing plates. (much cheaper than boomba with similar results).

Intermediate, haven’t played with the T/C completely off but will do that moving forward. I have a quaife LSD I will be installing before the next event in the hopes to mitigate the electronic assist (even with the T/C completely off).

I’ve had two other track day with 1 20 minute session in each. Should have stated that in the OP. First time it overheated due to the stock rad, ruined the day and the second time was stock rubber intercooler hoses and hose clamps kept coming off.

Do you ever make it to Thompson CT for track days? I go there frequently. I have one date at Limerock in the fall as it's pretty far for me but too good to completely ignore. I'm running a 2560r with injectors/hpfp, quaife LSD, etc...

 

[FiestaSTfan17]

Do you ever make it to Thompson CT for track days? I go there frequently. I have one date at Limerock in the fall as it's pretty far for me but too good to completely ignore. I'm running a 2560r with injectors/hpfp, quaife LSD, etc...

I haven’t made that trip yet. It’s about 3 hours from me. LRP is only an hour. I’ll be in LRP for the Masstuning October date. Still on the fence about the November date.

 

[Jabbit]

I haven’t made that trip yet. It’s about 3 hours from me. LRP is only an hour. I’ll be in LRP for the Masstuning October date. Still on the fence about the November date.

I'm booked with Masstuning at LRP for November 4th. I'll be at Thompson Oct 2nd.

 

[faust]

I'm not sure about fiestas but on the mustang forums there is multiple data research posts showing keeping all the electronic assists on increase all fluid temps. That includes trans, coolant, oil and also brake fluid.

I would suggest disabling as much as possible next time along with a full brake rebuild. If I had to guess the electronics probably over worked the brakes to this failure.

I've heard this from guys I know who track FiSTs -- if stability control isn't all the way off, brakes can catch fire.