Thread: Track brakes
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Old 12-02-2011, 06:31 AM   #2
Topless
Track rat
 
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Southern ID
Posts: 3,701
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Just a couple thoughts to chew on. I have never run the Hawk pads so I cannot comment directly on them but have heard good reports. With 5 yrs and over 60 track days I have gone through a lot of brake products though. Simply running a high temp pad, sound rotors, fresh high temp brake fluid, and 997 GT3 brake ducts has solved all of my braking issues so far.

Other drivers do the pad swap for track days but I am not entirely comfortable with that. For disc brakes to work their best they must be properly bedded in, meaning that pad material actually becomes interlaced with the rotors. Swapping out pads without completely cleaning the rotors and bedding in new pads can cause problems such as rotor gumming from different pad materials and serious rotor judder when hot... been there, done that. I now prefer to just run one pad that works for street and track and live with the compromises knowing that my brakes will always be at their best.

Getting brakes hot enough is really never a problem with good track pads. They have so much bite even when stone cold that you can always easily stop the car. Once the get into their ideal operating temp they just get better.

I didn't really answer your questions directly but I hope some of this is useful to you. Time to change out some brake parts myself now that the season is over.
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