Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C7 Forum - View Single Post - Over The Hill Gang , Old Farts with Young Cars

Norm Peterson · 07-01-2015, 08:21 AM

Jan - I'm glad you held out for the DOT 4. Brakes will get HOT in road course driving, even on your first outing. There just isn't anything in street driving, drag racing, or even autocrossing that can compare to what your brakes need to be able to cope with over a 20 minute session out on a road course. And just because you'll be a newbie out there doesn't mean you'll necessarily be a whole lot easier on them, particularly if you bring your street braking style out there with you (this being relatively mild braking dragged out over a much longer distance).

On pads, most tracks want you to have at least 50% thickness remaining, and this is important for more reasons than not running out of friction material. Among the others is the fact that pad friction material also behaves as a layer of thermal insulation between the pads' contact surface and the caliper pistons (and ultimately that fluid). More is better. I'd at the very least have your pads measured and inspected for condition (replace them if there are any cracks in the pad material or signs of lifting around the edges); near as I can tell they're 5 years old already . . .

If the opportunity presents itself and the NCM track permits, you and especially Mike should try to get a ride-along with an experienced driver who's been signed off at least to run solo/have a passenger, preferably an instructor. It's one thing to tell somebody that they'll probably be at WOT for maybe 10 minutes total out of the 20 and hard on the brakes in total for 3 or 4 more, but something else entirely for them to experience it.

If your AT fluid has any burnt toast smell to it at all, get it changed. Check this again after your track time.

Norm

07-01-2015, 08:21 AM	#34667
Norm Peterson corner barstool sitter Drives: 08 Mustang GT, 19 WRX Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Eastern Time Zone Posts: 6,990	Jan - I'm glad you held out for the DOT 4. Brakes will get HOT in road course driving, even on your first outing. There just isn't anything in street driving, drag racing, or even autocrossing that can compare to what your brakes need to be able to cope with over a 20 minute session out on a road course. And just because you'll be a newbie out there doesn't mean you'll necessarily be a whole lot easier on them, particularly if you bring your street braking style out there with you (this being relatively mild braking dragged out over a much longer distance). On pads, most tracks want you to have at least 50% thickness remaining, and this is important for more reasons than not running out of friction material. Among the others is the fact that pad friction material also behaves as a layer of thermal insulation between the pads' contact surface and the caliper pistons (and ultimately that fluid). More is better. I'd at the very least have your pads measured and inspected for condition (replace them if there are any cracks in the pad material or signs of lifting around the edges); near as I can tell they're 5 years old already . . . If the opportunity presents itself and the NCM track permits, you and especially Mike should try to get a ride-along with an experienced driver who's been signed off at least to run solo/have a passenger, preferably an instructor. It's one thing to tell somebody that they'll probably be at WOT for maybe 10 minutes total out of the 20 and hard on the brakes in total for 3 or 4 more, but something else entirely for them to experience it. If your AT fluid has any burnt toast smell to it at all, get it changed. Check this again after your track time. Norm __________________ '08 GT coupe 5M (the occasional track toy) '19 WRX 6M (the family sedan . . . seriously)