Last time I was gonna attend Willow Springs some a$$hole decided to key the entire passenger side of my car and I had to reneg to cover my $1k comp deductible that has since been reduced.
I ordered I think carbotech XP 10's and some cheap DOT 3 fluid, as per Brian's advice at PFYC and had to return the stuff to afford paint. I was going to pick up some napa take off rotors as well. PFYC no longer has the carbotech pads last time I checked their site.
Can anyone recommend pads and fluid, and the best vendor to get them from? I cant swing DRM ducts or spindles at the moment.
Thanks.
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Honda Civic hybrid
Last edited by MikesZ06 : 10-16-2006 at 09:36 PM.
Reason: Link to non site vendor
Order Carbotech pads straight from Carbotech. I ordered some on a Friday, they were at my door on Tuesday. As far as fluid is concerned, Castrol SRF if you have the money. If not, there are tons of other racing fluids out there you can pick up cheap. I believe a lot of people us a Ford fluid.
Are you using street tires or race tires. I think that will make a difference on what brake pad that you will use.
when I ran street tires and even r-compound I could get away with Hawk HP+ pads. Raceshopper usually has them in stock and will ship them right away. They should be a good match for what a street tire can handle. Remember if you can lock the tires and make them slide then the brakes have done the best they can your limitation then is the tires.
when I went to V710s which are more aggressive I went with Hawk DTC-70s. The V710s could handle the more aggressive DTC-70 brake pad. BTW DTC-70 is what plenty of the SCCA guys use.
Brake fluid I would use ATE Super Blue as your lowest choice. I use that most of the time, but I change it for every event. Raceshopper also carries the brake fluid.
Edwin at raceshopper also races so you can ask him for suggestions. Their customer service is great and when they say something is being shipped it is being shipped. Important when you have to race in 2 days and anothe vendor EFF YOU
for rotors go to rockauto and order the raybestos red label for $16 each plus delivery. all the vettes are using them because they are cheap, but last as long as other more expensive products.
btw - dont forget to bed the brakes with the rotors.
Good move bleeding you brakes before you hit the track. I don't know about choosing the cheapest DOT3 fluid though - perhaps this is OK for your clutch, but we are talking about only a few dollars here. It is my understanding that the Ford DOT3 fluid is still the best DOT3.
If your vehicle is a few years old, consider having the brakes bled by a shop with a TECH2; this will allow them to completly bleed the ABS fluid as well. You should do this if you decide to use a better DOT4 fluid (e.g Motul RBF600, my preference, but about $14/pint).
If this is your first track day, bleed them well and go have fun. I like the Carbotech pads, XP10 up front with XP8 in the rear (XP9 if you can still find them) will give you nice balance. As you get more experience you will move to hotter compounds like XP12 front/XP11 rear. The 10/8 combo is nice because they are very streetable.
You will also notice that the Carbotech dust comes off the wheels mush easier than the stock pad dust.
I use the NAPA rotors ($25 each) because the local NAPA always has them. RockAuto should work as well. You will roast your rotors, the real expensive rotors ($250+ each) last a little longer than the cheapies - maybe 3x if your lucky; so the cheapies make economic sense.
Have a blast, don't get hung up on mods - although the DRM Duct Extension with LG Spindle ends works great. Aside from safety equipment, they should be your first track mod.
I've been buying my Carbotech pads direct from Carbotech for several years now and would suggest you try that route if PFYC is out.
As for fluid I've used both Motul RBF 600 and Wilwood EXP 600 Plus. The Wilwood is American but hard to find. I bought mine from Hardbar. Motul can be found in most high performance parts stores.
And I use the Napa rotors.
As mentioned, I strongly recommend bleeding the brakes before the track and as often as feasible at the track. I usually bleed mine after every track session to help keep the fluid fresh and minimize the issues of water aborption and the brake dust that gets by the pistons and into the fluid.
Have fun at Laguna. I learned to race there in the early 80s prior to the track configuration change but haven't been able to get back since.
Wow, awesome advice from everyone here. Zo6vette you guys came through! Wicked Weasel, thanks for info on the rotors $12 you cant beat that, and to bed them with the new pads as well.
I am using 555 R2's, which I havent managed to break loose
with the stock brakes yet although I havent stood on it over 80 mph.
With this info I plan on getting carbotech pads XP10's and 8's directly from carbotech, ATF super blue DOT 4 fluid as its the cheapest, and the rotors from rockauto. Bleed the brakes, and Im going to look into changing the clutch fluid.
Thanks again. Subdriver youve been racing since the 80's? How have you been since your track accident? Was your Z totalled out, are you in a new one?
ran XP10's & XP8"s this past weekend and i must say they take a session or two to get used too. mondo grab. first time on the track with the Z06 and it behaves way differently than my usual track car.
however, once you become comfortable with the Carbotechs they are quite good. i was able to brake deper and later than at least one other Z06 in my run group. "priceless"
oh, and a guy in a F355 came over and apologized for holding me up. he wasn't, and i told him so, but how often will i hear that i wonder.
Thanks again. Subdriver youve been racing since the 80's? How have you been since your track accident? Was your Z totalled out, are you in a new one?
Well... I started racing in the 80s. Since then it has been on and off... mostly off. I did three seasons with the Jim Russell school at Laguna Seca and Riverside from 81-83, and then dabbled with the Winfield school at Paul Richard in France in the summer of 85 then joined the Navy. Did a little sprint karting in the early 80s, then again from about 93-97. I took the Skip Barber school and did two races with them in 95. From 99-00 I tracked my 94 RX-7 several dozen times then traded it for the Z06 in late 01 and began tracking it. My first real racing license was with the SCCA in 2003.
I've been fine since the wreck, spending most of the summer at sea. Z06 still sitting on a trailer pending a decision. If someone doesn't buy seege's car I may go back into debt and buy that one. Otherwise, I'll probably go back into debt and have Phoenix Performance repair my car this winter. I'm at sea next Spring so my next real chance to race isn't until next June. Not in a real hurry to do anything given that time constraint. I'm also sort of waiting to see what the SCCA will do with the touring classes. They are evaluating making a new touring class for the C6 Z06, SRT-10 Viper and Ford GT to race nearly unrestricted. If they do that, the C5 Z06 will likely remain competitive in its class (whatever they end up calling it) for years, making me more likely to spend the money to fix my car.
Well... I started racing in the 80s. Since then it has been on and off... mostly off. I did three seasons with the Jim Russell school at Laguna Seca and Riverside from 81-83, and then dabbled with the Winfield school at Paul Richard in France in the summer of 85 then joined the Navy. Did a little sprint karting in the early 80s, then again from about 93-97. I took the Skip Barber school and did two races with them in 95. From 99-00 I tracked my 94 RX-7 several dozen times then traded it for the Z06 in late 01 and began tracking it. My first real racing license was with the SCCA in 2003.
I've been fine since the wreck, spending most of the summer at sea. Z06 still sitting on a trailer pending a decision. If someone doesn't buy seege's car I may go back into debt and buy that one. Otherwise, I'll probably go back into debt and have Phoenix Performance repair my car this winter. I'm at sea next Spring so my next real chance to race isn't until next June. Not in a real hurry to do anything given that time constraint. I'm also sort of waiting to see what the SCCA will do with the touring classes. They are evaluating making a new touring class for the C6 Z06, SRT-10 Viper and Ford GT to race nearly unrestricted. If they do that, the C5 Z06 will likely remain competitive in its class (whatever they end up calling it) for years, making me more likely to spend the money to fix my car.
Is the frame bent? Would it be cheaper to look for a earlier model C5 altogether? You have some serious racing experience under your belt. What is required to obtain the SCCA license?
Yeah SCCA needs to make a new class with the latest offerings from detroit. To what extent can a C5 Z be modified and still be in its class, what class is it in anyways?
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