Track brake pads?

[Red94Roadster]

I'm planning on going to Viperdays at Mid-Ohio this spring and have been getting together a list of what I will need for the event. I spoke with there tech inspector, Tom Sessions, yesterday and found out that the EBC green brake pads that I was going to put on my car tihs winter are not acceptable (I already bought and have em in my garage). He mentioned stock pads or Brakeman 3's. He also mentioned a few track specific brake fluids.

What type of brake pads and/or fluids will work for everyday street use and this event? I would prefer not to invest in a separate track set-up, if I don't have to. I'm trying to keeps the costs down, since I was budgeting some money for new tires and possibly a 40mm rear brake upgrade.

I've been told to replace the brake fluid before and after this event. Should I expect to go through an entire set of pads, as well? If you keep 2 sets of brake pads (1 for street, 1 for track), can you switch between them after they've been used?

Last, can stock pads be purchased anywhere but the dealer? I've seen some pads advertised as "OEM compound", but were not Mopar parts. Any good?

Thanks

[ViperRay]

When you change brake pad material, you have to "scuff" the rotors meaning removing the old brake pad material. I do this using a 3M pad connected to my drill... dirty business.

If you only intend to do this one track event then I'd stick with the stock pads, if that's what you already have. If you want better stopping power and don't mind removing the old pad material from the rotors then get Brakeman 3 pads all around... I get my pads from Jon B at Parts Rack.

Regarding brake fluid, you need to flush out the old fluid and replca with Motul RBF 600... also from Parts Rack.

You first suck the fluid out of the reservoir (turkey baster or similar), pour in new fluid and bleed all brakes starting with rears.
The Motul can be used all the time but it is more expensive (has a higher boiling point) and needs to be replaced more often (it absorbs water more quickly).

The 40 mm rear brake upgrade is great and inexpensive (I have it) but if you haven't ever tracked the car I'd do it with stock brakes first so you can see what the stock setup is like.

This "tracking" stuff is a lot of fun but a financial black hole.

Make sure your tires are good. People at the track can help you with a lot of the other stuff.

[jcaspar1]

I have tired: Axxis Ultimates and StopTech Club race (with StopTech front setup) and both crumbled due to over heating. My last track event I used Brakeman #3's which held up better. They do squeak like the stock pads but work well on the street and track. I probably should switch between street and race pads but it's difficult for me to find a place to break the pads in each time, which you would need to do. Another solution is to get a separate set of rotors for the track and keep them paired with the race pads. This is way to expensive with StopTech rotors but would be cheap with stock rotors. I use Motul 600RBC fluid which is pretty cheap and works well on the track and street.

[Batboy]

Same here. I used EBC my first track day and my brakes faded twice on me. I switched to the Brakeman 3's and Motul 600. They have done fine since. I do get a lot of skweaking but I think I "glossed" the pads and that's why they skweak. I also have way more dust than I did with the EBC Greens. None-the-less I plan to swap my pads back until my next track event. I also heard that EBC changed their pads and the new Greens are not the same as mine. Not sure if that's try or not, but beware.

[0260in3]

Motul RBF600 Brake Fluid
Brakeman 3's

I use this setup for street and track and it works fine. You do get more brake dust with Brakeman's but you get used to it. Besides, after one classroom session with Skip, you'll learn brake dust is "good".

Terry

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

What all these guys said is spot on. Enjoy. I'm hoping to make Mid Ohio too.

[Tom, F&L GoR]

Votes are already in, but I have good success with B#3 pads and Valvoline Synthetic brake fluid. You can leave the pads on year-round and the fluid is pretty easy to find.

With the stock setup so dependent on the front brakes, watch for lock ups; the fluid will also get plenty hot. With 40mm rears (or any rear brake upgrade) the braking is shared among all four wheels; tire flat spotting, brake fluid life, and pad life will be easier to manage (i.e. slightly shallower financial black hole.)

When considering 40mm rear calipers, please no more mix and matching brake pads. Start with same pads front and rear. The rears will work hard enough that wildly different pads aren't necessary.

[SidewinderGTS]

I use Satisfied Performance Brakes G5.They are a street/track with a lot less brake dust then stock.Check out their site.
http://www.satisfiedbrakes.com/motorsports/index.html

[Steve 00RT/10]

Stock rotors, 40MM upgrade, B3s, no prop valve, Motul RBF600.

I used to switch from EBCs to track pads, but now I keep the same pads on year round. Yes, there's a little dust to deal with, but I feel I've become a little better at braking by always using the same pads through the 10K miles I do per season. I actually wore the back pads out before the fronts on the last set. I run Motul year round. If you're goal is like mine...to just have a little fun on the track, you don't need to spend a bunch of money. In fact, for starters, you could just use the stock OEM set up (with Motul or Valvoline brake fluid) in there to try it out. For the majority of people going to the track once or twice a year, a stock Viper is a lot more car than you're capable of pushing to the limit.

Tom's upgrade and B3s are a very good 'bang for the buck' mod. It actually makes street driving safer as well with the increased stopping ability.

Steve

[grcforce327]

Votes are already in, but I have good success with B#3 pads and Valvoline Synthetic brake fluid. You can leave the pads on year-round and the fluid is pretty easy to find.

Same here along with the 40mm's!!!

[95Viper]

If you have a way to return or exchange those Greens, do it. I had no idea that EBC changed the Green compound a year or so ago and they dust like crazy now. Not a good street pad or track pad now I guess. I don't understand what they did.

The only downside to Motul is that the color is amber. It needs to be changed more often like mentioned above. It would be a good idea to use it for the track and then go to Valvoline Syntech which is clear for the street.