OEM Brakes for track?

[eyeballs]

Anyone use the OEM brake setup (fluid and pads) on a short track? If so, do you regret it?

I finally signed up for a track day...might be the only one with this car since we are looking at getting another miata. Just trying to decide if I should just bite the bullet and order higher temp pads and some ATE fluid.

 

[Mazda233]

Have not had the 2 on track yet but I ran stock pads on my Accent ( similar weight and power ) at NHMS, completely destroyed the pads, brakes smoking and ended my day. Porterfield cut me some pads and I never had another problem regardless of how many laps I ran.

 

[Perro del Sol]

Your better off upgrading brake pads and fluid. No reason to take chances

 

[eyeballs]

Yea I was starting to think that after I posted...cheap insurance. Might try the carbotech ax6 pads, so at least I can get more than one use out of them. Not sure how the temp range on those compares with HP plus. Reviews on the R4s were unfavorable for track use from what I saw.

 

[Joker2]

small track and OEM brakes

I did, about 1.2 mile track, in the rain, about 10-12 laps per session and it was OK. I would do the front pads and fluid as a matter of course. I was conservative and my max speed on the longer straight was under 90.

 

[racercentral]

First track day on car was Chuckawalla; original tires, brakes, pads; all good
Second track-day & first day of 2 day program with AROSC on car was Streets of Willow, a shorter track & a very intense program; original tires, brakes, pads, all good
Third track-day & second day of 2 day program with AROSC on car was Streets of Willow; very intense program; tires trashed; pads trashed; fluid overheating; rotors ok; car stopped ok, but had to make driving adjustments during afternoon to cool brakes before pushing pedal; no failures.
Fourth track-day; resurfaced rotors, Porterfield pads, S-Drives; high temp fluid; all good rest of year and bringing Porterfields as a spare;
Second year: resurfaced rotors; Carbo-Tech pads (first set made for me; I sent them the originals); Dunlop Stars; new high temp fluid (blue); all good, about 12 track days;
This year: resurfaced rotors; new high temp fluid (blue); new Carbo-Techs (great pads); Dunlop 2s; 8 track days so far this year; minimal wear; rear drums fine--no wear

 

[Andy Hollis]

One of the school cars at Harris Hill Raceway is a 2 with the only mod being H&R lowering springs. That car gets the crap beaten out of it...all on OE pads/fluid/rotors.

The cars are so slow that there is not much energy to bleed off in a turn, so you don't need much in the way of brakes...especially for someone new to track days.

 

[eyeballs]

Awesome! Thanks for the input. I just got a miata that needs a full run-through plus roll bar installed and I'm not sure I'll be done in time. Keep stuck on little things. I have a feeling I'll be taking the 2, but now you guys have me thinking of just running as is (suspension mods and s-drives, stock brakes). My wife will drive pretty conservatively so I doubt she'll be using much brakes, and we are splitting the 2.5 hours of time.

 

[CorkSport]

One of the school cars at Harris Hill Raceway is a 2 with the only mod being H&R lowering springs. That car gets the crap beaten out of it...all on OE pads/fluid/rotors.

The cars are so slow that there is not much energy to bleed off in a turn, so you don't need much in the way of brakes...especially for someone new to track days.

That poor car. Is it still out there being used and abused?

-Derrick

 

[Andy Hollis]

That poor car. Is it still out there being used and abused?

-Derrick

Every day.

And I prefer the term "exercised" rather than "abused".

 

[CorkSport]

Every day.

And I prefer the term "exercised" rather than "abused".

Lol, if you say so...

-Derrick