Will I melt my brakes (even if I'm careful)?

[s3am]

Hello all,

I am planning to go to Snetterton next month with RMA and was wondering if I am going to melt my standard S3 brakes. I know the Porsche set would be the ideal, but will OEM jobs hold up???

Any experiences?

Thanks

Sam

[heightswitch]

Yes.

New pads and discs will be required after a good track day. If they are not then what is the point of going on one??

Neil.

[iguana]

All depends how you drive really, standard S3 brakes are not that woeful.

[edc]

But they are the same brakes as on Leon Cupras and IIRC Octavia RS whic have less power. I find it ironic that the equivalent powered Leon Cupra R comes with 323 Brembo 4-pots and the 'more prestigious' Audi does not.

[adrianr]

Only if you drive like a muppet.

General tips beforehand...
- have at least 3/4 pad thickness before you start, and no ridges or grooves in the disk
- if you have to fit new pads or disks, bed them in gently, then firmly (but not hard) for a few dozen miles and then let them cool overnight.
- make sure brake fluid was changed in the last year

On the day
- don't bury the pedal at every corner; it's faster to carry speed anyway.
- if you want to try some hard stops, do one or two then do some gentler laps
- use the cooling off lap/laps at the end of each session for their intended purpose
- try and coast (almost) to stop in the pit lane, and don't put the handbrake on.
- inspect the brakes between sessions for pad wear and disk temperature, as shown by blue-ing of the disk.

AdrianR
p.s. and read up on the characterstics of pad fade and fluid boiling, just in case.


>> Edited by adrianr on Monday 27th September 15:36

[s3am]

heightswitch said:

New pads and discs will be required after a good track day. If they are not then what is the point of going on one?? Neil.

Turns out the brakes were fine, Snetterton didn't seem too hard on them, and it helped that it was wet, keeping the speeds down.

I don't agree that harsh use of your brakes is necessarily de riguer for a 'good' trackday. The 'point' for me is to enjoy the car and its handling in a relaively safe arena far from Trafpol, not burn it; its brakes, engine and tyres out. I really don't understand the mentality of people who drive like its a race on trackdays, overtaking in braking zones and driving agressively.

Go Race!

Sam