Snetterton/Cadwell/Brands – brake related question

[wy906]

Currently my car has got standard road pads. I went to Brands Hatch in February (cool weather, dry day) and they were adequate, although they started to smell/smoke a bit towards the end of the day.

I’m planning to go to Snetterton or Cadwell Park next. Are these two tracks harder on brakes compare to Brands Hatch?

FYI the pads and discs have only done 7000 miles and one track day, so plenty of life left for road use.

I’m budget conscious. Should I have the pads changed prior to the next track day? If I was going to Brands next then I wouldn’t change them, but not sure about Snetterton or Cadwell Park.

Thanks.

[Steve H]

Snett and Cadwell are both fairly heavy on brakes although it depends on the driver and car as the track TBH. If they are more than 50% worn I would at least have some spares with me and the tools to change them.

[DBaldwin]

I munched through a set of pads (was loads of meat on them) in one trackday at snett. Was in a Citroen C2 so a light car. And as the pads went down to the backing plate the discs were buggered too. Have now ordered some DS2500's and ferodo discs at great expense!

[RLK500]

Of the three, I found cadwell the hardest on brakes. At least at Snett and Brands there is a bit of straightage were they get a little breather.

[Some Gump]

OP,

Depends on your car.
Cadwell in a caterham - no worries. Cadwell in a 911, you'll eat pads, not unknown to boil the fluid.
Old snetterton wasn't too bad in 911's, but no idea what the 300 layout will be like.

[wy906]

Thanks for the replies. My car is only the Corrado VR6 so nothing exotic; and I’m only a novice track day driver.

Front right pad was smoking quite a bit the last time at Brands; based on your feedback I should really at least upgrade the front pads before visiting Snet/Cadwell then.

Thanks!

[GrumpyTwig]

Just to throw a spanner in there I've found cadwell to be fairly easy on the brakes, I've munched alot of material off the pads but haven't suffered any fade doing upwards of 20 laps. I ran out of steam before the brakes did. As others have said it probably depends more on the car.

Oulton however killed them, not been to any of the other tracks mentioned yet.

[DavidY]

Cadwell in a relatively heavy car eats brakes, there are several very heavy braking points. At least at Snetterton the straights give the brakes a chance to cool down a bit!

[gruffalo]

haven't done Cadwell but want to some time, the new Snet 300 circuit is hard on brakes.

I have a Cerbera and using standard AP brakes but with Red Stuff pads and high temp brake fluid still boiled them later in the afternoon as I got quicker. There are two big stops at Snet and a cuple mid size ones at the hairpins and it was very hard on my brakes when there in April.

Absolutely top circuit though, would recommend it to any one.