Let’s Talk Brake Upgrades for Track Use

[b2point0h]

There is a kit from AP that uses 18mm pads, I wouldn't want that one. I need to go with the CP9668 caliper which uses 25mm pads. Its $300 more than the 18mm version and will pay for itself almost immediately:

Part #: 13.01.10088

Brand: Essex & AP Racing

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Complete front AP Racing by Essex Radi-CAL Competition Brake Kit for the 2017+ Honda Civic Type R

• Features AP Racing CP9668 Radi-CAL six piston calipers, uses 25mm thick pad
• 355x32mm, 72 vane AP Racing disc
• Every component designed to resist the heat of extended track sessions
• Pistons sized properly to allow for seamless integration with OEM master cylinder and ABS system
• Designed to work with OEM rear brakes

Fits: Front (2020 Honda Civic Type R All)

Ah, sorry didn't see that kit was available. Well for $3500 vs $5k, a few extra mm of pads doesn't make much difference to me. Set of pads are $300, thats an extra 5 sets of pads.

Sponsored

 

[dsm_mikey]

I am definitely hoping to find it cheaper than $5K if I decide to pull the trigger! No luck so far!

Let us know how the Paragon kit works out for you. Looks like a nice kit.

 

[E404]

If anyone is having there brakes overheat during track use, here's some brake ducts for front and rear.

Front

Back

Purchase Link: https://www.speedengineering.de/sho...le]=0&ixwpsf[taxonomy][product_cat][filter]=1

 

[b2point0h]

Ask and you shall receive...

Smokin deal. I would scoop these if I didn't just pick up the Paragon kit.

 

[AlphaDigital]

If anyone is having there brakes overheat during track use, here's some brake ducts for front and rear.

Front

Back

Purchase Link: https://www.speedengineering.de/sho...le]=0&ixwpsf[taxonomy][product_cat][filter]=1

No offense but Is this that $700 kit that some dude tried selling on the FK8 groups online without providing an ounce of evidence that it did anything and got laughed at?

 

[Eugene_Fk8]

No offense but Is this that $700 kit that some dude tried selling on the FK8 groups online without providing an ounce of evidence that it did anything and got laughed at?

My question to that part is the same. No data show to what degree it helps with the brake cooling. Besides, its actually not so hard to make air ducting youself, so even harder to justify the price.

 

[Lust]

Sure the Paragon pads are a few mm thicker than OEM, but the pads are also longer giving it more surface area. The whole BBK package goes into improving brake temperatures and keeping them where they need to be so don’t get too hung up on having maximum pad thickness when it isn’t necessary

 

[Dave B]

My question to that part is the same. No data show to what degree it helps with the brake cooling. Besides, its actually not so hard to make air ducting youself, so even harder to justify the price.

I'm guessing you don't want a fender based oil cooler with these things.

 

[AlphaDigital]

If the fender vent is open, and it has space for a cooler is there a reason not to do it if it does not impede the brake cooling vent?

The limitation to me is space, that is, youll have a hard time fitting a decent sized cooler in that area, but how big is too big and how small is too small? Probably a subjective question because it all depends on what tracks you probably run and the climate you run in.

 

[E404]

No offense but Is this that $700 kit that some dude tried selling on the FK8 groups online without providing an ounce of evidence that it did anything and got laughed at?

Probably, I personally don't use Facebook. If it's the same FK8Productreview guy from Instagram then probably. I did stop following and blocked the guy on Instagram. I think he was banned here?

I was just browsing the interweb for brake stuff and came across this, it does seem very useless with an extra oil cooler in that location.

 

[typerspeed]

I am highly satisfied with the Essex/AP Racing J-Hook Rotors (the ones you can use with OEM calipers)... Girodisc Titanium Shims, Endless MX72 pads (not the best for track but they get the job done) and RF650 fluid. I do plan on switching to the ME20 pads eventually though. Calipers have not burned up either, I think the shims help a lot.

 

[ApexEight]

I won't know how well the life of Paragon rotors will hold up vs Girodisc for a while. I only have 3 trackdays on Paragon discs so far. If I were to guess, and hate guessing, I would say around the same since they are a similar (not identical) design.
That was pretty cool to see Steven get so much use out of the Giros. I don't think he brakes much though haha...

Random bump but how have the Paragon rotors compared to Girodisc?

 

[AlphaDigital]

Probably, I personally don't use Facebook. If it's the same FK8Productreview guy from Instagram then probably. I did stop following and blocked the guy on Instagram. I think he was banned here?

I was just browsing the interweb for brake stuff and came across this, it does seem very useless with an extra oil cooler in that location.

No its a different guy from overseas if I remember correctly. One day he just showed up with this kit with a shiny price tag and people asked him questions that he had no answer to. It was a tough sell for him.

 

[-JP-]

Random bump but how have the Paragon rotors compared to Girodisc?

1. Godfey at Paragon has been great to work with while trying to reach Girodosc is difficult and non-responsive.
2. Pricing is better.
3. The Paragon rotors are holding up just as well as the Girodisc rotors.

I got about 25 trackdays on the Giros until they reached their wear limit. Curious to see how far the Paragon rotors will go. I'm going to guess around the same, or maybe a little less assuming I get faster and harder on brakes.

 

[bicbaws]

I figured I should do a write-up on these pads after my brown pants moment. I ran PowerStop Track Day pads on a heavy braking course. While these pads are developed and used by Bondurant/Radford Racing School with Challengers/Camaros, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. The fronts only cost $110 USD/$140 CAD. Of course, I looked up reviews before purchasing. It had decent reviews on corvette/camaro forums and F8X forum, with major complaints being that the pad breaks down after overheating and a lot of pad smear. I decided to get them and well it didn't go well. In hindsight, I should have listened to my gut and not my local WhatsApp group - the OEM pads are good enough for me.

A friend who ran his FK8 in Time Trials was able to get 1:16-1:17 on this specific track on just Castrol SRF, Nankang CR-1s, and OEM Brembo pads. Anyway, I digress.

I got two 25-min sessions out of these Powerstop pads, with 1 hr break in between. Each session was about 9 laps (or 22km). The brakes completely failed on me on the last lap of the second session. These pads didn't feel horrible either. There wasn't a strong initial bite but there was good modulation, albeit I was bitch-braking. I did feel the pad performance drop off, but I thought it could hold up. I never expected for the pad to essentially explode and leave me with nothing when I'm going 140 km/h into a 45 degree turn. Fortunately, I was able to use the runoff without anything damaged.

TL;DR: The PowerStop Track Day pads are marketed for noobs but noobs don't know when a pad is overheated. Once this pad is overheated, the wear rate increases drastically, resulting in a very dangerous situation.

Full write up & video is linked here.