Well, I thought I'd offer my experience with stock brakes used on the track to my friends back East since it looks like you guys are going to do a lot of track days when the weather warms up in a month of two.

If you are going to use racing or semi-racing pads like Panther Plus, be aware that the stock rotors and caliper piston boots might not be able to take the heat generated by these pads. After switching to Panther Plus pads, I found both my front rotors cracked and two piston boots partially melted. What is surprising is that one of the two damaged piston boots is of a rear caliper.

All I can say is that examine the rotors and the calipers carefully after each track event. And dealers should cover these under warranty as long as you don't mention the word "tracking" or "racing".

 

Were you on the OEM S02's?

 

Yes. I think the whole brake problem would be worse with stickier tires. Then again, maybe it's all because I don't know how to use the brakes properly - slowing down too much going into corners.

 

First report I have heard of rotor problems. I have quite a few of track days with R-tires and have no issue with rotors. Can you post a pic of the cracks?

 

They are tiny hairline cracks about half an inch in length all over the center section of the rotors (not by the edge, not near the hub). I don't even know if they'd show in the pics, but I'll see what my 3-year-old digital camera can do.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by spider
[B]After switching to Panther Plus pads, I found both my front rotors cracked and two piston boots partially melted.

 

Yikes! I was gonna try this first year of racing purely on stock tires and w/ stock brakes. Should I be concerned???

 

Vrm Vrm,
There were at least 4 of us who did a track day last summer at NHIS on stock pads and rotors, only thing we did was change to ATE Superblue brake fluid, and none of us experienced any problems with our brakes, except for possibly some glaze build up on the pads, which wore off under normal street driving relatively quickly.

Roger,
Compared to your NHIS experience, are you braking a lot harder, or more often, or both, at the tracks in CA?

 

I have had 3 track events (15+ hours) in my S2000 using stock SO2 tires and Porterfield RS4 pads, not a single problem. Driving style and mechanical awareness probably have a lot to do with equipment longevity.

 

Not sure, but I think they will help. I will be doing that before my next track day.