ap3x

Hello everyone. I'm planning on going to my first HPDE with the corvette at the beginning of june. I'm trying to get everything ready, but had questions about the brake setup.

As far as I'm aware I'm on OEM pads right now, and they're getting pretty low. Eventually I want to have dedicated track rotors and pads.

I'm thinking since my current pads are low, I'll go for the Hawk HP+ to use as my street pad (car is driven on weekends and at autox/track events), and do fluid and stainless lines for the first track day. Shortly after that I'd like to go for a dedicated track setup.

Any thoughts on this plan? I'm currently on old Firestone Wide Oval tires which probably won't offer much grip for braking anyway, although I've bought front nitto RII's and if I can swing the $$ I'll get the rears before the track day. Braking is a priority when it comes to cost however, since that is more of a safety issue.

Thanks,
Jason

Evilash

The HP+ was a decent track pad for my car. I ran a track day with the HPS that I was running on the street and they faded easily, couldn't reliably slow the car from 140 and just had no confidence with them on track.
The HP+ was a completely different story and I had no concerns about the brakes.
However, on the street the HP+ is loud, squeals and dusts horribly.

Thing is either of these pads will be worn down at least 50% in one track day. You will not be driving around, going to multiple track days and driving around some more. It just isn't going to happen.

I took the HP+ out after one half track day of use (2 sessions) and they were cooked and half gone. I put in some basic semi metallic pads for $40 to drive around on saving the HP+ for one more track day but I'd need those shims for them.
The semi metallics work about as well as the HPS on the street anyway.

mbeckers

I ran HP+ pads for the first year of doing track days. They hold up pretty well as you are learning. After gaining more confidence and speed you will want to go to a full competition pad as you will go through the HP pads in a couple of sessions.

JeremyGSU

I can't offer much advice on the Hawk pads but I would NOT recommend an R-type compound in the front such as the 555 RII's and Goodyear Ovals in the year.

That is probably too much tire for your first event anyway. I would go for the NT05's if you can exchange them.

jlutherva

The Hawk HP Plus will probably be much more aggressive than your existing tires can take. You may want to just pick another set of OEM or OEM replacement pads and replace the original pads with these when you've used 'em up. Just make sure your don't get ceramic pads, after all, it's your first event, you should not be going very fast and braking very hard.

What are you driving? Wide Ovals sounds like a C3?

I would settle on tires first then move up in brake pads. For a good set of tires, Hawk HP Plus would be a good starting point but as another posted pointed out, they are not to good for the street.

For later model Corvettes, Carbotech has pad sets that would allow you to move back and forth from track pads to street pads w/o bedding.

I used to have one set of pads and rotors for the street and another set for the track and swapped them back and forth. That's OK when you're only running a couple of events per year, but get old real fast.


Jim

ap3x

Thanks for the input.

To clarify, it's a C5 Z06. I will not be running rII's at the same time as wide ovals, the rIIs are sitting in my living room. I wanted to purchase the fronts now because I heard they were discontinuing the size. Once I get the rears, I will have all 4 mounted.

I suppose with my current tire limitations, maybe I should just get fresh oem or oem equivalent pads, and do fluid and stainless lines. Any input as to where I can get that kind of pad for the best price?

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

Carbotech XP8 will work for you. I will be happy to help you I have an idea to use the XP8 in padlets front and rear. Than you can move to the XP10 and move the XP8 to the rear for back up's. Do not mix tires on any event.

Bill Dearborn

The HP+ should work fine with your Wide Ovals. I ran those tires on my 03Z and due to getting a flat tire with one of my 710s had to run them for a couple days at the track. With stock size Wide Ovals my lap time at the Glen increased by about 6 sec's over what I was doing on 315/35/17 Kumho 710s on 17x11 wheels on all 4 corners. If your tires have over 2/32 of tread you should be just fine with them and the HP+.

Bill

rayk

I ran HP+ on my mustang with nitto 555's and found they are OK, but you will fade them and see reduced pad life when you start going faster and do heavier braking. Until then, they are OK on the track. On the street I really hated them.

wtb-z

The HP+ is in no way too aggressive for any tire on the track. It's around the bare minimum that will work.

rocsvette

If this is your first event, prep your car as you would for street, just change the brake fluid to hi-temp like Ate, Castrol, Motul etc. A set of good street tires will be fine and you can use street pads or go to XP8 carbotech if you want to step up. Just bring an extra set of pads in case you need to swap. Most organizations don't let beginners run on R compounds. When you start the weakest piece of equipment is the driver, not the car.

JiminVirginia

You'll like the Carbotechs, you'll hate the HP+ (the noise on the street is simply awful). Get a set of rotors dedicated to either a related set of Carbotechs (street/track) or just run the XP8s or XP10s on both street and track. They're excellent.

I actually ran a set of Wide Ovals at Summit Point once and was expecting them to be beyond awful, but they weren't quite that bad. The Nitto RIIs are better, though, and not so grippy as to be a concern to most event organizers.

ap3x

I'm thinking maybe I'll grab a set of XP8's. I'll probably try them as a street driven pad as well. If I decide I can't live with them, I can swap between those and say, carbotech bobcat street pads without any need to change rotors or go through a re-bedding process, correct?

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

This is correct. Give me a call I will be happy to sign you up

z06801

just to make sure your not planning on running the R2s up front with the ovals on the rear, wicked oversteer will result

bdanyluk

Highly recommend going with XP12's up front and XP10's out back....more pad than you need at first but you will grow into them quickly.....don't care if others tell you different,.....get them....you won't be sorry.

At $400 for the set, you want to be able to use them until they wear out...not use a set of expensive pads for a day or two, and upgrade with 90% of the pad left.

johninar

I thought 10s & 12s require some heat to work well.
I wouldn't want them on a DD.

rayk

A set of XP12/XP10's plus rotors for the track are going to run around 1,000 bucks. I bedded my XP10/XP8's last night and I like them. Just not a cheap.

ap3x

Well i already received my set of XP8's front and rear. I'm going to order some speed bleeders and then put in the pads, bleeders, new DRM lines, and fluid.

Which fluid should I go with? I recall people on other forums like ATE Super Blue or Motul fluid, I assume those will be satisfactory for the corvette?

rayk

I went with the Motul RBF 600 Dot 4. Dry 594 and Wet 421 degrees F.

Seemed like a good cost / benefit ratio.