Best brake parts/fluids

**SIIDEWAYS** · 01-20-2021, 09:21 PM

So I've been pumping new life into my heap in the past few months, doing maintenance and upgrades to get it ready for the track. And since I've kinda been out of the game for a good decade (or more) I'm a bit out of touch on what's the latest and greatest when it comes to parts for these things. Currently, I'm running Power Slot(?) slotted rotors (don't even know if they're still around) all around on Hawk pads with Super ATE Blue (I think that's what it was called?) for fluid. This set up is quite old and the front rotors have even been resurfaced twice (!) already.

I've done some quick searches on this forum and I think PFC Z-rated pads seem to be the way to go. But how about rotors? I just want them slotted, nothing fancy. And what's the best brake fluid these days? Anything else I'm missing? Your input is welcome, TIA...

**aeronaut** · 01-20-2021, 09:55 PM

What's the car used for?

But rotors, cheapest you can find. Rockauto, $30/rotor kinda rotor.

**aeronaut** · 01-20-2021, 10:03 PM

Brake fluid, If you want some data vs price info:
https://www.lelandwest.com/brake-flu...ow=1&SF=8&ST=2

I use Motul RBF 600 or Wilwood EXP 600.
I am VERY tempted to try the cheap Jegs Racing fluid. Wet boiling point at 410 degrees, $4/12oz. WCGW?

Pads, it's all about what you use the car for, and personal preference for feel. I've used compounds from endurance pads to very high mu sprint pads. I prefer the very hi mu stuff for control into the corner to the apex, but give up some control at threshold. That's my experience anyway.

**SIIDEWAYS** · 01-21-2021, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by aeronaut

Brake fluid, If you want some data vs price info:
https://www.lelandwest.com/brake-flu...ow=1&SF=8&ST=2

I use Motul RBF 600 or Wilwood EXP 600.
I am VERY tempted to try the cheap Jegs Racing fluid. Wet boiling point at 410 degrees, $4/12oz. WCGW?

Pads, it's all about what you use the car for, and personal preference for feel. I've used compounds from endurance pads to very high mu sprint pads. I prefer the very hi mu stuff for control into the corner to the apex, but give up some control at threshold. That's my experience anyway.

Wow, that's a lot of info on that link...not even sure where to start or what to look for. But a buddy of mine swears hands down that the Castrol React SRF is the best brake fluid money can buy. Anyway, I drive the car like maybe twice a month for short distances (have a couple other DDs), and plan to do HPDEs a handful of times per year.

**aeronaut** · 01-21-2021, 05:01 AM

Something like the Redline 600, Motul 600, Wiwood EXP, or ATE 200 is going to be more than enough, and all are 1/2 or less the price of the Castrol SRF. Personally, I'd run the Jegs racing fluid for $4/12oz in a mostly street, random HPDE car, and not think twice. With a wet boiling point of over 400 degrees, its obvious the Jegs is a repackaged fluid from a quality manufacturer at a great price.

Standard, cheapest rotors from rock auto or similar are going to be absolutely fine. If you want a little bling, slotted is fine if you want to pay the extra. Do not get drilled. Don't pay a penny more than the cheapest you can find with the bling options you want.

Combination track / street brake pads are a work of compromise. True tack pads need heat, will eat rotors if used heavily while cold, and are noisy as hell cold, and make nasty dust that if wet, gets stuck to the rims. So for a few HPDEs a year, the PFC Z-rated will very likely be fine. In general, PFC makes great pads. Hawk also makes quality pads and have high performance street pads that would be fine for a few HPDEs. The closer you get to a track pad, the more compromises you make with noise and dust and rotor life.

**olemiss540** · 01-21-2021, 08:26 AM

Agree with aeronaut. Rockauto blanks, RBF 600, and Hawl DTC60 pads is my goto setup.

I would much rather sacrifice noise on the street than fade on the track.

**bimmerboy318** · 01-21-2021, 08:52 AM

Rock auto blanks... cheapest ones, HAWK DTC70, and ATE 200. I use ATE 200 on everything.

**aeronaut** · 01-21-2021, 10:03 AM

The DT60/70s might be a bit much for a street mostly car.

**bimmerboy318** · 01-21-2021, 10:31 AM

Oh, street car? Use rotors that are coated so they look nice and don’t rust. Pagid coated from rockauto $30ea. Then I use posi quiet pads from rock auto.

**SIIDEWAYS** · 01-21-2021, 01:46 PM

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Should I also get stainless steel lines? Or is that overkill?

**olemiss540** · 01-21-2021, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by aeronaut

The DT60/70s might be a bit much for a street mostly car.

"twice a month for short distances (have a couple other DDs), and plan to do HPDEs a handful of times per year."

To me that sounds like a track car you drive to lunch or a store a few times a month to keep the fluids circulating.

Regardless, if you got sick of the pedal feel and noise and ended up driving more frequently on the street, I would buy a second set of rotors and a set of cheap ceramic pads on rockauto.

**aeronaut** · 01-21-2021, 04:50 PM

Yea, he's kinda the typical tweener, so hard to say what he could live with vs what he needs on track.
Pick a pad, be prepared to try another style when those wear or, or when you hate them.

**bimmerboy318** · 01-21-2021, 06:09 PM

Drive to the track kind of track car. I'd still go DTC-60/DTC-70 with coated rotors (so there's no ugly rust) and ATE fluid. Any fresh brake fluid will likely suffice. I also think stainless lines are worth the $120 even on the street.

If it's mostly street with track, just by another set of pads and swap before tracks days... the squealing from the pads are terrible. Street pads on a track are almost dangerous unless you are very new to tracking.

**L8Braker35** · 01-21-2021, 07:23 PM

I would advise against the PFC Z-rated pads. I used them on another brand car that was a drive-to-track-days kind of car (3400#, Brembos all-around) and I smoked them by the second session. Finished the event but I couldn’t push the car anywhere deep into the braking zones. And that was with ducted air too. No fun. I switched to EBC Blue with better luck, and they were streetable as well. Given your usage, I’d still opt for a more dedicated track pad, like Hawk Blue or better.

**olemiss540** · 01-22-2021, 09:34 AM

Welcome to the forum l8braker!

**aeronaut** · 01-22-2021, 10:03 AM

Oh, yea, didn't even notice! Welcome to the forum L8braker!

**L8Braker35** · 01-22-2021, 10:34 AM

**SIIDEWAYS** · 01-25-2021, 04:03 PM

Anyone know if the PFC z-rated pads are the out-gassing type? Can't find any info to confirm this.

**BlackHawkRacing** · 01-25-2021, 04:47 PM

Rotors I would run the Zimmermann euro floating on the fronts and stock rears. Get them from FCP and exchange under warrantee whenever they run out. If you've been away for a while you might not know that FCP provides a lifetime warrantee on all parts you buy through them, even items that wear out, like brake rotors and pads.

Front:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ft-34112227737
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ht-34112227738

Rears:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...6-34212227177a
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...3-34212227178a

For fluid, as said above, Motul, ATE Type 200, etc, pick your flavor. I personally like the Castrol and again, getting it through FCP pays dividends.

Brake Line - Yes just replace them with some SS lines.

Pads - If you're doing any real HPDE work I think it's worth your while to swap out a set of DTC 60s or PFC 01/08 pad just for the event. Otherwise stick to more street friendly pads. The dust from the DTCs will destroy those wheel (Hamanns?)

**SIIDEWAYS** · 01-25-2021, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by BlackHawkRacing

Rotors I would run the Zimmermann euro floating on the fronts and stock rears. Get them from FCP and exchange under warrantee whenever they run out. If you've been away for a while you might not know that FCP provides a lifetime warrantee on all parts you buy through them, even items that wear out, like brake rotors and pads.

Front:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ft-34112227737
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ht-34112227738

Rears:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...6-34212227177a
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...3-34212227178a

For fluid, as said above, Motul, ATE Type 200, etc, pick your flavor. I personally like the Castrol and again, getting it through FCP pays dividends.

Brake Line - Yes just replace them with some SS lines.

Pads - If you're doing any real HPDE work I think it's worth your while to swap out a set of DTC 60s or PFC 01/08 pad just for the event. Otherwise stick to more street friendly pads. The dust from the DTCs will destroy those wheel (Hamanns?)

Thanks, I'll keep them in mind! Wheels are Work, and no, I'm not using them for track duty. I'm sourcing a set of D-Force LTW5s in 17x9 ET41, and gonna run some 245 or 255 (if I can get them to fit without rubbing) R-compounds, maybe something like Toyo Proxes R888Rs.

**olemiss540** · 01-25-2021, 06:02 PM

Go NT01 please!

**aeronaut** · 01-25-2021, 06:17 PM

Not sure of your track experience, but don't rush to R compounds, they hide mistakes and make it harder to learn car dynamics.
Most 255s, and some 245s won't fit in the rear without fender roll and/or pull.

**tiMASTER** · 01-25-2021, 09:38 PM

My car mainly collects rust, then drives on the street and may at rare times) exceed posted limits...

I run Motul, which is overkill, but, why not. Pads are Porterfield (remember them?) R4S, which is their "street" pad. When I did auto-X, they performed well enough, didn't fade on me (probably would on a long track) and they are quiet and CLEAN. Plus they are easy on the rotors, and wear like DEPLETED URANIUM- I mean they last forever.

The R4 is the race version (ten years ago) they may have more flavors now...

If yo did go with these pads, I think you could get nicer rotors (2-piece and/or dynamically balanced) because you won't eat them in one session.

**SIIDEWAYS** · 01-26-2021, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by olemiss540

Go NT01 please!

What, are you making a commission on the Nittos? lol j/k

But in all seriousness, I've heard that the NT01 is better for auto-cross whereas the R888R has more straightline grip? What about the Nankang AR-1? Any thoughts? I've heard that they are the best bang for buck track tire out there.

Originally Posted by aeronaut

Not sure of your track experience, but don't rush to R compounds, they hide mistakes and make it harder to learn car dynamics.
Most 255s, and some 245s won't fit in the rear without fender roll and/or pull.

I have about ~100 hours of track time under my belt, at various courses, from Streets, Ontario, to Vegas Speedway (not to mention gobs of seat time at the local K1, hehe). So I'd say I'm about an intermediate level track rat. But then, that was well over 10 years ago, so maybe I'm actually a rookie again, lol. I've run R compounds before, namely the old but venerable Kumho Ecsta and posted some respectable lap times at Streets (which is more technical, and that is what I prefer anyway over fast tracks). I'll probably end up getting 17x8.5s instead on 245s cuz I don't want/plan to roll my fenders.

**olemiss540** · 01-27-2021, 06:48 AM

I have done a fairly substantial amount of research and the NT01 is the best track day tire you can run in terms of grip and longevity. They are FANTASTIC as a dedicated track day tire for when you want to make the rcomp jump.

I ran 255/40/17 on my e36 m3 with a track alignment but they also come in 235/40/17 if you are not running much camber. I have a set of Kosei K1s (17"x8.5") off my previous e36 m3 if you are looking for a lightweight set of wheels for cheap. They are in my storage unit so I would just need to have my brother package them and ship them.