CTR Brakes suggestions
Discussion
I've had my car on a couple of track nights, and have been enjoying it, but am looking at getting the brakes improved.
What I'm looking for is just a bit of advice.
The two main options really that i'm thinking of are:
1: braided brake lines, new pads (Ferodo DS 2500 are supposed to be good?) and discs
2: braided lines again but with a large caliper kit (brembo, etc...)
Regarding discs for the first option, i've heard are that standard discs are fine and grooved or drilled aren't really worth the bother, any truth in this?
Also i've heard that a big caliper kit isn't worth it unless you are using much more power.
I'm also wanting to stick with the standard 17" wheels, does this pretty much limit me to the first option?
Thanks!
What I'm looking for is just a bit of advice.
The two main options really that i'm thinking of are:
1: braided brake lines, new pads (Ferodo DS 2500 are supposed to be good?) and discs
2: braided lines again but with a large caliper kit (brembo, etc...)
Regarding discs for the first option, i've heard are that standard discs are fine and grooved or drilled aren't really worth the bother, any truth in this?
Also i've heard that a big caliper kit isn't worth it unless you are using much more power.
I'm also wanting to stick with the standard 17" wheels, does this pretty much limit me to the first option?
Thanks!
I would either stick to the OEM pads, or try the 'fast road' pads from either Ferodo or Mintex.
I don't know if the model codes are the same, but the Ferodo ones were DS2500 and the Mintex were 1144.
Either way, for road use the standard setup is more than adequate on an EP3 CTR. As I said above, on track the first thing I would do is upgrade the fluid and see how you get on.
I don't know if the model codes are the same, but the Ferodo ones were DS2500 and the Mintex were 1144.
Either way, for road use the standard setup is more than adequate on an EP3 CTR. As I said above, on track the first thing I would do is upgrade the fluid and see how you get on.
I do a lot of track work in my EP3.
I had condsidered a big brake upgrade, but at around £1.5k I thought it wasn't worth it.
Standard brakes are brilliant, it's just they fade fairly quickly when brake temps rise to 400 degrees + (which they will do on most UK BTCC circuits after 5 or more consecutive late-braking laps).
So, you need something that'll cope with higher temps for longer.
As said above, brake fluid is important. But in my experience it's been the pads that have ben the weak link.
I used Mintex 1144 for a while once I realised my standard pads weren't up to the job. However, these faded too at a similar point to standard pads.
The solution, as ever, came at a price. But nothing like the price of a big brake upgrade.
Pagid RS29
A few quid under £200 a set of fronts. But they don't fade. They are used for endurance racing, but have a coefficient of friction at cold which is higher than standard pads! (To simplify, they brake brilliantly from cold too, so no worry about them not working on the road!)
Being endurance pads, they last very well. They are also pretty kind to disks (still on my original OEM ones).
The drawback...apart from price, is they can be a bit squeely, especially when they haven't been abused for a while, and the dust that comes off them turns your front wheels black pretty quickly.
Got mine from:- http://www.motorsportworld.co.uk
Hope this helps ;-)
I had condsidered a big brake upgrade, but at around £1.5k I thought it wasn't worth it.
Standard brakes are brilliant, it's just they fade fairly quickly when brake temps rise to 400 degrees + (which they will do on most UK BTCC circuits after 5 or more consecutive late-braking laps).
So, you need something that'll cope with higher temps for longer.
As said above, brake fluid is important. But in my experience it's been the pads that have ben the weak link.
I used Mintex 1144 for a while once I realised my standard pads weren't up to the job. However, these faded too at a similar point to standard pads.
The solution, as ever, came at a price. But nothing like the price of a big brake upgrade.
Pagid RS29
A few quid under £200 a set of fronts. But they don't fade. They are used for endurance racing, but have a coefficient of friction at cold which is higher than standard pads! (To simplify, they brake brilliantly from cold too, so no worry about them not working on the road!)
Being endurance pads, they last very well. They are also pretty kind to disks (still on my original OEM ones).
The drawback...apart from price, is they can be a bit squeely, especially when they haven't been abused for a while, and the dust that comes off them turns your front wheels black pretty quickly.
Got mine from:- http://www.motorsportworld.co.uk
Hope this helps ;-)
I used to use Mintex 1155s on my old CRX (they're a step up from the 1144s). Though not strictly for road use, they were fine on the road and when used on the standard brake setup with Castrol SRF fluid, could happily do long stretches of open pitlane at place such as Oulton and Croft etc.
10 Pence Short said:
I used to use Mintex 1155s on my old CRX (they're a step up from the 1144s). Though not strictly for road use, they were fine on the road and when used on the standard brake setup with Castrol SRF fluid, could happily do long stretches of open pitlane at place such as Oulton and Croft etc.
I'm not sure, but I would guess a CRX is a lot lighter than an EP3 CTR, thus not produce such high front brake temperatures?However, never having tried Mintex 1155s I can't comment. They may work out the best bet, as they'll cost nowhere near as much as the Pagids.
Definitely worth a try if you aren't a very regular trackday attendee.
I just know I wouldn't use any other pad than the Pagid RS29 now. Gives me so much confidence to brake late, and leaves me £1300 better off than a brake upgrade. My first set lasted me over 10 trackdays, and driving to and from.
The CRX (mk2 VT) was about 100kgs lighter than the CTR, though the rear brakes are a token gesture and the suspension was still the standard bushes, shocks and springs- under braking it didn't so much dive as try to bury itself front first into the ground. 
You could easily do 30 mins on, 10 minutes off, 30 minutes on the track with the setup above without the brakes getting softer.
I used to use Motorsport world for the 1155s, too.
You could easily do 30 mins on, 10 minutes off, 30 minutes on the track with the setup above without the brakes getting softer.
I used to use Motorsport world for the 1155s, too.
That's very useful, thanks guys.
I'll have a look at getting the pads and fluid changed.
Is it worthwhile looking at braided hoses, or are the standard ones again up for plenty track day/ back road abuse?
The pagid pads sound like the expense would be worth every penny!
ETA: I've used MSW for other parts before too, always seem to have good prices for almost anything!
I'll have a look at getting the pads and fluid changed.
Is it worthwhile looking at braided hoses, or are the standard ones again up for plenty track day/ back road abuse?
The pagid pads sound like the expense would be worth every penny!
ETA: I've used MSW for other parts before too, always seem to have good prices for almost anything!
Edited by Ian974 on Thursday 12th June 10:34
Ian974 said:
That's very useful, thanks guys.
I'll have a look at getting the pads and fluid changed.
Is it worthwhile looking at braided hoses, or are the standard ones again up for plenty track day/ back road abuse?
The pagid pads sound like the expense would be worth every penny!
The best advice is to try it without new hoses and see. In my opinion you'll notice far more difference from pads and fluid than you will from hoses.I'll have a look at getting the pads and fluid changed.
Is it worthwhile looking at braided hoses, or are the standard ones again up for plenty track day/ back road abuse?
The pagid pads sound like the expense would be worth every penny!
billberks2 said:
do you think its worth forking out for EBC's?
No, they are s
te. If you make EBCs last you are not going anywhere near fast enough. I'd avoid ds2500s for trackdays too, they get hot,crumble and the smear themselves over your disks and you get judder. You'll then have get the disks skimmed or go for new ones.10 Pence Short said:
Ian974 said:
That's very useful, thanks guys.
I'll have a look at getting the pads and fluid changed.
Is it worthwhile looking at braided hoses, or are the standard ones again up for plenty track day/ back road abuse?
The pagid pads sound like the expense would be worth every penny!
The best advice is to try it without new hoses and see. In my opinion you'll notice far more difference from pads and fluid than you will from hoses.I'll have a look at getting the pads and fluid changed.
Is it worthwhile looking at braided hoses, or are the standard ones again up for plenty track day/ back road abuse?
The pagid pads sound like the expense would be worth every penny!
Thanks for the advice again guys. I'll get some shopping done at some point and see how it goes!
thetrash said:
billberks2 said:
do you think its worth forking out for EBC's?
No, they are ste. If you make EBCs last you are not going anywhere near fast enough. I'd avoid ds2500s for trackdays too, they get hot,crumble and the smear themselves over your disks and you get judder. You'll then have get the disks skimmed or go for new ones.If it was me, I'd try some Mintex 1144s, assuming that's still the right code for them.
Having said that, I was talking about my old Civic with a friend earlier this week, and I was commenting that for road use, the Civic actually had a very very good standard setup. You're probably pushing too hard on the public road if you're having problems with the factory setup.
One caveat to that would be if the brake fluid is old and not performing as it should. You should flush and replace the fluid at least every year.
Having said that, I was talking about my old Civic with a friend earlier this week, and I was commenting that for road use, the Civic actually had a very very good standard setup. You're probably pushing too hard on the public road if you're having problems with the factory setup.
One caveat to that would be if the brake fluid is old and not performing as it should. You should flush and replace the fluid at least every year.
Gassing Station | Honda | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff