Brakes for EP3 Civic - daily & track car
Discussion
Hi,
Please excuse the long post. I'm after some advice on brakes for my EP3 Civic.
The car was bought to do trackdays and enjoyable road trips in addition to being a daily driver. I plan to build a dedicated track car at some point, but that's for another day. I've already fitted the Civic with a Wavetrac LSD, higher 5.1 final drive, baffled sump and Yoko AD08r tyres. It will do between 3-5 trackdays a year.
I've worn out the current brakes. Rears are categorically goosed (very worn with damaged nearside rear caliper); fronts have maybe a couple more months before they too need replacing. The discs were half worn and the pads nearly new when I bought the car in August last year, that was about 5000 miles ago. I haven't done any trackday outings with the Civic as yet, but I'm hopeful to get to Rockingham as soon as the brakes are sorted.
The car already has an improved brake setup, with grooved OEM size discs, standard callipers, Ferodo DS2500 pads and braided lines. Despite this I think the brakes are the single weakest point of the car.
I now have a choice:
1. Full set of discs and pads all round. The options here would lean toward StopTech OEM replacement discs, RBF600 fluid, and Hawk DTC30 / Carbon Lorraine / Performance Friction pads.
2. Fix the rears only and wait for Godspeed to bring out their well-priced Brembo BBK for the EP3. That's happening in about 3-5 weeks, so is within the remaining life of my front brakes. This is a four-pot setup with 330mm discs, and as such should be about right for a car weighing 12-1300kg.
The first option is undeniably cheaper. However I'm leaning toward the second because of my dissatisfaction with the current brakes, and a feeling that even with new pads, discs and fluid, they aren't going to cut it on track. I'm also thinking that going on current wear rates, I may get a fair while longer from pads and rotors using a BBK.
On my old car, a newage Impreza STi, I had Porsche 6-pots with larger rotors - I absolutely loved them. With a good pad, they were unbelievable on track, lap after lap with no fade.
What would you do in my position, and why?
Thanks in advance,
Luke
-- Mods I've posted a similar thread in the Honda forum. No replies there as yet, so thought I'd take the liberty of posting up here. If that's not OK, please delete the Honda forum thread, thank you.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Please excuse the long post. I'm after some advice on brakes for my EP3 Civic.
The car was bought to do trackdays and enjoyable road trips in addition to being a daily driver. I plan to build a dedicated track car at some point, but that's for another day. I've already fitted the Civic with a Wavetrac LSD, higher 5.1 final drive, baffled sump and Yoko AD08r tyres. It will do between 3-5 trackdays a year.
I've worn out the current brakes. Rears are categorically goosed (very worn with damaged nearside rear caliper); fronts have maybe a couple more months before they too need replacing. The discs were half worn and the pads nearly new when I bought the car in August last year, that was about 5000 miles ago. I haven't done any trackday outings with the Civic as yet, but I'm hopeful to get to Rockingham as soon as the brakes are sorted.
The car already has an improved brake setup, with grooved OEM size discs, standard callipers, Ferodo DS2500 pads and braided lines. Despite this I think the brakes are the single weakest point of the car.
I now have a choice:
1. Full set of discs and pads all round. The options here would lean toward StopTech OEM replacement discs, RBF600 fluid, and Hawk DTC30 / Carbon Lorraine / Performance Friction pads.
2. Fix the rears only and wait for Godspeed to bring out their well-priced Brembo BBK for the EP3. That's happening in about 3-5 weeks, so is within the remaining life of my front brakes. This is a four-pot setup with 330mm discs, and as such should be about right for a car weighing 12-1300kg.
The first option is undeniably cheaper. However I'm leaning toward the second because of my dissatisfaction with the current brakes, and a feeling that even with new pads, discs and fluid, they aren't going to cut it on track. I'm also thinking that going on current wear rates, I may get a fair while longer from pads and rotors using a BBK.
On my old car, a newage Impreza STi, I had Porsche 6-pots with larger rotors - I absolutely loved them. With a good pad, they were unbelievable on track, lap after lap with no fade.
What would you do in my position, and why?
Thanks in advance,
Luke
-- Mods I've posted a similar thread in the Honda forum. No replies there as yet, so thought I'd take the liberty of posting up here. If that's not OK, please delete the Honda forum thread, thank you.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Have you seen the K-system.pro BBK made up of renault Brembos and Nissan 350Z discs? I've got the setup on mine, it's great.
http://k-system.pro
Great kit and superb value for money at around £700.
http://k-system.pro
Great kit and superb value for money at around £700.
Butter Face said:
No worries.
I have DS performance pads as I only use on the road, but my EP3 is currently 320bhp and with the brakes bedded in now the stopping power is significantly better than OEM!
I owned another EP3 a few years ago and always felt disappointed with the OEM brakes! I'm going with Carbon Lorraine RC5+ all round I think, seems like a good pad for my needs from the reviews out there, and it's available for the Brembo 4-pot calliper. I have DS performance pads as I only use on the road, but my EP3 is currently 320bhp and with the brakes bedded in now the stopping power is significantly better than OEM!
Luke
The rotrex is great. Like driving a turbo'd car.
Mine has just run 320bhp but struggling with fuelling at the moment, losing voltage to the pump and the standard fuel line is restricting flow also.
Once they're fixed I'm hoping for 350bhp on a modest tune, I don't want huge power, just daily usability!
Mine has just run 320bhp but struggling with fuelling at the moment, losing voltage to the pump and the standard fuel line is restricting flow also.
Once they're fixed I'm hoping for 350bhp on a modest tune, I don't want huge power, just daily usability!
Butter Face said:
The rotrex is great. Like driving a turbo'd car.
Mine has just run 320bhp but struggling with fuelling at the moment, losing voltage to the pump and the standard fuel line is restricting flow also.
Once they're fixed I'm hoping for 350bhp on a modest tune, I don't want huge power, just daily usability!
That should fly, have you changed you final drive?Mine has just run 320bhp but struggling with fuelling at the moment, losing voltage to the pump and the standard fuel line is restricting flow also.
Once they're fixed I'm hoping for 350bhp on a modest tune, I don't want huge power, just daily usability!
How are you loosing voltage at the fuel pump?
superchargedctr said:
Butter Face said:
The rotrex is great. Like driving a turbo'd car.
Mine has just run 320bhp but struggling with fuelling at the moment, losing voltage to the pump and the standard fuel line is restricting flow also.
Once they're fixed I'm hoping for 350bhp on a modest tune, I don't want huge power, just daily usability!
That should fly, have you changed you final drive?Mine has just run 320bhp but struggling with fuelling at the moment, losing voltage to the pump and the standard fuel line is restricting flow also.
Once they're fixed I'm hoping for 350bhp on a modest tune, I don't want huge power, just daily usability!
How are you loosing voltage at the fuel pump?
I think (hope!) it's the relay. I have a new one coming from Honda today to fit and see if that ups the voltage! Check my thread out here - http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I would highly recommend the Wavetrac. It's a transformative mod for this car.
I'd also recommend the 5.1 FD from the FN2; this definitely helps with acceleration, while sitting only about 300rpm higher in top for any given speed.
This is tolerable - but if a lot of long drives are done it could be worth looking into fitting a longer 6th gear.
I'd also recommend the 5.1 FD from the FN2; this definitely helps with acceleration, while sitting only about 300rpm higher in top for any given speed.
This is tolerable - but if a lot of long drives are done it could be worth looking into fitting a longer 6th gear.
Edited by MurderousCrow on Saturday 4th February 16:43
MurderousCrow said:
I would highly recommend the Wavetrac. It's a transformative mod for this car.
I'd also recommend the 5.1 FD from the FN2; this definitely helps with acceleration, while sitting only about 300rpm higher in top for any given speed.
It's tolerable - but if a lot of long drives are done it could be worth looking into fitting a longer 6th gear.
Good shout, I've fitted an MFactory 5:47 final drive with a race pack MFactory LSD and fitted a higher ratio 6th gear for top speed/cruising these are great modsI'd also recommend the 5.1 FD from the FN2; this definitely helps with acceleration, while sitting only about 300rpm higher in top for any given speed.
It's tolerable - but if a lot of long drives are done it could be worth looking into fitting a longer 6th gear.
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