This was my first time driving the R32 in any performance venue and I wasn’t sure what to expect. The car has totally stock brakes and stock summer tires on RS4 reps (22lbs each). I also was running the APR 93 octane tune. Everything else is stock. My impressions: I can’t believe how easy this car is to drive. It gives you control and confidence like nothing I’ve ever driven. It could use my negative camber up front and some sticker tires but other than that I was able to rotate the car, plant it anywhere on the course and get on the power early. No lie, I clocked approximately 110 miles on the road course without issue. I burned a tank and a half of gas all day. The brakes didn’t fade at all. The fluid did boil but at no point did I loose braking power. Scott couldn’t believe they were stock pads. He even gave me a hard time about using stock pads in the morning but after all day lapping they still had plenty of bite. In fact, he and the other drivers couldn’t believe the exhaust was stock too. I wanted to mention that I could see where having the DSG upgrade would be beneficial on the track. A couple of times it would force a shift into 4th where I wanted to stay in third. I got to drive Russ' nicely tunned 06 WRX (2.5liter, coilovers, swaybars, upgrade brake pads and rotors) It was way more tail happy and the turbo boost coming out of turns was nice but both cars hit the same top speed and the end of the back straight (95-98 mph). Drew's stage 2 STI I rode it hit 110mph for the record. The WRX still felt sloppy and taxing to drive (sorry.) I hopped back into the R and banged off a few more laps with ease compared to the WRX.
Drews car drove really nice, it was a little lose but I like cars like that...sometimes. I saw 120-125ish on the back straight in Drews car but that was with me driving, I don't think you drove his, just rode along if I recall correctly. The VW looked like a scream to drive on track, I wish I had brought something to drive but taking the mustang out was not a good idea.
that is amazing to not get any fade on stockers. I was excited to get back out with my 4 pots but after hearing about Russ killing a set of rotors I am thinking I will wait to go to the track in the coupe once finished.
well.....the rotors aren't dead....the damn caliper bushings are! I still need to order those, maybe i'll get them from SOK. That was the SINGLE cause of my brake mushiness. I think the Motul RB600 was fine, pads were worn and 2 of them developed cracks when we took them off. I sent a nice email and pictures to carbotech, hoping they will replace them since i can't believe track rated pads cracked after single use. I think the rotors are still fine, just they got really freaking hot and went over their max threshold (all three color bars turned white).
If the pads got over their operating temp repeatedly that would cause them to crack. Check the rotors for cracking really well, I would be suprised if they don't have any cracks, look for heat checking to, if your fingernail catchs on it when you drag it across then its to big.
keep in mind the R32 brakes are 13.5" up front and the rears have ventilated rotors. They are made for serrious autobahn driving
i had fun, too much fun, actually. Patrick's V-Dub was kicking...if you haven't experienced that DSG tranny, it's unbelievable. I was overly impressed w/ that car, especially for it being stock. I haven't had a chance to check my pads / rotors yet, that'll happen tomorrow. Thankfully I have the bike to freeze my ass off. We'll see what the damage is tomorrow, but hopefully I should be okay.
I think I made it out okay, even though I, like Russell, am pretty disappointed in Carbotech. My brakes were sounding awful and I thought it was just the pads, turns out, the pads were NONEXISTENT. The rotors appear fine...no cracks on all four, front or back, that I could find. Calipers are burnt, but all rubber pieces around the pistons were fine, so I'm pretty sure I'm good there. I'm just all in all disappointed that I ate through an entire set of front pads in one track day...I mean, I was driving hard, but I thought these should've lasted longer than this. I'm happy, however, that I did a full brake job, by myself, in less than 90 minutes, and that was having to jack the car up three different times :wiggle:. I was planning on just inspecting so I lifted the driver front and when I saw there was no pad left, went ahead and changed it then moved onto the passenger side. I love Brembos...they make brake jobs cake Rotor post SRDEC...oh yeah, check out my bronze brembo emblem, it's custom Front Pads...garbage. Those two holes you see on the pad side are from where the screwdriver pushed through the back when I was trying to depress the pistons.
LOL....welcome to open tracking, with the stoptechs I get 3 to 4 days out of pads if I'm really nice to them.
Were those new Carbotech's??? If they were, Carbotech would like to see those pics... They have always been the best thing available for the Suby's... Siegel
they were, but they were still at about 70% life before the track day the backs still look brand new...they're going back into the box until next time
Scott, my pads cracked and they were NEW xp10s. I emailed Carbotech with pictures to show what I had happen. They had about 60% life left though.
a corner of one of mine fell out, but it was small...maybe about the size of a quarter, and it fell out as I was pulling the pad out.