Brace yourself, Auto-X season approaches..
 

As much as I'd like to hit the track, I am not sure if I can get my car ready for this season due to my wedding/honeymoon/buying new house or condo/business expansion/helping my brother move back to the US from JDM world etc.

I went through my list of "priority supporting mods" and I am pretty far behind schedule. I am in no rush hitting the track without my car being ready, or driving it 60% so it doesn't blow up/over heat/brakes fade and crash in to the wall.

I'm gonna stick to Auto-X again this season, hoping it is a bit more easy on the system.. I also want to check out some drift classes, Pats acre etc as well. Really, I use auto-x to practice my accidental "power" slides, and getting more comfortable with pushing the limits.

I don't usually go with SCCA, but rather with PCCA (Porsche club), and they seem to be more laid back. I actually don't really care for regional time competition yadda yadda, I like seeing my time improve, but I'm really there to push the limits and kinda do "accidental" drifts.

I think going 17's will be more fun, with cheap tires to slide around, and it may be easier on the rear axle's so its not hooking up too much. What do you guys recommend as far as brake pads go, with low speed on/off brakes that doesn't get a chance to get cooled often compared to track? Now that I have more power, should I put a rear diff brace to raise it so the rear axle's are close to OEM height? Or just replace the rear axle's? Need some input on drift guys, to reinforce the rears a bit, I have a feeling this season its going to blow up, and see more local guys rear axles popping due to increased power output.

Darren knows Kyle Pollard. I know a few pro-AM drifters that run PARC.

No one at autox wants you there if you are just there to drift. Save everyone's time and hot up Walmart parking lot

I'm signed up for all of the SCCA SOLO events at PIR. I should probably schedule the PCA ones also. Anyone has the link handy?

If you can autox your car you can track your car. If a completely stock car can track without any issues then I don't see why you can't track your car as well. If you're worried about brakes, swapping pads and fluid are super simple and take an hour with speed bleeders. You can use my garage if you want or if you want to drop off your car if you're super busy I can install them myself for a small fee. :)

Which pads do you recommend?

Always.. ;)

I'm thinking about Winmax stage 2 (HP/Auto-X), should I keep on swapping out pads from OEM to Winmax for street use? I know some pads have severe squealing, and dust.
@stockysnail thanks man, I'd deff like to get some brake fluids. I can order the bleeders, which brake fluid do you recommend?

I've ran with PCA too; they are a good group of people and pretty relaxed but I woulnt push your luck on the drifting thing.

I'll be participating this year with them and hopefully for the first event. See ya' there.

For break pads I've had good luck with the Hawk HPS on my last two cars that I dove hard (93' Civic for autoX and 95' Miata for hard barckroad driving)
I wanna try out the HAWK HP+ but those are more agressive for dd use.

The brake pad trade out discussion ends up being personal taste a bit I think. Do you mind your DD (assuming its the BRZ) squealing and lots of break dust, then change them.

glad you use protection when the juices are flowin.

Wayyyy stoked...

@stockysnail or @DarrenDriven should host a brake fluid/pad swap out day so we can all prepare for auto-x and track season

Motul 600 racing brake fluid

If everyone orders...
Speed bleeders SB1010-SS (Google search for it. Get stainless not brass thus the SS at the end)
Motul 500 racing brake fluid
High temp brake pads (see below)

...then I'd be happy to help. Kevin and I recommend Carbotech. I run the AX6 as it was supposedly ok for street temperatures (when not freezing) but they squeal pretty bad. I'd go XP8 if I had to buy again or maybe XP10, as the AX6 is an autocross pad so the high temp threshold isn't as high as the XP8. I'm going to use up my AX8 before I get some XP8 or 10s.

Also track pads aren't safe on the street if it's below their recommended operating temperature, which 95% are since they are high temp pads. Street pads on the track won't stop as well and may fade if the temp gets over the max, which some people noticed and some didn't at track days.

With or without wings?:laughabove:

Yeah I was planning on buying Speed Bleeders ATE and project MU pads so almost on par with what you want us to get what ever happened to @NickFRS getting a group buy for this stuff

I feel like track pads aren't needed as I ran 5 full runs on the track with no fade till the 4th and 5th runs and even at that it wasn't a ton of fade on the stock pads and fluid some better fluid and pads will go a long way race/track pads probably aren't needed

Like I tell everyone, nothing is really needed as it works good without anything, but for those that want a little more of whatever then improvements can be made. If a bone stock 90s integra can run on the track or , even though it's old as crap and a commuter car like a Ford Focus, our cars are more than adequate! ;)

Hopefully @evan makes it out to a track day or two. He better bring lots of meth so he doesn't run out! ;)

I just read that and if we weren't on a car forum I think people would assume the drug meth. We are meth peddlers! :barf:

I promised Kevin I would. :)

I've considered upgrading to the 5 gal tank!

I'm gonna try the Winmax pads, seems to have good review so far, HP didn't do so hot with user reviews.

Awesome, I'm gonna order the bleeders and fluid. Does anyone have extra fluids or do you use it up all in one change? Are the stock rotors holding up fine? Looking at some slotted/drilled rotor options as well.

Everyone I have talked to about brakes for my BRZ has said don't get new rotors unless yours are toast...aside from that I have heard good things about slotted rotors and many bad things about drilled rotors.

Everyone talks about big brakes (replace calipers, rotors, etc.) on the twins and what I have found is that there is no need for that unless you are running FI. And even then, just high performance brake pads will do at PIR. I personally want upgraded pads now in prep for possible FI mod in the near future.

Anyone agree or disagree?

I raced all last year (local and national SCCA events) on stock pads/rotors. This year I will start with upgraded pads, haven't ran into an issue with autocross to upgrade rotors (although that is on my list).

I ran EBC Yellow pads on my SI when I raced that and I loved them. Probably will stick with EBC this time around also.

Going to run all PCA and majority of SCCA events. Including the two national events in July. Here is the post I made with all events listed: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54973

If you want to spend the money this kit it has worked well for me. The Hawk HP+ are squeaky though.

http://ft86speedfactory.com/ft-86-sf-stage-427.html

Group buy is being posted when i get home with actual pricing shipped. Our vendor fell through.