Need a brake diagnosis
 

So I have a trackday on 3/28 at thunderbolt in nj. I am still on stock pads and rotors and I'm not sure if i need new pads to play it safe.

I took some pictures of my driver side front brake.

Pad thickness is 5.5mm throughout. The front and rear of the pad look like they are at a 45 degree angle.

The rotor has 2 marks where it looks like maybe I smashed the brakes after they were over heated and it deposited extra brake material?

I searched google, this forum, nasoic, etc and couldn't find a spec for the stock brake pad thickness so I have no idea how worn out these really are.

Advice is greatly appreciated

p.s. added a shot of my ghetto diy emergency light. I soldered a bunch of white 12vdc led tape strips and put them on a chunk of wood and wired them to a cig lighter power adapter with a switch so if I ever need to change my tire in the dark I have plenty of light.

If you really want to play it safe, get new pads and high temp brake fluid. If it's your first time at the track you may not need them, but better safe than sorry.

If you have previous track experience, then definitely upgrade.

I should have mentioned those pads have ~32k miles, 3 autox's, and 2 30 minutes track sessions in which I felt significant fade on round 2.

Stock pads aren't great and will fade even after spirited driving. :iono: Ever wonder why everyone's putting big brake kits on stock cars? I seriously doubt it's necessary, but the stock brakes definitely leave a lot to be desired, and that's to do with the pads and the fluid.

I recommend some better pads (hp+ maybe, i'm not sure what the pad de jour on the forum is), stainless lines and good fluid, either ATE Super Blue Racing, Amsoil Dot 4 or Motul RBF600. I know it can't be blue anymore so whatever equivalent ATE is putting out is fine.

I'd recommend some good fluid and pads. It's always to have too much than not enough when it comes to brakes; you can always swap your stock pads back on after the track day.

I did one track day on stock pads and they've never felt the same. Saving up for some project mu. No people I know have ever toasted pads especially on an FRS (though I admit the sample size is 4) the first time out on the track, but once you get faster and can pass, etc., they don't last long from everything I have read (especially from CSG Mike)

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can anyone comment on the thickness? what is 5.5mm compared to stock?

10mm (pad material only) is a new stock pad. At 2mm, you really should be replacing them, but you can use them to the backing plate (unsafe practice)

You've already answered your own question. :)

I think people who track their cars stock tend to freak out because the pads weren't designed for track use, and start saving up for crazy big brake kits. Try to find E36 M3 people at tracks with big brake kits. 80% of the time they're running stock calipers and part store blank rotors.

80/20 principle suggests pads/fluid/lines will do it for the vast majority of people.