Essex/AP Racing BBK Owners Please Read...We Need Your Help!

[JRitt]

Hello Gents,
I hope all is well as we head towards the end of 2015. It's been an extremely busy year of incredible growth for Essex Parts and AP Racing. Our footprint continues to expand into new markets, and our Essex Designed AP Racing Competition Brake Kits remain the gold standard brake solution for the FT86 market. Over the past few years our Sprint and Endurance Kits have carried our FT86 customers to the top of mountains, conquered islands, challenged 'The Ring', and traveled to virtually all corners of the globe. During that process they have amassed an impressive string of victories, podiums, and championships, and we are proud to provide the tools that keep getting the job done.


I wanted to share a few of the exciting things that are happening at Essex currently.

New Website and Free Stuff!
Our new website launched last week. It has live inventory, more information, better pictures, and generally crushes our old site in terms of usability and speed. One of the things we're looking to do on our new site is get our BBK reviews populated by current owners. We're hashing out the details now, but we're going to be offering some really cool prizes/incentives for those of you who are willing to share your experience with our products, including apparel and spares! Who wants a free set of AP Racing J Hook spare iron discs to start off the 2016 season?!? Please stay tuned to this thread for more info.


We also want to continue to expand our already robust wheel fitment data, so we'll be looking for more confirmed wheel fitments.


Also check out our blog for feedback on our products from drivers like you.



Durability/Mileage
This is where we really need your help…While we've sold a ton of FT86 Competition Kits over the past few years, we're continually shocked by how few spare iron disc rings we sell. They seem to withstand a nearly unbelievable beating on the FT86. If you could please reply to this thread with your answer to this question, it would be greatly appreciated. This information will help us gauge design requirements for any future BBK designs for the FT86. How many miles/track days or sessions are you getting out of the AP J Hook discs and the brake pads in your BBK?


For example, we're looking for something like, "I purchased my Sprint Kit in December 2013, and I now have 23,000 miles and 18 full days at the track on my disc. They look great and I don't plan to replace them any time soon. I'm running Ferodo DS2500, and I typically get 8 track days out of a set."


Who is Essex?
We recently released a new video that gives you a little insight into who we are and what we do at Essex. You can watch it here (please excuse my looking like a zombie in the vid…the lighting wasn't exactly flattering :p). There will probably be a few things in the video that will surprise you, but it should give you a better idea of the depth of our expertise and experience, and how much we love what we do!


AP Racing Competition J Hook Discs
We also completed a video on our Competition J Hook discs. We're now selling these to mate up to OEM calipers on some applications, but they are the same design that we use in our complete BBK's. Watching this video will give you some insights into why the small technical details of disc design are so important, and make a huge difference in overall kit performance and longevity.


I think that's it for now. Thanks as always for supporting our products gents, and we hope you have a safe and happy holiday season.

[CSG Mike]

Jeff, we need rotors

[ja1217]

I also could use a new set of rotors.

I already posted a review on your blog a couple years back and would be happy to update it with more info for some free stuff now that I've had over 2 years of hard tracking on the kit

[JRitt]

Thanks guys. This year was a bit wild. I didn't spend as much time on this forum as I did on some of the others...just tough to be everywhere at once! I'm hoping to get back here and spend some additional time in 2016.

We're planning to have the more robust review system in place by early to mid next week. We're adding in some features that will allow our customers to upload pics and video (hopefully nothing more graphic than PG-13 ones :p), which should be cool. I'll post back when it's ready, and let me think of what else we can give away. I think we have some nice Essex/AP Racing ball caps, and obviously fluid, pads. Maybe I'll talk to my guys at Ferodo and see if they want to kick in any goodies for this as well. Being Brake Santa Claus could be fun.

[xero404]

I have a 2 year old kit that did 4 trackdays last year 2 at button willow and 2 at laguna seca this past year as well as about 8k of daily driving miles. Running Project Mu clubracers and have over half of the pad still left on it. Only thing i had to to replace was the left front hardline which leaked. Rotors still look good for next year.

[zdr93523]

I purchased my AP Racing Sprint kit in January 2015. My J-Hook AP Sprint kit rotors have been on the car for 1 full season consisting of 18 track days including 14 NASA TT competition events, plus 1 additional track day. My rotors are in decent shape but have some slightly uneven wear. I have used Project Mu 999, Hawk DTC-70, Carbone Lorraine, and Carbotech 1521's for some extremely minimal street driving. I will have Hawk DTC-60s on to start the 2016 season. I am getting about 8 track days out of a set of pads.

If someone could talk Pagid into making an RS29 AP Sprint/OEM BRZ Rear pad set, I would buy those in a heartbeat. They have the shapes available, but not in the RS29 compound.

I would love a set of spare rotors to take into the 2016 season which starts in just a few weeks.

[kster1]

Originally Posted by zdr93523

I purchased my AP Racing Sprint kit in January 2015. My J-Hook AP Sprint kit rotors have been on the car for 1 full season consisting of 18 track days including 14 NASA TT competition events, plus 1 additional track day. My rotors are in decent shape but have some slightly uneven wear. I have used Project Mu 999, Hawk DTC-70, Carbone Lorraine, and Carbotech 1521's for some extremely minimal street driving. I will have Hawk DTC-60s on to start the 2016 season. I am getting about 8 track days out of a set of pads.

Did you see any issues mixing Carbotech pads with non-Carbotech pads on the same rotor? I'm asking because Carbotech mentions something about not mixing in pads from other manufactures unless you replace rotors (or something like that).

To keep this thread on topic, installed the AP Sprint kit in Dec 2015. After two track events, I can't notice hardly any wear on either the pads or rotors.

[Tenino]

Originally Posted by kster1

Did you see any issues mixing Carbotech pads with non-Carbotech pads on the same rotor? I'm asking because Carbotech mentions something about not mixing in pads from other manufactures unless you replace rotors (or something like that).

To keep this thread on topic, installed the AP Sprint kit in Dec 2015. After two track events, I can't notice hardly any wear on either the pads or rotors.

At most you will experience brake judder at high speed braking, but this is gone after a few hard stops. Existing transfer layer on the rotor is being replaced by new compound.

e.g. (T1>T2 & T12-14) at Thunderhill, (T11 > T2) Laguna.

[CounterSpace Garage]

Originally Posted by kster1

Did you see any issues mixing Carbotech pads with non-Carbotech pads on the same rotor? I'm asking because Carbotech mentions something about not mixing in pads from other manufactures unless you replace rotors (or something like that).

To keep this thread on topic, installed the AP Sprint kit in Dec 2015. After two track events, I can't notice hardly any wear on either the pads or rotors.

As you have noticed, wear with the AP Sprint Kit is significantly reduced over the OEM system, which is one of the biggest benefits going to the BBK.

[zdr93523]

Originally Posted by kster1

Did you see any issues mixing Carbotech pads with non-Carbotech pads on the same rotor? I'm asking because Carbotech mentions something about not mixing in pads from other manufactures unless you replace rotors (or something like that).

To keep this thread on topic, installed the AP Sprint kit in Dec 2015. After two track events, I can't notice hardly any wear on either the pads or rotors.

The car has been driven less than 200 street miles all year so it would be very hard for me to give you a solid answer on that. Typically, the race compounds I'm running are so aggressive that they will un-bed themselves within a couple miles of driving with cold brakes, so when the Carbotech's go on, it is like putting them on a fresh rotor.

[batlwagn]

Picking up a 2016 in 2 weeks. I'm in mooreville/Denver if you a test car.

[JRitt]

Okay guys...finally got everything pulled together to start accepting product reviews on our site.



We Need Your Help!
If you, or someone you know, purchased a product from Essex Parts Services in recent years, please read on. You’ll have a chance to win some really cool prizes!
Essex completely redesigned our website over the winter, and we’re looking to populate our product reviews with quality customer feedback. If you could spare a few minutes we'd love for you to write a product review on our site. We will publish these reviews on our website, blog, social media pages, magazine ads, etc. We don’t want you to write a sales pitch, we just want your honest opinion. If we’ve helped you enjoy your car more, please consider returning the favor!

Free Stuff!

We know that your time is valuable, so we’re offering some great incentives for your efforts. If you write a review, your name will be entered into a drawing for a number of great prizes including free brake lines, pads, fluid, and spare AP Racing J Hook discs!
For big brake kit owners, your submission must include at least two photos (a profile shot of your car and a close-up of the entire wheel, brakes & tire) and the wheel specifications that you’re running with the brake kit (17x8.5 +33 and if they require a wheel spacer). This valuable info will help us create a more robust wheel fitment database to assist other customers. Any other photos, video, list of race wins, etc. are optional but highly encouraged. Finally, please do not submit anything that you wouldn’t want circulated publicly!
What Do I Write?
Below are some potential elements to consider for your review. Hopefully these bullet points will get your gears turning:

• Your experience level & driving history
  • (e.g.- I have been tracking cars for 10 years with NASA, PCA, etc.)
• How has the product you bought from Essex enhanced your driving experience?
  • (e.g.- No longer have to bleed brakes between every track session, can brake later, easier to pass, etc.)
• Problems that the product solved (e.g.- pad fade, disc cracking, soft pedal, etc.)
• Favorite product feature
• Comparison to other products you’ve tried in the past
• Overall ownership experience...how easy it to live with?
• Customer service by Essex before and after initial sale
• Documentation and ease of install
• Would you buy it again, and would you recommend it to a friend?
• Anything about the product that you think could be improved?
• Race or event wins the product helped you achieve
• As outlined above, at least two pictures and wheel spec info must be included with Competition Brake Kit reviews!

Where & How Do I Write the Review?
1. Find the product you purchased on our site.
2. Click the “Owner Reviews” tab below the blue “Add to Cart” button.
3. Click the “log in” link to either log in or create an account if you don’t yet have one.
4. Write an honest assessment of the products you purchased from Essex.
5. Be prepared to collect extravagant spoils for your efforts! Some of the items we’ll be giving away are worth close to $1,000!

If our assistance has helped you further enjoy your car, please take a moment to tell the world about it. Your opinions mean a lot to us, and they will allow us to keep releasing products for enthusiasts like you. Again, thank you very much, and we hope you have a safe and fast 2016 track season!

[JRitt]

Originally Posted by batlwagn

Picking up a 2016 in 2 weeks. I'm in mooreville/Denver if you a test car.

We appreciate the offer. We bought and sold our own test car long ago however. That said, who knows...maybe we'll make something new?

[ATL BRZ]

Originally Posted by JRitt

If we’ve helped you enjoy your car more, please consider returning the favor!

Done!