Can I do 5 laps of QR with stock brakes?

[k1w1noz]

Hey Guys. I'm in the process of upgrading my crewman to run in the QR street sprint series, which will be my first big boys track "racing" experience (other than a HQ racing training day I did 20yrs ago). I'm about to rebuild my diff and a brake upgrade is next on the list - but I don't think I'll have the cash for the new brakes before the next track day in Jan (bloody xmas is killing my cunning kick:errr:).

Honestly, do you guys think my standard crewman brakes would handle 5 laps of Queensland Raceway? They run a short track with only 6-7 corners......:confused:

I know I should wait until I have brakes & ps cooler - but I'm too bloody impatient!! Also I'd love to lap with standard brakes, just so I can measure the improvement when I go out with the new stoppers. I just don't want to put her in a wall because I run out of brakes.:driving: All comments welcome.....and yes, I do love the smiles on this forum.

[Northy]

Not a chance

[1HDT 05]

Saw a station wagon fry his brakes just doing gymkhana!

Fried my DBA5000's just doing a driver training day at barbagallo.

I reckon no problem just dont get out of second gear ;)

[macca_779]

Mate you would be lucky to get two laps out of a crewy

[ATOMIC 8]

NO WAY!!

Want to see a video and pics if you do though..;)

[C4B]

I've done lots of laps around QR and the biggest killer of your brakes is at the end of the back straight and to a lesser extent the end of the two middle straights. If you're doing the club circuit that will delete 2 of the three big braking points.

I'd be comfortable doing 5 laps of the short track, but I'd still be pretty conscious to nurse the brakes....

I killed a set of brakes at QR (national circuit) in 3 laps (stock brakes). That 200kmh - 60kmh stop at the end of the back straight just murders stock brakes.

[VZ_V8]

Sure you can, just drive within the brakes limits.

That limit won't be hard to find and sure, better brakes means you would be able to go faster and brake later in the corner, but you will still be able to have some fun and go quicker than you could on the street.

[bonners]

The last track day I did there, the track was configured 4 ways during the day. On the first two 'shorter' configs, I'd say you'd have minimal if any issues. On the longer configs with higher speed I think you will have issues.

When I went, I had upgraded pads, rotors lines and fluid. They got a bit 'warm' on the two longer setups and I only did one session of the national circuit before they faded.

Having the weight of the crewman won't be working in your favour either


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[duke5700]

You should of used a grange, it would only weigh 50kgs more :stick:

I would change your fluid before hand and if you can stretch to it a set of pads with a bit more temp friendly-ness.

I have seen stockers catch on fire if pushed hard enough..

[Phillshz]

For piece of mind,i`d just put some decent fresh super dot 4 brake fluid in. (castrol 5ooml bottles are like $6 and boils at 265c) and some of the QFM pads if you can stretch your budget and copy VZ_V8`s ducting for that bit of extra cooling. Just have fun and work your way up to a safe limit while getting a feel for your car on the track. P/S should be ok,MOTOR mag reguraly killed P/S pumps at track days until holden eventually started fitting the factory performance cooler(top row of pipe is finned) and changed the pumps on V8 VZ`s.

[munz]

I just don't want to put her in a wall because I run out of brakes.:driving:

Not to many walls to hit out at QR :)

[Derek ve ss]

Mine lasted 1 x warm up / sighting lap and 2 laps at pace at QR.. standard brake fluid boiled its guts out.. Only noticed it when i went for the brakes at the the end of the front straight.... But having an auto doesnt help...

As mentioned change brake fluid to high temp ( I used motul 600 ) and if your pads are worn , replace them.

After overheating the brakes the first time i let them cool down , then by backing off well b4 the corner and being careful on the brakes I was able to complete 5 laps . but 5 very careful ones so it took the fun out of the day a bit.

[seldo]

...Honestly, do you guys think my standard crewman brakes would handle 5 laps of Queensland Raceway? They run a short track with only 6-7 corners......:confused:
No Problems - especially if your Mum hasn't driven there before...
No way boyo - You've gotta be kidding :)

[zorro]

Standard brakes can just handle pulling up from 100kph in a hurry, QR in a crewman std brakes be lucky to make a lap at speed higher than sighting.

Drive to cars capabilities that's all you can do and is a good start at learning as you won't go all out and have time to learn what the car does

[k1w1noz]

The votes are in......

No Way: 5
Maybe: 2
Yes if not driving hard/upgrade pads & fluid: 5

zorro's comment about driving within the crewmans limits & learning track skills is spot on. I think I'll aim to (at least) get quality pads to go with new dot 4 put in 2 weeks ago, plus install VZ_V8 style ducting. Maybe then I can do a few "learner laps" - not trying to break track records.:driving:


Not to many walls to hit out at QR :)
munz - with my luck, the wall I put her into will be the pit row after my 5 laps!


No Problems - especially if your Mum hasn't driven there before...
No way boyo - You've gotta be kidding :)
seldo - thanks for getting a mum joke in there. Not sure about being called boyo.....but given your age & status - I guess this 41yo can take it.:p I 'rekon the crewman would need supercar brakes if I were to let you lap her BTW.

Thanks everyone for your comments - especially you guys who have lapped the QR club circuit.

[ATOMIC 8]

Is seldo actually 84..

[ova400]

I'm not sure what the weight differences are between the crewman and a sedan but I did plenty of the Wednesday arvo sprints with standard bakes (although with EBC pads and slotted rotors) never had a drama in the 5 laps although as it has been said only good on the short tracks where you don't run down the back straight, mind you if its run by QR themselves they normally don't allow street cars to use the track ( time attack etc is a different story).

They'll get hot but 5 laps on one of the short tracks doesn't have a heap of braking so I would go out, decent pads would be beneficial.

[seldo]

seldo - thanks for getting a mum joke in there. Not sure about being called boyo.....but given your age & status - I guess this 41yo can take it.:p I 'rekon the crewman would need supercar brakes if I were to let you lap her BTW.

Thanks everyone for your comments - especially you guys who have lapped the QR club circuit.
Sorry about the "boyo" bit... :) I guess I'd really query the sense in spending money on good pads, fluid etc because if you go out there and try even half-hard, they'll turn to vapor in a lap or two.
If you are intending to go to better brakes, do it now before you waste money on these ones that aren't worth 2 bob. It'd also be a shame to put it in the wall because of it - they don't give much.
I was looking at some Harrop 4 pots up at PowerTorque a while back and they'd come off a hard-driven Crewie and been replaced with Supercar brakes because even the Harrops had turned to charcoal...
Unless you are going to take it very easy, they simply aren't up to the task. You are stopping a lot of weight...but as always - it depends how hard you are trying.
I recall many years back I was at Oran Park doing a drive-day and giving some Jaguar Rover Australia execs some quick laps in a Rover SD1. The thing was without brakes after only a couple of laps and even with the hand-brake on about 6 notches it still required about 3 pumps of the pedal going down the straight to get even a part-pedal to stop it from an indicated 180 at the end of the straight.
At the end of the day some dude jumped in the poor Rover to drive it back to their Liverpool Headquarters, and I said to him - "I wouldn't drive it on the road - there's no brakes at all".
"No worries mate!".
He went about 10 metres and straight into the back of one their Jags..... :doh:

[r8clubbie]

The votes are in......

No Way: 5
Maybe: 2
Yes if not driving hard/upgrade pads & fluid: 5

zorro's comment about driving within the crewmans limits & learning track skills is spot on. I think I'll aim to (at least) get quality pads to go with new dot 4 put in 2 weeks ago, plus install VZ_V8 style ducting. Maybe then I can do a few "learner laps" - not trying to break track records.:driving:


munz - with my luck, the wall I put her into will be the pit row after my 5 laps!


seldo - thanks for getting a mum joke in there. Not sure about being called boyo.....but given your age & status - I guess this 41yo can take it.:p I 'rekon the crewman would need supercar brakes if I were to let you lap her BTW.

Thanks everyone for your comments - especially you guys who have lapped the QR club circuit.


Give it a whirl I say!!!!
like the other guys have stated, pads, lines, fluid and just be mindful of how you are driving.....so you might end up doing the laps at 7-8/10ths, which is still a fair bit faster than anytime you would have done on the street.....and your tyres are probably going to slip sliding by then anyway!!!!

[Martin_D]

Water inject them - no problems.

[Djbarnstar]

Even with decent pads, braided lines, 4000 discs and high temp fluid my VE only had 2 hot laps around wakefield.:teach:

Don't bother dude.

[bluedivide]

For what its worth...

I put my VZ Senator around Marulan Driver Training Center and fried the steering rack because of boilover. The circuit wasn't long enough to really push the stock (2 pot front) brakes.

Wakefield was a different issue, I had severe brake fade at the end of lap 2 (end of the straight into the first right hander) and next to no pedal by the end of that lap.

Drive within the limits and you'll be fine, just because your on the track doesn't mean you have to go 10/10ths!

My 2c

[ls1 VN]

You are far from having a car capable of doing 5 laps safely....it's not all about you! think of the other cars that are out there while you are floundering around with useless brakes, on street tyres, no power steer cooler, do they deserve the possibility of you plowing into them!

Sort it out properly before attempting to race.

track days just mucking around with like minded cars & not pushing things is where you belong.

Sorry, need to be harsh to be kind. I club race on Pukekohe & no the extremes that quickly happen to the uninitiated.

[OMR346]

I've done lots of laps around QR and the biggest killer of your brakes is at the end of the back straight and to a lesser extent the end of the two middle straights. If you're doing the club circuit that will delete 2 of the three big braking points.

I'd be comfortable doing 5 laps of the short track, but I'd still be pretty conscious to nurse the brakes....

I killed a set of brakes at QR (national circuit) in 3 laps (stock brakes). That 200kmh - 60kmh stop at the end of the back straight just murders stock brakes.

This ^^^^

I've killed a of sets of brakes out at QR now. And they always seem to go around the bottom of the back straight. The front straight isn't so bad, as you can hit the first corner with a bit of speed, but the back corner has a hair pin so you have no choice to slow down, otherwise your'e in the kitty litter.