[Silver -V-]

I finally have enough miles on my car to start prepping it for some track days. Has anyone begun making replacement pads for the front brakes? I usually replace the brake fluid with Castrol SRF, and I like to run the Hawk HP+ pads. I know there will be some rotors available soon, but I would like to use the current rotors with some upgraded pads. Anyone heard of any new pads being built yet? Does anyone have any other suggestions other than using up the stock pads?

Has anyone also figured out a good alignment set up for a road course? should we use the same set up as we put on for the V1?

 

[surgin]

yeah, what he said.
i did 2 days at barber motorsports park and the brakes overheated badly,glazing the rotors and cracking the pads. the dealership replaced trhe pads and turned the rotors under warranty and said they were going to replace the rotors but they "could not get them, they would have had to be taken off the line". the service guy suggested having my rotors "cryogenically treated".
would race brake pads prevent this from happening? or do i need different rotors too? anyone ever freeze their rotors?

 

[end9472]

Surgin:

I am a bit surprised at the issues you had with your brakes. I tracked my V1 on a number of occasions (Gingerman, Autobahn CC) and frankly found the stock Brembos and rotors did an excellent job and were better than any stock or aftermarket set up I had used on my previous track car (modded C4 Corvette). I did run ATE Super Blue fluid, but that was it. After a full day's use the pedal may have gotten a little spongy once or twice, but nothing major.

How many miles were on the car when you tracked it? I'm sure there are others on the forum who may know how much break in you should have before really pushing the car, but I imagine you probably had sufficient mileage. Still . . .

I have a new V on order an plan on tracking this car also. I know the V2 weighs more but the larger rotors and 6 piston Brembos should be more than adequate for weekend track use. I will do the same as I did with my V1, put in ATE Super Blue and have at it. I'll be very disappointed if the brake issues you report are common with all our cars.

Silver V, I think I'd see how the stock pads work first. You'll have a chance (and a need) to replace them soon enough with a few track days . Good luck and enjoy and let us know how you do.

 

[surgin]

car had 2700 miles on it. the brakes performed well, they just wore out from the heat. i race motorcycles and barber is my home track so i was very comfortable applying brakes to the their threshold.

 

[Richie18]

Considering this car was tuned to do it all it sounds like something more was at work to cause the damage that happened to your brakes. Most cars would love to have the stock brakes of the V2.

Maybe properly embedding the brakes is necessary.

 

[surgin]

i emailed the folks at frozenrotors.com about my brake problem and i really appreciated their response and i think y'all might too:

Lee,

Keeping in mind:
1. That a CTSV is not a race car
2. It was meant to be a fancy & fast grocery getter.
3. It does not appear to be a "seriously underbraked" for the weight of the
car(over 14 inch rotors front and rear with
Brembo calipers all around(hopefully they are 6 piston fronts and 4
piston rears)
4. Definitely the wrong brake pads for the heat that is generated trying to
slow it down. (this is most likely the biggest
Part of the problem) Pads get too hot and melt, smear on the rotor &
build up layers of pad material cause shaking and
judder. Pads come apart (massive cracking and crazing that eventually
will destroy the rotors too)
5. Not using "FrozenRotors". (you knew I was going to say that of
course).
6. etc, etc, etc!

In the CTSV ads It looks like the rotors are slotted, right? Large and
heavy enough, and at least Caddy figured out that slotted rotors give much
more performance and longevity than Drilled rotors(We have been preaching
this for 10 years. Porsch won't listen but all their racing customers are
asking us for slotted rotors, GO Figure!

I will need your Vin # to find out what is now on the car and what we can do
to help. Using "FrozenRotors" will help but we have to find Brake pads that
will take the heat and abuse. To do that I need to know what the brake pad
number is and see if Hawk or PF makes a race type pad for the car yet. If GM
(in their infinite wisdom) has changed the rotors, calipers and pads from
2007 to now, there may be no good pads available. It usually takes 2 to 3
years before the good pads are mfg as the sales levels would be too small
for them to bother. We might have to get some pads gring off the crappy
material and have some good stuff put on.

Cheers,

Bill Groschen
Call toll free 1-888-323-8456

 

[Richie18]

The rotors aren't slotted, GM discovered that the slotted rotors just ate the pads and didn't deliver anymore performance.

 

[end9472]

Lee,

Interesting response. Thanks for the follow-up and let us know what you come up with.

 

[surgin]

his first words were accurate and sobering. with 556hp and the ads featuring the 'ring i was treating the car like it was a race car. it's not. i'll still have fun, but someone better make some race pads for it quick!!

 

[GM-4-LIFE]

While the stock calipers, rotors and pads are sufficient for everyday driving or even aggressive driving, it all depends on how hard you are on the brakes while tracking the car. If you wait until the last second before every turn before applying them, you will destroy any brake pad no matter what caliper set-up you are running.

I just want a better performing all around pad that doesn't dust like the stock pads do. I know Hawk makes the type of pad I want for the 04-07 CTS-V, but not for the 09 CTS-V. It may be sometime before we see any upgraded pad from anyone.

SG