Trackday tips n tricks

[Major Tom]

Can we collect all Cupra track tricks in one thread? Seems as if not so many people track it anyway.

I've done like 6 days on track and apart from the totally rubbish OEM tires the main problem is the brakes. So regret not taking the Performance Pack with Brembos. I try to be exact on the brake technique as well as taking not one but rather two or three cooling laps after but still the brakes fade and the rims are so hot that you can hardly touch them. Tried EBC yellow pads but just about as bad as OEM, will try some other.

I read somewhere that the Cupra lacked fog lights due to the openings in the front was leading air to the front brakes but now as I had a look it surely wasn't so, it seems as if it leads air to the gearbox or something
Has anyone built some brake cooling hose of some kind, and can shed some light on this?

 

[AndrewJB]

DSG model has the DSG cooler down there. The performance brakes aren't much better known for warping discs (TT-RS setup)

My Brembo kit is ace for a few laps then they fade as well.

 

[SteA]

I've not tracked my 280 yet but I have added Tarox pads and high performance brake fluid, I hope they are better than you say I'm surprised as my LCR brakes weren't that bad and these should be much better. They are pretty big disks and pads so I guess it is a heat transfer / air feed issue? Or maybe just pads? Ive come across guys running S3s on track before that were running and said they got decent performance out of the old 8P brakes with just pads and discs uprated...

If the brakes do turn out to be rubbish, then a BBK will be the order of the day at some point over the winter.


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[Major Tom]

There’s a guy with a brand new S3 tracking it for the first time whose brakes actually got totally fried including wires for sensors and so on, the calipers looked as if they’d been in a fire, VAG wanted £4500 to fix it... though I’d say he must’ve left the ESP on...

 

[Major Tom]

Thinking of removing the braking back plates/splash shields during the summer for better air flow and then putting them back for the winter.

 

[AndrewJB]

A Cupra had its brakes on fire at Donington at weekend, not sure if it was BBK or Stock Brakes didn't get chance to see.

 

[SteA]

There’s a guy with a brand new S3 tracking it for the first time whose brakes actually got totally fried including wires for sensors and so on, the calipers looked as if they’d been in a fire, VAG wanted £4500 to fix it... though I’d say he must’ve left the ESP on...

The airflow must be utterly crap, I've given brakes some serious abuse on track over the years, many with smaller brakes and similar weight cars and although I've set pads on fire I can't imagine doing that much damage. I did manage to crack some large discs in half at the Ring (interesting moment at about 130mph ) but that was user error really...


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[Xpo]

Some has changed their rotors and pads for the ones on the club sport s. Same size, lighter rotors and more track oriented pads. They say it was better, but havn't done it myself yet so can't say for sure.
Then there are some "flaps" or what to call them from the tt-rs/rs3, that can be mounted on the front suspension arms. They help with directing air towards the brakes.
Other than that, I'd just say fresh brake fluid, pads and good tires. I have 18" on mine for better feel and cheaper tires than spending on 19".

 

[Xpo]

Oh and yes, DO turn off the esp to help with not overheating the brakes.

 

[RP95FR]

A Cupra had its brakes on fire at Donington at weekend, not sure if it was BBK or Stock Brakes didn't get chance to see.

Looked stock from what i saw

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[Xpo]

Drove my 280 on the ring for a few days last week, it held up pretty well. Wasn't chasing any times, just having fun and the brakes where a non issue. Conti5's on the other hand where just on the limit lol Gonna take it to a track day here in Sweden in a few weeks. I'll report back how well or bad it will do.
I'm sort of expecting brakes will be at their limit there...


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[SteA]

Drove my 280 on the ring for a few days last week, it held up pretty well. Wasn't chasing any times, just having fun and the brakes where a non issue. Conti5's on the other hand where just on the limit lol Gonna take it to a track day here in Sweden in a few weeks. I'll report back how well or bad it will do.
I'm sort of expecting brakes will be at their limit there...


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Although clearly there is a longevity / cooling perspective (and other factors), but Autobild did a big test in 2015 and gave the worlds top braking cars (10 repeated tests and measured on the final). Nestled in amongst the exotica at no.28 was the Cupra 280 and that was with standard pads and tyres:

http://www.brembo.com/en/company/news/50-special

They weren't the Brembo callipers...


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[Springrollz]

A Cupra had its brakes on fire at Donington at weekend, not sure if it was BBK or Stock Brakes didn't get chance to see.

Ah you need to join the Facebook group, he's on there. "Dee-jay bizz-r" is his user name on Fb and yeah, they were stock brakes

 

[Das Chin]

EBC pads are utter rubbish on anything over 1 tonne. fine for caterhams, elises and the like

go for Pagid. Pads are like anything else....if you go cheap you get cr4p. Carbon Lorraine are good and don't break up like EBC stuff does.

I run RS 29s all round on my GT3 and they are epic. they also last a lot longer than other pads so you do get good value for money. a DS3000 is a good track pad but they leave nasty deposits on the rims too.

I would look to change the brake lines to braided, change the brake fluid to high DOT spec and then add some cooling too.

its a misunderstood thing with brakes.....most cars stop the same and in the same distances....4 pots or 6 pots with grooved or drilled discs, better pads and more cooling allow you to do it more often and repeatedly as they don't get as hot.

I spent a day with a mate who is a jaguar brake and suspension lead engineer and he showed me just that. I was convinced that 6 pots and bigger discs would stop a car faster than say 4 pots or even single pot. nope. its all about how many times you can do it on the repeat and to reduce heat build up.

if you go to gripper tyres then you will be carrying more speed through a corner and into a braking zone so you need to beef up the brakes. its a continuous circle of chasing things.

other factors will be what circuit or track you are on....thruxton, Silverstone and the ring are kind to brakes as loads of long straights and runs with a few big braking zones. brands indy or Mallory park or cadwell on the other hand will murder the brakes. depends on you as a driver too....as you balls out, two feet on the pedal and really lean on the anchors or like a Janson button so smooth on the consumables.

 

[Major Tom]

After about 12000 km including 4 track days my Pilot Super Sports are almost dead. Maybe thinking of Cup2's instead, please gimme advise pro/con. It's a daily driver but I can take that it's not the best in the wet.

 

[Das Chin]

go for the PS4S. good half way for road and track use.

the Cup2s are a compromise in the wet. and are you really going to notice that much difference with the cup2? tracking the car you will need to get some better suspension and neg camber to make the most of the cup 2 tyres. otherwise you will kill the outside of the tyre on road set up/OEM suspension.

check out Ben Patey on facebook as he has a few sets of the PS4s in 235/35/19 for £500 delivered for all 4!!
https://www.facebook.com/ben.patey

 

[Major Tom]

check out Ben Patey on facebook as he has a few sets of the PS4s in 235/35/19 for £500 delivered for all 4!!
https://www.facebook.com/ben.patey

Thanks alot, will go for the PS4Ss soon. Don't think Ben will ship outside the UK for £500 though

 

[SteA]

I was on track at Rockingham over the weekend and with only uprated fluid and Tarox Strada front pads (its the first time I've only uprated the front pads on a car), the brakes were excellent and the car overall was epic. Clearly the brakes won't be as good from a longevity perspective as some of the big brake set ups I've had before that would go on lap after lap, but this is my everyday road car, so for the sessions I want to do for the car they were spot on. I will see what they are like at Oulton, Anglesey and Cadwell later this year. My trackday thread:

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?p=4737004#post4737004