Upgrading brakes for track: Please help

[Louis J.]

Crosspost from the B7 A4 cousin hoping to find some good input here.

My first track day on the A4 is coming up and I'm starting to think about brakes. The track is technical with lots of braking required and while I don't want to spend $2k on a BBK, I also don't want to nanny them for fear of toasting them.

Can I get away with an aggressive fluid like Castrol SRF, steel lines and pads (Hawk HPS maybe?) or do I need to look at upgrading the calipers and rotors too? If so, should I just do the fronts or do I need to do the rears too? Can something like Porsche 993 or 996 calipers work? I think they're 4 piston too. I was also thinking of looking into Touareg calipers since a tech mentioned he's done an upgrade using massive Cayanne calipers (sounds expensive though).

Also, any ideas on increasing airflow to the brakes? I think this is a key issue since there seems to be no flow. I was thinking of cutting out a hole on the wheel liner and ducting to scoop and direct air from the grilles to the brakes. Anyone tried anything like this?

I realize B6s and B7s have different systems but I'm just looking for some general input and direction given that this is a new car to me and I've never driven a 3,550 lb. sedan on the track.

TIA

[mtbrider]

For your first track day you should be able to do fine with a really good (high boiling point/racing applications) brake fluid, SS lines, and also i'd put in a really good pad. If you go too aggressive with the pad, i.e race pad, you will probably ruin your rotors, but either way you may ruin your rotors at the track regardless, so installing a track pad may be something you want to consider. As far as a BBK it just depends on how much you want to spend and how often your going to track the car.

[A4ringedONE8T]

Do minimal, pads, lines, and fluid or get a correct BBK for your goals. Dont waste your time trying to piece together a set of Porsche calipers or anything alike, they werent made for our car and defintiely dont perform like they do on there intended platform. If you do go to a BBK, stick with Alcon, Stoptech, or Brembo

[romell]

not to thread jack.. but shawn the porsche bbk systems made by ECS tuning. are they not all that great. i once thought about them but wasnt sure.. cause even eric at SPP was like eh.. i dont that system doesnt sell to me.. and i heard couple people say that.

[Groove1797]

^It is because they were designed with a porsches weight distribution and brake bias in mind, not the a4. Therefore a BBK that has been designed around the B6 or B7 platform will preform better.

[EBG 18T]

To start off just get some decent pads, fresh fluid and go have fun. No reason to get a BBK yet. Wait till you decide how much time you will spend at the track first.

The Hawk HPS's will NOT be sufficent for any track use. A pad like the Ferrodo Ds2500 will be much more approriate for lite track use, yet still daily drivable.

[Louis J.]

Thanks for all the great feedback guys. Aside from reading everyone's comments here and on the B7 forum, I've been doing a bit of research and have spoken to a few shops. I won't be doing much tracking, which I guess I should've specified before. I'm gunning for around three events for the year plus a dozen autox events.

Here's what I'm thinking now...

Carbotech pads - probably X6 or X8
Castrol SRF fluid
Nuspeed SS lines
Ducting the brakes to keep them cool

I may also do the S4 upgrade to bigger rotors and carriers but haven't decided yet. If I do it, I'll go with something crossdrilled and slotted.

Whadaya guys think???

[F16HTON]

It is not likley you will need to duct the brakes...100% golden rule, get yourself some wheel chocks. When the brakes are very hot, you need to drive around on them to let them cool, do not stop the car and park it when they are glowing (day or night) when ypou do stop, use the engine comression to drive very slow up into the chock, have somebody place on on the backside too. DO NOT USE YOU EBRAKE

[Louis J.]

Thanks for the heads up. Very key info that I'm sure many of us can forget.