S5 OEM brake discuss.....

[mousewei84]

Hi guys,

I am just curious how many pistons are in B8.5 OEM S5 front and rear caliper. Compare to other audi model (A5, S6, SQ5, etc), Is it ok or pretty bad?

Also I wanna see if anyone track with OEM brake kit or OEM caliper but aftermarket rotor/pad kit? What is the experience of it, will it degrade badly after several runs?

Thank you guys

[B-Time]

Brakes should be fine with upgraded pads and fluid.

[mousewei84]

Cool thank you. What brake fluid is best for S5 track?

[114_S5]

I haven't tracked my s5 yet but I do track a s2000 alot. I've tried motul 600 and 660, ate blue, torque and project mu. Torque and Project Mu are the only 2 that I have yet to boil and has given me consistent feel throughout the trackday. Hope this kinda helps.

[B-Time]

Cool thank you. What brake fluid is best for S5 track?

Not really sure. I have a stash of ATE Super Blue which was banned a few years ago. I use it for endurance racing and don't know of anyone boiling it.

[jpatterson]

Steps are ---------
Ate 200 (gold) Good enough for most of us. economical. ( I use it in my track car.) -------- Motul RBF 600, a bit higher temp rating ------- Motul RBF 660 ,even higher------ Torque RT 700, good fluid, may be as good as any racing fluid.--------- Castrol SRF , for really hard core racing.
The downside to higher temp rating fluids (besides cost) is that they absorb moisture more quickly and require more frequent flush and replacement. I use the Ate in the TT (it has Brembos) and flush twice per year and never fade the brakes. (Well almost never. Depends on what I'm chasing :-) )
Don't forget pads. Higher temp pads are just as important if not more so. LOTS of choices there. Depends on who you ask. Everybody has their own favorite. For a beginner, stock pads will get you through your first few events, then Hawk XP+ or Stoptech 309, then Carbotech XP10 or similar, is a good progression. Too many choices to name them all with any accuracy.

[114_S5]

Do not use ATE blue. It will boil for sure. I used it on my first track day with my s2k and it got mushy in about 2 1/2 sessions

[ChipB]

The S5 calipers are single piston, both front and rear. The OEM rotors are fine - you can spend a lot of money on after-market rotors that are slotted or drilled (or both), but unless they are larger diameter (as in a big brake kit) they really don't brake any better than the plain OEM rotors. For track usage the choice of brake fluid and brake pads depends on your level of experience. If you have never done a track event before, I would recommend sticking with OEM pads and fluid (and tires) for your first event as a novice. No need to spend a lot of money on upgrades until you've gotten a bit of experience and decide that tracjk events are something you want to continue to do, in my opinion. As you gain experience and start driving deeper into the corners you will find that the brakes will start to get hot and the tires greasy after 10-15 minutes of the track session. So by your 2nd or 3rd event you will want to learn how to change brake pads and fluid prior to each event. I've had good experience with Motul RBF600 or RBF660 fluid, but as pointed out if you use specialty brake fluids like these you must be prepared to change fluid at least twice per year. As for pads - I've used CarboTech on the S5 with good success. However - changing the rear pads is a real pain on Audis, as it requires use of a special tool (such as VCDS) to open the rear electric brake to gain access to the pads. So be prepared to spend some $$ on VCDS if you're going to be doing more than just 1 or 2 events. If the track bug really bites you (as it did me) then you will also want to move to a set of dedicated wheels and tires for track events, so as to keep your street wheels looking nice and your street tires from being shredded.

[mousewei84]

I haven't tracked my s5 yet but I do track a s2000 alot. I've tried motul 600 and 660, ate blue, torque and project mu. Torque and Project Mu are the only 2 that I have yet to boil and has given me consistent feel throughout the trackday. Hope this kinda helps.

Thank you for your input sir! For Torque and Project Mu, how often do you need to flush it for track event?

[mousewei84]

Steps are ---------
Ate 200 (gold) Good enough for most of us. economical. ( I use it in my track car.) -------- Motul RBF 600, a bit higher temp rating ------- Motul RBF 660 ,even higher------ Torque RT 700, good fluid, may be as good as any racing fluid.--------- Castrol SRF , for really hard core racing.
The downside to higher temp rating fluids (besides cost) is that they absorb moisture more quickly and require more frequent flush and replacement. I use the Ate in the TT (it has Brembos) and flush twice per year and never fade the brakes. (Well almost never. Depends on what I'm chasing :-) )
Don't forget pads. Higher temp pads are just as important if not more so. LOTS of choices there. Depends on who you ask. Everybody has their own favorite. For a beginner, stock pads will get you through your first few events, then Hawk XP+ or Stoptech 309, then Carbotech XP10 or similar, is a good progression. Too many choices to name them all with any accuracy.

Thank you for your info man. I will still use stock pads for my coming events(Second) but for a future note I would love to upgrade brakes. How is EBC yellow stuff pads & Turbo Grooves rotor? heard ppl talk good stuff of them. Also a note is, do you really need BBK once you get serious on tracking event?

- - - Updated - - -

Do not use ATE blue. It will boil for sure. I used it on my first track day with my s2k and it got mushy in about 2 1/2 sessions

Thank you for the sharing!

[mousewei84]

The S5 calipers are single piston, both front and rear. The OEM rotors are fine - you can spend a lot of money on after-market rotors that are slotted or drilled (or both), but unless they are larger diameter (as in a big brake kit) they really don't brake any better than the plain OEM rotors. For track usage the choice of brake fluid and brake pads depends on your level of experience. If you have never done a track event before, I would recommend sticking with OEM pads and fluid (and tires) for your first event as a novice. No need to spend a lot of money on upgrades until you've gotten a bit of experience and decide that tracjk events are something you want to continue to do, in my opinion. As you gain experience and start driving deeper into the corners you will find that the brakes will start to get hot and the tires greasy after 10-15 minutes of the track session. So by your 2nd or 3rd event you will want to learn how to change brake pads and fluid prior to each event. I've had good experience with Motul RBF600 or RBF660 fluid, but as pointed out if you use specialty brake fluids like these you must be prepared to change fluid at least twice per year. As for pads - I've used CarboTech on the S5 with good success. However - changing the rear pads is a real pain on Audis, as it requires use of a special tool (such as VCDS) to open the rear electric brake to gain access to the pads. So be prepared to spend some $$ on VCDS if you're going to be doing more than just 1 or 2 events. If the track bug really bites you (as it did me) then you will also want to move to a set of dedicated wheels and tires for track events, so as to keep your street wheels looking nice and your street tires from being shredded.

Thank you for your long input! It is sad to hear stock calipers are both single piston (Audi branded S series but not giving adequate brakes!). I am still beginner & explorer on track ( track bug just infected me I guess. Coming event would be my second) so basically you are suggesting stick with OEM brakes until you feel comfortable to upgrade, are you proposing to go directly to BBK instead of just upgrading rotor/pads since it won't give much difference? If it is case, what BBK you recommended? I found brembo, AP or even RS BBk (last time I heard stock RS brake kit is 7000$!!! ) AP price looks decent to me. Also I will definitely flush my fluid before this event. All I did so far for this event is a new set of wheels/tires (HRE FF01 19/Pilot super sport 275/35/19), planning to gain more experience while upgrade the car (brake is my next target that's why I put a discuss here.

[ChipB]

Thank you for your info man. I will still use stock pads for my coming events(Second) but for a future note I would love to upgrade brakes. How is EBC yellow stuff pads & Turbo Grooves rotor? heard ppl talk good stuff of them. Also a note is, do you really need BBK once you get serious on tracking event?

I've used Yellow Stuff on the rears of my S5 (Carbotech front) and they were fine. Not familiar with Turbo Grooves rotors - but as already noted the OEM rotors more than adequate fine. If you get serious - meaning moving up to R-comps - you will likely experience serious heat issues. I have a colleague who melted one of the rubber boots on the front CV joint of his B8 S4 and destroyed an ABS sensor from the heat at the track after moving up to R888's. He ended up fashioning a custom set of air ducts to get some cooling into the front wheel wells.

are you proposing to go directly to BBK instead of just upgrading rotor/pads since it won't give much difference? If it is case, what BBK you recommended?

My suggestion is stick with the stock braking system, but with brake pads better suited for track use and replace the brake fluid with something like Motul RBF600. As for ATE Super Blue - it's no longer sold in the US (turns out it's illegal to sell brake fluid any color other than amber or yellow - go figure). ATE gold is fine, but not as good as Motul. Don't bother with a BBK until you've got more sessions under your belt. As you've noted they are pricey, and you may find better bang for the buck with suspension upgrades instead. Having said that - StopTech is a pretty popular brand of BBK.

[114_S5]

Thank you for your input sir! For Torque and Project Mu, how often do you need to flush it for track event?

I flush it out once every 4-5 track days (this is overkill IMO but it makes me feel better). I think once a year or 1 1/2 years is good if your not going that often.

[jpatterson]

MY suggestion is to spend your time and energy and money on track time and driver training before you spend big dollars on modifications. $1000 spent on driver improvement will yield far greater improvement in lap times and safety than will $1000 spent on car modifications. It will be fun and satisfying too! If you really get hooked you will want a LIGHTER track dedicated car anyway. I will take my S5 to the track (especially the more distant ones) and drive it conservatively in order to learn it's capabilities and enjoy the experience but I will never modify it extensively. (Yes I will do pads and fluid) The bulk of my track time will be in the TT. It has suspension, tires, brakes, and some engine mods along with harnesses and seats. It is also 800 lbs lighter than the S5 and much less valuable (well except for emotional attachment.) If I were to plant it in a fence it would not be nearly as disastrous. That's my 2 cents. I must admit though that 11 years ago I did with the TT exactly what you are talking about doing with your S5 :-) . I might have done 3 events on stock brakes then the modifications began.

[mousewei84]

I've used Yellow Stuff on the rears of my S5 (Carbotech front) and they were fine. Not familiar with Turbo Grooves rotors - but as already noted the OEM rotors more than adequate fine. If you get serious - meaning moving up to R-comps - you will likely experience serious heat issues. I have a colleague who melted one of the rubber boots on the front CV joint of his B8 S4 and destroyed an ABS sensor from the heat at the track after moving up to R888's. He ended up fashioning a custom set of air ducts to get some cooling into the front wheel wells.




My suggestion is stick with the stock braking system, but with brake pads better suited for track use and replace the brake fluid with something like Motul RBF600. As for ATE Super Blue - it's no longer sold in the US (turns out it's illegal to sell brake fluid any color other than amber or yellow - go figure). ATE gold is fine, but not as good as Motul. Don't bother with a BBK until you've got more sessions under your belt. As you've noted they are pricey, and you may find better bang for the buck with suspension upgrades instead. Having said that - StopTech is a pretty popular brand of BBK.

Thank you for the sharing! That's some serious track runs melted cv boots and abs sensor!! R-comp sounds like track only car (I doubt it will survive on street) but to my car it will do both daily driving and track fun. I think he must did an hour without a break? For now I only do 20-30min session and take an hour break before next run. It's just temptation that you wanna get BBK but I will definitely get more experience first before getting it. There is always "next" if you are too obsessed about it.

Btw When you start changing pad, I bet you mean rotor/pad too right? Even you said stock rotor is fine and not much big difference but isn't custom slotted/drilled/J hooked help with dust and heat? I am thinking to burn out stock brake pad/rotor first then directly go to track friendly pad/rotors.

Thanks!

[mousewei84]

I flush it out once every 4-5 track days (this is overkill IMO but it makes me feel better). I think once a year or 1 1/2 years is good if your not going that often.

hah thanks I bet you do flush yourself isn't it?. My skills are yet to develop, For now I only know basic oil change and tire rotations. Flush brake fluid sounds hard for me to DIY now.

[mousewei84]

MY suggestion is to spend your time and energy and money on track time and driver training before you spend big dollars on modifications. $1000 spent on driver improvement will yield far greater improvement in lap times and safety than will $1000 spent on car modifications. It will be fun and satisfying too! If you really get hooked you will want a LIGHTER track dedicated car anyway. I will take my S5 to the track (especially the more distant ones) and drive it conservatively in order to learn it's capabilities and enjoy the experience but I will never modify it extensively. (Yes I will do pads and fluid) The bulk of my track time will be in the TT. It has suspension, tires, brakes, and some engine mods along with harnesses and seats. It is also 800 lbs lighter than the S5 and much less valuable (well except for emotional attachment.) If I were to plant it in a fence it would not be nearly as disastrous. That's my 2 cents. I must admit though that 11 years ago I did with the TT exactly what you are talking about doing with your S5 :-) . I might have done 3 events on stock brakes then the modifications began.

Dude I am glad you read my mind. There are so many temptations and you could never finish "upgrading" your car. I try to cool down that's why wheel/tire and brakes are only two things I wanna do for one year or even more. Cannot agree more S5 is fun track car but yet to be track dedicated(Not build that way). On a future note, I have big favoritism on 2017 TT-RS if it comes to USA(Oops guess price is not "plant it in a fence it would not be nearly as disastrous" :D) and I need to save several years for it. Wheels I bought could fit on TTRS as well(One factor I considered before bought wheels). Glad to hear "I must admit though that 11 years ago I did with the TT exactly what you are talking about doing with your S5" lol! I would love to hear more of your sharing story! (you could pm me if you wanna stay private). Much appreciated!

[ChipB]

Btw When you start changing pad, I bet you mean rotor/pad too right? Even you said stock rotor is fine and not much big difference but isn't custom slotted/drilled/J hooked help with dust and heat? I am thinking to burn out stock brake pad/rotor first then directly go to track friendly pad/rotors

No - stick with the stock OEM brake rotor as they work very well. No need to spend $$ on after-market rotors. The ONLY reason to buy drilled, or slotted, or drilled & slotted rotors is if you happen to like how they look. They will not improve the braking performance a whit. In the olden days people touted the idea that groves can dissipate gas, but modern brake pads don't generate gas like pads from the 60's. There is some argument that grooves can also dissipate water more efficiently but when you're driving in the wet the problem isn't loss of friction between brake pad and rotor, but rather loss of friction between tire and road surface. So save your money and don't bother "upgrading" the rotors (unless you go to a BBK, with all new brake calipers and larger diameter brake rotor).

I bet you do flush yourself isn't it?. My skills are yet to develop, For now I only know basic oil change and tire rotations. Flush brake fluid sounds hard for me to DIY now.

If you have a space to work and have a jack and jack stands, changing brake fluid is one of the easiest DIY jobs there is. Get a Motive Power Bleeder and read up on how to use it. If you switch to Motul RBF600 for track usage you should not be waiting 18 months between flushes. As noted earlier racing brake fluid has a much higher dry boiling point than regular fluid, but actually has a LOWER wet boiling point. This means after 6 months or so, after the fluid has absorbed moisture from the air, racing fluid performs worse than regular stock fluid. In addition, if you go with racing brake pads you will find that they are great at the track but really annoying in everyday driving on the street, because they can squeal like crazy. You will definitely want to change back to street pads after your track events. So - IF you decide to go with racing pads and fluid, be prepared to either (a) become best buds with your local independent shop who can do this work before and after each event, or (b) learn to do it yourself. I opted for (b) when I got into this hobby. I am not by any stretch a master mechanic - my prior experience consisted of not much more than oil changes - but I found there were plenty of resources available on-line to teach me how to do this work, and now it's almost second nature.

[mousewei84]

No - stick with the stock OEM brake rotor as they work very well. No need to spend $$ on after-market rotors. The ONLY reason to buy drilled, or slotted, or drilled & slotted rotors is if you happen to like how they look. They will not improve the braking performance a whit. In the olden days people touted the idea that groves can dissipate gas, but modern brake pads don't generate gas like pads from the 60's. There is some argument that grooves can also dissipate water more efficiently but when you're driving in the wet the problem isn't loss of friction between brake pad and rotor, but rather loss of friction between tire and road surface. So save your money and don't bother "upgrading" the rotors (unless you go to a BBK, with all new brake calipers and larger diameter brake rotor).



If you have a space to work and have a jack and jack stands, changing brake fluid is one of the easiest DIY jobs there is. Get a Motive Power Bleeder and read up on how to use it. If you switch to Motul RBF600 for track usage you should not be waiting 18 months between flushes. As noted earlier racing brake fluid has a much higher dry boiling point than regular fluid, but actually has a LOWER wet boiling point. This means after 6 months or so, after the fluid has absorbed moisture from the air, racing fluid performs worse than regular stock fluid. In addition, if you go with racing brake pads you will find that they are great at the track but really annoying in everyday driving on the street, because they can squeal like crazy. You will definitely want to change back to street pads after your track events. So - IF you decide to go with racing pads and fluid, be prepared to either (a) become best buds with your local independent shop who can do this work before and after each event, or (b) learn to do it yourself. I opted for (b) when I got into this hobby. I am not by any stretch a master mechanic - my prior experience consisted of not much more than oil changes - but I found there were plenty of resources available on-line to teach me how to do this work, and now it's almost second nature.

I definitely agree that do it yourself is the best way. Since you have pretty much experience on different brake pads, among all you know(CarboTech, yellow stuff, hawk, etc) which one has minimum squeal but also retain good track ability? Try to cut a slack on myself since changing it before/after is pain in the ass and also if just pads only, you need to have it bed in rotor everytime too!

Much appreciate your advises so far!!! Feel like if I type 100 lines, you could top it with 300 lines reply

[B-Time]

Coated Zimmerman blanks are a nice alternative to OEM, and not expensive. A lot less ugly corrosion.

[mousewei84]

Coated Zimmerman blanks are a nice alternative to OEM, and not expensive. A lot less ugly corrosion.

Thank you for the suggestion! What are normally price for OEM and Coated Zimmerman blanks front & rear rotors?

[jpatterson]

FYI Compromise pads are not the best answer on either street or track but they DO eliminate having to change pads twice for each event. On my Porsche Cayman I ran Stoptech 309s for just this reason. I have a friend that runs them in a V8 S5 also. They have performed far better at the track than most expect. They have a very high MOT (maximum operating temperature) Both of us run in advanced solo group and we have gotten by just fine with them. They ARE dusty on the street but they do not squeal. They do make grinding noises when cold and after the car has been washed. Doesn't take long to smooth out. I get about 6 days of them at the track. No idea how long they would last without tracking but I did run a set in an A6 for over 20000 miles before I sold it. Better yet-- They are cheap! :-) http://www.stoptech.com/products/brake-pads

[jpatterson]

Coated Zimmerman blanks are a nice alternative to OEM, and not expensive. A lot less ugly corrosion.

Agreed. I really like Centric better though. They have thicker surfaces and the additional mass seems to help prevent overheating and cracking in HPDE use. When THIS happens it ends your weekend.

[mousewei84]

FYI Compromise pads are not the best answer on either street or track but they DO eliminate having to change pads twice for each event. On my Porsche Cayman I ran Stoptech 309s for just this reason. I have a friend that runs them in a V8 S5 also. They have performed far better at the track than most expect. They have a very high MOT (maximum operating temperature) Both of us run in advanced solo group and we have gotten by just fine with them. They ARE dusty on the street but they do not squeal. They do make grinding noises when cold and after the car has been washed. Doesn't take long to smooth out. I get about 6 days of them at the track. No idea how long they would last without tracking but I did run a set in an A6 for over 20000 miles before I sold it. Better yet-- They are cheap! :-) http://www.stoptech.com/products/brake-pads

Thank you very much for your input sir! Those are very helpful info! Looks like you do root for smooth rotor for track day too! In what point do you think we need slotted/drilled rotors though or they are just mostly fancy looking for ppl?

[jpatterson]

There is a point where we need 2 piece rotors because they are lighter, do not distort when hot and do not transmit as much heat to the hub bearing. Most of those are slotted or drilled. Drilled rotors crack earlier. I'm ok with slotted but I cannot tell any difference in performance over plain. The most important thing is fresh high temp fluid next is proper pads, Next is additional airflow for cooling, THEN rotors. You CAN spend $3 or 4k on a big brake kit and skip some of these steps though. Slots and holes look cool. :-)

[kskevin]

A lot of good info here from boro92

http://dreamingin302ci.blogspot.com/?m=1

[mousewei84]

There is a point where we need 2 piece rotors because they are lighter, do not distort when hot and do not transmit as much heat to the hub bearing. Most of those are slotted or drilled. Drilled rotors crack earlier. I'm ok with slotted but I cannot tell any difference in performance over plain. The most important thing is fresh high temp fluid next is proper pads, Next is additional airflow for cooling, THEN rotors. You CAN spend $3 or 4k on a big brake kit and skip some of these steps though. Slots and holes look cool. :-)

Hah I agree they are betterlooking. Since you mentioned fluids -> pads -> airflow -> rotor, this question may sound stupid but isn't best practice to change both pads and rotors together to have them bed in each other? Also how to improve airflow cooling though, dig hole under front bumper?

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Great article! Thank you for sharing man!

A lot of good info here from boro92

http://dreamingin302ci.blogspot.com/?m=1

[jpatterson]

Hah I agree they are betterlooking. Since you mentioned fluids -> pads -> airflow -> rotor, this question may sound stupid but isn't best practice to change both pads and rotors together to have them bed in each other? Also how to improve airflow cooling though, dig hole under front bumper?

- - - Updated - - -

Great article! Thank you for sharing man!

On my TT I bought and installed TTRS brake ducts. They are actually just paddles that divert under car airflow into the rear of the brake. More air is better but these were an easy start. Porsches use these too. Perhaps there is one that could be modified to fit our lower control arms too. There is potential for different brake pads to not play well together but this risk can be avoiding by cleaning the rotors well. A light sanding would be more than enough. Some have said they just use Windex.I must admit that I have swapped from Ate OEM street pads to Carbotech XP12s lots of times and done nothing but swap them. Here is a photo of my brakes with the TTRS ducts.

[mousewei84]

On my TT I bought and installed TTRS brake ducts. They are actually just paddles that divert under car airflow into the rear of the brake. More air is better but these were an easy start. Porsches use these too. Perhaps there is one that could be modified to fit our lower control arms too. There is potential for different brake pads to not play well together but this risk can be avoiding by cleaning the rotors well. A light sanding would be more than enough. Some have said they just use Windex.I must admit that I have swapped from Ate OEM street pads to Carbotech XP12s lots of times and done nothing but swap them. Here is a photo of my brakes with the TTRS ducts.

Air duct looks good! Thank you for the pic!Wondering if they can be used on S5 too?

Sounds like Carbotech pads are great options here :)

[jwr9152]

Also to keep in mind. I run Stoptech ST-60 BBK on mine, and they are great. Much improved braking over stock. But you are looking at $3500 for the kit. Street pads are reasonable around $110 for the front, but the race pads are $360. I switched to Carbotech XP12's and they are only $270. Now replacement rotors are $720. So maintenance prices go way up with a BBK. On the plus side, other then the improved braking, you don't have to pull the calipers to change the pads. Makes it really easy.

[Drew0u812]

The stock S5 has non symmetric cooling vanes on the rotors which I disliked, I thought it was really cheap of them to do that.
I think as a cheaper alternative to full on BBK is the ECS upgrade kit which utilizes the SQ's four piston calipers and the 2 piece rotor full floating wavy rotors.

[waxxonMTL]

I'm also interesting in the Q5 caliper because no head-scratching to figure if your winter/summer wheel will clear + fixed caliper improve a lot the brake feel. But I don't believe the ECS 2piece rotor are made of extremely good quality. might as well just buy the caliper and buy 2piece rotor.. I really wish DBA would make B8 rotor..

[jpatterson]

Racingbrake.com has a 2 pc rotor. I have their 1pc curved vane rotors on my TT. They have been tracked hard and have been fine.
http://www.racingbrake.com/Two-piece...-11-p/2206.htm

Also I read that an air duct (paddle) from a Porsche Macan will fit on our S5 (have not verified) . combined with removed backing plates or RS5 backing plates it would HAVE to help.

[mousewei84]

Those two piece rotors are 800 bucks! It only listed as B8 S5 not B8.5 though. Is there difference on brake between B8 and B8.5?

Also I see Adams rotors are on sale, have you considered to try one of those?

Try to find pic of air duct (paddle) from macan, do you have an idea of it?

Thank you sir!

Racingbrake.com has a 2 pc rotor. I have their 1pc curved vane rotors on my TT. They have been tracked hard and have been fine.
http://www.racingbrake.com/Two-piece...-11-p/2206.htm

Also I read that an air duct (paddle) from a Porsche Macan will fit on our S5 (have not verified) . combined with removed backing plates or RS5 backing plates it would HAVE to help.

[UncleTed]

my 2cents.

If you can learn to drive the track on your stock brake set up first, you'll be better for it in the long run. Someone mentioned coaching, definitely do that. You'll be smoother and faster, and easier on your car parts, which means your new obsession/addiction/infection will be cheaper too!

I have run 16 track days in my '13 S5. I changed the fluid to Motul600 and other than that, all but the last 3 on stock pads and rotors. I "upgraded" to Carbotech pads and Stop tech slotted rotors. I run the Carbotech Bobcats on the street, LOVE them, better than stock grip and virtually no dust. Carbotech says not to track the Bobcats so I swap those out for the XP8. I like those a lot also and the compounds between the Bobcats and the XP8 are compatible so you can swap them without doing anything to the rotors. I am not sure the rotors are any better for performance but they look nice! My rear brakes are still stock but getting thin, I can probably get at least another track weekend out of the stock rear pads and rotors.

I am pretty handy but far from a mechanic. I can change the front pads and rotors just over an hour, its easy. Give it a try.

I run an aftermarket tire/wheel on the street and didn't want to track them so I ran the stock wheels and the PS3 summer tire the car came with (horrible track tire), those lasted 14 track days and about 2000 street miles. I switched those and now run Nitto NT01 on the track, only two days so far but really like the grip, still learning the NT01's.

My suggestion, FWIW, is to see if you can get fast enough to run with "C group" with ACNA on stock equipment, then see what you want to do... Most of the guys in D group have some serious mods and R compound tires, so if you go there without some upgrades, limber up your finger so you can point them by...

Good luck. I love the S5 on the track, it's fast enough to have a blast. Very difficult to get in trouble, the car about drives itself! At some point you will come to the realization that the ONLY thing that matters is that your car looks exactly the same at the end of the weekend as it did to start the weekend. If you've done that, you will have had fun! IF not, no matter how much "fun" you had before you bent your beautiful car, wont mean shit if your car ends up on a hauler...

[jwr9152]

Good luck. I love the S5 on the track, it's fast enough to have a blast. Very difficult to get in trouble, the car about drives itself! At some point you will come to the realization that the ONLY thing that matters is that your car looks exactly the same at the end of the weekend as it did to start the weekend. If you've done that, you will have had fun! IF not, no matter how much "fun" you had before you bent your beautiful car, wont mean shit if your car ends up on a hauler...

Truer words have never been spoken.

[jpatterson]

my 2cents.

If you can learn to drive the track on your stock brake set up first, you'll be better for it in the long run. Someone mentioned coaching, definitely do that. You'll be smoother and faster, and easier on your car parts, which means your new obsession/addiction/infection will be cheaper too!

I have run 16 track days in my '13 S5. I changed the fluid to Motul600 and other than that, all but the last 3 on stock pads and rotors. I "upgraded" to Carbotech pads and Stop tech slotted rotors. I run the Carbotech Bobcats on the street, LOVE them, better than stock grip and virtually no dust. Carbotech says not to track the Bobcats so I swap those out for the XP8. I like those a lot also and the compounds between the Bobcats and the XP8 are compatible so you can swap them without doing anything to the rotors. I am not sure the rotors are any better for performance but they look nice! My rear brakes are still stock but getting thin, I can probably get at least another track weekend out of the stock rear pads and rotors.

I am pretty handy but far from a mechanic. I can change the front pads and rotors just over an hour, its easy. Give it a try.

I run an aftermarket tire/wheel on the street and didn't want to track them so I ran the stock wheels and the PS3 summer tire the car came with (horrible track tire), those lasted 14 track days and about 2000 street miles. I switched those and now run Nitto NT01 on the track, only two days so far but really like the grip, still learning the NT01's.

My suggestion, FWIW, is to see if you can get fast enough to run with "C group" with ACNA on stock equipment, then see what you want to do... Most of the guys in D group have some serious mods and R compound tires, so if you go there without some upgrades, limber up your finger so you can point them by...

Good luck. I love the S5 on the track, it's fast enough to have a blast. Very difficult to get in trouble, the car about drives itself! At some point you will come to the realization that the ONLY thing that matters is that your car looks exactly the same at the end of the weekend as it did to start the weekend. If you've done that, you will have had fun! IF not, no matter how much "fun" you had before you bent your beautiful car, wont mean shit if your car ends up on a hauler...

This sums it all up really well. HPDEs are more about learning to drive well than learning how to prep a car to make it faster. Mods will come of necessity but start stock. Do brake pads and fluid. Everything else, Wait till you know why you need it. No One has mentioned G Locks for seat belts but IMHO they are almost the first mod anyone should do for tracking a car with stock 3 point belts.

http://www.cg-lock.com/

[jpatterson]

Try to find pic of air duct (paddle) from macan, do you have an idea of it?

Thank you sir!

Found this over in the S4 forum --- The discussion is at http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-Thread/page47

[mousewei84]

Thank you for the great summary here! Those are really helpful advices for track day and I am thinking the same thing. Only mods I have is a set of aftermarket wheels/tires(PSS). I plan to burn stock brakes to low before I upgrade rotor and pads. I am still at beginner stage of "DIY" on car, change pads/flush fluid still sounds challenge to me but I start to get tools and try to get hands on it when weather gets warmer. On a lazy note, is it ok to use Carbotech XP8 for both track and street use? ( does it have loud braking noise?)

I am doing setup of 275/35/19 and didn't see it in categories of Nitto NT01. But that would be an later note of moving to R compound tires

Haven't joined any club yet, do you think ACNA is a good one? Do they offer like track license something? Also there are SCCA, NASA, not sure about differences though

Also based on all your track experience, what is the difference between having ESC on and ESC off on track? So far i keep it on but i wanna give a try with ESC off for a session.

Thank you for the help!

my 2cents.

If you can learn to drive the track on your stock brake set up first, you'll be better for it in the long run. Someone mentioned coaching, definitely do that. You'll be smoother and faster, and easier on your car parts, which means your new obsession/addiction/infection will be cheaper too!

I have run 16 track days in my '13 S5. I changed the fluid to Motul600 and other than that, all but the last 3 on stock pads and rotors. I "upgraded" to Carbotech pads and Stop tech slotted rotors. I run the Carbotech Bobcats on the street, LOVE them, better than stock grip and virtually no dust. Carbotech says not to track the Bobcats so I swap those out for the XP8. I like those a lot also and the compounds between the Bobcats and the XP8 are compatible so you can swap them without doing anything to the rotors. I am not sure the rotors are any better for performance but they look nice! My rear brakes are still stock but getting thin, I can probably get at least another track weekend out of the stock rear pads and rotors.

I am pretty handy but far from a mechanic. I can change the front pads and rotors just over an hour, its easy. Give it a try.

I run an aftermarket tire/wheel on the street and didn't want to track them so I ran the stock wheels and the PS3 summer tire the car came with (horrible track tire), those lasted 14 track days and about 2000 street miles. I switched those and now run Nitto NT01 on the track, only two days so far but really like the grip, still learning the NT01's.

My suggestion, FWIW, is to see if you can get fast enough to run with "C group" with ACNA on stock equipment, then see what you want to do... Most of the guys in D group have some serious mods and R compound tires, so if you go there without some upgrades, limber up your finger so you can point them by...

Good luck. I love the S5 on the track, it's fast enough to have a blast. Very difficult to get in trouble, the car about drives itself! At some point you will come to the realization that the ONLY thing that matters is that your car looks exactly the same at the end of the weekend as it did to start the weekend. If you've done that, you will have had fun! IF not, no matter how much "fun" you had before you bent your beautiful car, wont mean shit if your car ends up on a hauler...

[jwr9152]

Thank you for the great summary here! Those are really helpful advices for track day and I am thinking the same thing. Only mods I have is a set of aftermarket wheels/tires(PSS). I plan to burn stock brakes to low before I upgrade rotor and pads. I am still at beginner stage of "DIY" on car, change pads/flush fluid still sounds challenge to me but I start to get tools and try to get hands on it when weather gets warmer. On a lazy note, is it ok to use Carbotech XP8 for both track and street use? ( does it have loud braking noise?)

I am doing setup of 275/35/19 and didn't see it in categories of Nitto NT01. But that would be an later note of moving to R compound tires

Haven't joined any club yet, do you think ACNA is a good one? Do they offer like track license something? Also there are SCCA, NASA, not sure about differences though

Also based on all your track experience, what is the difference between having ESC on and ESC off on track? So far i keep it on but i wanna give a try with ESC off for a session.

Thank you for the help!

If they don't make Nitto's that size the toyo proxes r888 are supposed to be similar. I run the michelin sport cup 2's in 275-35-19 and really like them.