Back in a Honda, EP3 Civic Type R

[Krzys]

Pbs were a massive improvement, you won't be disappointed. I'm running some Carbotech on the Renault brembos now and they are another huge step up. Hotter they get the better they work and really progressive in power.

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I seem to be good at getting heat into the brakes

 

[Norv]

I seem to be good at getting heat into the brakes

In which case give the pbs a go as the Carbotech are strong money in comparison. Though I had bigger discs and calipers so not a true comparison between them.

Can't wait to get a few more track days in this year now!

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[Krzys]

In which case give the pbs a go as the Carbotech are strong money in comparison. Though I had bigger discs and calipers so not a true comparison between them.

Can't wait to get a few more track days in this year now!

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Not bad money for them in standard size, worth a go anyway. Using RPB discs at the minute as the OE brembo blanks were shot.

 

[MarcR_EP3]

Not bad money for them in standard size, worth a go anyway. Using RPB discs at the minute as the OE brembo blanks were shot.

The pbs pads feel quite similar to ds2500's on the road, similar cold bite etc.

Only four more sleeps until Oulton.

 

[Krzys]

Nice photos! Can't wait to get out and do some more, a friend of mine usually joins me with her Forester STi.

 

[MarcR_EP3]

Nice photos! Can't wait to get out and do some more, a friend of mine usually joins me with her Forester STi.

Cheers mate, lucky to have the Peak District on my doorstep and North Wales is only an hour or so drive away for backdrops.

 

[Commander]

Nice pics! Where were they taken, looks like a great place for a drive!

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[MarcR_EP3]

Nice pics! Where were they taken, looks like a great place for a drive!

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One is at the side of the b4391, between Bala and Ffestiniog, North Wales, two are in the Peaks by the Cat and Fiddle and ones in a carpark, lol. The B4391 is awesome and well worth hunting out.

 

[Commander]

One is at the side of the b4391, between Bala and Ffestiniog, North Wales, two are in the Peaks by the Cat and Fiddle and ones in a carpark, lol. The B4391 is awesome and well worth hunting out.

Thanks! May have to do this 1 day!

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[Krzys]

One is at the side of the b4391, between Bala and Ffestiniog, North Wales, two are in the Peaks by the Cat and Fiddle and ones in a carpark, lol. The B4391 is awesome and well worth hunting out.

Think I've driven the B4391 before on a venture to Ffestiniog! Always enjoyed the Welsh roads.

Last time I did the Cat and Fiddle was in a 7.5T box van haha!

 

[MarcR_EP3]

Oulton Park was rather eventful, I arrived early to find the car park filling nicely and feeling apprehensive about what lied in store. I decided a few weeks back to hire a garage which I would advise to anybody who's considering a track day as a worthwhile outlay, great for storage and a place to keep dry and warmish when the inevitable happens. I jumped out of the car to pop open the garage door to find that it wouldn't budge, I tried to bully it into submission and failed miserably so retreated back to the warmth of my car feeling even more of a novice and waited for the arrival of my mates. Turned out to be locked which made the situation a little more bearable.

It had rained heavily throughout the night and showed no signs of slowing, in fact the temperature was falling and the rain quickly turned to hail and snow, ideal conditions for a newbie on AD08's. Signed on and went through to the restaurant for the safety brief and a brew, everyone seemed really relaxed despite the weather worsening, I wasn't and when the inevitable question was asked by the briefer, 'do we have any novices with us today?' My todger shrank further and I gingerly raised my hand, nobody in front of me did, I can't be the only newbie here surely, I glanced over my shoulder to see a few more hands in the air, thank God for that.

It was time for sighting laps, I gave the car a quick once over and headed out into the cue trying to keep my composure, we were off. Jesus wept isn't the pace car supposed to take it steady, I'm properly scared here and he's minced off at an alarming rate, clinging on for dear life my first lap was completed. The second lap was rather amusing and annoying at the same time, heading into cascades at many leptons I notice oil all over the tracks surface glistening in the sun and try to scrub off as much speed as possible before turning in. It didn't seem to make much difference I was sideways and applying opposite lock, exiting the corner with a nice stain on my lucky pants but the car unscathed the pace slowed for the remainder of the sighting laps. Back in the garage the news was announced that the track was closing while they clean up, a focus dropped it's oil at cascades and all the way along to the aptly named shell oils.

What a great introduction to track days.

The track finally opened after midday and I was itching along with everyone else to get out, the weather had now improved and the track was moist but drying. My first session couldn't have gone better, fourth lap in and a black flag is waved in my direction, it doesn't make sense I've done nothing wrong. I headed back to the naughty box for a good telling off, 'sorry we have got the wrong car' and with that I headed straight back out. I had a few moments on that first session much to the amusement of my mate who was sat in the passenger seat.

https://youtu.be/jrcVg9BPPM0


I will add some more to this when I get a little more time over the next few day's, I've got a load of footage to go through and numerous photographs but here's the first session including black flag.

https://youtu.be/fc81RkjHtf4

 

[Krzys]

Sounds like a good one to lose your trackday virginity to!

I opted for tuition my first trackday to help gain confidence in the car. I think when I book a day at Spa I might pay for a tuition session there to help me learn the track without being too slow to get in other people's way.

 

[MarcR_EP3]

After the first session the track was beginning to dry on the racing line and I could start to get some heat into the tyres, grip was improved massively and I could now get the power down coming out of the tighter corners. I wasn't expecting to be fast on my first track day and I most definitely wasn't but it was great fun to be sharing the tarmac with like minded people. It's amazing to watch the experienced guy's in low powered stuff give you a good hiding, I've got a lot to learn but that's part of the fun. Driving standards once we got going were superb everyone was giving plenty of space and allowing the quicker car's to pass, I was expecting the fast stuff to swarm all over my rear bumper in a 320d fast lane of the motorway manner but I can't recall one incident. The afternoon certainly made up for the earlier closure, I was enjoying it that much I ran out of fuel and had to cut the last session short.

https://youtu.be/fc81RkjHtf4

https://youtu.be/Rae_ur3ZGsI

https://youtu.be/bNNfyefmAF0

https://youtu.be/DBz3hpvaTVs

The car performed superbly throughout the day but pushing it towards it's limits for prolonged periods highlighted a few areas that will require attention. I left the suspension in it's road settings with it being damp and cold, the car feels incredibly neutral but it was rubbing slightly through cascades so I need to go stiffer on the front next time out, I will go stiffer at the rear by the same number of clicks. If that fails to resolve the issue I will raise it slightly on each corner. The other notable concern was the brakes, they didn't fade once throughout but they did start to make an unsettling grumbling noise on my last two sessions, so I'm upgrading to Brembo four pots from the Clio 197/200 with a bigger disk. It will allow me to switch to a floating rotor at a later date if they still aren't up to it.

All in all it was a great day and a good chance to put some faces to name's and push my car far harder than I could dream of on the road. It's rather addictive mind I'm already eyeing up my next one.

The calipers are in the post.

 

[MarcR_EP3]

Sounds like a good one to lose your trackday virginity to!

I opted for tuition my first trackday to help gain confidence in the car. I think when I book a day at Spa I might pay for a tuition session there to help me learn the track without being too slow to get in other people's way.

I was hoping to get some tuition but with losing out on the whole morning I decided to give it a miss, I will certainly be having some next time. Luckily my mates done Oulton quite a few times so he could show me the ropes, I would of certainly benefited from tuition though.

 

[Krzys]

Might be worth checking your pads when you next have time mate just to see if there's anything obvious causing the grumbling.

Bigger brakes definitely worth it on the track though!

 

[MarcR_EP3]

Might be worth checking your pads when you next have time mate just to see if there's anything obvious causing the grumbling.

Bigger brakes definitely worth it on the track though!

I will be having a good look at them, the noises have now stopped, I'm told it's quite normal with these pads but it's somewhat off putting. The brakes were smoking quite a bit after the 3rd from last session, I did have a cool down lap before coming in. I'm thinking pad deposits on the disks, but not 100% sure.

 

[MarcR_EP3]

The Brembo calipers have arrived and I've started to strip them back ready for new seals, bleed nipples, pins and paint. A word of warning for anyone considering used Renaultsport Brembo's the pad pins weld themselves to the caliper and are a pig to remove, one needed the angle grinder.

A few more from Oulton.

 

[Krzys]

I will be having a good look at them, the noises have now stopped, I'm told it's quite normal with these pads but it's somewhat off putting. The brakes were smoking quite a bit after the 3rd from last session, I did have a cool down lap before coming in. I'm thinking pad deposits on the disks, but not 100% sure.

I've always done a cool-down lap after every session and not had a problem with the brakes, smoking brakes do amuse me though!

I assume you weren't leaving the handbrake on between sessions?

The Brembo calipers have arrived and I've started to strip them back ready for new seals, bleed nipples, pins and paint. A word of warning for anyone considering used Renaultsport Brembo's the pad pins weld themselves to the caliper and are a pig to remove, one needed the angle grinder.

A few more from Oulton.

Nipple :lol:

 

[MarcR_EP3]

I've always done a cool-down lap after every session and not had a problem with the brakes, smoking brakes do amuse me though!

I assume you weren't leaving the handbrake on between sessions?


Nipple :lol:

Always raises a smile does nipple. :lol:

Yes left it in gear with the handbrake off, it was only after the smoke that the noise started, they have been fine since.

 

[Krzys]

Might have been some pad deposit left that's sorted itself with a few miles normal use then, fingers crossed!