If you had several hundred dollars to spend on your R and were taking it to the track in the next few months would you:

A) lower it a little with nice springs (H&R or Comptech) on stock shocks

or

B) upgrade the pads/brake fluid with some stainless steel lines

Please help me choose!

Mike

 

I would buy an extra set of tires, if you don't allready have a set.

I lowered my R half an inch on stock shocks, I didn't help much really.

 

option b without the lines...

 

definitely pads/fluids...SS lines as well if your budget allows it

 

Pads/Fluid. Then Tires.

 

 

Don't get R compounds until you have more experience.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention I have Comptech springs....Don't waste your money.
It looks and handles stock, plus it throws the camber off a little.

 

brake pads & good brake fluid.
Rollbar.
Dedicated set of Wheels and Tires after you fall in love with it.

 

definitely (b)

yoshi - whose pretty much only done (b) also

 

 

Thanks for the quick responses guys. I also thought about the Mugen rear swar bar. I think i will get the pads/fluid from Mike at IPS since i have done business with him before. this will be my first track event. what pads/fluid do you reccomend? Thanks in advance!

Mike

 

Carbotech Panter Plus pads are really good IMHO. If you are on a budget use Valvoline Synthetic or Ford Heavy Duty brake fluid. Both are almost as good as Motul RBF600 or ATE Super Blue but are easier to find off the shelf and are cheaper. I'm running Carbotech pads up front, stock pads in the rear, and Motul fluid but will be switching to one of the cheaper fluids in the future. I'd also suggest pulling off you dust shields at the same time that you swap pads. The shields help retain alot of heat

 

who else has taken there break sheilds off?? there is no ill effect from doing this right?? why in the hell does honda keep putting chit on the car that i have to keep taking off!!

 

Apparently there are known cases of lower ball joint failure due to the radiating heat....and that is why Mugen includes some thermowrap and safety wire in their "big brake kit"

I personally have not heard of anybody frying their lower balljoint...but just passing on some info I read on king's site.

 

Get some good pads and fluid. Forget the stainless lines. Spend the rest on more track time.

 

so if no one else knows they will be coming off this weekend along with performing a valve adjustment while i have nothing else to do.

 

i think willard posted something about taking off his dust shields and then putting them back on.

i recommend option B w/o SS lines yet along with everyone else . also, depending on the pads, maybe consider getting a set of rotors for track use as well.

 

Spend it on the ITR Expo!!!

 

Pads, Carbotech panther plus, you will love them and they are streetable...
Fluid, hard to beat ford HD... I use ATE superblue/type 200 because i can get it close by...

Splash sheilds, should have to worry about taking them off until you are quite experienced and running R compound tires.. Once you get that far, then take them off because you will be really building up some heat, and it needs to go away.. No balljoint problems with me and I haven't had them for 2 years, and a year of tracking.. If your worried about it, wrap you balljoint in some heat sheild/tape/alum. foil or whatever I guess...


[Modified by Honda318dx, 7:58 PM 12/26/2001]

 

I'm curious why everybody seems to be saying not to get the SS brake lines...

 

me too. they were the next thing on my list to get. if everyone is talking chit about them, then i'm going to jump on the wagon and say fock them for now...

 

Because they dont help in making you actually stop any faster, just help with feel which is not necessary until the level of your racing raises.

BTW I have Panther + on my 00Si and they are SICK! Contact Andie @ Carbotech he is cool as hell.

 

Andie is cool. Larry is..... well.. he'll tell you straight up what he thinks.. usually with the word '****' inserted every 3 words..

I'd suggest something more track only.. Hawk Blue's or Hawk Blue molded pads from carbotech. It takes very little time to change pads so I don't see any reason on earth to use a single pad for street and track.

The SS line thing was already explained.

 

As Siisgood00 pointed out, they don't really do anything. Money better spent elsewhere.

Plus I have just heard too many stories of frayed, leaking, and otherwise broken SS lines. The brakes take a beating on track, less variables the better. At most tracks your brakes are the only thing keeping you from stuffing your car into walls, trees, burms, tires, etc.