Backdraft Motorsport said:
Braking is a very personal thing. As a race car builder and driver I have to remember that this forum is predominantly advising people on setups for the street.
However, on a road car safety is paramount. Its not just about driving hard on a race track with warmed up brakes. Its about pulling out of your road on a cold morning and a child walking out in front of you.
Very true...
The reason we advise for people to use the same compound front and rear is that it is important for them to work at the same rate. This will stop one end grabbing and locking whilst the other end is still warming up.
OK...
But in my experience, the froints do 90% of the work...so if that's the case, you will never warm up the rears at the same rate, so by fitting 'colder' or 'softer' pads to the rear, you do ensure even brake torque throughout the operating range.
My experience of proper competition pads is that they need a good shove to get the initial bite, and that shove gives the heat...once warmed they work more progressively.
On a Front engined FWD, (I'd class the S3 in here too) you will never get enough heat into the rears to get progressive braking.
Certainly, that's my experience.
Also, there is no reason why an uprated disc and pad combination will weigh any more than standard.
Doesn't have to...but most likely does. Bigger, heavier disk = more gyroscope effect, and harder to get turned in.
No?
It is just important to remember that the S3 does carry a significant amount of weight to the rear with the Quattro system so 90% front brakes is a bit excessive.
I agree, if we are talking static weight distribution.
But distribution under heavy braking, an S3 has to go 85% over the front, anyway...I'd have thought?
I would agree that uprating the rear caliper is a waste of time. we even run standard rear calipers on our Audi TT and A4 race cars.
I'm not surprised...they don't do much and I can't see the need for more rear brakes.
I hope I haven't seemed to come onto your forum and contradict you, I just want to explain where we get our opinions from and that it is just that an opinion.
Regards
Mark
Backdraft Motorsport.
Hell no, Mark.
Always good to hear other opinions.
I am guilty of trail braking...so I prefer my cars set up with aggressive front brakes and little rear, to prevent the rears grabbing and spitting the back out.
I run S3 312mm stuff on the front of my Mk3 GTI with Mintex Racing F4R compound pads (very aggressive, very high initial coefficient of friction, cold or hot) and EBC Redstuff on the rear to make sure the rears don't grab too much.
They work for me, with my driving style.