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RE: Brake pads, and rear camber adjustment

Carl Buckland, typing slowly and carefully with one hand, said:
>I have just been leaving my car set up with max neg camber, but your 
>way saves a lot in tires.  I will try it.  Front camber is a little 
>more difficult, but several of us are working on the ultimate 
>negative camber (adjustable) setup, which we will share after some 
>prototyping.  For now, I use two washer as shims on the lower strut 
>bolts, and with the  H&R coilovers at max height (about 1.5 inches 
>lower than stock), I get about 3 degs neg camber.  with the coilovers 
>adjusted for a lower ride (can go almost 3"...not reccomended), the 
>neg camber is, theoretically, greater, but I have not measured it.  I 
>should do the same as you have...make the adjustment at the alignment 
>shop, and mark it.
> 
>
>[John Browne]   Remember that changing camber will also change toe. I know
>this is true on the fronts, on the rears I'm not so sure. Otherwise you guys
>running in non-stock autox classes (ASP etc) could just rotate the upper
>strut on your E36 M3s for a dynomite change in caster and camber, all in one
>swell foop. For the track, you want plenty of positive camber,   so this
>change is not advised. I had PeeKay set up that way when I kissed the tires
>at PIR this past April. Too little caster means big time oversteer, but boy
>does it turn in...
>
>See the latest issue of Sportcar mag.  Good write up on pads.  I 
>think that you need at least two sets of pads, track and street.  
>Autocross pads (Hawk Y-5s are very specialized).  For street, use 
>something just above stock, that is clean, quiet, rotor friendly, and 
>gives you good pedal feel (can be modulated.  some pads take no 
>preassure to put you thru the windshield, while others require all 
>your strength).  I use PBR Deluxes and like them.  On the other end of 
>the "street" scale, there are "high performance street pads," like 
>the Hawk HPS (?), or the Performance Friction Z-rated.
>
>For the track, you need godzilla pads that STOP, even when they are 
>hot.  Usually not as much feel, very dirty, noisy, and eat rotors 
>(especially if they are applied hard while they are still cold.  Warm 
>them up first, and they are not so bad on rotors.  Problem is, that 
>is hard to do on the streets).  I am convinced that Hawk blacks, for 
>lighter cars, and Hawk blues for the M3 or M5, are THE way to go.
>I welcome other opinions.
>
>[John Browne]  Once again I'll have to vote for Poterfield R4 pads. These are
>full-race, and, unlike the OEM pads, don't eat my rotors. I have a lot of
>track time on them and still have more than 50% front and about 75% rears.
>They squeal some on the street when cold. They stop fine cold and better hot.
>Matter of fact, they are awesome on the track. Ask anybody: I can brake later
>than anybody on the tracks I get on. And I'm not a particularly gutsy guy
>(ask anybody <g>)... So far rotor damage is zip. Rotors are like new. I do
>warm them up, except when autocrossing (how can you warm up brakes before an
>autox run?) and still no damage. To put this in comparison, my buddy with a
>93 RX-7 TT can't get through a single track day on a set of pads. 
>
>I agree with your comments, especially the part about "staying legal 
>for ANY formal competitons."  A supercharger puts you out of the hunt 
>in nearly all racing.  I have not driven an M3 equipped with a SC, 
>and sure would like to (Chuck Q, do I get a test drive this fall?).  
>I am going to reserve any further comments on whether to SC or Not to 
>SC until I have driven one.  It may be so much fun, I will just have 
>to have one!  Who doesn't like horsepower?  For now, I will just putt 
>along with my Supersprinted-to-the-max M3, and be satisfied with 
>continuing suspension upgrades.
>
>[John Browne]   [John Browne]  It's true that if you SC or turbo your engine
>you're toast in SCCA autox. You've got to run in classes that you probably
>can't compete in unless you do lots and lots of unsightly changes. BMW club
>racing allows boosted engines, but SCCA won't allow it in anything wheel to
>wheel. I've never driven a supercharged engine, but I'd be happy to swap
>drives with anyone who has a blown M3 for a drive in PeeKay.
>WHEW!  My one arm is tired.  This is my last post (famous last words) 
>until my shoulder heals!
>
>[John Browne]   Carl, take some asprin and stop typing! 
>
>John Browne
>95 ///M3 LTW (PeeKay)