BlueRenesis82

Anyone have one? Just had a caliper slider bolt freeze up on me, so while I am trying to get that fixed I figured it would make sense to try and get all the wear stuff taken care of.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Bleed brakes before every event and often during
I change the brake fluid every 4-5 track days....
Pads checked and lube brakes after every track day
Change oil every time, change tranny/diff fluid 2X per year

Spray the bushings on the camber adjusters with penetrating oil every couple of months ( had one sieze...and spent about 3 hours cutting it off )

Rotate tires lots

Alignments every couple of events ( buddy with alignment shop )
change coolant every year
Check suspension and other retaining bolts every 4-5 events
Look for oil leaks, suspension strut leaks, brake fluid leaks etc after every event

BlueRenesis82

When you talk about lubing the brakes, are you talking about pulling out those slider bolts for a good dose of anti-seize?

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

I have 4 pots on the front...so no slides there anymore..but yes...the rears need the slides lubricated

USE HIGH TEMP SILICONE Not antisieze..the antisieze cooks into a nasty paste after a while

Also some on the back of the pads helps with the squeeeks

BlueRenesis82

Hmm, maybe thats the reason for the problem. I remember putting some anti-seize onto one of the sliders a couple of years ago.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Usually what happens is the rubber boot gets cooked and cracks..then the brake dust, water and crap seeps in and gets cooked...then it stops moving

You can buy replacement rebuild kits with the boots, piston seals and dust boots for about $20 per axle

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Another thing you can do is pull apart all the suspension fasteners and put on anti seize....

Takes a couple hours..but saves you money and time in the long run if you plan on keeping the car

BlueRenesis82

Well, anti-seize or that high temp silicone?

I don't plan on ever selling the car

BlueRenesis82

But you still thing it would be easier to just buy another "cage" rather than trying to fix it? Hopefully somebody local has one.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Dan -

I love your obsessiveness in this.
Here is my schedule as a function of yours. Might be entertaining!



I usually bleed mine after 3 or 4 events. But only if their effectiveness is reduced.


I do this once a year, but only if the color is off.


I check them if they make noise. Same for lubing them.


I change my oil at a regular 1500 mile interval or so, regardless of track time.
The tranny and diff see annual and biannual changes, respectively.


Never done this. Ever. Mine come loose if I think about them too hard, so lubrication isn't an issue.

My track wheels come off after every event, so this isn't an issue.


I get an alignment when I need one.
Since my last alignment was perfect, I haven't touched it.
In a over a YEAR!

I do this when I replace the motors. lol

I only do this if I remove something.


I check for puddles daily. Never see one, though.

At 104,000 miles (and dozens of track events) on all the same suspension and braking bits (except pads and rotors).

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

or run Castrol SRF brake fluid instead, more cost up front but less maintenance and worry for moisture contamination

wankelbolt

iTrader: (21)

Castrol SRF and ATE Blue and all that other high-dollar brake fluids are serious overkill. That's not a bad thing, just expensive.

The brakes on the RX-8 are huge and well-ventilated. Short of a turbo three-rotor and Hoosier full racing slicks, you are unlikely to generate anywhere near enough heat to boil even cheap fluid.

For fluid I use Castrol LMA or Valvoline sythetic. Reasonably priced, readily available, very high boiling points. Moisture contamination is not an issue if you bleed the brakes more than a couple times a year.

I bleed before every track weekend. I never "change" the fluid. Bleeding a dozen times a year is more than enough to keep the fluid clean and clear. (Thank you Speed Bleeders!)

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Our local track pretty much cook anything brake related

The limiting factor for most of the GT1 class cars is how much heat they can keep out of there brakes. Most cars can run 3-4 hot laps and then start running into brake problems...so they have to slow down and cool them off. So far...I've done well with the RX-8 brakes..but the calipers need bleeding twice a day

As far as the rest...I am a bit **** when it comes to maintenance..but I haven't had any failures, and other than the control arm issue, I can remove anything without having problems.

Can't say the same thing for a lot of the other cars I work on that live in our wet crappy climate

As for the ATE/Motul brake fluid being expensive...hell its only $35-40 to change the fluid..

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

Keep a couple of 40A fuses on hand in case you blow one when running both fans at high speed during 90 degree track days. Ask me how I know...

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Hmm. Your fan motors are on their way out. (Or you have something impeding their rotation.)
Total peak load on both motors should only be about 30A
I run a third fan on that circuit (and all three are on high almost continuously for hours on end) and have never blown a fuse.

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

great, just ONE more thing poor Nemesis gets to fix when he yanks out his engine.

Nemesis8

iTrader: (3)

Crap - I was worried about that. Nothing was down there impeding the rotation.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

problem with that slider pin is you cant buy just the rubber covering on the end--have to buy the entire slider pin --but shrink tubing seems to work well Honda has a ceramic silicone grease that works very well and is a pretty pink color. ok up to 2K F!!
Dan I do about the same as you before every event --plus
1-- do a quick checks for brake rotor cracks and signs of caliper flex (i have the oem--), grease sways, speed bleeder bleed brakes:
master cylinder 1st
pass rear 2nd
drivers rear 3nd
pass front 4th
drivers front 5th
master cylinder 6th
i use super blue --brakes can get hot at road atlanta on r compunds.
i also pull the plugs---just to see and to make sure all ignition stuff is tucked tight, dry and connected tightly.
check belts--i have melted one before (alternator)
clean my water meth nozzles
and recently found that its a good idea to check the bolts on your hood!
olddragger

altiain

iTrader: (3)

I've boiled Motul RBF600 on my home track with Carbotech pads and R comps. It's all about how hard you push the car and how heavy the braking zones are.

I also make sure and check the that plug wires are firmly connected when swapping the wheels at the track. I've managed to pop one off in a spin, and I know of another car that worked one loose the last time we were at MSR.

justjim

I agree that it depends on the track and the how hard you push. That's why you get some people saying that "I use such n such brand of street performance brake pad at the track and OEM fluid and they work fine" while others (such as me) say "use track pads and racing fluid at the track". I don't have as much experience as some but I've run at 4 tracks with R-compounds and the one I usually run at, Sebring, is hard on brakes and even the well designed brakes of the RX8 can boil fluid there, and anything less than good track pads aren't going to cut it. The other 3 tracks, Homestead, Barber, and Moroso aren't nearly as hard on the brakes.

BlueRenesis82

Keep it coming, always good to hear what people are having success with.

Winning 8

I do every thing before the event, grease all braking component, bleed break, oil change, check tranny and diff fluid. check coolant, tighten all suspension bolt.
yearly I will change plugs, coolant, tranny and diff fluid, brake and clutch fluid, also clean air filter.
the minimum you should do is brake line, clutch line, ap brake fluid, hawk black and a set of toyo RA1.