Why AP Racing Caliper you may ask.

There are many calipers available in the aftermarket arena for the RX-8. GREX (Greddy/Trust) 6 Pot, Endless 6pot mini, Project Mu Racing 4 pot (4 pads - 4x4) or the Project Mu Racing 6 pot. Alcon and Brembo has one available too.

AP racing has good reputation and there are many after market pads that is available for the caliper that Ric Shaw chose. Yes I ordered this set via Ric Shaw and after following his car with him in the driving seat at Wakefield last October. I know that it is more than his right foot (or left?) on the brake pedal that did the trick. I wanted this caliper the moment I saw it.

The kit comes with Goodridge Brake line, SBS pro-touring pads and spacer for the stock RX-8 rims. The kit is from AP Racing with model number CP-6600 and it is the leading caliper (caliper in front of the axle). I sort of wonder but after looking at the stock caliper I know why. The brake line stud is upside down. The rotor using with this kit is stock size.

I also think that upsiding it will be benefitical. And why not when you spend $2.5K for the whole kit. But think of it. I have to stick with the rotor that the company supplies and the pad that they use. There is no company making pads for GREX caliper other than the company themselves! After that I decided not to go for Endless until they put their act together and get some all round fast street/ circuit pads together.

I think of project mu rotor since I like their pads a lot, but the downside of it is there is no information at hand that what sort of offset the caliper will give. That is, the clearance from the stock wheel and the spacer it requires. It will be disaster if I found out that the caliper is too fat for even my Enkei RP-03.

So I triple confirm with Ric and measure it up before I order the AP.

There are many pads for the AP to choose from.

From Europe - Ferodo, SBS, EBC, Pigid, etc.

From Japan - Project Mu, Endless and Seido-ya

I guess I decide to go for Project mu pads since they have the series from HC (0-800) and Racing 999 (200-900) to choose from.

Since I use the EBC and only lasted for 4 track days, cold pad force is a problem, and initial bite is not existance. I would want something that would allow initial bite. So EBC and most euro pads are out. I will track it too so the Endless pads are out.

So Project Mu it is! For your info.

Project Mu HC+ 0-800degrees , 0.32-0.60 brake co-eff
Project Mu NR 0-650, 0.33-0.43
Project Mu B-Spec 0-500, 0.32-0.45
Project Mu NS 0-400, 0.37-0.40




I ended choosing the Project Mu HC+ fronts and rears. And a spare Racing 999 for track use.
http://www.project-mu.co.jp/e/product/hc-plus.html

Just a quick note on compounds, 3 main compounds now-a-days are: non asbestos, semi-metallic, carbon composite and full metallic. The HC+ are a semi-metallic carbon compound.

I was worried about the optimum operating temps for the HC+ as they were rated 0-800! Heard from others people that the ‘sweet’ spot of the pads might not be very useable on street and there is questionable controability (or grading in terms of applying braking force).

My first impression:

STREET: 

Contary to prediction my breaks did not squeal at all. I had squeals on my MazdaSpeed and EBC but this time none! Once I bedded them in (multiple times of 45km/h stops). The initial bite was noticeably harder (and harder than anything else I have tried). The control is fine on the street and there is noticable grading of 1/10-5/10 (in many steps). I have not tried beyond 5/10 of this pads on the street and I don't need to for daily driving. This is perfect for street driving, there’s a little more bite than the EBC for sure and probably to the MazdaSpeed pads. But the bite could be related to a huge difference in the surface area of the AP caliper style pads to the stock caliper pad size.

The fun of this amazing power - Dust! Well….. let’s just say I’m going to have to clean my rims more often now…..  and it is a pain.

Track:

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