1st Gen Rx7 Brakes

[miketrier]

I ran a 1st gen RX7 with Hawk Blues for several years without brake problems. Like Scott, I had ISC modified backing plates on the front and collected air from a duct in the air dam. I changed pads and rotors yearly, ran approximately 5 race weekends of 2 qualifying sessions and 2 races each weekend. I too used full synthetic grease (Valvoline black) and repacked frequently. My only brake problems were when I tried to change from Hawk Blue to Black on the rears and they would lock up. Changing back to Blues fixed the problem. I can't give any help on new Hawks or much else about brakes. I probably was relatively easy on brakes but they guy who bought my car runs it harder and doesn't have problems either.

[Tak]

I race at Laguna Seca, Thunder Hill, and Sears Point (infinion for the blasphemous). Laguna is brutal on brakes, T-hill is hard on brakes, and Sears is moderate.
Yes, getting the rear brakes working drastically incrases front rotor life. I find rebuilding the rear calipers every other year really helps maximize braking at the rear. So does soft compression damping, not possible with tokikos.
3" ducts from spoiler to Mazda comp (ISC??) brake ducts/backing plates. Not using the brakes on the cool down lap helps a lot, as does rolling the car 12" every 5 minutes after coming off the track (otherwise the rotor under the caliper stays hot as the rest cools). Laguna is just plain hard on brakes, and I will occaisionally overheat hawk blues there (hard pedal, less deceleration than normal).
I'm giving away my speed secrets here. I do NOT run the chinese rotors--I've found they are typically 2 to 3 lbs heaver than Brembos.
Tak
ITA 29, SFR

[kgobey]

This is an old discussion, but I'll join in... Remember with Hawk Blues, if you cannot get the rotor to temp it will destroy the rotor