Porsche Track Prep & GT Modifications in Essex
Pre-track-day inspections, brake upgrades and GT modifications for any Porsche from the 996 onwards, at our Porsche-only workshop in Harold Wood.
The owner is Porsche trained, has completed Porsche in-house training, and spent nine years at a Porsche main dealer working at the highest level, with over 10 years’ Porsche experience in total.
Modern Porsches from the 996 onwards, including GT cars.
Tell us about your car and what you want to achieve. Labour £100 + VAT per hour.
Track days put far more heat through the brakes than ordinary road driving. As part of Track Prep at our Porsche-only workshop in Harold Wood, we can fit upgraded brake pads, braided brake lines and high-temperature brake fluid. This work is for any Porsche from the 996 and 986 era onwards — not only GT cars — and is there to give you a more consistent pedal and a lower risk of brake fade on circuit.
Brake upgrades for track days
Upgraded brake pads
Standard road brake pads can lose braking performance when subjected to the sustained high temperatures experienced on track. This can result in brake fade, where stopping power reduces despite the brake pedal still feeling firm.
Track-focused or fast-road brake pads are designed to maintain more consistent friction at higher temperatures, providing more reliable braking performance under demanding conditions. The right pad choice will depend on how the car is used.
Braided brake lines
The flexible rubber hoses on a standard car can expand under hard braking, which wastes some of the pressure you put into the pedal and can make it feel soft or inconsistent. Stainless braided lines resist that expansion, so more of your effort reaches the callipers and the pedal typically feels firmer and more consistent from one stop to the next.
High-temperature brake fluid
Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the air over time, which lowers the temperature at which it boils; once it boils, the vapour is compressible and the pedal goes long and spongy. A high-temperature fluid is chosen for its higher dry and wet boiling points to reduce the risk of the fluid boiling under repeated heavy braking.
These upgrades sit alongside our pre-track-day inspection, which already covers brakes and brake fluid, tyres, torque checks, fluid checks and a PIWIS scan. If you are not sure what the car needs before an event, start there and we can advise on pads, lines and fluid from what we find.
For more extensive brake work we can also discuss calliper and disc upgrades. A recent example is a 997 track car project fitted with AP Racing Pro 5000 callipers and J-hook discs.
FAQ
Why do the brakes feel different once they get hot on track?
Two different problems are often described as brake fade. If the pedal stays firm but the car does not slow as quickly, the pads may have overheated and started to gas off. If the pedal goes long or spongy, the fluid may have started to boil. Upgraded pads, braided lines and high-temperature fluid each address a different part of that picture.
Will upgraded pads still be suitable for the road?
That depends on the compound and how you use the car. Dedicated race pads are made for high temperatures and can feel poor when cold, and they may be noisier on the road. For a car that is driven to the circuit and back, a fast-road or track-day pad is usually the better match. We will advise once we know the car and the kind of events you do.
Do I still need a pre-track inspection if I have had the brake upgrades?
Yes. Pads, lines and fluid help the brakes cope with heat, but a check-over also covers tyres, torque checks, other fluids and a PIWIS scan. It is the simplest way to catch a preventable issue in the workshop rather than at the circuit.
See also: Porsche servicing, PIWIS diagnostics, GT cars and All Services.