which brake pads?
 

I'll likely run the factory pads until i either get pad fade or wear them out. once either of those two things happen, i might simply step up to porterfield R4S pads, or depending on how i like the carbotech xp8 pads i'll be putting on the MR2 shortly, i may get those. anyone else?

Have you considered installing the TRD brake pads? (If it is sold over here in NA)

i guess it's something i would consider looking into, but i assume those would be in between OEM and the R4S pads in terms of bite and fade resistance. we'll see what happens on-track. :D

Street: I'll run OEM pads most likely, unless they have serious issues.
Track: I'll start with Carbotechs and go from there. Most likely I'll start with XP12s up front and XP8s in the back.

This. Or maybe tens up front,I can't remember and I have a couple beers in me at the moment

10s would be an option also. As a first try I'll try the 12s so at worst I'll shift the brake balance up front. Trial and error will likely determine the proper balance of compounds :) I'll be talking to carbotech soon about it.

No complaints with bobcats on the street. Ill have to wait for more figures to decide what kind of competition setup (same calipers and rotors?) Id end up with.

i understand that to mean you swap pads at the track before and after you run, right dave?

so far my research has pointed me in the direction that xp8s can be run on the street but once you step up to the 10s and 12s, it becomes a pretty bad idea in terms of bite and rotor wear.

how long have you used carbotech pads? is there anything you don't like about them? and how many track days do you generally get out of them?

I run Carbotech Bobcats up front and can keep XP8 on the rears on my tC on the street. I switch to XP8 for the front when I track. You should NEVER run AX6 or above on the street unless you plan on replacing rotors with the same frequency as changing your oil, and plan on cleaning your wheels every two days... I speak from personal experience Hahahahahaha!!

As for pad life, you'll get 3-6 HPDE days and a full season of Auto-x.

I first ran Carbotech's back when they were in Florida and just resold pad material technically. I've used them again for the past two years but my street cars see very little track use these days. On the race car, we basically never get more than a day out of a set of pads, but that's 8, 10 hours.. or whenever they die. We also don't use Carbotechs, or didn't before. We are switching pads again and going to Carbotech's this time. Endurance racing is non stop so it's difficult to relate that to HPDEs, but friends that have their own endurance cars have made it through an entire 24 hour race on Carbotechs while we went through a set of stop techs and two sets of hawk blues. On the set I have for the ITR with a couple of days of use they have plenty of meat left. I have zero complaints about them. If I ever use the ITR on track enough to kill them I'll let you know.

I use to be a Hawk Blue user, used to swear by them, destroyed paint and all but I've seen the light. I love how aggressive Blues are but the short life and iron damage to.. well everything isn't something I'm willing to accept anymore.

For awhile I was a Cobalt user, but I'm not a fan anymore. I have a set of XR3s for the ITR as well, the initial bite sucks. They stop the car, it's just not the brake feel I expect and want. Every time I'd go deep I'd have a split second of "oh crap where are the brakes? oh.. there..." with them.

And yes, I change at least pads, sometimes rotors and pads for track days. "Light duty track"/"Semi streetable" pads aren't my cup of tea. I try not to make too many compromises on the track, especially as it relates to brakes and safety.

For me, the expense (and extra time spent) is worth it.

thanks for the input! i'm not going to be endurance racing the MR2, so i think the lower-level track pads should be good for 20 minute sessions. i'm 100% in agreement that brakes are not something to cheap out on, which is precisely why i'm going with the more effective 93T brakes and track pads. street/autocross pads won't cut it for more than a couple laps.

on the FRS/BRZ, i don't anticipate using it as hard on-track as the MR2, but we'll see what happens... :burnrubber:

Talk to the Team Biohazard guys on MR2OC. They'll have a lot of input on which brake pads they like on the MR2 on the track. :thumbup:

i'll send one of them a message. thanks! i've been doing a lot of reading on there (been a member since 2002) and everyone seems to like carbotechs that i can tell. my only question is which compound will serve me best, on both the MR2 and FRS/BRZ.

after re-reading carbotech's description of their different compounds, i think i definitely want the XP10s at least on the front of the MR2, with XP8s on the rear. maybe xp8s all around on the FRS/BRZ.

i appreciate the input, and i swear i'll make it to tampa one of these days.... lol

Probably the Endless NS97. They are the best all around pads but are fookin expensive! BTW, these are the stock pads:

http://toyota.jp/86/001_p_001/dynami..._chassis02.png
They call them "Sports Pads"

But they're made by Advics which is a joint effort of Aisin, Denso, and Sumitomo.