Track Brake Pad Discussion Thread

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Teseo

Thanks very much!! Those pads eat rotors?

They're pretty kind to rotors for the caliber of pad it is.

[Scuba86]

Best pad for DD with the occasional mountain run and 1-2 track days a year? should I stick with oem?

[stevesnj]

Originally Posted by Scuba86

Best pad for DD with the occasional mountain run and 1-2 track days a year? should I stick with oem?

Yeh OEM is fine. I DD and plan to track it more often this year. I have WinMax W2 pads and they are very good. More dust than OEM but the benefit is worth the cleaning time. Some squeaking every once in a while. More So in cold temps.

[rx3]

I've been running DS2500 in the front and Stoptech brake pads in the rear.

I'd like to move the brake bias to the rear using rear brake pads with a higher coefficient of friction.

The brake pads need to work when cold and our races don't ever last longer than 4 minutes (maximum speed < 100 mph). I don't care about dust, noise and lifespan.

Any suggestions?

[redlined600]

I ran across this and thought it might help people visualize the difference in pad compounds. Unfortunately it's specific to hawk. I've had good luck with the dtc60s on my old miata, actually the only hawk pad I like.

I run project mu club racer now which I also like.

[rx3]

Ferodo has a similar diagram but it doesn't go all the way down to cold temperatures:
http://www.ferodoracing.com/products...e-pads/ds1-11/
I'll need something that works immediately at low temperatures, so according to your diagramm, this would be HP+ or DTC30 maybe.

I've mounted new coil overs and they have very little droop, so I'm worried that the ice mode issue could get worse and think it could be somewhat mitigated with higher coefficient of friction pads in the rear (I'm already treating the brake pedal like a raw egg and never get the ABS to engage).
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=75598

[rx3]

I'm running racing slicks (super soft).

[solidONE]

Brake Pad Manufacturer (F/R): Project mu
Caliper (F/R): stock
Rotor Size (F/R - IE OEM or specify): stock
Compound (F/R): HC800+
Tires: Federal 595rsr

Feedback:
Good cold bite and initial bite. No bueno for track. In this regard, coming down the front straight at Sow CCW, the stopping power was not as good as Hawk HP+. I assume they are the same classed pads. For a street pad, I think it works very well. If you need to stop quickly while doing 100+mph you should shop for some different pads. Although it feels "sufficient" for me for the lower speed stuff with it's good initial bite. I won't be buying another set, that's for sure.

Scores:
Dusting (1=high-10=low): ?
Cold bite (1=low-10=high): 8
Hot bite (1=low-10=high): 3
Modulation (1=low-10=high): 7
Noise (1=extremely loud-10=quiet): 7
Pad Lifespan (1=short-10=long): (estimate/actual) ?
Does the brake dust with this combination damage the wheels/paint if not cleaned immediately? (Y/N) ?
Brake ducts: (Y/N) No

[kch]

Brake Pad Manufacturer (F/R): Hawk
Caliper (F/R): stock
Rotor Size (F/R - IE OEM or specify): stock
Compound (F/R): HP+
Tires: MPSS 225/45/17

Feedback:
Not a whole lot of bite, but they have plenty of stopping power if you really get in there. Pedal feel was a little spongy, even with fresh fluid and recent bleed. Dust and noise everywhere. They worked just fine for me at a high-speed sweeping track like Texas World Speedway, but failed terribly at a more technical track like MSR-Houston. Lots of moderate-heavy braking without a whole lot of cooldown time between. Pads started to fade after 5 laps or so. Smeared them all over the front rotors. As a first track day pad, they're fine, but once you start to get faster they fall on their face.

Scores:
Dusting (1=high-10=low): 2
Cold bite (1=low-10=high): 5
Hot bite (1=low-10=high): 4
Modulation (1=low-10=high): 7
Noise (1=extremely loud-10=quiet): 3
Pad Lifespan (1=short-10=long): (estimate/actual) ?
Does the brake dust with this combination damage the wheels/paint if not cleaned immediately? (Y/N) ?
Brake ducts: (Y/N) No

[mb_]

My front Ferodo DS2500 will require replacement fairly soon. Thinking of upgrading the fronts to Carbotech XP8/XP10. Will be dailying on them as well. I can live with noise and dust (just as long as they don't cake themselves to the wheels). Thoughts?

[Frost]

Originally Posted by mb_

My front Ferodo DS2500 will require replacement fairly soon. Thinking of upgrading the fronts to Carbotech XP8/XP10. Will be dailying on them as well. I can live with noise and dust (just as long as they don't cake themselves to the wheels). Thoughts?

If you can live with the noise, you'll like them. Just be careful on keeping track of pad wear.

The XP10s are great track pads for me but keep in mind I haven't had any other experience OTHER than just Carbotechs.

One thing I find in DD'ing these pads is that if you do hard stops (no wheel lock tho), they're actually not that bad in noise levels. It's the slow grind that's annoyingly bad.

In regards to caking, I haven't had that issue.

[zhelinm]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Your shop has no idea what they're doing if they let you set foot on track in this state, without some words of warning.
Your pads looks like they are smeared (cannot tell 100% without better pictures), and your fluid is boiled.

If you're going to the track, use race pads at the track, and upgrade to a better grade DOT4 fluid. We have several options.

Hi Mike, found this thread and has a question about your quote on the rotor appearance. How do you know that the brake fluid is boiling from these picture? Reason I asked is that I have the same front rotor appearance after just 2 track sessions on new rotors . Some additional data below,

1) Pads are Project Mu RSA01F with about 30% left, previously used on a stock rotor for about 10 track days before the rotor decides to give up and crack.
2) I am pretty hard on brakes and the front rotors are always above 610degC at track.(AP thermal paint verified)
3) Brake fluid is Motul 5.1 and I never encountered brake fluid.
4) New Raybestos blanks used for 2 track sessions and have the same appearance even complete with a similar groove near the middle of the contact patch. Old rotor had similar appearance and groove as well but I thought that was due to long usage on track.
5) Rear are Project Mu RSR02 and rotor wear is pretty much perfect. Nice shiny transfer layer. Temperature are between 430-560degC (AP thermal paint verified)
6) I leave the Project Mu pads on for street use as well but my street mileage between track sessions are low. Mileage wise probably 2:1 street:track.

So, how did you analysed that this rotor wear is attributed to fluid boiling? I will change out the fluid to Motul RBF600/660 if this is really a cause.

[mb_]

Originally Posted by Frost

If you can live with the noise, you'll like them. Just be careful on keeping track of pad wear.

The XP10s are great track pads for me but keep in mind I haven't had any other experience OTHER than just Carbotechs.

One thing I find in DD'ing these pads is that if you do hard stops (no wheel lock tho), they're actually not that bad in noise levels. It's the slow grind that's annoyingly bad.

In regards to caking, I haven't had that issue.

Ended up getting XP10s earlier this week. Like the bite a lot compared to the DS2500. All street driving though, will report back after the next track day

[Frost]

Originally Posted by mb_

Ended up getting XP10s earlier this week. Like the bite a lot compared to the DS2500. All street driving though, will report back after the next track day

Don't forget to bed them in! It helps a lot!