Track Brake Pad Discussion Thread

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by bpracer

So, that being said, any suggestions for rear pads? Maybe I should throw on their street only pad, greenstuff. I want a less aggressive pad then the front.

ps, the car is a LOT of fun at the track and it took some willpower not to push it harder. At least one of my students "got it" after I took him for a ride.

I don't know the EBC pads but most here I think have been getting a better experience with equal pads all around. I need to change my rears out (currently runnin XP8s which are much less aggressive than the fronts I'm using) and will be switching to AP C300 rear pads with CL RC6E up front.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by bpracer

That's not really helping me out. I was asking for suggestions, if you have ideas, lets hear them. Just to be clear, the rear pads were stock.

You want more rear brake. Stock setup doesnt leverage it well; using a more aggressive higher friction pad is a way to use more rear brake. Too aggressive a pad can be problematic, you want to experiment with different compounds.

[bpracer]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

You want more rear brake. Stock setup doesnt leverage it well; using a more aggressive higher friction pad is a way to use more rear brake. Too aggressive a pad can be problematic, you want to experiment with different compounds.

Hmmm your impression is opposite of what I thought I was experiencing. My only impressions of heavy braking with stock pads all the way around was that the rears were trying real hard to lock up.

I was a little surprised once by the rears locking up. Yeah, ABS is a wonderful thing when the weather is bad or your just done something stupid. However, I hate it when it kicks in when I'm pushing hard and (think) I have it all under control.

So now I have more aggressive pads on the front, but the stock rears looked like they were starting to groove the rotors in the back during my first track outing. Something that low initial bite and releases good would be great. The EBC redstuff that I have on the front, from my initial impressions, don't fit that description.

I actually like a pad with a strong initial bite in the front, I can deal with that.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Shrug. I've always run slightly more aggressive rear pads. This car is less front heavy and better biased than my other cars, I've just never seen more aggressive fronts work better than equal or less aggressive rears.

Ask @Dave-ROR, I believe he's running more aggressive rears after using a less aggressive compound didn't work for him.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by bpracer

Hmmm your impression is opposite of what I thought I was experiencing. My only impressions of heavy braking with stock pads all the way around was that the rears were trying real hard to lock up.

I was a little surprised once by the rears locking up. Yeah, ABS is a wonderful thing when the weather is bad or your just done something stupid. However, I hate it when it kicks in when I'm pushing hard and (think) I have it all under control.

So now I have more aggressive pads on the front, but the stock rears looked like they were starting to groove the rotors in the back during my first track outing. Something that low initial bite and releases good would be great. The EBC redstuff that I have on the front, from my initial impressions, don't fit that description.

I actually like a pad with a strong initial bite in the front, I can deal with that.

Do the pedal dance, and you'll find out how bias REALLY affects the braking. Without it, the EBD will try to compensate for bias changes to the best of it's ability, and honestly, it's quite good, especially when stopping in a straight line.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

Shrug. I've always run slightly more aggressive rear pads. This car is less front heavy and better biased than my other cars, I've just never seen more aggressive fronts work better than equal or less aggressive rears.

Ask @Dave-ROR, I believe he's running more aggressive rears after using a less aggressive compound didn't work for him.

I've run less aggressive rear pads on many cars with good results, but IMO this car can run equal pads all around.

bpracer, did you disble EBD?

[bpracer]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

I've run less aggressive rear pads on many cars with good results, but IMO this car can run equal pads all around.

bpracer, did you disble EBD?

No, I had two students I was instructing. I had no time to warm the car up before my sessions. I didn't want to find out what the dreaded ice mode might be like. I need to re-read that thread...

[Surok]

im using intima SR on the front, and stock rear, i notice that when you hit the brakes at 150, it takes a second before you feel the bite.. pretty annoying. i am hoping DS2500 front and rear will give me instant bite.

[mrk1]

Originally Posted by Asterisked Accolade

No one has tried EBC 'Yellow Stuff' track pads?

I have used them on the street and love them, great cold bite. Cant comment on dust, I always run dark wheels for a reason.

[maj75]

Carbotech XP8 front and rear.

Drove for a few days on the street, noisier and dustier than stock, for sure. Drove a DE at Sebring with stock size Kumho Ecsta XS tires. Very happy with brakes. No fade at all. Brakes worked great all day. I had better brakes than the tires could stand.

Overall the car felt very balanced and I was quite impressed with my first track experience in the FRS.

[smbstyle]

Has anyone tried the DTC-60's on stock rotors/calipers?

I'm not a fan of Carbotechs whatsoever after previous experience on my miata race car/track car, I know the Cobalts are slap on and go but are very hard on the rotors.

I have heard good things from another member who ran the DTC-60's, but I am curious as far as any instances of fade, them being rotor friendly or not, the pad life, etc.

I plan on running them with titanium shims on the stock calipers and rotors and hoping to run them with a brake cooling kit. I'm at Sebring about once a month, so they'll definitely be ran under severe conditions.

[N_I_N]

So what are the pros/cons of the ceramic pads? I was looking at the Hawk HPs because I hear that the dust on ceramic pads is less harmful to the wheels. I'm worried about messing up my finish on my wheels with normal pads. Am I over-emphasizing that aspect, is it not something that I should worry about?

I want some track day pads but I would like to be in the $100+/- range. So far I'm only planning on running at Sebring or Homestead at the moment - mostly Sebring.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by N_I_N

So what are the pros/cons of the ceramic pads? I was looking at the Hawk HPs because I hear that the dust on ceramic pads is less harmful to the wheels. I'm worried about messing up my finish on my wheels with normal pads. Am I over-emphasizing that aspect, is it not something that I should worry about?

I want some track day pads but I would like to be in the $100+/- range. So far I'm only planning on running at Sebring or Homestead at the moment - mostly Sebring.

Those are street pads, and completely unsuitable for track duty.

Expect to spend closer to $200 for a set of FRONT race pads.

If you want to try to get away with a set of hybrid pads, a set of front and rear HC+800 is close to $200; we have them in stock.

As long as you wipe off dust immediately, modern race pad compounds are not corrosive. Don't buy older stuff like Cobalt XR2 or Hawk Blue. Those will etch onto the wheels.

[oofie]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Those are street pads, and completely unsuitable for track duty.

Expect to spend closer to $200 for a set of FRONT race pads.

If you want to try to get away with a set of hybrid pads, a set of front and rear HC+800 is close to $200; we have them in stock.

As long as you wipe off dust immediately, modern race pad compounds are not corrosive. Don't buy older stuff like Cobalt XR2 or Hawk Blue. Those will etch onto the wheels.

PM sent!