Track day brake pads
Discussion
I use Performance Friction 01's in a 1300 kg 450 bhp car. It is used for sprints, hill climbs and track days, I do around 8-10 events a year and the pads are on their third year with still about 8mm left. They are without doubt the best pads I've used and have tried most over the years.
If, however, you decide to go for Carbotech, the XP8's would be more suitable than the XP10's.
If, however, you decide to go for Carbotech, the XP8's would be more suitable than the XP10's.
Happy with the pagids on my car (rs14), but it's much lighter than a 300zx. Plenty of compounds to chose from in the rs range:
http://www.pagidracing.com/products/pagid-rs/
http://www.pagidracing.com/products/pagid-rs/
KaneDB said:
I called Carbotech today to get some advice, and was recommended the xp10s. They recommended that the xp20 compound is better suited to cars with slick tyres.
Any more input is welcome
Whilst I would probably agree that you would maximise the potential of XP20s with slicks, I certainly don't feel that you need to exclusively use them on cars with slicks; they work just as well with semi-slicks on track. I've actually found them to be so versatile that I run them both front and rear on the road and now use XP24s on track. For some strange inexplicable reason, I've also found the XP20 compound to have the least brake squeal in my application, with XP8 and XP10s being the worst offenders.Any more input is welcome
The Pagid RS29 is a very good pad from all accounts and whilst I've not run them myself, I personally know a couple of people who ran them and were more than happy with their performance on both the road and track. However, the same said people have since tried a set of XP20s and have said there's no going back, albeit I accept that's purely a matter of opinion!
+1 RS29s, use them on my GT3 997.1, have done probably 10 track days and they are still only worn a couple of mm.
However, I also upgraded the discs to Alcons and you need to look at ducting on to the front discs to keep them cool. The GT3 already has good airflow through the front brakes so no need to change that but I did add GT2 brake ducts for the rears which run with RS29's and standard OEM discs.
For me the RS29's have been fantastic, are lasting far better than I expected, offer good feel - but to get the best from any pad you need to get the cooling sorted!
However, I also upgraded the discs to Alcons and you need to look at ducting on to the front discs to keep them cool. The GT3 already has good airflow through the front brakes so no need to change that but I did add GT2 brake ducts for the rears which run with RS29's and standard OEM discs.
For me the RS29's have been fantastic, are lasting far better than I expected, offer good feel - but to get the best from any pad you need to get the cooling sorted!
I've had performance friction Z rated pads on since December, 6,500 miles and three track days and theres still quite a bit of life left in them.
Great performance, although like you its my first foray away from OEM pads and I saw a massive increase in performance.
Running them on a 1350kg 250hp fwd Alfa 147 so quite a nose heavy car!
Great performance, although like you its my first foray away from OEM pads and I saw a massive increase in performance.
Running them on a 1350kg 250hp fwd Alfa 147 so quite a nose heavy car!
First of all I would like to say thanks to everyone who has had some input to the discussion, hopefully anyone else in a similar situation can save themselves some time by finding this post...
I went for the Pagid rs29, as I couldn't find a (justified) bad word about them anywhere. They arrived this week and I fitted them yesterday evening.
I took them out for a bed-in drive, and the first stop was a 5mph roll to a junction. The cold bite was incredible! I had expected them to be poor when cold, being such a performance pad. I was so wrong.
After the bedding in procedure of a number of gradually higher speed slowdowns, and a long cool off cruise, I have to say they are very, very good.
High speed braking I can already feel that they have more endurance than the pads I replaced, and cold bite I would say I have had to reduce the pedal pressure by a half to get the same stopping power.
So far, there has been no noise, I even decided to get ride of the 'anti squeal' shims.
The first track day on the pads is next Saturday. So I will follow up with their track performance next week.
Did the Pagids feel expensive to buy? Yep
Do the Pagids feel worth every penny when you use them? Absolutely.
I went for the Pagid rs29, as I couldn't find a (justified) bad word about them anywhere. They arrived this week and I fitted them yesterday evening.
I took them out for a bed-in drive, and the first stop was a 5mph roll to a junction. The cold bite was incredible! I had expected them to be poor when cold, being such a performance pad. I was so wrong.
After the bedding in procedure of a number of gradually higher speed slowdowns, and a long cool off cruise, I have to say they are very, very good.
High speed braking I can already feel that they have more endurance than the pads I replaced, and cold bite I would say I have had to reduce the pedal pressure by a half to get the same stopping power.
So far, there has been no noise, I even decided to get ride of the 'anti squeal' shims.
The first track day on the pads is next Saturday. So I will follow up with their track performance next week.
Did the Pagids feel expensive to buy? Yep
Do the Pagids feel worth every penny when you use them? Absolutely.
KaneDB said:
First of all I would like to say thanks to everyone who has had some input to the discussion, hopefully anyone else in a similar situation can save themselves some time by finding this post...
I went for the Pagid rs29, as I couldn't find a (justified) bad word about them anywhere. They arrived this week and I fitted them yesterday evening.
I took them out for a bed-in drive, and the first stop was a 5mph roll to a junction. The cold bite was incredible! I had expected them to be poor when cold, being such a performance pad. I was so wrong.
After the bedding in procedure of a number of gradually higher speed slowdowns, and a long cool off cruise, I have to say they are very, very good.
High speed braking I can already feel that they have more endurance than the pads I replaced, and cold bite I would say I have had to reduce the pedal pressure by a half to get the same stopping power.
So far, there has been no noise, I even decided to get ride of the 'anti squeal' shims.
The first track day on the pads is next Saturday. So I will follow up with their track performance next week.
Did the Pagids feel expensive to buy? Yep
Do the Pagids feel worth every penny when you use them? Absolutely.
You won't regret your decision.I went for the Pagid rs29, as I couldn't find a (justified) bad word about them anywhere. They arrived this week and I fitted them yesterday evening.
I took them out for a bed-in drive, and the first stop was a 5mph roll to a junction. The cold bite was incredible! I had expected them to be poor when cold, being such a performance pad. I was so wrong.
After the bedding in procedure of a number of gradually higher speed slowdowns, and a long cool off cruise, I have to say they are very, very good.
High speed braking I can already feel that they have more endurance than the pads I replaced, and cold bite I would say I have had to reduce the pedal pressure by a half to get the same stopping power.
So far, there has been no noise, I even decided to get ride of the 'anti squeal' shims.
The first track day on the pads is next Saturday. So I will follow up with their track performance next week.
Did the Pagids feel expensive to buy? Yep
Do the Pagids feel worth every penny when you use them? Absolutely.
I've been there and done it, with regards to buying cheaper pads. I've taken pads out after one track day because of their performance.
Track days aren't cheap, and if you're getting brake fade or vibration due to pad deposits you're not going to be enjoy yourself as much.
I know now....just spend the extra on proven pads like Pagid RS29's and just enjoy the feeling of having confidence in your brakes throughout the whole day.
Fair play you must be the lightest user of brakes ever!! 3 years and 25+ events and 50% pad left!!! Mine are lucky to do 8 track days! 
)
)Trev450 said:
I use Performance Friction 01's in a 1300 kg 450 bhp car. It is used for sprints, hill climbs and track days, I do around 8-10 events a year and the pads are on their third year with still about 8mm left. They are without doubt the best pads I've used and have tried most over the years.
If, however, you decide to go for Carbotech, the XP8's would be more suitable than the XP10's.
If, however, you decide to go for Carbotech, the XP8's would be more suitable than the XP10's.
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