Track day brake pads

Track day brake pads

Author
Discussion

KaneDB

Original Poster:

17 posts

124 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Hi all, here we go again on the brake pad debate! I would appreciate your input and advice.

I've recently got into track days in my 300zx, and while I have upgraded the front callipers to evo 8 brembos, I VERY quickly found out that road pads are not up to the job, by going through a set in 45 minutes of track driving. I then moved on to EBC yellow stuffs because I had started to hear more positive things about EBC as a company recently.

I have to say, for the price the EBC Yellows were a massive upgrade from standard pads (unsurprising maybe), but have still only lasted maybe 200 track miles, and a couple of thousand road miles. Now they are down to a few millimetres too low to risk trying to get another track day out of them. £156 for a pair now DOESN''T seem so cheap...

In short, I am looking for a track pad for a car that is approx 1600kg, getting on for 400bhp, that will last a few days at least! I don't mind having pads just for track days, and another set for road, but I don't want them to be so aggressive they eat my rotors instead....


I have heard good things about the following, and any additional options would be welcomed!

Carbotech xp10, and more recently xp20s

Performance friction... No idea on compound

Pagid, again, too many to compounds to choose from


Thanks in advance for your help!

Kane


iguana

7,025 posts

259 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Standard answer is Pagid Rs29, or try CL RC5 or 6 (bit more agressive on discs)

However I have had a set of EBC yellows mis delivered for my BMW for a 300, I do agree they are not the best on heavy cars, (I'm happy with 'em at race pricing on lighter cars tho, less so at regular retail prices) anyway I have a set I don't want or need 'em, could suit you for peanuts £?

Dakkon

7,826 posts

252 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
I run Carbotech's on my MR2 Turbo, very impressed, will buy them again.

KaneDB

Original Poster:

17 posts

124 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Cheers guys, iguana, although it's a 300, I'm using from callipers from a Mitsubishi evo8, so I need the pads to suit those callipers. Cheers for the offer!

What compound carbotechs are you using on the MR2?

T4RRR

206 posts

218 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Carbotech XP20s seem to work very well on heavier cars and are still very gentle on discs in my experience. I've tried the very latest XP24s on a couple of recent track days and those and amazing. Both obviously need heat in them to work at their best but appear to be more than adequate for road use too.

vanman1936

758 posts

218 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Carbotechs are epic, barely worn after two track days (xp8 on mr2 turbo).

DkVelo

48 posts

114 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
I Use Endless TRZ ss on my Alfa Romeo 159, and M-tech disks.
They take only a short time to heat up, and the bite is quite impressive, and they are, as the name hints, endless. They simply won't fade, It cost me a set of rotors to find out, they over heated and warped. But that was a god reason to get the stock rotors off.

If you have a lighter car. Normal TRZ's would du the job I think.

vanman1936

758 posts

218 months

Wednesday 17th September 2014
quotequote all
Carbotechs are epic, barely worn after two track days (xp8 on mr2 turbo).

Fonzey

2,056 posts

126 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
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Carbone Lorraine RC5+ on mine, done 3 or 4 trackdays now and have never shown any evidence of fade (my last road set barely lasted 2 laps of Silverstone before fading) even after 15-20min sessions.

They must be eating my discs, because the pads just don't seem to be going down!

nixon1

216 posts

159 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
I'm using Hawk HPS and find them to be great. You could also consider the HP+ line too.

HB178N.564 front HP+
HB178F.564 front HPS

Edit
HB453F.585 for Evo 8 HPS
HB453N.585 HP+
HB453N.585 Ceramic


Cambridge Motorsport have these, plus some Ferodo and Carbotech options too

Edited by nixon1 on Thursday 18th September 06:38

andyiley

9,106 posts

151 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
Pagid RS29 or Ferodo DS UNO, depending on your calipers they come to me (AP4 pots) at around £240/190 respectfully.

I have tried all EBCs & they only ever lasted 1 day each at over £120, the Pagids & DS UNOs lasted a full year each with virtually no disc wear.

No brainer for me, 6 hours less under the car over a year, savings of well over £300, with MUCH improved braking thrown into the pot to boot.

Of the 2 I found the Pagids slightly better wearing & braking, but not a lot in it.

Sigmamark7

314 posts

160 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
It's impossible to defy the laws of physics, so in order to get optimum braking on track, either the pads or rotors will take a beating! I hac CL RC6 on my Megane 250 Cup (updated to 325bhp), plus braided hoses and ATE Blue fluid. The performance was superb, but they destroyed the rotors, changed the colour of my calipers from red to an interesting maroon colour (due to the heat generated) and also didn't last too long (and were expensive)!
I guess it's all about compromise. I would sooner pay the money and be confident that the car would stop. Ultimately, it seemed like a small price to pay.

pikeyboy

2,349 posts

213 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
I've used RS29's on my old 968CS, they lasted ages and never faded, they are an endurance race pad after all though.I've also used the Hawk pads with great success. I've also used mintex 1155/1166 oyears ago on my old E30 M3, again very good.

All these pads will make your wheels look horrible. IMHO the hawks are very good value.

andyiley

9,106 posts

151 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
Sigmamark7 said:
in order to get optimum braking on track, either the pads or rotors will take a beating!
I disagree, more like you get what you pay for.

I have tried all EBC compounds & each last a track day (just) and when I was working my way up the ebc ladder I went through 2 sets of discs due to scoring & wear.

Both the DS UNO & Pagids have each lasted a full year + of track days and never needed a change of discs during that year.

nurseholliday

173 posts

191 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
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Along the lines of "you get what you pay for", Nitrac discs definitely help disc longevity when using aggressive pads like CL and Carbotech.

spyderman8

1,748 posts

155 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
Sigmamark7 said:
I hac CL RC6 on my Megane 250 Cup (updated to 325bhp), plus braided hoses and ATE Blue fluid. The performance was superb, but they destroyed the rotors, changed the colour of my calipers from red to an interesting maroon colour (due to the heat generated) and also didn't last too long (and were expensive)!
That's not unusual - happens on the race Boxsters. Its not a "failure" of either pads or discs - just means you need more cooling.

TobyLaRohne

5,713 posts

205 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
Another vote here for Carbotech, they were my choice for tracking and racing my 530bhp Corvette Z06, Xp12's on the front and XP10's on the rear, they were amazing, even my friend the porsche cup racer was seriously impressed with them..to quote him "F@*K me the brakes are good!"

They squeal like a pig and give off dust like crazy but never let me down lap after lap.

sydown

63 posts

208 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
+1 for the Pagid RS-29's. I am running a 1500kg / 350hp car and they have done 5 track days and a couple of thousand road miles and still have 4/5mm left on them. Brilliant pad but not cheap!!

CamMoreRon

1,237 posts

124 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
+1 for Carbon Lorraine RC6.. I have them on my Clio Cup and they're really good. Probably a bit too much bite for servo'd brakes, if I'm being fussy, but unbelievable performance.

KaneDB

Original Poster:

17 posts

124 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
quotequote all
Cheers for the advice all,

The pagids appear to be the clear favourite here, but at £100 more than the Carbotech pads, it's going to be a difficult decision.

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