Discussion
Hi Andy,
Are you sure you have 4 pot calipers? There were 3 different sorts of standard callipers in total - the smaller 200/280/350i non-vented sort, some slightly larger 390SE ones for vented discs, and finally the 4 pot ones typically used on the larger engined cars. Some people have also upgraded there brakes to the 4 pot Austin Princess type too! Your car quite possibly does have the factory 4 pots, but may be worth checking/emailing Neil about. It makes a difference to the sorts of pads you can get as the size and shape is different.
Anyway, my car has the larger 390 vented type disc/pad setup, as seen on the late 70's Ford Granda 2.8 estate. I use bog standard pads from a motor factor, Wilco in my case. They bring the car to a halt very quickly indeed in normal road use, and when I did a photo shoot last year on the track I almost managed to get the rear off the ground and the front spoiler touching the tarmac such was the braking force! This was after repeated high speed runs down a longish straight too.
Lots of people on the Wedge forum have used "Green Stuff" pads with lots of success. I've never used them myself, but I understand they require a slightly higher temperature to be as effective as normal road pads, but do cope better when out on an extended hoon when lots of very hard braking is happening. If you're like me and don't drive the car on the limit all the time, then standard pads will do you I reckon. Cost about 10 quid for a set too... I reckon Green Stuff will get some votes here though as they are seen as the next step up in the braking department.
What I did find was that changing my tyres to Toya TR-1's totally transformed the cars handling and braking. You really can't get the tyres to lose grip no matter how hard you brake. If your tyres are a little worn or are of poor quality, you will probably just lock up and having decent brakes and pads will be irrelevant!
My cars off the road for this month, but next month perhaps a meet up somewhere would be cool!
Dan.
Are you sure you have 4 pot calipers? There were 3 different sorts of standard callipers in total - the smaller 200/280/350i non-vented sort, some slightly larger 390SE ones for vented discs, and finally the 4 pot ones typically used on the larger engined cars. Some people have also upgraded there brakes to the 4 pot Austin Princess type too! Your car quite possibly does have the factory 4 pots, but may be worth checking/emailing Neil about. It makes a difference to the sorts of pads you can get as the size and shape is different.
Anyway, my car has the larger 390 vented type disc/pad setup, as seen on the late 70's Ford Granda 2.8 estate. I use bog standard pads from a motor factor, Wilco in my case. They bring the car to a halt very quickly indeed in normal road use, and when I did a photo shoot last year on the track I almost managed to get the rear off the ground and the front spoiler touching the tarmac such was the braking force! This was after repeated high speed runs down a longish straight too.
Lots of people on the Wedge forum have used "Green Stuff" pads with lots of success. I've never used them myself, but I understand they require a slightly higher temperature to be as effective as normal road pads, but do cope better when out on an extended hoon when lots of very hard braking is happening. If you're like me and don't drive the car on the limit all the time, then standard pads will do you I reckon. Cost about 10 quid for a set too... I reckon Green Stuff will get some votes here though as they are seen as the next step up in the braking department.
What I did find was that changing my tyres to Toya TR-1's totally transformed the cars handling and braking. You really can't get the tyres to lose grip no matter how hard you brake. If your tyres are a little worn or are of poor quality, you will probably just lock up and having decent brakes and pads will be irrelevant!
My cars off the road for this month, but next month perhaps a meet up somewhere would be cool!
Dan.
I would recommend green stuff pads..
They brake well and do not need warming up before they give full performance. No dust either.. which is nice if you don't have laquered wheels as the dust seems to eat into the alloy.
I did try one of the Ferodo performance pads for a while DS2500 or 3000 - can't remember which but the dust was terrible.. and I had to spend a lot of time polishing out the dust on the wheels..
Lastly - there are also Tarox pads - they were the best of the lot.
They need a little bit of warming up - normally the first brake of the day does the trick but the bit is incredible .. and they squeal a little when you are really working them hard.
They are very hard to find but you could call Dave Wallis at Tower View as he has some sets on the shelf at a bargain price last year..
They brake well and do not need warming up before they give full performance. No dust either.. which is nice if you don't have laquered wheels as the dust seems to eat into the alloy.
I did try one of the Ferodo performance pads for a while DS2500 or 3000 - can't remember which but the dust was terrible.. and I had to spend a lot of time polishing out the dust on the wheels..
Lastly - there are also Tarox pads - they were the best of the lot.
They need a little bit of warming up - normally the first brake of the day does the trick but the bit is incredible .. and they squeal a little when you are really working them hard.
They are very hard to find but you could call Dave Wallis at Tower View as he has some sets on the shelf at a bargain price last year..
Best ones I ever used were the original semi metallic asbestos ones in my Montreal - lovely smell as the dust flies into the quarterlights too. No fade from repeated hard stops from 120 - for roundabouts, and the pads worked from cold.
Green stuff are not so good from cold, and they tend to leave material on the discs if you drive them hard and then leave your foot on the brake pedal at the lights, making the discs feel like they are warped for the next week or so. They are kind to the discs though, the discs looked like new after many miles. I would rather get a set of semi metallics and replace the discs as they wear out. IMHO of course.
-jim
Green stuff are not so good from cold, and they tend to leave material on the discs if you drive them hard and then leave your foot on the brake pedal at the lights, making the discs feel like they are warped for the next week or so. They are kind to the discs though, the discs looked like new after many miles. I would rather get a set of semi metallics and replace the discs as they wear out. IMHO of course.
-jim
Like mintex as well, although used EBC green stuff as well (think still have a set on the fronts now). Green stuff was better over standard, and out lasted several trackdays. General characteristic for the green stuff I had was: cold is ok and bite is better than standard, and improving when getting hot! Two sets of green stuff and some ferodo/mintex in between and the discs (300mm hi-spec grooved) are not showing abnormal wear (and still fine). Seems that you need to be lucky with EBC green, and they are currently informing people about that the new generation EBC (but still using the old names) are mjuch better quality. EBC red gets more and more votes, but aren't these pure trackday pads (and not to be used on the road)?
Rob
Rob
I think if I was choosing pads, I would go for something like the Mintex ones too. I choose my bog standard ones cos its all the shop had at the time and I needed them there and then! If I had the time to order some though, I would probably go a grade better. Having said that, my cheapo's have been more than adequate for my needs. I can remember one journey I did last year. I drove the car really hard for about an hour non-stop on the backroads, using a lot of heavy braking and hard sprints. I was in convoy at the time and the owner of the Sagaris in front couldn't make out how I was keeping up with him. Not a bad achievement considering he's an experienced track dayer! I didnt suffer from any noticeable brake fade. Perhaps Mintex pads would have been even better though.
Before spending a lot of money on decent pads, I would check out the state of the discs too. No point in putting on 40 quids worth of Mintex on if the discs are badly worn.
As for what size to order, that will depends on the calipers you have. The only sure way will be to take a pad with you to a motor factor and have them offer it up to their books. It could be a Ford Granada caliper, or an Austin Princess, or an AP one. These places normally have a book with scale drawings of all the pads, so may be the best way until you know which brakes you have.
Dan.
Before spending a lot of money on decent pads, I would check out the state of the discs too. No point in putting on 40 quids worth of Mintex on if the discs are badly worn.
As for what size to order, that will depends on the calipers you have. The only sure way will be to take a pad with you to a motor factor and have them offer it up to their books. It could be a Ford Granada caliper, or an Austin Princess, or an AP one. These places normally have a book with scale drawings of all the pads, so may be the best way until you know which brakes you have.
Dan.
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