Ferodo DS Performance / DS2500

[angryS3owner]

Hi Folks,

Just wondering if anyone has any experiences of both of these, I've had brake fade on the road in the past with the stock pads and nearly set them on fire at the Ring so looking for something better.

I've heard the DS2500s aren't great from cold and squeal a lot, I'm not bothered by the noise but if they're that bad from cold it could be dangerous on the motorways I rarely brake until I'm almost at work... I think the DS Performance are meant to be better on both noise and cold performance but looking for any real experience.

Car is heavy and will be used on track / rather spirited road driving a lot over the summer.

Cheers,
Ben

[Vixpy1]

Have DS2500's on the M5 and they have been great

[160steve]

It is always going to be a compromise, as road use and track use put very different demands on the brakes. I would forget ferrodo and go for Pagid RS4-2 or RS4-2-1 (which is the road focused material). Not only will pad life be much greater, but the disc life will be extended. Dont forget to change the brake fluid as this is a common cause of brake fade, particularly if using old stuff.

[Ponk]

I'm using DS2500s on my 106 Rallye, I always catch myself out the first time I use the brakes, after that they warm up and improve in performance very quickly. On track they just get better and better, i've only experienced fade on one track day that was only coming into a hairpin from about 100. They do squel a little bit when you slow to a stop say in traffic.

[angryS3owner]

I'll be ordering DS2500s as they appear to be about the best compromise...

Brake fluid, I'm thinking of getting it changed to DOT 5.1, anything I should be thinking about?

[Busa_Rush]

angryS3owner said:

I'll be ordering DS2500s as they appear to be about the best compromise...

Brake fluid, I'm thinking of getting it changed to DOT 5.1, anything I should be thinking about?

The DS2500 does have a nasty tendancy to not have much fricton until it's warned up.

I've also heard good things about Pagid so I'd try those tbh.

I drove an S3 at Bedford Autodrove in a Palmersport event and the brakes did catch fire !

As for brake fluid, get the Motul RBF 600 http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-894-motul-rbf-600-fact...

I had brake fade on my track bike and this Motul fluid prevented it, much higher boiling points that even a good dot 5.1. Need to change it every year or if you do a few track days, at least bleed the system prior to each td to pull fresh fluid into the calipers.

It's also worth checking to make sure the calipers aren't sticking.

Worth fitting new discs too if they are reasonably used, can make a big difference. If you keep the same discs then rough the surface with sand paper before you fit new pads. Obviously clean the disks with brake cleaner afterwards.

[angryS3owner]

Thanks - someone else just recommended that fluid as well. Looks like opie oils will be getting another order

I'm going to give DS2500s a go after speaking to some other owners, they seem to suit the S3 well guess I just need to be careful when they're cold.

[AtomicRex]

Good call. I have tried most of the pads out on offer...and was so impressed with the DS range we are now stockist for them. They dont create too much dust, give good feel and stopping power even when cold.

They now do the 2.1 range...which I am itching to try in the new set up

[900T-R]

Echo the above - the DS2500s work perfectly well from cold; it's just that they work even better when they've got a bit of temperature in them.

Everyone who's been in my car as of yet has commented favourably on the brakes - apart from the pads they're bone stock (Chimaera with the early, small brakes). They do squeal a bit when gently braking to a standstill.

On a former car of mine I've had DS3000 on the fronts (nose-heavy FWD car) - these were really aggressive in application (but were feelsome and easy to modulate after you've got used to them all the same and were not even halfway worn at the point they've eaten themselves through a set of Brembo discs that were put on at the same time (which was after less than 10,000 miles) and the brake dust tends to burn through the coating of your wheels in double-quick time. No such problems with the DS2500 (front/mid-engined, RWD car so same compound all round this time) which are gentler on both wheels and discs.

[angryS3owner]

Well I hoped to have them by now but it would appear according to their UK distributer they no longer make the DS2500s for my car. Wasted fking hours finding the part number and trying to order them.

If anyone knows somewhere that has stock of DS2500s for an S3, specifically part number FCP590 as per the below from the Ferodo website:

FCP590 156,5x61x19,5 mm

FRONT

FMSI: D555
WVA: 20 676 19,60

[aqualung666]

ben

i spoke to Ian at goodspeed brakes and he reckons he can get them, i have given them the parts numbers and he is going to get me a price for Monday,

he can also do you some floating disks with ally bells to fit you car which are about half the weight of the stock ones, and will cut your under steer a bit

see you on the 22nd at brans

[aqualung666]

also have you considered EBC yellow stuff, or Mintex M1155 which are give quit similar performance but i think with slightly less feel,

i have tried both of these and the DS2500 and only managed to set fire to the yellow stuff pads

[Busa_Rush]

aqualung666 said:

and only managed to set fire to the yellow stuff pads

What did you expect from EBC ? Utter sh*te products which have proved to be dangerous in the past. I woudn't want to be on the same piece of road as a car with EBC brakes let alone fit them to my cars

[GingerWizard]

angryS3owner said:

Hi Folks,

Just wondering if anyone has any experiences of both of these, I've had brake fade on the road in the past with the stock pads and nearly set them on fire at the Ring so looking for something better.

I've heard the DS2500s aren't great from cold and squeal a lot, I'm not bothered by the noise but if they're that bad from cold it could be dangerous on the motorways I rarely brake until I'm almost at work... I think the DS Performance are meant to be better on both noise and cold performance but looking for any real experience.

Car is heavy and will be used on track / rather spirited road driving a lot over the summer.

Cheers,
Ben

I have them on my CTR and they are immense. The bite from cold is not a problem, you just need to push a bit harder and they really bite. Some people say they are dusty, but they seem fine to me. I have been out for some serious driving and i have yet to suffer any fade, at all. In fact the hotter you get them the harder they bite. Where i live there is a steep slip road coming off the motor way, its quite a hard stop, and even from well north of 70 leptons.... the stopping is only to be described as savage.... They don't squeel if you copper slip the anti squeel pads...

[aqualung666]

£125 from godspeed mate

[angryS3owner]

I ended up getting them from the importer, circuit supplies. Seem brilliant so far, they'll be getting a thorough work out this week too. Maybe see you in Fort William Joss.

[Mr2Mike]

The DS2500 are excellent road pads, the only slight negative is the amount of brake dust they generate.

[qooqiiu]

So angryS3owner.

A few weeks further on and im wondering how your liking your DS2500's? Did you fit new discs at the same time? If so, what ones? I have just received mine after 3 weeks of waiting! Percentage wise, how much better would you say they are over stock?

[nonuts]

I fitted standard discs, DS2500 pads and stainless hoses at the same time, then got the brake fluid fully changed however they couldn't use the motul stuff I'd bought as there wasn't enough to run the ABS pump so it's standard Audi dot 4.

The brakes are much better, the pedal is very positive and I feel I'm getting no way near the limit of how quickly I could stop if needed. Done around 2500miles now including a trip around Scotland on which they were great even under constant fast driving on mountain roads.

They do squeal but I can live with that, overall very impressed and would recommend them, I no longer think I need better brakes on the car. They're no worse than my old oem pads at the first cold stop in the morning, they may even be better.

Will report back once I've tried them on track!

[qooqiiu]

You through me with the name change

All positive, thats what i like to hear.

Ive got DS2500's, Tarox sport Japan discs, Goodridge SS braded hoses and some castrol super responce fluid all ready to whack on my TT 240 Sport. I'm just a little concerned about wear rates. My stock brakes have bearly worn from new. Ive covered 38k and they are not even half worn! If i can get 40k out of this set up il be happy. I don't drive the car that hard - so its mainly for aesthetics