What are the best brake pads?

[Dutch24V 0]

From what I can figure from this site Pagid use 6 different compounds in the FR pads:

http://www.motorsportworld.co.uk/frame- ... -discs.htm

...unless the FR ones don't use the RS material?

 

I've currently got EBC RedStuff and have had 2 sets over the last 4 years and can't fault them. No initial bite problems when cold either before it’s mentioned, but EBC now use new compounds across they're range and they're not getting good reviews over here anymore.

 

Which Pagid pads do GSF sell from the list in the above link then?

 

 

Dutch

[corradophil 3]

Looking at the site, I would say the RS pads are racing ones, but they also do Fast road ones, which are not RS.

 

So only one type of fast road.

[Dutch24V 0]

OK, cool.

 

It's not that clear from the site though as it says "Fast Road Pads" then below that "PAGID RS' MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS", implying (to me at least) that the said pads are made from the said RS material :?

 

FR it is then, thanks for clearing that up...

 

Dutch

[Dutch24V 0]

Just called that place and Pagid don't make the fast road anymore and are not intending to replace them either.

 

They're now available directly from the company that manufactures them which is called TexStar (TechStar) or something. He's going to find out if they have them in stock and email me the price as they're already out of stock on the Pagid FR's!!

 

Dutch

[catch_twotwo 0]

With all this talk of cold and warm bite... what would be the result in having different spec pads for front and rear ? Probably a silly idea...

 

The only reason i ask is I've had a few occasions where on the motorway I have to break hard (idiots in trucks usually) and the breaks feel great to start with then fade to almost nothing. By almost nothing I mean, "OMG my brakes have gone" type of feelings. Then again 200kmh to 80kmh can heat them brakes up a little I'm thinking ;). I'm unsure if I should go for Pagid FR's to stop that fade (but risk no initial bite if they're stone cold) or go for standard Pagid and hope they don't fade as much as the VW standard ones.....

 

Any suggestions ? Possible getting drilled disks to cool the pads and scrape them better ?

[Geo 0]

When is the last time your brake fluid was changed?

 

And how old are the pads?

 

Incidentally, regarding the brake pad issue, on my Vento VR6 track car I did have EBC Yellowstuff pads, which are supposedly an endurance racing compound pad. 2 Days on track and they were reduced to crumbly grey stuff. Not very impressive at all. The 3/4 worn old oe road pads I put in to replace them lasted just as well if not better. I won't be buying EBC again that's for sure.

 

They have been replaced now by Pagid Blue RS 4-2s, haven't been on track since to compare, but there are 2 days coming up in April so that should test them.

[steve_16v 0]

Any suggestions ? Possible getting drilled disks to cool the pads and scrape them better ?

 

Change the brake fluid if it hasn't been done recently and get some grooved discs. Don't bother with drilled discs, the holes are only there for show and don't really do much, they also tend to crack more because the holes weaken the disc.

 

I have these on mine and have never experienced any fade.

 

[Yandards 0]

You should have to go some on the brakes to get fade, although most people seem to forget that by fitting larger rims you will screw the effectivness of your brakes up. (Usually a heavier wheel and all the rotating mass is an inch furthur out than it was before(on 16's); hence brakes have to work harder to stop the car)

 

I run greenstuff all round on my car and I have to say I have been bery happy with them. I am using the more recent compound, not the earlier stuff and I have a good progressive pedal with plenty of bite - I can lock the wheels in the wet with out trying too hard.

 

As for drilled and grooved discs there was a school of thought that these are a waste of time unless you have a track day car. All the grooves/holes do is allow hot gases to escape when breaking hard and frequently. By putting holes and grooves on your discs you will lose braking surface area. Again if you are running bigger rims on standard brakes these will be of benefit to you, or just use this an excuse to spend some money on bigger brakes... :wink:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You get round the reduction of surface area by clamping the disc harder with bigger calipers and pads :-) 911s have drilled discs and they aren't tracked very often ;-)

[matthewb1985 0]

i have ferrodo pads and zimmerman drilled and grooved discs on mine they seem to be good

[Yandards 0]

You get round the reduction of surface area by clamping the disc harder with bigger calipers and pads :-) 911s have drilled discs and they aren't tracked very often ;-)

 

True but my point still stands when people fit drilled/grooved discs to their OE setup.

 

Like suspension which pads are 'best' is subject to having tried more than one set and your memory of what your other pads were like when new.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Ah OK, defo agreed on OE sizes then because you're still running the same diameter disc and thickness, but with less metal! Drilled discs in 4/6 pot kits are usually a lot bigger diameter than OE and always a lot thicker to balance it all out.

 

And speaking of 4 pots.....seems I need to keep the APs after all as I didn't cancel them in time :-(

[Yandards 0]

And speaking of 4 pots.....seems I need to keep the APs after all as I didn't cancel them in time :-(

 

Your bound to cave in to the temptation to 'just see what they are like' as well.. :wink:

[catch_twotwo 0]

I thought the drilled ones were proven slightly better (tested by Porsche I remember somewhere) although only slightly. The holes let the gas vent, and slightly scrape the pads to stop them galzing over...

 

I'm planning a brake overhaul... New braided hoses, new brake fluid, disks and pads..... it's a 15 year old car and for all I know it's got 15 year old fluid in there as well ;)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It's grooves that prevent glazing, holes are just to let compressed gases escape as you say, although some grooves are multifunction and do both.

 

As said earlier though, holes are fine if your disc is over 300mm in diameter and 28-32mm thick!! But drilling a standard sized disc does nothing but reduce contact area.

 

Porsche brakes are enormous so not really a fair comparison to VW sized stoppers.

 

Yan, how did you guess? :-) The calipers are massive....I hope they fit!

[catch_twotwo 0]

Yes, very true.....

 

So is it worth it for the grooved disks ? and is it worth varying the pads from front to back..

[corradophil 3]

Grooved discs - hard to say, I doubt you'll notice any real difference on public roads.

 

The front brakes do the majority of braking, so I doubt it matters what make you use on the rear, so probably just go with whatever you choose for the front.

 

I went from 256mm standard 16v front discs and VW pads to 280mm G60 spec brakes with Zimmerman drilled discs and Pagid fast road pads, to be honest the difference in braking was very slight.

 

On my Mk1 GTI I used to go through front discs and pads very quickly probably beacuse I was 19 and thought I was invinsible! But it gave me a good opportunity to compare pads back to back, I tried some Kevlar fast road things which were lethal, no brakes when cold, and even worse when pushing hard, I remember having to pull the handbrake up and drop it into 2nd at about 55mph, because it would not slow down and I was approaching a junction.

 

Halfords pads were pretty good suprsingly, but my favourites were bog standard Ferodos.

[STORM 2 0]

I went for Brembo front disks and pads and TBH I am a little disappointed. Way too much pedal travel and worse than original ones in the wet! Im not sure if this is a caliper problem or they just haven't bedded in yet.....

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The only way to get night/day differences in braking is to fit massive discs and calipers.

[dinkus 10]

Aye, new good quality pads will feel better, but don't expect monster changes.

 

If you've got too much pedal travel, but haven't changed the callipers then it sounds like you might still have some air in the system somewhere :?

[Yandards 0]

The only way to get night/day differences in braking is to fit massive discs and calipers.

 

256mm to 280 is a good upgrade for a valver, can definitely feel the difference when driving mine and then jumping into 2cc's 16v.

 

As for the other popular conversion of 280 to 288's I don't know - the calipers on the 288's are much larger compared to the 280's but it is only another 8mm of material to grab as opposed to 24mm jump for 256 to 280. Have to see what 2cc's are like if he finally gets around to fitting them.. :wink:

 

Most people would get a benefit from a good brake bleed on here, after changing Nick's last year when it had been 'dealer' serviced only a couple of months before I think the previous owner was taken for some cash.

[dinkus 10]

All very well and good, but what's a jar of Nick's urine got to do with anything? :lol:

[Yandards 0]

All very well and good, but what's a jar of Nick's urine got to do with anything? :lol:

 

Thanks for meeting my expectations Dom :wink: :roll:

[Walesy 0]

:lol:

[dinkus 10]

All very well and good, but what's a jar of Nick's urine got to do with anything? :lol:

 

Thanks for meeting my expectations Dom :wink: :roll:

 

At your service sir :D