Brake pad advice - Saxperience

pedromakarachi · 24th May 2015, 20:27

I am looking for some advice regards brake pads compounds or makes for track days.

As it stands I am running the standard disc and pad set up which has proved more than adequate at my local circuit. But I'm attending FCS and want to upgrade the brake pads to cope with the higher speeds of a bigger circuit. The brake discs I feel are more than up to the job and I will be adding cool air ducting to help keep the brakes cool. I am already running braided hoses and will be doing a full flush and brake bleed replacing the standard fluid to AP racing brake fluid.

But what pads would people recommend?

I was tempted towards EBC Yellowstuff but want to know what other forum members would suggest?

As always, any help and/or advice is greatly appreciated

simonsaunders · 25th May 2015, 07:43

Can of worms. Boom!

Been happy with the Yellowstuff on mine at Goodwood / Brands / Snetterton. You do have to bed them in really carefully (basically cook them and then leave them to fully cool). For the money, no complaints. They changed the compound a little while back, so be weary of old reviews as they're now better than they were.

Of course, you can get into £150+ pads and they'll be loads better. Not necessarily more power, but better feel and more resistance to fade. Not that mine have ever faded, but I'm not shy on the brakes (brakes run cooler when you brake really hard, but for less time as opposed to braking moderately but for longer). Not everyone brakes like that and cook their pads and I'm sure Yellowstuff will succumb under such circumstances.

Having said that, I'm on the look out for GTi-6 calipers + MC for mine as I want it pinned on its nose and I think the standard hardware is now the limiting factor. Helps that mine will be due discs and pads at the next change anyway, so the difference isn't that much really. Planning on going Yellowstuff again, albeit bigger.

I've not run other compounds on my Saxo, but have on plenty of other track cars.

KamRacing · 26th May 2015, 09:35

Its not really a can of worms. EBC yellowstuff are ok as a brand but certainly will not give the same quality in braking over a large range of temperature as more exotic compounds used in more expensive brands.

I personally would run CL Brakes RC5+ on a trackday car. I think you will find these more than adequate despite the higher heat of a standard disc compared to a GTI6 disc.

simonsaunders · 26th May 2015, 11:19

CL pads are always highly regarded.

Brake pad debates on forums are normally a can of worms, just because it's hard to get any kind of consensus... Especially at the cheaper end. I had those, and... Or more commonly, a friend of a friend has those and...

KamRacing · 26th May 2015, 14:02

well EBC historically seem to have struggled with quality control on their old compounds, meaning customer reviews varied as much as the pad compound. They seem to be fairing better in the last few years though.
When I get customers using the more expensive compounds they dont tend to go back however!

pedromakarachi · 9th June 2015, 19:11

Thank you for all the advice guys.

I settled on Mintex 1144's and gave them a good seeing too at Castle Combe at the weekend. 12 lap session followed by a 19 lap session and no fade whatsoever from them. They bit hard and well and clocked a 1:27.35 lap so I'm mightily chuffed

sexy_gt · 27th June 2015, 08:32

trackday/road use ferodo ds 2500

trackday clrc5+ I use these wont use anything else, supplied by Kamracing or hi spec brakes...

race pad either rc5+ or rc6.

rc5+ does needs only one lap to bed in! they have real bite hot or cold.