Race Pads

[SinisterSHO]

This might have been covered, but its a new section, so why not.

What kind of pads does everyone run on the track? Last time I was at the track I used the stock Cobra/Mach 1 pads on the 13" rotors. These were great, but I would like something with a little bit more bite. My roommate runs the Wilwood A compound [I believe] on his 12.2" rotors, and they're amazing once they get warm. I'm currently on street tires, and given the funds, I hope to only do one more track day on street tires, and get some race tires next year.

So, whats a good aggressive pad to use with street tires, and also with race tires? But something that isn't going to chew up rotors? I know everyone has different brakes, but dont most companies make the same compoud for different calipers?

 

[shopartsnw]

Personally, I prefer the Hawk HP+ for aggressive street and track use. You can use the pads as a daily driver, but they will squeak a bit. At the track they are great. Make sure you get the HP+ pads and not the HPS pads. The HPS pads are more of a street pad.

For the supercharger cars, we swap in Hawk Blues at the track. They are awesome, but they only work hot. DO NOT USE THEM ON THE STREET. I tried to drive the 15 miles or so home from the track and almost wore out a set of rotors. Track GOOD ; stop and go street BAD.

EBC seems to make really good pads, but I have not personally run them. It seems like the EBC red is most similar to the Hawk HP+ and the EBC Yellow is more like the Hawk Blue, but please confirm befor you buy. The EBC pads are much less expensive than the Hawk by the way.

Hope that helps

- Mike

 

[Shoaz]

I've used Porterfield R4 pads pretty much exclusively, but they're expensive (well, depending...).

They're also not a street pad and will chew up rotors when cold. Since I've been trailering the Pumpkin I've noticed that they're actually quite easy on the rotors if you _only_ use them at the track. As mentioned, track pads on cold brakes on the way to/from the track is where the wear happens. If you change them at the track you probably won't have a problem.

What kind of brakes do you have? The pad type sometimes restricts the options (e.g., the guys with Wilwood calipers have a wide range of pad compounds to pick from).

 

[PAracer]

Given the prices of pad vs. rotors, you may want to have a pad/rotor combo the wears pretty evenly.

In all of the track duty that I have seen (In my own SHO and my father's), I use standard semi metalics out back. Next month, I will be trying a set of porterfields. My father wants to see if the car will respond a little better and help equalize temperatures.

I would choose a front pad to go with the caliper that you are using. We have Hawk Blue pads right now, IIRC. As a quick note, I have Wilwood Tan pads on my car a couple years ago, but they caused a horrible vibration for some reason.

 

[FoeSho]

Personally, I prefer the Hawk HP+ for aggressive street and track use. You can use the pads as a daily driver, but they will squeak a bit. At the track they are great. Make sure you get the HP+ pads and not the HPS pads. The HPS pads are more of a street pad.

For the supercharger cars, we swap in Hawk Blues at the track. They are awesome, but they only work hot. DO NOT USE THEM ON THE STREET. I tried to drive the 15 miles or so home from the track and almost wore out a set of rotors. Track GOOD ; stop and go street BAD.

EBC seems to make really good pads, but I have not personally run them. It seems like the EBC red is most similar to the Hawk HP+ and the EBC Yellow is more like the Hawk Blue, but please confirm befor you buy. The EBC pads are much less expensive than the Hawk by the way.

Hope that helps

- Mike

I second everythign you said, except I have used the EBC Green and Red pads, Both are great, but considering the fact that our cars are nose heavy, I'd say EBC reds ar ethe way to go, exact same performance as the Hawk HP+ just a differnt name.

 

[drivinhard]

The wilwood "A" is a fantastic brake pad. The best I've ever used. However, it's very very very ******* the rotors. Don't use if you plan to keep your rotors a long time and they dust like no tomorrow. That being said, they will generate amazing brake torque at virtually any temp range and if you want "win at all costs" brake to be under you all the time to the last lap, go for it.

 

[SinisterSHO]

I'm currently running the 13" Cobra brakes with OEM Napa rotors. I've heard decent things about Porterfield, but that they dust alot. I've ridden in a car with only the 96 upgrade with Carbotech pads and they were very nice pads. Considering the car makes about 50 more whp than I do, they slowed the car very nicely.

Now that I think about it, I think my roomate has the "B" Compoud pads. They dont have the highest coefficent of friction, but the second highest.

I do realize that calipers are going to have different options. Wilwood has more options, but I'm sure another manufacturer makes something similiar for another caliper.

 

[Yamaha V6]

Yeah, I'm with Mark, the A is a great track pad, not so hot on the street. I ran J's for the most part, they were 9/10's the A's, IMO.

 

[AutoSHO]

For a crossover pad (ie, works well but does nothing great) the HP+ pads were my favorites. They lasted a fair amount longer than the EBC Reds and seemed to hold up better under high-heat. They do dust and squeal like crazy on the street though.

I'm excited to try a set of HT-10s or HT-14s at the next event... From what I've read they're like hitting a brick wall, lap after lap.

 

[thebigjimsho]

The V has Hawk HPS for normal duty and Blues for the front whilst racing. Those Blues are quite good, especially on the V.

As for Wilwood Tans....ugh. I remember driving the '92 at RoadAtlanta. The Tans were fading something horrible. Fortunately, RA only had 1 very heavy braking zone after the long backstraight in which the pedal would find itself on the floor by the time I needed to lift. By the time I needed to get back on the binders, they had cooled enough to do it again.

 

[shobote]

My buddy who road races said the best combo track and street pads he has tried are Axis (sp ?). Zero fade after several Road America laps and said they do not chew up rotors.

 

[Lance Cheney]

I'm using Carbotech Panther XP10s for track use. They squeal on the street and do wear the rotors more quickly when cold, but not that fast. Hot stopping performance is very good all things considered -- I haven't had any problems on the local tracks with standard slotted rotors ('96 upgrade); they are definitely an aggressive track pad.

I have used Carbotech pads exclusively since upgrading to the 11.6" rotors and have been pretty happy with them; they warned me that some of the pads would not stop well in the cold but they stop a lot better than any street pad even when completely cold.

-Lance

 

[NJSHO]

Ive Run HP+ but I would like to try Porterfields and Hawk Blues.

 

[38SHO]

this is something I've been contemplating myself....

Another thing I want to consider is to have maintenance costs low... I don't want to buy expensive rotors left and right after they get chewed up... call me a cheap bastard........

I was thinking of going Cobra/11.6 route, that caliper is popular and has various pad choices... the 11.6 rotors are like 25 bucks a piece... I don't know how much the 13" rotor costs... factor in it has to be redrilled as well. I'm kind of being scared away by the 11.6 setup because of all the modification that has to be done to make them fit. Right now I'm researching into a good 99 SHO setup.....

and one day when I upgrade to 17's I will just use the cobras on the 13" rotor...

if anyone has any good experiences with the 11.6 SHO caliper setup, please let me hear them, I am extremely interested in a set of aggressive street pads within the next week or two.

 

[shopartsnw]

My only concern with the 11.6 rotors is how easily you can warp them at the track. Add really aggressive pads like Blues with Cobra calipers and the rotors have not got a chance.

Also, not to burst your bubble, but to make the Cobras work on an 11.6 you have to grind the bracket. From that point on, they cannot be used when you convert to the 13" rotors. The calipers are the same, but the brackets can be the harder item to replace. Food for thought.

Back to pads though. If you truely use the track pads only at the track, the rotors will last with Blues. If you drive to and from the track, or don't want to change, stick to the HP+ or EBC Red to protect to rotors.

- Mike

 

[38SHO]

yeah I really don't want to grind down the caliper brackets.............

I've never been to the track but I wouldn't rule it out....

other then that I drive ******* the street so I need something that grips well but doesn't need a lot of heat...

you think HP+ pads on a 99SHO setup will work good for street and my application? I know it won't be the best stopping thing out there but it has to be way better then what I'm running now(stock 11.6, warped rotors)

 

[blue92]

I learned about Porterfield pads from the Lincoln LS Club. When I bought blue92 3 years ago I decided to go with them all around. After 2 years on the car, 6 fun runs, 2 road course events I decided I probably need to change them, so ordered more. Tony at NTP pulls them off and they look like new, so now I have an extra set. Porterfields will cost you more but they will last you 4 times as long as carbon metalic. Plus after 3 years on the car my rotors are smooth and still look like new.

 

[NJSHO]

My only concern with the 11.6 rotors is how easily you can warp them at the track. Add really aggressive pads like Blues with Cobra calipers and the rotors have not got a chance.

Also, not to burst your bubble, but to make the Cobras work on an 11.6 you have to grind the bracket. From that point on, they cannot be used when you convert to the 13" rotors. The calipers are the same, but the brackets can be the harder item to replace. Food for thought.

Back to pads though. If you truely use the track pads only at the track, the rotors will last with Blues. If you drive to and from the track, or don't want to change, stick to the HP+ or EBC Red to protect to rotors.

- Mike

Not exactly true. You could make a spacer out of washer or some scrap material to make up the amt. you removed. As for rotor warping, as far as I know warping (uneven material transfer) is caused by uneven heating/cooling and improper bedding. As long as you take a cool down lap and don't set the parking brake or stand on the brakes after the session I dont think there should be any problem. Just remember to bed your pads. Bedding Warped rotor read

HP+'s dont work so well for the first stop of the day on the street, so keep that in mind when using them on the street.

 

[yamahaSHO]

this is something I've been contemplating myself....

Another thing I want to consider is to have maintenance costs low... I don't want to buy expensive rotors left and right after they get chewed up... call me a cheap bastard........

I was thinking of going Cobra/11.6 route, that caliper is popular and has various pad choices... the 11.6 rotors are like 25 bucks a piece... I don't know how much the 13" rotor costs... factor in it has to be redrilled as well. I'm kind of being scared away by the 11.6 setup because of all the modification that has to be done to make them fit. Right now I'm researching into a good 99 SHO setup.....

and one day when I upgrade to 17's I will just use the cobras on the 13" rotor...

if anyone has any good experiences with the 11.6 SHO caliper setup, please let me hear them, I am extremely interested in a set of aggressive street pads within the next week or two.

yeah I really don't want to grind down the caliper brackets.............

I've never been to the track but I wouldn't rule it out....

other then that I drive ******* the street so I need something that grips well but doesn't need a lot of heat...

you think HP+ pads on a 99SHO setup will work good for street and my application? I know it won't be the best stopping thing out there but it has to be way better then what I'm running now(stock 11.6, warped rotors)

Between your two posts, I'm not sure what you've got here.... You say you have a stock 11.6" rotor, but you don't want to do the 96 upgrade w/PBR's, yet you want the 99 brakes? 96 - 99 front brakes ARE 11.6".

As far as rotor costs:

11.6" - $25/per one
13" $35 - $275/per one (Napa rotors are good and cheap, I use them at the track with track pads)

 

[38SHO]

well I have the stock 11.6 setup with the SHO caliper. I was going to go with a Cobra caliper on the 11.6's but I'm sort of leaning away from that now. I just say 99 SHO so everyone knows exactly what setup I am talking about...

my rotors or something is severely Fuct for lack of a better term. The Caliper brackets are ground down, the pad doesn't look like it sits on there just right, and I get horrible shimmy'ing when I hit the brakes good.... so they need an overhaul. It does stop, but it most certainly is not ideal. welp I guess I'm just going to get new pads/rotors for the front today and have a looksy, I guess I won't get Hawk pads or the like, just some regular pads from a parts store for lack of time.... I like cheap napa rotors, some people will talk a lot of bad stuff about them, but hey if your just going to use and abuse them, why not get something a little more disposable and lighter on the wallet.... My brakes on my old car usually lasted about a year or so before they were toast...

I'd just like to be able to hit the brakes at 120mph and not have the whole car start shaking... it inspires a little more confidence... I know I can have a better braking system then this crap.