Racing Brake Pads

[Nativo]

Would like for everyone doing Track Times, Autocross, SOLO I, Road Racing etc. etc to share wich brake pads are using Front and Rear, also their preferences for short and long courses. Of course please specify if using the factory brakes or upgrade to bigger calipers/rotors and/or master cylinder.

To start I've used Hawk Blues in front Hawk Black at the rears, were pretty good but in search for better braking later moved to Raybestos ST-41 F&R which were good although were on softer springs and noticed couldn't locked the brakes if I wanted.


Now the cars has been moved to SCCA ITB and must add 170LBS to reach 2380LBS and must find the best brake pad I could find.


Thanks,

Nativo

[chohdog]

We have the same taste in brakes! I like Hawk Blue a lot, mostly because its a medium bite compound and modulation is really easy. However, if you want more "bite" like it sounds like you're asking for, I'd try Raybestos ST-43. I had those and in my opinion they have "too much" bite, but it might suit your needs. They actually performed differently after about a year of usage (they became more predictable). What size tire/compound are you using?

Mind you my usage was for track days, with Toyo R888 205-50-15. I had the Raybestos with RA1 in the same size, as well as Kumho Victoracers. I think they're probably better with a stickier compound, like the Victoracer.

[Red]

Not doing track, but after a lot of discussion on the old server, Porterfield kept coming up. They make track pads AND street pads and they're very clear about the differences. Mainly a Pacific NW operation but available anywhere by mail order. Nice folks to work with, and speaking for their street pads? They've been GREAT, way better than OEM, once they got some time to age in.

Everyone who has used them, has praised them. (track or street.) No complaints at all.

[HASport AE86]

Not doing track, but after a lot of discussion on the old server, Porterfield kept coming up. They make track pads AND street pads and they're very clear about the differences. Mainly a Pacific NW operation but available anywhere by mail order. Nice folks to work with, and speaking for their street pads? They've been GREAT, way better than OEM, once they got some time to age in.

Everyone who has used them, has praised them. (track or street.) No complaints at all.

^ Agreed.

I had Porterfields, loved them. They need to break in though, the first 500mi they feel like poo. After the break-in/bedding they make your girlfriends boobs pop out her shirt. NO complaints here. Thanks Porterfield!

[Nativo]

We have the same taste in brakes! I like Hawk Blue a lot, mostly because its a medium bite compound and modulation is really easy. However, if you want more "bite" like it sounds like you're asking for, I'd try Raybestos ST-43. I had those and in my opinion they have "too much" bite, but it might suit your needs. They actually performed differently after about a year of usage (they became more predictable). What size tire/compound are you using?

Mind you my usage was for track days, with Toyo R888 205-50-15. I had the Raybestos with RA1 in the same size, as well as Kumho Victoracers. I think they're probably better with a stickier compound, like the Victoracer.

Thanks chohdog:
After some digging papers the Raybestos were ST-43. The issue is that no even with a 1.0" Master Cylinder did we feel any better braking than with the Hawks and factory(13/16") MC and now that we've softened the springs (Before F=8k, R=6k, Now F=300Lbs, R=175Lbs) we noticed we can't lock-up the tire even if we wanted to. By the way the tires are 205/50-15 Nito NT-01

Just as a reference this is the In Car video of our last race and you'll noticed three occasions were we went too far...
http://youtu.be/CYwk8uFKQ_o

[Nativo]

Has anyone used Carbotech Brake Pads, many racing buddies are using them in different cars with great results???




Thanks,

[gotzoom?]

Carbotech pads are next on my list. I'll post up a review of them if no one beats me to it.

[Nativo]

Carbotech pads are next on my list. I'll post up a review of them if no one beats me to it.

When you do let us know which compound and if staggered as I've seen people using XP10/XP8 and XP12/XP10 F/R respectively?

Wonder about:

Braking Performance
Initial Bite
Brake Rotor Life
Pads Life
How do they deal with heat

Thanks,

[gotzoom?]

I haven't given any thought to compounds. Why wouldn't you run the same compount f/r? I thought the proportioning valve on the AE86 sends equal pressure down all of the lines.

[Nativo]

I haven't given any thought to compounds. Why wouldn't you run the same compount f/r? I thought the proportioning valve on the AE86 sends equal pressure down all of the lines.

Actually with the Hawks tha's the only combination of racing compounds offered by Hawk. Now most of racers in SCCA Improved Touring with RWD cars use staggered compounds in order to avoid rear axel lockups on hard braking.

[gotzoom?]

Interesting. I'm currently running Hawk HP Plus pads all around and I don't have any locking problems when threshold braking. I don't trail brake, though. I ran stagger pads on another car, but that's because it's heavily biased to the front and it's illegal to use the ABS proportioning valve to fix that problem. On that car, I ran Hawk Blacks up front and Blues in the rear.

One of the tracks that I normally run at is not a hard braking track, so the HP Plus is fine. I do run out of brakes on a hard braking track after about 15 min, though. That's the biggest reason I'm planning to move to a better pad.

[Nativo]

Hello There:
Any update on the Carbotech? Has anyone else tried any other pads? The local tracks are close to 1.5miles with the fastest of the two has a half mile straight, to put it in perspective we use a 5.375 final drive.

[Jeonsah]

Would kind of rotors and calipers are you running? Also, do you have the stock brake porportion valve? I mean if you cant lock the wheels with certain pads mabe you should upgrade your rotors/calipers. You can also use the porportion valve to help with stopping performance.

There was a company or someone on here who was selling new brackets for the rear AE86 gts axle that allowed you to run bigger rotors. I dont remember where I saw it though.

[Zissou]

Sorry my info isn't AE specific, but I've gone through quite a bit of brake info and setups with my Miata.

When people mix and match pads it seems like they're working around a different issue. Have you taken measurements of your rotor or caliper temps front and rear? Even if it's only with one of those cheesy infared units you wouldn't use on tires you may see some shocking results. I have these brake rotor cooling ducts on my car,
http://trackspeedengineering.com/produc ... cts_id/118, as well as their proportioning valve. I can move the bias front to rear to where I have very even lock up, but when I do a 20 minute session at the track and measure temps afterwards the front is cooler by 200 degrees as least. The light weight of the car and great cooling of the front brakes mean I'm able to run pads that may seem more streetable than you'd expect. I've used hawk HPS and hp plus, and xp8's and 10s, but always in matched sets.

Sorry to ramble, my main point is, have you gathered any data, at the very least to see what heat ranges you're at? Or have you considered something like ducting or a proportioning valve so that you can use a pad you like but may overheat on occasion or front or rear?

P.S. I also have a friend who's been able to know when his wheel bearings were going out by using that pyrometer on his hubs and recording where temps usually stayed, and also on his dual axle trailer by seeing one hub was drastically hotter than the others.