As an extension to the discussion on track brake fluid, I'd also like to understand experiences with track pads. My experience: Stock: useless at the track. Porterfield R4S: down to backing plates after one weekend at Road America. Carbotech 1108 (race pad). Good performance. Better wear characteristics. Carbotech 1109XP (current - race pad). No fade, higher initial bite. Good pad life. Not too hot on a cool or wet day with occasional use The BMW guys seem to swear by Hawk pads. Certainly the M3 lightweight I rode in around RA (2:35 laps) braked extraordinary well. I'm tempted to try the Hawk pads next season. Experiences?
you summed it up well. the r4S is just a more agressive street pad, nothing special, imo. i like both carbotech pads, but the dust is god aweful to get off the wheels after the weekend, and the modulation / application of braking torque (in my experience) is not as linear as it could be; they're more of an on/off switch, but in terms of initial bite, they're fantastic. hawk pads are very hard on rotors (which is why I don't use them). I recently went to cobaltfriction spec VR pads (highest mu out there 0.68 --IIRC-- and a 1550 F op ceiling). i like the modulation better v. the carbotechs, but b/c the spec vr's come on at a higher cold temp than any other pad i've used, and stay cool exceptionally well, therefore, in my hands, they're not providing me adequate initial bite; the upshot is that i've never faded them, ever. in a faster car, or better driver, they'd be perfect, but i'll have to downgrade to the spec B's next time , to get a pad that will stay hot under my conditions. i've also heard excellent things about the ferodo ds2500 and 3000 series pads. you shuld give the guys at cobalt a call, they can help you out as they sell the hawks, ferodos and their own compounds. hth's, hubert
Billy 77 308 "B". Engine: Has upgraded cams and carbs (lots of posts elsewhere on this). K&N. Tubi. Chassis: All suspension bushings replaced, ARB bushings, new shocks, rack bushings replaced, uprated ARB on rear, Kumho v700 225/50x16F, 245/45x16R. Stock alignment. Pressures dependent on track and conditions - typ. 34F, 34R Brakes and pads: posted elsewhere. Have cool air ducting to fronts. New (end of last season) rotors. Other: race seats and 5 pt. belts. Otherwise stock ride height, stock weight except for euro bumpers. (Pic is Rob S. providing chassis advice at Gingerman) Looking at fatter ARB on front to reduce body roll.
Here's my $0.02: I agree with Hubert: I also use Cobalt's Spec VR full race pads on my M3, and LOVE them. They last forever, take very little to warm up, and are relatively rotor friendly (for a race pad). I have also used Ferodo DS3000's, and they also work well, but ate the rotors faster, IMO. Both dust heavily at street speeds. Ferodo DS2500's are nice for a hybrid pad; I use them in my 550 for street & track. Relatively dust-free, and very good...but not a race pad. R4S's suck on the track--I had the same results in my M3 when I tried them.
I have been using Ferrodo DS2500s since last December. These bads have good initial bite, require less pressure, are pretty rotor friendly, don't fade, and (for a pad of the aforementioned qualities) don't create excessive dust. I have gone through 4 sets of these pads this year (19 track days and 10,000 miles).
