Good street/track brake pads

[LV42DAY]

just wondering what everyone is using for a good street/track brake pads.

i will be using manual brakes so, i went with a 7/8 bore wilwood master cylinder with wilwood prop valve and 14" camaro SS calipers and rotors. i was wondering if ceramic or semi metallic was the way to go? also any specific brands you guys use?

[Payton King]

I tried a number of different compounds and I am presently running Carbotech AX6's for street and autocross both front and rear. they are a little dusty but a get very little noise and they seem to be easy on rotors. Run Carbotech XP10's on front and AX6's in back for track days with street tires.

The pads before were Wilwood BP10's. Night and day difference.

[SLO_Z28]

Here is a good read about the different compounds:
http://www.performancefriction.com/R...etterhead2.pdf

Long story short you will always need a track pad for track conditions, but you can get pretty far on a Carbon Metallic pad. I like the Performance Friction Components Z rated pads for a street pad. The 01 compound PFC's are a great track pad for a car thats not that hardcore, but you will notice a big difference on a street car.

[68sixspeed]

I'm going to try some Carbotech 10's on the front and 8's on the back of my z06 this year with sticky tires on the car, I've been tracking for the last few years with HP+ hawk, other than some low speed squeeking and lots of brake dust they are a good street and track pad esp. for use with street tires. Much more pad can be hard to modulate with street tires on the track. So it's kind of one of those things as you go to dedicated track tires, you'll need a higher temp and higher biting pad.

All that being said, I'm using the hawk HP+ for the upcoming NJMP track day as street tires are req'd. Goop the backs and they won't squeek for a little while at least. The initial bite is a lot better than the HPS compound, although the HPS is a great pad for the street that you can auto-x and do some track time with too, but you have to watch overheating more on the track... -Dan

[Pete68]

Please remember: Do not use race pads on the street, they need heat to work properly.

[sik68]

I started with the Hawk HPS and they were terrible on the track...no bite and long pedal travel to get the car slowed down, not very confidence inspiring at all. Pulled them off after 1 weekend and went to Performance Friction (PFC) 01. I am much happier, decently street friendly too. My next set of pads might be the Carbotechs just to get another data point.

[pitts64]

I tried all kinds of different pads, I have the Hawk street pads now. The best I've used so far are the cheap NAPA true stop organic pads... I only drive on the street in the city with the countrys steepest streets..

[sr73bu]

I've heard good feedback from friends using EBC Yellowstuff pads... Good track/street mix of features. A little dusty, but work great hot or cold....

I'm considering these for my chevelle.

-Sean

[LV42DAY]

unfortunately i wont be tracking my car as expected since i recently found out that convertibles are not allowed on tracks without a roll cage....

but i still plan on buying a good set of pads that are both street/track friendly. never know, i might bite the bullet and get a removable cage just for track days.

as of right now the pfc pads have my attention. seem to have a lot of happy customers but i still have a little more research to do, get more comparisons from people who have used several pads and not just one single type of pad and then swear they are the most amazing pads on the planet.

thanks for leads

[Yelcamino]

Last year at Road America I had the standard pads that Baer supplies with their GT+ kit on my Chevelle... After about one lap my brakes were almost non-existant! Techs from Baer were available and said the pads they supply are street pads not intended for the track. I decided to buy a set of more track oriented pads and since I had good luck with stuff from EBC on my motorcycles, I figured I'd try a set of their Blue Stuff pads. I must say, not only are the Blue Stuff awesome on the track (I got to try them at Gingerman) they work great on the street as well! They make a little bit of noise but nothing major and under street conditions, they don't dust much, however, at Gingerman my wheels were almost black from the dust. Overall, I'll buy another set of Blue Stuff when the time comes.

[sr73bu]

Last year at Road America I had the standard pads that Baer supplies with their GT+ kit on my Chevelle... After about one lap my brakes were almost non-existant! Techs from Baer were available and said the pads they supply are street pads not intended for the track. I decided to buy a set of more track oriented pads and since I had good luck with stuff from EBC on my motorcycles, I figured I'd try a set of their Blue Stuff pads. I must say, not only are the Blue Stuff awesome on the track (I got to try them at Gingerman) they work great on the street as well! They make a little bit of noise but nothing major and under street conditions, they don't dust much, however, at Gingerman my wheels were almost black from the dust. Overall, I'll buy another set of Blue Stuff when the time comes.

Glad to hear you were happy with EBC... I just recieved my Yellow stuff pads yesterday! I like what i've read about thier products...so i figured I'd give them a shot. The wilwood pads (supplied with my front calipers) were for the street only... definitely didn't want to find that out on the track with a 4000lb car!

-Sean

[wmhjr]

unfortunately i wont be tracking my car as expected since i recently found out that convertibles are not allowed on tracks without a roll cage....

Don't give up hope. I'm in the same boat, but have started working on a solution. I'm not going to use a full "Tiger Cage" but am designing something that should meet NASA/SCCA requirements for HPDE type events (not wheel to wheel). I've got an A-Body so you're in a little different situation, but so far I'm optimistic that I can get this done without hacking up the car.

[LV42DAY]

those tiger cages are crazy expensive. i could do a lot to my car for that $2500 that those things sell for. i have been thinking about getting a roll bar, but i just cant seem to find one that doesnt make the car look like crap. having a removable roll bar or roll cage is out of the question as i dont have the space for it, for when it would be out of the car.

but back to the brakes...

[xxxturbo6]

Glad to hear you were happy with EBC... I just recieved my Yellow stuff pads yesterday! I like what i've read about thier products...so i figured I'd give them a shot. The wilwood pads (supplied with my front calipers) were for the street only... definitely didn't want to find that out on the track with a 4000lb car!

-Sean

Sean,

Just wondering if you had time to try out those ''Yellow Stuff" pads yet and what your thoughts are?


Scot W.

[ssick chevelle]

I tried all kinds of different pads, I have the Hawk street pads now. The best I've used so far are the cheap NAPA true stop organic pads... I only drive on the street in the city with the countrys steepest streets..

?
So this would be your recommendation for a street only ?

[Chad-1stGen]

Just ordered two sets of carbotech pads to try. I'm going to run their 1521 street compound for the street and occasional goodguys style autocross. I'm going to run the xp10 front and xp8 rear for the track. I can't believe I just spent this much money on pads but looking forward to the results.

[wmhjr]

I got my front/rear AX6s for street/autox in. Too bad my Wilwood 14" fronts (ordered well over a month ago) are not here to install them on :(

I'll see how these are and if they're as good as promised, I'm going to order a set of XP10s or RP2s for the track on the front.

Also ordered a set of the drop in front shims for setting up for Autox from Stacy at DSE. They're enroute.