Favourite Track Only Pads

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:29 am

Hi folks, I'm trying to decide on some track only pads for the e30, I don't mind swapping the road pads out at the circuit. There's the usual suspects of M1155, DS2500, and pretty much every flavour of Pagid.

What do you recommend?

Also are the any tips and tricks for getting more cooling air into the brake area?
Regards
Iain

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:52 am

Pagid Black great allround pad, but i would say that

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:09 am

trouble with swapping pads is the bedding in of the disk every time you swap brake pad compound.
Some pads leaves a thin layer of material on the disk surface and swapping pad compounds can cause you all sorts of judder.

If you really want to save time, I would not seperate a pad/disk once bedded in properly. Get a second set of disks. May sound expensive in the first place, but how much time to you want to waste on a track day to get rid of the judder? you may even not get rid of it at all.

Brake cooling is very important and a hose should run into the CENTRE of the disk, NOT the friction area. This will allow to cool the disk evenly and not just the inside face.

Best to get a good allround pad (or more brake disks...)

Pagid pads are not the cheapest around, but you get what you pay for.

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:19 am

Carbon based pads dont cause you as much problems it's the ceramic based ones that do, these as Uwe's says leave a ceramic surface on the disc face every time you apply the brake one surface is removed another one left, superb braking but not as easy to swap arround

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:26 am

Good points re swapping pads. I think its becoming a toss up between Pagid Blues (which compound are the blacks btw?) and DS2500. Which suppliers generally keep stock?

I'm going to have to get a bit imaginative with the ducting, as the OEM ducts just seem to fire air into the wheel well and thats about it

Regards
Iain

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:36 am

Go for Pagids! Can't recommend DS2500, especially when running brakes very hot. Mine just crumbled to pieces.
Never had any trouble with Pagid BLUE

BTW ask Track M3 for a quote for Pagid pads!

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:46 am

Blacks are RS14 good ceramic based pad.

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:51 am

UweM3 wrote:Go for Pagids! Can't recommend DS2500, especially when running brakes very hot. Mine just crumbled to pieces.
Never had any trouble with Pagid BLUE

BTW ask Track M3 for a quote for Pagid pads!

..ok...er TrackM3...can I have a quote for Pagid pads please, 325i Touring with Girlings? Are the blacks ok for road use if I'm going to heed the advice of not swapping pads?

Regards
Iain

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:10 pm

you have a PM

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:04 pm

I run Mintex disks and pads on mine, been very good and no complaints here

Pagid RS29's are meant to be good, used by alot of the racers

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:52 pm

Pagid RS29's are awesome, make your E30 brake like a modern car (very good initial bite) and just get better with heat. I haven't been able to fade a set, even trying hard at Llandow (<1 mile circuit, two hard braking zones).
The only problem is the price - ASPerformance have them at £150 for a front axle set and that's the cheapest I've seen

I'm currently running Mintex 1155s all round, when I get back from the 'Ring in August I'll let you know how they were

Post Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:09 pm

I do them for the same price, just so you know for future !

Post Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:32 am

Depends what you call the best............ best for reasonable money, best performance no matter what the price?

I run EBC Yellows in mine that I get for around £40 a set of fronts and the same again on the rear. They aren't the best, but I have done Bedford / a session on Combe and Cadwell on them, never had brake fade and there is still enough meat left to do Silverstone in Aug. They represent good VFM for me

Post Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:33 am

northloop wrote:Depends what you call the best............ best for reasonable money, best performance no matter what the price?

I run EBC Yellows in mine that I get for around £40 a set of fronts and the same again on the rear. They aren't the best, but I have done Bedford / a session on Combe and Cadwell on them, never had brake fade and there is still enough meat left to do Silverstone in Aug. They represent good VFM for me

agree! You need to find a pad that suits your driving style. I believe there is no general recommendation of what pad is best etc. No point spending bit £££ for super high temperature pads if you never reach the range they are desigend for.
It all depends on driving style, ability, bhp, weight, cooling...(better stop here

)

I had a set of RS29 in my car but with the uprated disks/calipers it was just too much braking power for my liking. Each to their own.

Post Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:29 pm

Mintex 1155.
Plenty good enough for me in my standard set-up doing a handful of trackdays per season.. plus they get to stay on year round as they seem to work well enough on the street (even though the box says not for road use).

Post Mon Jul 21, 2008 11:44 pm

Am I the only one who uses tar-ox disc's(g88) and pad's(corsa red). ?? I will recomend them every time to.

Post Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:11 pm

I use EBC Yellows on my track car, with 5:1 Fluid and Braded Hoses. Not had a problem with brake fade and for the money they perform really well.

Post Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:35 pm

Anyone used Wilwoods Polymatrix compound A's?

Post Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:03 pm

i use performance friction PF01 pads

flippin awesome!!!!

Post Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:41 am

OK, report on 1155s.
Basically, they don't fade, but they do wear. 40 'Ring laps and they were dead.
Similar story with Ferodo DS2500s - good performance, poor life. 30 laps and they had under 5mm left.
Marc Ludemann at TTE in Kelberg recommended and supplied Hawk HT10 Ferro-Carbon and they've been great - after 40 'Ring laps and two 15-minutes sessions at Hockenheim they're still not even 1/3 worn. Good friction and pedal feel, too.