|
Brakes & Suspension Forum sponsored by The Tire Rack |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
09-09-2009, 11:13 AM | #1 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 3738
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2003 Corvette Z06 Yellow |
Article: How to Choose Street and Track Brake Pads
Hi Guys,
I wanted to post a link to an article I recently wrote about how to choose street and track brake pads. I know this has always been a popular topic on this forum, and one that creates a lot of confusion. This is NOT an article promoting a specific brand or brands. It is intended to lay out the thought processes and variables that go into choosing a pad for any street or track condition. As a representative for some of the top brake manufacturers in the aftermarket for the past 7 years, I've had the chance to address this topic in countless conversations with customers online, over the phone, or in person. Until now though, I've never had the time to pull my thoughts together and present them in a cohesive manner. My hope is that this article will prevent some of the repetitive "what are the best brake pads?" questions we've all seen a million times. With a fundamental understanding of this topic in hand, we can hopefully elevate future conversations on this topic to a higher, more productive level. I'd post the article here in its entirety, but it would probably take me 20 posts! Thanks and enjoy: CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Last edited by Scooby921; 11-12-2009 at 04:42 PM. |
09-09-2009, 02:02 PM | #2 |
Merci Buckets
Moderator Member#: 88606
Join Date: Jun 2005
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Michigan
Vehicle:2018 Grand Cherokee Velvet Red Pearl |
Fantastic article!!! I read through the article pretty quickly...its pretty much everything we all try to explain whenever anyone asks about brake pads.
Will this article be hosted on that website long-term? If not I'd love to get a copy of it to host elsewhere so its always available to the members of this forum who are looking for brake and pad information. Or if you don't mind me copying and pasting I'll just create its own thread and take care of those 20 or so posts necessary to post it all...and sticky it at the top of the page for all to see. |
09-09-2009, 03:49 PM | #3 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 3738
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2003 Corvette Z06 Yellow |
Thanks Scooby921. I appreciate the feedback. I put some hours in writing that thing, so I'm really glad it will be of assistance to forum members.
The article will remain on the Essex site, so no worries. Also, I'm working on some other brake-related material as well...stay tuned. Thanks again. |
09-09-2009, 04:05 PM | #4 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 134943
Join Date: Dec 2006
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: Oakton
Vehicle:94 SW2, 95 SW2 9(?) Lemons Car |
Good read.
Somewhat on topic: When a pad manufacturer lists the material as "composite" (i.e. Hawk HPS on Tire Rack), what are they referring to? |
09-09-2009, 05:54 PM | #5 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 122980
Join Date: Aug 2006
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: Raleigh, NC
Vehicle:2010 F150, 2013 CX-5 92 Miata 15 TTF/PTF/E3 |
This is a damn fantastic article. Thank you '921 or whoever stuck this. Definitely worth the read.
|
09-09-2009, 08:14 PM | #6 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 218964
Join Date: Jul 2009
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Minneapolis Metro
Vehicle:2009 WRX Rally Blue |
Great Article, just started autocrossing. Answered many questions I've been asking in my head...
|
09-09-2009, 09:58 PM | #7 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 124146
Join Date: Aug 2006
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Wisconsin
Vehicle:'17 Outback 2.5i Premium Tungsten |
Thanks for the writeup. I've worked through many of the same points by considering information from a variety of threads on several forums, and it's good to see it put together coherently in one place.
I've come across what may come close to being the universal pad we'd almost all like to have. I'm now running PosiQuiet semi-metallics, and they're flat amazing. They're quiet (squeaked once during initial break-in) and dust moderately (black, but wipes off easily), have good hot and cold bite and a relatively constant coefficient of friction. They do require conditioning; the maker "scorches" them, but I got a lot of smoke during the first few hard stops; however, the bite was good out of the box. They may not stand up to full-on track use, but there was no detectable fade after six back-to-back 65-5 mph stops. Best of all, they're inexpensive - not much more than OEM-replacement organic pads. I'm happy with them to say the least. |
09-09-2009, 11:02 PM | #8 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 9731
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Parkin Harder than Jewpac can.
Vehicle:2k2 wrx '13 Audi S4 Midnight Gray |
awesome dictation
|
09-11-2009, 02:35 PM | #9 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 3738
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2003 Corvette Z06 Yellow |
Thanks for the positive feedback guys...glad you're enjoying it!
|
09-11-2009, 04:55 PM | #10 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 203783
Join Date: Feb 2009
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Vehicle:2005 LGT |
Sweet Write up!!
|
09-15-2009, 12:00 AM | #11 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 173738
Join Date: Mar 2008
Chapter/Region:
VIC
Location: The Ballpark
Vehicle:STG2 93' Legacy SS Can't thouch This |
Thanks, i am now more educated.
Quick Question... as a spirited non track driver, i recently, as in tonite upgraded my 93 leg turbo to 04 wrx stock fronts with 04 wrx stoptech slotted rears with hawk hps pads. i'm thinking of new pads all around. do hawk pads have good cold bite, hp or hps? i'd hate to hit the brakes hard on the highway on some semi metallic pads with no cold bite. I'm also wanting a bit more rear bias, maybe i want different pads front and rear? Thanks, much appreciated. |
09-15-2009, 01:46 AM | #12 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 88501
Join Date: Jun 2005
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: NorCal
Vehicle:2011 WRX Hatch Dark Grey |
Nice article... we really need the next step though... categorizing the pads available on the market with the categories listed in the article. Otherwise, we just have to decifer the brake pad manufacturer's marketing.
|
09-16-2009, 09:29 AM | #13 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 3738
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2003 Corvette Z06 Yellow |
Joynt93,
HP+ on the front of your car will give you substantially more bite than HPS. That said, you'll also have a lot more noise and dust with the HP+. If you're looking at these two compounds, you need to decide which of these traits are more important to you. Do you want less noise, less dust, and less bite...or do you want more noise, more dust, and more bite. That's the situation with those two pads. As for front and rear bias, why do you want more rear bias if you're only driving on the street? Usually you would only want more rear bias if you were trail braking into corners and trying to get the car to rotate. If you really do like the feel of more rear brake, I'd suggest going with the same pad compound front and rear (in this case, HP+ both front and rear). If you like a slightly more stable feel under braking, go with a more aggressive compound in the front (HP+), and a slightly less aggressive compound in the rear (HPS). You definitely do not want too much bias shifted to the rear, which puts the car in an unstable situation...which means that the rear end can swap ends with the front (spin). The back end will dance all over the place under heavy braking. On your car you could get away with HPS front/HP+ rear without any major issues (car will still be front biased overall under braking due to drivetrain/engine layout/brake rotor diameters & piston sizes), but for what you're doing, I don't think that's the setup you'll enjoy. Stick with the same compound front and rear, or slightly less bite in the back and you'll be happier I think. |
09-17-2009, 10:49 AM | #14 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 223299
Join Date: Sep 2009
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: NoVA/DC/NCR
Vehicle:2009 WRX WRB 4dr 2007 Kawasaki ZX6R |
Just wanted to say thank you for the excellent write up.
Very educational...definitely saved me some pain/$$$ in the future. edit: Let us know when the brake rotor section is completed as well |
09-22-2009, 09:53 AM | #15 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 141742
Join Date: Feb 2007
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: Richmond VA
Vehicle:2003 wrx wagon silver |
Great article and perfect timing. Just had my first track event and my brake pads (or lack thereof) were a hot topic. Thanks!
|
09-30-2009, 10:35 AM | #16 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 198026
Join Date: Dec 2008
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: Asheville/Fletcher, NC
Vehicle:2002 Impreza WRX Nulla Tenaci Invia EstVia |
That article is perfect!!!! Except now I have to weigh in my options and decide what to get....Apparently I fall under the DD & Aggressive Street Driver (probably like most wrx owners) So I should choose sintered or semi-metallic, but they both wear the rotors faster, and sti rotors aren't necessarily cheap
Last edited by ed10; 09-30-2009 at 10:41 AM. |
10-11-2009, 04:59 PM | #17 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 225864
Join Date: Oct 2009
|
this is a good write up
|
11-09-2009, 03:59 PM | #18 |
Merci Buckets
Moderator Member#: 88606
Join Date: Jun 2005
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Michigan
Vehicle:2018 Grand Cherokee Velvet Red Pearl |
Its been brought to my attention that the link isn't currently working. I'll see what I can do to contact J Ritt and get the link fixed or the article copy and pasted into here.
|
11-12-2009, 04:35 PM | #19 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 3738
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2003 Corvette Z06 Yellow |
Hi Guys,
We migrated to a new server. I apologize for the inconvenience for those who have tried to view the old link! The article has a new home here: http://www.essexparts.com/learning-c...ose-brake-pads Also, I'll be putting out some cool new video content in the next week or two. I think you guys are really going to enjoy it. |
12-21-2009, 09:48 AM | #20 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 168516
Join Date: Jan 2008
Chapter/Region:
RMIC
Location: SLC, UT
Vehicle:2008 Imprexa 2.5i Spark silver |
Thanks J Ritt. That is a large amount of very helpful information. I hope some day I will actually get to use some of it. As of right now I am sitting on stock everything, but enjoy throwing my car around canyon and other deserted curvy roads. I haven't ever pushed my brakes to the point that I have felt any type of brake fade, but maybe someday I'll sprout big enough balls to push her to a point that I will need better brakes.
Yes, when I get to that point I will make sure that I do it in a controlled environment ie. track day, driving classes. Hal |
01-22-2010, 06:53 PM | #21 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 105792
Join Date: Jan 2006
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Vehicle:2006 WRX sti crystal grey |
Awesome article! It gave me a better perspective on what to look for in brakes based on the type of driving I do.
|
01-22-2010, 10:53 PM | #22 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 175933
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Orange County, Ca.
Vehicle:2008 WRX STI blue |
def awesome article
|
01-28-2010, 07:02 PM | #23 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 181376
Join Date: Jun 2008
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: In the mountains, CA
Vehicle:2008 STI DGM |
Thanks a lot defiantly helpful article.
|
02-01-2010, 12:33 PM | #24 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 208672
Join Date: Apr 2009
Chapter/Region:
TXIC
Location: Houston, TX
Vehicle:2013 WRX STI Limited Obsidian Black |
It sured helped me! After reading some info, I've decided to try changing my brake pads to ceramic to help the noise issue in my STI. Thanks!
|
02-24-2010, 11:29 PM | #25 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 236017
Join Date: Jan 2010
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: Thomasville, NC
|
Great post! Getting ready to change the brakes on my car for the first time and now I know what I am looking for! Thanks!
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
DIY - How to replace Stock STI Brembo brake pads | CLR4ILS | Brakes, Steering & Suspension | 17 | 11-14-2015 01:55 PM |
Article: How To Clean your Exhaust Tips | blue-sun | Mid West Subaru Owners Club Forum -- MWSOC | 20 | 05-15-2012 02:04 PM |
Endless Brake parts for Street and Track | dentsport | NESIC Vendor Classifieds | 4 | 04-11-2009 12:52 PM |
Brake pads for lazy butts who street and track | chimchimm5 | Brakes, Steering & Suspension | 50 | 12-21-2008 03:51 AM |
FS: Carbotech Panther Plus - street/track brake pads - BRAND NEW | eclip5e | NESIC Private Classifieds | 10 | 04-18-2006 09:54 PM |