Best Brake Pads? - Page 2 - LotusTalk

slaughtr · 05-09-2007, 08:25 AM

I was excited about putting Porterfields in because of the decreased dust but my last track day, I didn't feel they stopped any better than the OEM pads and they chewed up my rotors. Bad experience with them.

xtn · 05-09-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codymac

Yup - at least the fronts come with new pins and stuff (not sure about the backs, need to go pick some up this week).

~6k miles out of the stockers before they were on the backing plates.

No issues cleaning the dust off the wheels with regular car washing although the pad material does build up in the rotor's cross drilling and has to be pushed out with a small Allen wrench.

At 7500 miles my stock pads still had about half their original thickness.

I use the official Lotus rotor cross-drilled hole cleaner-outer tool:

evilfij · 05-09-2007, 08:44 AM

Per this website the earlier posted numbers are correct

http://www.braketechnology.com/car.html

2593 and 1682

FWIW I am ordering a set if I can find them in the non-race variety

codymac · 05-09-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtn

At 7500 miles my stock pads still had about half their original thickness.

I use the official Lotus rotor cross-drilled hole cleaner-outer tool:

Well... You may carry more corner speed, but I brake a lot later.

I'm still waiting for the official tool to come in on the warranty claim I filed.

Mahjik · 05-09-2007, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyLo

Bobcat is now called AX6.

The Bobcats are still the Bobcats. The Panther+ is now the AX6.

MikeW · 05-09-2007, 12:28 PM

I've used Bobcat, XP8, and XP9 on the Vette. Practically no rotor wear, the Lotus rotors wear much more. I'd go Carbotech. If you need to paly with front/rear bias, you can use differnt front/rear compounds. All their stuff is switchable.

MikeW · 05-09-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtn

Sorry to change the topic a bit, but this got me to thinking. I've seen various suggestions on how to make cleaning brake dust off of wheels easier. Well, I don't use any special product on my wheels at all. Just my regular car washing bucket and a rag. The brake dust always just wipes off and rinses away easily. Do other people not have the same experience?

xtn

A lot of the vette crowd use Hawk. Worst dusting pad I could have imagined. When you try to wash it off, the stuff sets up like concrete. People have sprayed their wheels with PAM cooking oil spray for a release agent. Anyway, some compounds of pad contain an oxidizer or something. The hot material burns thru the wheel's clearcoat and gets the aluminum. I think it was one or more of the Performance Friction compounds.

FlyLo · 05-09-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mahjik

The Bobcats are still the Bobcats. The Panther+ is now the AX6.

Ah, you're right. I use the Bobcats on my truck. Have used the Panther+/AX6 and the XP-8 on the Elise.

Sorry for the confusion.

FlyLo · 05-09-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeW

A lot of the vette crowd use Hawk. Worst dusting pad I could have imagined. When you try to wash it off, the stuff sets up like concrete. People have sprayed their wheels with PAM cooking oil spray for a release agent. Anyway, some compounds of pad contain an oxidizer or something. The hot material burns thru the wheel's clearcoat and gets the aluminum. I think it was one or more of the Performance Friction compounds.

Carbotech claims that their pad material is "noncorrosive."

FlyLo · 05-09-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtn

Sorry to change the topic a bit, but this got me to thinking. I've seen various suggestions on how to make cleaning brake dust off of wheels easier. Well, I don't use any special product on my wheels at all. Just my regular car washing bucket and a rag. The brake dust always just wipes off and rinses away easily. Do other people not have the same experience?

xtn

I haven't really had a problem with brake dust. It's tar I have trouble with. The wheel cleaner is just a convenient format for me to wash my wheels quickly.

xtn · 05-09-2007, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeW

A lot of the vette crowd use Hawk. Worst dusting pad I could have imagined. When you try to wash it off, the stuff sets up like concrete. People have sprayed their wheels with PAM cooking oil spray for a release agent. Anyway, some compounds of pad contain an oxidizer or something. The hot material burns thru the wheel's clearcoat and gets the aluminum. I think it was one or more of the Performance Friction compounds.

AHA there's a clue in there.... Perhaps the brake dust is imbedding itself into the soft clearcoat a bit, making it difficult to remove. Perhaps the fact that my wheels don't have any clearcoat makes it better for me.

FlyLo · 05-09-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyElise

Cough.....cough......bs

My personal experience:

I switched from the AX6 pad to the XP8. My front ABS began to activate with the grippier pad.

I then switched my heat cycled AD07 for a fresh pair of AD07 tires. The ABS no longer troubled me.

Why is it so hard to believe that locking up the front tires is a function of the friction of the pad and the friction of the tires?

sl8anic · 05-10-2007, 09:36 AM

You guys suck... I was all set and ready to go and buy some Porterfields to minimize dust and now you're telling me that they eat rotors, ugh...

Is there a list somewhere that lists various known(!) pads and their pros & cons?

FlyLo · 05-10-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sl8anic

You guys suck... I was all set and ready to go and buy some Porterfields to minimize dust and now you're telling me that they eat rotors, ugh...

Is there a list somewhere that lists various known(!) pads and their pros & cons?

Well, if the pads aren't generating dust, then something must be giving....

knucklehead · 05-10-2007, 11:23 AM

I had to replace my front rotors at around 19,000 miles on OEM pads. I've gone with the Porterfield street since then and have over 40,000 miles on the car now and the new rotor looks great.

Jacob

neckstrap · 05-11-2007, 04:33 AM

This is the good stuff, the information that can be gained only from trying the parts. Your excellent comparisions have raised my faith in this forum. I'm very impressed.

Paul

sl8anic · 05-11-2007, 04:37 AM

We humbly bow before you kind sir

This board is great, nothing beats first hand experience and there are plenty of people on here who are willing to try things...

Quote:

Originally Posted by neckstrap

This is the good stuff, the information that can be gained only from trying the parts. Your excellent comparisions have raised my faith in this forum. I'm very impressed.

Paul

Surferjer · 05-11-2007, 04:46 AM

Quote:

Cough.....cough......bs

+1

If what you care about is braking, ignoring dust, squeal, and rotor life, Hawk HP+ pads are awesome. So much better than OEM at stopping power it's unbelievable. I hear they may fade on the track, but for autoX and street they are amazing.

FlyLo · 05-11-2007, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyElise

Sorry, it seemed like you were saying that the pads caused the ABS to actuate. You can keep it from doing that by not pushing down as hard.

Yeah, but lockup went from near the end of pedal travel, to about the midpoint. Big difference, and confused the hell out of me until I figured out what what going on.

neckstrap · 05-13-2007, 03:29 AM

Since a lot of you have responded negatively about certain brands of brake pads. Would you possibly have a set you want to sell cheap? I am building a commuter car that will spend it's life creeping up and down the 405 freeway. The pads are not that critical, as long as they have a lot of life left.

Let me know,
Paul

05-09-2007, 08:25 AM	#21 (permalink)
slaughtr That's not my cone Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 5,169 Images: 1	I was excited about putting Porterfields in because of the decreased dust but my last track day, I didn't feel they stopped any better than the OEM pads and they chewed up my rotors. Bad experience with them. __________________ My car both sucks and blows. Now with added all natural smoky goodness!

05-09-2007, 08:44 AM	#23 (permalink)
evilfij Land Rover Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Main Line PA Posts: 685	Per this website the earlier posted numbers are correct http://www.braketechnology.com/car.html 2593 and 1682 FWIW I am ordering a set if I can find them in the non-race variety __________________ 2006 Autumn Gold Elise SELL ME YOUR AUTUMN GOLD HARDTOP PLEASE OR WILL TRADE FOR CARBON FIBER LOOK TOP I ALREADY HAVE

05-10-2007, 09:36 AM	#33 (permalink)
sl8anic At Dawn They Sleep... Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: West of Boston Posts: 475	You guys suck... I was all set and ready to go and buy some Porterfields to minimize dust and now you're telling me that they eat rotors, ugh... Is there a list somewhere that lists various known(!) pads and their pros & cons? __________________ 05 Elise: Ardent Red, Touring Pack, StarShield, Hard Top, scrape guards 98 Jeep Cherokee Sport: red, dents, scratches, dirt

05-11-2007, 04:33 AM	#36 (permalink)
neckstrap Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Northridge, California Posts: 161	Great discussion, guys! This is the good stuff, the information that can be gained only from trying the parts. Your excellent comparisions have raised my faith in this forum. I'm very impressed. Paul

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05-09-2007, 12:28 PM	#26 (permalink)
MikeW Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,372	I've used Bobcat, XP8, and XP9 on the Vette. Practically no rotor wear, the Lotus rotors wear much more. I'd go Carbotech. If you need to paly with front/rear bias, you can use differnt front/rear compounds. All their stuff is switchable.

05-10-2007, 11:23 AM	#35 (permalink)
knucklehead Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Marina del Rey, CA Posts: 2,978	I had to replace my front rotors at around 19,000 miles on OEM pads. I've gone with the Porterfield street since then and have over 40,000 miles on the car now and the new rotor looks great. Jacob

05-13-2007, 03:29 AM	#40 (permalink)
neckstrap Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Northridge, California Posts: 161	Since a lot of you have responded negatively about certain brands of brake pads. Would you possibly have a set you want to sell cheap? I am building a commuter car that will spend it's life creeping up and down the 405 freeway. The pads are not that critical, as long as they have a lot of life left. Let me know, Paul

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