Aftermarket Brake Pads-What works for you?

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Blue55

I really like the Ferodo DS2500s. I'm running a stock 1M and I got about 5 track days one the fronts before they wore out. Most of my track days have been about 2 hours each. With Motul brake fluid I'm not getting any fade from them at all and they have great stopping power.

The only minor annoyance is that that they don't have the anti rattle clips so they squeal slightly on the street. It's no big deal however and it's not obnoxious. They work fine on the street as they don't need much heat in them to stop. They DO stop better with some heat, but I think they're a great compromise between a track and street pad. I don't want to be bothered with swapping pads after every event. HP Autoworks sells them I believe.

the 2500s are a very good dual purpose pad. If you find they are not enough for you, the step up from these is the 3000 which I really liked.I used them as street and track pads on my previous car which was really a track car that sometimes was driven on the street. Even better stopping power and not horrible on dust either. the 3000s are not as good as the PFC-01, which is my favorite pad to date.

[Blue55]

The DS2500s are also not expensive. I'd imagine the 3000s are inexpensive as well. The squeal is fairly minimal. It's not like people will be staring in your direction looking for a school bus.

[Dan Parker]

I refuse to. I deal with the squeal.

You must be the guy who orders fajitas just so everyone oohs and aaahs as the waiter walks the sizzling food out to the table! I'm calling you out attention whore! (I'm totally kidding here)

My PFC 01's are laughably annoying on the street and I dread every red light when they are on the car. On the way back from the track a few weeks ago I pulled up to a light with the brakes screaming for the past 200 ft and when I came to a stop I looked at the van next to me and there were 2 small children crying. The entire soccer family was glaring out the window at me and my freight train. It made me wish I'd gone a bit darker with the window tint.

[Dan Parker]

In case you want to wait past the weekend I will be trying the PFC-06's this weekend at the track. I'm driving there and back so I'll find out if these screech as much as the 01's on the street. The one point I wanted to make was that these pads do have retaining clips. 06's (and 08's) are supposed to last longer than the 01's and be easier on the rotors too. Neil has stated that these pads have been superceded by the 08 pads but I had already bought these.

TX, How were they this weekend?

[bdaddylo]

Originally Posted by Dan Parker

You must be the guy who orders fajitas just so everyone oohs and aaahs as the waiter walks the sizzling food out to the table! I'm calling you out attention whore! (I'm totally kidding here)

My PFC 01's are laughably annoying on the street and I dread every red light when they are on the car. On the way back from the track a few weeks ago I pulled up to a light with the brakes screaming for the past 200 ft and when I came to a stop I looked at the van next to me and there were 2 small children crying. The entire soccer family was glaring out the window at me and my freight train. It made me wish I'd gone a bit darker with the window tint.

I swapped back to the stock pads last weekend. My world is so much quieter, but I miss the bite of the PFC 01s.

[TXmtrhed]

Originally Posted by Dan Parker

TX, How were they this weekend?

The 06's worked very well on the track with perhaps not as much initial bite as the 01's. Don't know about the wear characteristics as they are still on the car until Wednesday. One thing I noticed was that it took longer to bed in than the 01's. I didn't have time to do it the day before so I waited until I drove up to the track to do it; lonely stretch of country road @ 6am is a good setting. But I could tell that the pad transfer was not very even and I had to use the first session to bed them in - not ideal. The 01's seemed very easy to bed in IIRC.

Also, I found the limits of the ATE fluid I had been using. I did several back to back sessions where they allowed the solo drivers to run in the next higher group too. Last two sessions on Sunday I had to double pump at every braking zone. Yeesh. I'll be ordering some Motul soon.

And the answer you've been waiting for! Depends on how much attention you like to draw. They are definitely quieter than the 01's but they still sing!

Like a cat.

One other thing (OT). We had enough rain on Saturday to run a fully wet session and on Sunday to get two back to back sessions (wet but no standing water). Sunday was the first time I tried running with DSC off in the rain. What a hoot! The car really does well in the wet, it was always fast in the wet in MDM mode but with DSC off it didn't feel much slower but was a lot more entertaining - the only cars that passed me were a modded EVO and a GTR. It demands smooth inputs though!

[///BYU]

Originally Posted by Dan Parker

You must be the guy who orders fajitas just so everyone oohs and aaahs as the waiter walks the sizzling food out to the table! I'm calling you out attention whore! (I'm totally kidding here)

My PFC 01's are laughably annoying on the street and I dread every red light when they are on the car. On the way back from the track a few weeks ago I pulled up to a light with the brakes screaming for the past 200 ft and when I came to a stop I looked at the van next to me and there were 2 small children crying. The entire soccer family was glaring out the window at me and my freight train. It made me wish I'd gone a bit darker with the window tint.

LOL wish I could have seen that!

[ortho281]

I have had PFC-06 on for approx 3 wks, with 2 track days (TWS). I have found them to be great track pads with firm pedal. However, they are too noisy for the street. I will be switching to PFC New Z-rated pads as soon as they are back in stock. They were designed for light track days and should be much quieter!

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by docphang

I have had PFC-06 on for approx 3 wks, with 2 track days (TWS). I have found them to be great track pads with firm pedal. However, they are too noisy for the street. I will be switching to PFC New Z-rated pads as soon as they are back in stock. They were designed for light track days and should be much quieter!

Z rated pads in the past were always a good entry level pad. Low dust and no squeal and ok for autocross or beginner/intermediate DE.

When autozone stocked them as lifetime free pads, I made a killing on them, getting multiple sets of free pads for the front of my e30m3, and eventually getting a full refund when they cancelled them.

[M3 Adjuster]

I have always found that an autocross on between track events really reduces the squeal of my track pads on the street.

The other thing to do to help is to stop QUICKLY.

[firechicken99]

Originally Posted by TXmtrhed

The 06's...

...but they still sing!

Like a cat.

So they 06' are still a bit noisy eh? Anyone tried the '08s?

[GaryS]

Hawk DTC series pads are silent in my car. I've tried DTC-70, DTC-60, and DTC-30, and they've all been quiet. The problem is they're not silent in all cars. Another guy with a 135i says his sound like two cruise ships rubbing together. So I'm lucky. I have no idea what the difference is.

[Dan Parker]

Gary,
So you tried the hawk pads on a 1M? I use Hawk 60's & 70's on my race car (Alcon 4 piston) and they are noisy when cold but they have excellent bite. (1.4 G's lap after lap!) Of course, I really don't care about the noise when cold as it isn't driven on the street. I wonder if everyone is getting noise partly due to the cross drilled rotors.

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by Dan Parker

Gary,
So you tried the hawk pads on a 1M? I use Hawk 60's & 70's on my race car (Alcon 4 piston) and they are noisy when cold but they have excellent bite. (1.4 G's lap after lap!) Of course, I really don't care about the noise when cold as it isn't driven on the street. I wonder if everyone is getting noise partly due to the cross drilled rotors.

Sorry, no. I have a 135i. I've used the DTC pads with stock 135i calipers and with a Stoptech BBK. All the rotors I used were either blanks or slotted.

[octainejunkee]

send a messeage to ian@carbotec and opt for a set of xp10's-excellent brakes pads and he has them on the shelf ready to ship
cheers jamiie

[Mnime]

+1 on the Carbo's. I run xp10 front (track days) and xp8s (rear) all the time. with the 10s on they are loud but at the track when they get hot they are pretty awesome in my opinion.

[HP Autosport]

Dan,

I think you will like the Ferodo DS2500's. They are not nearly as noisy as the PFC01's and product much less dust for day to day use. They also come with the clips on the backing plate so rattling is not an issue.

They are not full race pads so managing your brakes will be important to help you get through your track session.

[firechicken99]

Originally Posted by HP Autowerks

Dan,

I think you will like the Ferodo DS2500's. They are not nearly as noisy as the PFC01's and product much less dust for day to day use. They also come with the clips on the backing plate so rattling is not an issue.

They are not full race pads so managing your brakes will be important to help you get through your track session.

Out of curiosity do you have an opinion/recommendation on how the 2500's would compare to the PFC06/08's?

[GaryS]

Originally Posted by firechicken99

Out of curiosity do you have an opinion/recommendation on how the 2500's would compare to the PFC06/08's?

Ferodo 2500 is a street/track pad that can handle up to 950 degrees F.

PFC06 is a race pad that can handle up to 2000 degrees F.

[HP Autosport]

Originally Posted by GaryS

Ferodo 2500 is a street/track pad that can handle up to 950 degrees F.

PFC06 is a race pad that can handle up to 2000 degrees F.

What he said above!

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by firechicken99

Out of curiosity do you have an opinion/recommendation on how the 2500's would compare to the PFC06/08's?

They don't at all. The comparable track pad from Ferodo would be the 3000 or the 3000E (endurance). the 2500 is a street/track pad whereas the 3000. is a true track only pad.