Track pads: Can I mix brands, F & R?

[Sleeper519]

Just put Carbotech XP-10s on all 4 corners for last weekends track event. The fronts have about 50% left after only 2 days (fairly aggressive braking, Road Atlanta).

I have another weekend in a few weeks but feel I'll need another front set of pads before its over. The Carbotechs were OK but not spectacular. Thought I would get more laps out of them. I was originally thinking of going Pagids but balked at the price. Now I'm thinking of buying set of Pagids for front only and keeping Carbotechs on rear til they wear out (plenty left on them).

My question, is this a no-no to mix brands? They are similar materials and quality, and should not change my front to rear brake bias. Tell me what you guys think...

[Gearhead999s]

I would for sure.I have mixed pads in the past with no great front to rear balance issues.

[Martin_D]

pagid blacks all around. the yellows are an endurance pad. they are good but they do not have enough initial bite for me.

i wouldn't mix, not worth cheaping out.

on stock brakes i had a lot of success with PFC pads ...

[wwjd15]

you can always mix fronts and rears, but never mix left and right. that's it.

[kartracer12]

I have the exact same pads on stock calipers/rotors. I had 40-50% left before Summit Point event last weekend. After 5 sessions I was down to 1/8" and lost my brakes going into a turn. One of the more experienced guys at the track said these e90M3 stock brakes don't like pads when they get too thin. Not uncommon for the pedal to go to the floor at moments notice. I know I will be changing my pads more often after that experience.

Don't know if mixing is a good idea.

[drburton]

If you get the Pagid rs19 for the fronts and keep the Carbotechs in the rear, when the rears need to be replaced you could do the Pagid rs7 in the rear. I have the rs19 and rs7 combo based on a recommendation from Turner and think it works well.

[Sleeper519]

Thanks, I think I will do just that!

[1MORELAP]

There is a great article in current Grassroots Motorsports where they test pads. Hawk sent the DTC70/HT10 combo which they felt messed with ABS way too much. Based on my experiences with modern Bosch ABS systems, and their ice mode I would not mix compounds. (Full disclosure, at the moment I am doing just that, but will remedy soon.)

"He noted that the BMW's ABS system "flipped out" ... ; the car felt like it was on ice."

On another had EBD should take care of all bias issues, but maybe that is the problem. Too much bias difference and EBD screws up braking... if you want to read more Bing 'Brake Ice Mode'.

Also, do you trail brake? Bias issue maybe most apparent if you do. If you brake in straight lines, this maybe not an issue for you. When trail braking if the car is front biased, the car will not want to rotate or will understeer. If rear biased, it will oversteer. So its a gamble on the bias difference between the front and rear.

I also need new pads, and if you are done with Carbos, I would buy all for for $150 shipped to 98029. (I figure rears are worth 50% and fronts 25% - 50% pad thickness means 75% wear as at 25% pad thickness they are done.) I now have XP10/XP8 combo on the car.

[1MORELAP]

BTW, the favorite pads were PFC01 and Cobalt CRB XR1. They theorized that DTC70 front and rear may have also been quite respectable.