Track Pads for Stock M3 Brakes

[LiM3y]

What brake pads are you using at the track?

Are you switching at track or driving to the track with them?

How do you manage to bed them in? In the first session, or at home prior to first use?

Any issues with switching stock and track pads, e.g glazed rotors or different material deposits.

Thanks for your help. I am planning next season's set up (dedicated tires - not slicks quite yet! - track pads) and seasoned veteran advice would help. The last time I was out, I whacked the OEM pads, so I need to switch out for track days. Which is good for my aggression level, but bad for my wallet!

[von_zoom]

With a season behind us, I too am interested in seeing the responses. Every month, more and more product becomes available for the M9X. Pads are becoming more available, and this seems to be one big factor when tracking this car.
I too look forward to the info.
vz

[mastek]

PFC-01 (if you are fast @ the track and find yourself overheating Z-Rated Pads)
they just came out for our OE Calipers
Upgrade the Lines and Fluid of course (make sure you bleed correctly).

I switch pads and wheels the day before the track
then drive to the track with them on.

No bedding necessary.
At the end on the way home its good to whack them a couple of times to clear the rotors before you change back to OE Pads (not neccessary just my personal OCD)

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr...=1#post6082477

[lucid]

I've used XP10, XP12, HT-10, and RS19. XP12 had the best price/performance ratio. RS19 did really well, but overheated slightly (yet held up) at WGI after too many consecutive hot laps--they were literally smoking. HT-10 simply fell apart.

[jml]

New option is (hopefully) the silver bullet - PFC01s are finally available!

[RickyBobby]

I want to warn everyone that the raybestos race pads that porterfield is cutting don't fit. I had to spend hours filing mine down the night before a track day a few months back. They just sent a set out to a friend of mine and they haven't fixed the problem. Too bad since they're great pads.

PFC01's and DTC70s are now available for our cars so I think we're now fully covered on the race pad front!

[M3V8Driver]

I bought a set of the Hawk DCT70s for the front and rear, but they arrived too late to use this year. I'll sell them if anybody wants them. I can get them any time.

[jml]

Finally got around to trying DTC70s at all corners vs. HT10s in the front and DS2500s in the rear.

I think I may be crazy - the car seemed to stop better and with more stability with more mechanical bias to the front (HT10/DS2500 setup), at least abs did not kick in as soon. There are lots of other variables in play this weekend, including new NT01s and colder weather, so it's not an apples to apples comparison. NT01s are pretty consistent across track temps. I suspect the issue could have been that I was not able to maintain the DTC70 pads temp across all corners which was changing the torque left to right after long straights. Laps times were better with the cold temps (more power).

Has anyone else experimented with different compounds front/rear? I don't normally advocate a different compound front/rear on an OEM system for advanced drivers, however there were few choices in the early days.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by jml

Has anyone else experimented with different compounds front/rear? I don't normally advocate a different compound front/rear on an OEM system for advanced drivers, however there were few choices in the early days.

I ran RS19 front/XP8 rear (might have been XP10), and I wouldn't recommend it.

[jml]

Originally Posted by lucid

I ran RS19 front/XP8 rear (might have been XP10), and I wouldn't recommend it.

For fading reasons, or behavior? I'm more after understanding if the bias is important (vs the other issue that come along with different pad types).

[lucid]

Originally Posted by jml

For fading reasons, or behavior? I'm more after understanding if the bias is important (vs the other issue that come along with different pad types).

In dry track conditions with 265/285 BFG R1s, I "perceived" a slight drop in performance as in ABS was more willing to kick in. I assume that is because the bias was shifted more forward. The rear pads lasted much longer than the fronts, which they shouldn't, and that's indicative of them not doing as much work as they should. That was confirmed when I observed highly uneven temperatures across the front and rear rotors. When the rear RS19 finally became available, I put them on, and ABS seemed to kick a bit later under threshold braking, and temperatures were much more even between front and rear rotors. That meant that the front pads were less likely to fade; I must assume BMW sized the OEM rotors for conditions that resemble track driving (because in daily driving you won't get near the thermal limits of the rotors). Also, front and rear pads wore out at a somewhat similar rate. It is probably best to leave the stock bias alone or shift it back slightly in a mostly stock car. If one makes modifications that result in significant changes in F/R traction and/or ride height, then bias might need to be adjusted as well.

[von_zoom]

Lucid - if I recall correctly, I think you indicated (bad) experiences with the Hawk pads. Were they the DTC70s? Or, are these new (different) pads?
I have had very good experiences with Hawk, but on a different car.
Thanks
vz

[attila]

I run XP-10's at every corner and seems like working fine for me. My rear pads last twice as long as the front ones. Rotor temperatures are slightly more (+5-10%) at the front, however I never measured them without one (3min) cooling lap, so the difference maybe higher during a "real" lap.
Compare to stock the difference is huge. I run BFG-R1s just like Lucid, and changed to Castrol SRF fluid. You cannot run R-comp with the stock pads. You may get away with stock pads on stock tires if you are not running more than 20-25min sessions.

[lucid]

Originally Posted by von_zoom

Lucid - if I recall correctly, I think you indicated (bad) experiences with the Hawk pads. Were they the DTC70s? Or, are these new (different) pads?
I have had very good experiences with Hawk, but on a different car.
Thanks
vz

HT10s self-destructed on me after scoring my rotors during bed-in. I suspect the pads came from a bad batch, which doesn't speak highly to their quality control. It is entirely possible that I exceeded their MOT of 700C as the rotors were at 600C at the paddock. However, my basis for comparison are the RS19 pads, which were subjected to similar temperatures and smoked, but held up and did not literally fall apart.

[von_zoom]

Thanks, that is what I recalled, but old age, don't remember like I used to.
vz

[SCCAForums.com]

Carbotech Brakes are all I've used... Hawks seem to be awfully tough on Rotors.

Carbotech's are great on Rotors... and have great pedal feel/modulation.

www.ctbrakes.com

Good Luck!
Dave

[HP Autosport]

Originally Posted by jml

Finally got around to trying DTC70s at all corners vs. HT10s in the front and DS2500s in the rear.

I think I may be crazy - the car seemed to stop better and with more stability with more mechanical bias to the front (HT10/DS2500 setup), at least abs did not kick in as soon. There are lots of other variables in play this weekend, including new NT01s and colder weather, so it's not an apples to apples comparison. NT01s are pretty consistent across track temps. I suspect the issue could have been that I was not able to maintain the DTC70 pads temp across all corners which was changing the torque left to right after long straights. Laps times were better with the cold temps (more power).

Has anyone else experimented with different compounds front/rear? I don't normally advocate a different compound front/rear on an OEM system for advanced drivers, however there were few choices in the early days.

We use DTC70 front and DTC60 rear with good results. Some drivers like to use DTC70 in the rear for more rear brake bias to help rotate the car in tighter turns, but it's not for everyone.

[jml]

Originally Posted by HP Autowerks

We use DTC70 front and DTC60 rear with good results. Some drivers like to use DTC70 in the rear for more rear brake bias to help rotate the car in tighter turns, but it's not for everyone.

I'm going to reserve judgment for when the weather gets warmer and I can keep them running in a linear portion of their friction/temp curve.

[autospiel]

After reading the posts here and conferring with my local 'track rat' friends, I'm going with XP10s, SRF and SS brake lines. Now all I have to wait for is my car to be produced (this week), delivered (mid-February), and broken in (also mid-February, lol). First HPDE is mid-April for me.

[rzm3]

Anyone tried BMW "Sport" Pads?

Front: 34 11 2 283 764 $479.13
Rear: 34 21 2 283 366 $358.75

For reference:
Stock Street Front Pads: $223.49
Stock Street Rear Pads: $143.26

[Sleeper519]

I tried a set of Cool Carbons last season as an all around performance street/track pad and they were alright--much better than OEM on track, no fade even when driven hard, but some definite shudder despite careful bed in, noisy on street unless you kept on bedding them like every week. Basically an OK compromise.

Now I want to buy some real track pads and learn to DYI to change them over, as I have scheduled many more track weekends this year. However, I want to stay with my stock rotors and want a rotor-friendly pad. I'm trying to decide between the Pagid RS19, Carbotech XP-10, and Performance Friction 06. The Pagids are way expensive but probably get what you pay for. I've heard good things about the others too, unsure how long they will last though.

Any input appreciated to help me decide.

[Gearhead999s]

I used the Pagid RS19's with good results for 4 track days last year with good wear and quite good fade resistance.Easy on the rotors but they are noisy if you try to use them on the street.