First track use with front ST-60: is this normal wear?

[dbyrd]

I ran my first Track event with the Trophy ST-60 kit with Pagid RS-29s and the outside of the pad left a lip - see photo. Is this normal?

All four front pads are worn this way so I don't think it was an installation issue. When I set the pads next to the Stoptech street pads, the Pagids are slightly higher which would cause this wear.

[JAJ]

The ridge along the outer edge of the pad seems to be a feature of the Gen 4 caliper. Even my Stoptech 309's do it. I just file it off when it gets to about 1/16".

[jritt@essex]

That ridge shows that the top edge of the pad is not mating up properly with the outer edge of the disc. The Pagids aren't sitting down in the caliper as far as the ST street pads, and the disc is wearing a groove on the pad where the disc edge terminates.

A slightly taller abutment plate (the little metal pieces that the pad sits on in the bottom of the caliper) could solve that issue, but then you'd need to make sure you're not interfering with the disc hat on the underside.

Keep in mind that there is quite a wide range of variance in pads by the various manufacturers. If you look at a Pagid pad, Ferodo pad, a Carbotech pad, or a PFC pad, they're all going to be slightly different in overall length, height, friction puck placement, etc. Each manufacturer has a differing set of manufacturing tolerances.

Also, each caliper has a manufacturing tolerance. If you have a tolerance stack-up, it can cause fitment variations. In other words, if the particular pads you have happen to have the friction puck placed at the highest acceptable point on the backing plate to still be within the standard spec... and the caliper happens to have the abutment plates located at the highest allowable location to pass inspection...both components are at the edge of envelope in the same direction. Hopefully that makes sense.

We see this sort of thing all the time with pads from different manufacturers, but we usually see it in variation of pad thickness and / or length. Some of our customers will get one set of pads and the rattle around in the caliper...then they get another brand and they have to squeeze them into the caliper. It's part of the problem of having compatibility across different manufacturers. It's not always a perfect fit for everyone.

[dbyrd]

Good info - makes sense.

Thanks, folks.

[bdaddylo]

I just swapped out my SR34 for the Street Performance pads on my ST-40 Trophies and had the same wear pattern.