Merits of brake pads

[ddeane]

Just thought that I would light this topic up again. I am in the market for new front pads for the TA23.

I have been using an allround Pagid (T3076) since I installed the LN106 4 spots. They have worked a treat. The back brakes have hbee fitted with Bendix Ultimates. I think that I have maybe done 15,000 (at the most) in total including 3 track days. I have been very happy with the performance and I think the life has been pretty good with the rear pads packing up at a track day in March, the rotors were still good, only requiring a minimal cleanup, I replaced these with QFM HP-X. I now have to attend to the fronts. I would happily go the Pagids again, - but the pads and the rotors seem to have had the same life and with new Pagids at arounf $600+ and new rotos at $250 things are getting fairly expensive so I would like something a little less aggrssive on the rotors.

I would like views on possible Pad options. My thoughts at this stage are Ferodo DS2500 ($330+) and QFM A1RM ($140). Both seem to offer similar performace with the DS250 having a slightly higher friction coeficient but the QFM having higher temp range. Looked at the ECBs but you seem to have go into the Reds to match the peformance of the other two which are similar price to the DS2500.

I use the car on the street (not much as I have a few other cars) with occassional trips to the track - which I hope will happen more often.

Would be interested in others experience with the QFM.

Cheers craig

[3jcelica]

Value for money my vote is QFM A1RM pads, I used them on my track car and was impressed. I know of a couple of other using them and the wear is quite good.

Sure there are pads out there that will out perform them but they come at a higher cost and probably wear the rotors more.

[SilverRA23]

I spoke to the guys at Competition Friction and they suggested that DS3000 were better from cold, so I run those in my club car. Only done a couple of events all in the wet so can't really comment on wear, but they are excellent as far as pedal feel etc.

[MR22ZZ]

Have you looked into Project Mu HC+? they are similar in price to the Ferodo DS2500

[1JZ-Rolla]

Craig I had a faulty set of QFM's in the A1RM compound...... waited weeks for them to be made only to find that they wouldn't bed in across the whole rotor face, then on inspection found the friction material was delaminating from the backing pad.

Even if it were an isolated one-off case of poor manufacture, its still a chance of a massive balls up at the track had they not been found to be faulty in time. Was I lucky or unlucky? I'd say lucky, cause I found out before it was too late, and know not to buy them again. $120 for a set of track pads is enticing for sure, but i'd rather the cost out of my wallet than the cost of failure after being dug out of the kitty litter, or worse.

Now I run DS2500's, cut to spec. Cold performance after the bedding in process is brilliant, they have heaps of bite. Only downside so far is that they are hell dusty.

Has anybody tested both the DS2500 & DS3000 on the same car to compare cold-braking performance for hillclimbs etc?

Cheers
Phil