Track Pads Suggestions

[Andy13]

Track Season soon in the Northeast, so I’m going to need to carry a spare set of brake pads. My dealer quoted almost $1200 for stock pads. About half that from other GM sources. But I’ve never been thrilled with the OEM pads on my previous Vettes. Does anyone have experience with Powerstop pads on the track? I’d prefer not to have to change pads between events, so how is noise from GLoc R10’s? Or R8’s? What about Carbotech?

The brands I used to use haven’t come up with any C8 parts yet, so I’m fishing.

[Lewsthomas]

Powerstop....ehhhhhhh, sorta up market mass units. I have a email into Hawk and EBC. Will post if I hear anything.

[John]

Iwould contact Ken and his crew at KNS Brakes. Many track user choose them as they have different options. Great people who coincidentally are a MECF vendor. If you call him, please mention you are a MECF member.

(919) 420-0021

[SoCal Dave]

Just talked with Nan after seeing this thread...will order from them as forum vendors! She is the "N" in KNS and delightful to speak with!

[pfbz]

The go-to pads for many track guys in the Porsche world is Performance Friction, something like the PFC-08. I'm not seeing a C8/Z51 application online, but It looks like PFC makes pads for some other gen Corvettes so it's possible they either have them but haven't updated their website or are planning on adding them.

On the track, the PFC08 are superb. On the street, they perform just fine (they don't need a ton of heat to work well), but they are definitely noisier than an OE compound.

I think you will find that with most race pads, "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch". Better on the track, at the expense of more noise, or more rotor wear, or poor cold performance on the street.

[John Higgins]

Carbotech performance Brakes

[Andy13]

Thanks for the feedback. I’ll consult with KNS tomorrow. I used to use StopTech pads, but they’ve been really slow with new products.
I’m familiar with TANSTAAFL. Robert Heinlein.

[SoCal Dave]

Order placed with KNS. Girodiscs + Carbotech XP10 front and back. Heading to the track Sunday. Will report!

[[email protected]]

Track Season soon in the Northeast, so I’m going to need to carry a spare set of brake pads. My dealer quoted almost $1200 for stock pads. About half that from other GM sources. But I’ve never been thrilled with the OEM pads on my previous Vettes. Does anyone have experience with Powerstop pads on the track? I’d prefer not to have to change pads between events, so how is noise from GLoc R10’s? Or R8’s? What about Carbotech?

The brands I used to use haven’t come up with any C8 parts yet, so I’m fishing.

We tried out the Carbotech pads and ended up switching them out to racingbrake pads with great results.

Is your car a Z51?

Ill shoot over pricing to ya.

Thanks
Andrew

[SoCal Dave]

Carbotech XP10s and Girodiscs ready to go tomorrow at Big Willow!

[pfbz]

Carbotech XP10s and Girodiscs ready to go tomorrow at Big Willow!

Nice...

I'd love to hear your thoughts after your track day, both regarding the brakes upgrades and otherwise. Have you done the track alignment on your car as well? Running the MPS4S or other tires?

[SoCal Dave]

Just got back from Willow Springs. Brakes were great. No perception of fading during 25 minute sessions. Ambient temp 48. Felt it had a bit more bite to it, but my technique or lack thereof in braking remained the bigger factor! Modulation was crisper and even. Overall, yes better and happy. I have a set of Pilot Sport Cup 2s that are waiting at Stokes Tire, but due to the 35-45 degree Temps forecast for this morning I decided to leave the OEM PS4S tires on the car. They have held up amazingly well to three days of track use at Buttonwillow /Chuckwalla /Big Willow. I have to say that they are very forgiving and audibly warn you before you reach the limit of adhesion.

[Andy13]

Back from my first DE of the season at Summit Point in WV. I mounted Carbotech XP10’s from KNS on stock rotors. I bedded the pads on a local highway (late at night) per recommendations. Braking felt good. Good initial bite, controllable, minimal fade (although hard to tell with this brake system). I did have a problem when the brakes got hot with some pretty bad shuddering under heavy braking.

I talked to KNS today and was told the XP10’s may have overheated and deposited pad material unevenly on the rotors. This is a new one on me, never heard of this problem in 12 years of tracking. I was also told that the only solution was to go to more aggressive track pads (more abrasive) or have my rotors turned to remove the deposits. Not what I wanted to hear after spending that much on pads. I’ve put the OEM pads back on and will see what happens. I didn’t notice any uneven wear on the rotors. I did notice that the front XP10’s when I took them off had some cracks in the pad material that I’m not used to seeing. The front pads also were deeper than the rotors as there was a noticeable lip above where the rotor had touched the pad.

[notsofast]

I had a similar experience with stock pads and rotors. I got the shudder under hard braking towards the end of the track session. I also followed the bedding procedure to the "T". So I pulled the front rotors off and got them turned, replaced the brake pads front and rear, with Cobalt xr-1 pads. next track day the brakes felt great but the shudder has slowly returned. not sure if its the front rotors again or the rears that are still original. Side note i would recommend the xr-2 pads for street tires.

And now for the rest of the story, I was at Ron Fellows driving school for my wife who attended. I asked the chief driving instructor if they were having any issues with warped rotors and he said yes, frequently! in fact i just pulled a car out of the line up for your wife's class for that very problem. I also saw a stack of rotors in the shop that were worn. So the stock rotors appear to be the weak link in the system.

any others with the same issue?

[croderique]

And now for the rest of the story, I was at Ron Fellows driving school for my wife who attended. I asked the chief driving instructor if they were having any issues with warped rotors and he said yes, frequently! in fact i just pulled a car out of the line up for your wife's class for that very problem. I also saw a stack of rotors in the shop that were worn. So the stock rotors appear to be the weak link in the system.

any others with the same issue?

So does Ron Fellows only use Stock Rotors and Stock Pads then?