Brake Pad Reviews

m4a1mustang

LOL I had to look at this again to make the connection. Ferodo.

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FL 4Motion

/\ the ones in red above aren't requirments imo, I agree with the rest of the list tho, and also the fact that for street driving, stock pads are fine.

wstar

I'd say for light track duty (road course, ~30min sessions, no slicks/wings, etc), this is about all you need on a 370Z, at least a sport package one. Carbotech XP8s and RBF600 and a 25-ish row add-on oil cooler. Swaybars are nice too.

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JB1

I'd say your spot on, but would still add 1 more thing: at least 1/2 a tank of gas. Fuel starvation will hit even if your on street tires.

But to stay on topic, the XP10 and 8 combo have worked great for me on track. For street and autox the stock pads are fine, although the added bite of the Carbotech pads is something I miss every time I switch back to stock.

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Mike

tell me about it! I just switched my stoptechs over from XP12 to the stoptech pads that came with the car so I can drive it on the street a little this off season and its a freaky feeling not having that bite!

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martin82

How are the xp8 if you have to daily drive and 5-6 track days a year? A little too lazy to swap the night before going to the track. Will I just completely kill the rotors for a DD?

SPOHN

I run the 8's always. Even though it's not a DD I still get out regularly. The ate more than fine for DD. Carbo's are rotor friendly. I've track three days on mine and rotors are still perfect.

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wstar

^ They're fine on rotors, but I think whether XP8's noise level is good for you is gonna be pretty subjective and subject to conditions. I don't think there's any way around it, I've never heard of a good track pad that wasn't noisy cold and/or under street conditions.

My personal experience with the XP8 was that as long as it was *mostly* driven in track-like conditions and kept bedded properly, it was pretty damn quiet. But when you drive them for an extended period (weeks, months) of street driving, over time they get increasingly noisy. At one point my fronts were so loud I was cringing every time I had to come to a light stop at a stoplight.

I think a contributing factor was that it's winter (so they're even colder) and that when daily-driving on the street, I put a high emphasis on not using my brakes much. I prefer to predict and downshift and come to slow stops in general, it's just less wear on everything involved, and less concern about relying on a fallible brake system being the only thing between me and plowing into some soccer mom's minivan at high speed.

I think if you track more often, and/or the weather's warmer, and/or your hard enough on your brakes on the street to get them nice and hot regularly, and/or you don't care so much about noise, you could run the XP8's on the street. But I decided not to, and now I'm swapping in their Bobcat series on the same rotors for street use.

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m4a1mustang

I am going to give the XP8s a try in spring.

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wstar

Also: pad changes are super easy on the sport package calipers, because the pads pull out of the backside of the caliper easy without taking anything else off. At each corner, the whole process is, literally: take off wheel, remove two cotter pins, pull two long pins out, and then swap the pads (with a little finagling to get the new one to push the piston back out of the way).

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m4a1mustang

Where do you guys buy your Carbotechs?

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SPOHN

I buy mine from Forged Performance. The first call I gave them they gave me the best pricing on first quote. No other shop wanted to match it without hassle. I always look for the deals even if it's $5. I deal with three shops back and fourth. Hopefully one day one of the three will just give up and always offer me the best deals.

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FL 4Motion

/\ see sig, semi DD and around 5 track days (events) per year here, no problem driving them daily, wife and I have a VERY high tolerance for squeaks, noise etc so we both think they're super quiet. Can't hear any squeaking over the sound of the F.I. exhaust system anyway

Forged Performance, talk to Sharif, he'll take good car of you.

martin82

thanks for the replies, I will order the xp8's and try to dd on them and see what happens. If the brake pad change is that easy, I should just swap them myself. I better order them soon since I have my next track day on the 14th.

Alchemy

Hey guys Im getting a bad vibration during braking. Im guessing my pads are screwed. Rotors SEEM fine, I dont think the vibration is being caused by them. I think Im gonna do rotors anyway. Im wondering about the Stillen pads though. Stillen is running a special, buy rotors get their pads free. Anyone run these pads or have any insight about them. Im either gonna go with the Stillen package or get slotted front/rear Stoptechs w Project Mu street pads. Suggestions?

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Ryan
314WHP | 260LB-FT | STILLEN | KONI | SWIFT | STOPTECH | Z1 | PROJECT MU | CNT | UPREV | FORGESTAR | BRIDGESTONE | PWJDM | ENEOS | MOTUL