Track brake pad choice

[heavy85]

It's about time for some new pads. I'm currently running Hawk HP+ and they are terrible. They overheat quickly and I have to push HARD to get torque and then near the end of braking I often lock one front. It's difficult because it doesn't feel like I'm braking hard so I keep pushing harder then all of a sudden one front locks unless I'm in a perfectly straight line. Even then my braking is typically only in the 0.8 g's. I'm thinking of going DTC-30 fronts which have 100-1200 deg rating and medium torque with HT-10 rears with 300-1600 degree rating and slightly higher torque. I'm hoping the DTC-30's will modulate better and help avoid locking the fronts with higher torque so I dont have to push so hard while adding higher torque HT-10 to the rear will help make the rears work harder. My concern is running different pads front and rear with different characteristics. Since the rears would have higher temp rating would they bite mid-brake and then move the bias rear as they come up to temp? Would this cause control and predictability issues or am I over thinking this?

 

It's interesting that over the years with stock brakes then stock brakes & HPS pads and now Outlaw / 240sx set-up the brakes have always felt really weak. My DD is an SVT Focus with really good factory brakes and they will throw you into the belts. The Z doesn't give that same sense of braking then next thing I know one tire is sliding. I want them to feel like my Focus brakes but able to take the heat of the track.

 

Thanks

Cameron

[tube80z]

I use a similar set of pads from PFC and I'd opt for less rear torque and heat range. If you have an infrared probe check disk temps but I'd guess the rear is less than the front.

 

In PFC I've had good results with 01 on the front and 97 on the rear. Trying 01 all around seemed to cause balance issues as the rears were in and out of the range where they worked. I know this isn' the same pad as you're looking at but the idea is the same and I can't say it worked that well for me.

 

Cary

[olie05]

I'm currently looking at upgrading my pads. I just did an autocross and cooked my front pads... the smell was horrible and I had noticeably decreased braking power. The main purpose of this car is street duty, with maybe 1 autocross every couple of months and possibly a track day in a few months. I'm not opposed to changing back to "street" pads once i'm done goin' racin'.

 

Pads I'm looking at for the STOCK front setup:

 

Hawk HP+ (doesn't sound like such a good choice due to the original post in this thread)

EBC (Green, yellow or red?)

KVR performance

 

I'm open to suggestions as well. I'm not doing a brake upgrade just yet, so the stock setup will have to work. I'm also flushing with a higher boiling point brake fluid.

 

Should I bother doing anything with the rear? (Currently stock/ stock shoes in good working condition)

[johnc]

I'm currently looking at upgrading my pads. I just did an autocross and cooked my front pads... the smell was horrible and I had noticeably decreased braking power. The main purpose of this car is street duty, with maybe 1 autocross every couple of months and possibly a track day in a few months. I'm not opposed to changing back to "street" pads once i'm done goin' racin'.

 

Pads I'm looking at for the STOCK front setup:

 

Hawk HP+ (doesn't sound like such a good choice due to the original post in this thread)

EBC (Green, yellow or red?)

KVR performance

 

I'm open to suggestions as well. I'm not doing a brake upgrade just yet, so the stock setup will have to work. I'm also flushing with a higher boiling point brake fluid.

 

Should I bother doing anything with the rear? (Currently stock/ stock shoes in good working condition)

 

The best way to help your front brakes is to get your rear brakes to do more. If you're running the stock rear brakes, before each autocross, manually adjust the shoes so they are lightly contacting the drums. You also need to upgrade to good DOT4 race brake fluid and bleed you brakes after every event.

 

Porterfield makes a good street/autocross pad that will fit the stock front calipers and they can also make shoes out of the same material. Ask for the R4S compound. www.porterfield-brakes.com

[olie05]

... before each autocross, manually adjust the shoes so they are lightly contacting the drums.

 

I have the 280z auto adjusting mechanism... So does that mean I just have to pull my e-brake once the drums cool off, or is there a manual way to adjust the drums even with the auto adjust mechanism? My auto-adjust mechanism is well lubed and seems to work pretty well.

[olie05]

I ended up going with the r4s compound from porterfield, front and rear. I also got some racing blue fluid. I'll post my impressions after the next event.

[johnc]

I have the 280z auto adjusting mechanism... So does that mean I just have to pull my e-brake once the drums cool off, or is there a manual way to adjust the drums even with the auto adjust mechanism? My auto-adjust mechanism is well lubed and seems to work pretty well.

 

Again...

 

manually adjust the shoes so they are lightly contacting the drums

[randy 77zt]

i have 84 300zx roters on all 4 wheels of my 77.front calipers are toyota truck and rear are willwood 2 piston.track days i use porterfield r4 in front and r4s in rear.for street i use just napa toy truck pads and leave the r4s in back.the napa pads are organic and are easy on the rotors.

[260DET]

Lucas/TRD pads are not a bad dual purpose pad, certainly good value for money. I use QFM A1RM pads on the HybridZ for road and circuit work, they are great but not available in the US I would think.

[z-ya]

The best way to help your front brakes is to get your rear brakes to do more. If you're running the stock rear brakes, before each autocross, manually adjust the shoes so they are lightly contacting the drums. You also need to upgrade to good DOT4 race brake fluid and bleed you brakes after every event.

 

Porterfield makes a good street/autocross pad that will fit the stock front calipers and they can also make shoes out of the same material. Ask for the R4S compound. www.porterfield-brakes.com

 

 

Pop the rubber plug from the drum so that you can adjust them with a screw driver without removing the drum (you'd be surprised how many people don't do it this way). Depending on your wheels, you may be able to adjust them without removing the wheels.

 

The R4S is a good balance between track and street. I have them on my street Z, and they are quiet, but heat up quick. On my track car I use R4 compound front and rear. Not all that much noisier than the R4S, but can handle a lot more heat, and last many track days.