brake pad experience's

hi guy's, I'm saving to upgrade my brakes and hopefully will have enough cash soon I know I'm going to get :-

Goodridge braided lines

DOT 5.1 Fluid

3G drilled and grooved disks

But I'm just not sure where to put my money when it comes to brake pads. . . . I have been looking at :-

EBC redstuff

TRD Black Fast Road Pads

CW fast road pads

Mintex extreme pads - Can you get them for the rear (jap brakes) as I can only find them for the front's

Endless SSS

Hawk Brembo

Has anyone had any experience with the above? what did you think of them? I thought I would ask first so I dont waste my money:)

Thank's guy's.

IMO Steer clear of EBC, I have found them to be too hard, eat discs and squeal like a stuck pig....

i have uk brakes on the front with ebc redstuff pads they stop well but make a lot of dust

I've just purchased some rears from CW. Can't wait to get them on the car and try them out along with the new lines.

I'm in the exact same situation Chris (3G disks, 5.1 fluid, goodridge lines). Thinking about getting some endless pads. I'll watch this thread carefully

Can't think why Endless is not on that list, better than all of those!

sorry Gaz I'll get them on there. What pads do you recommend for jap brakes? I dont do track day's and I would say it is quite important that I get good bite from cold aswell as a pad material that can handle high temps for those spirited moments

sorry Gaz I'll get them on there. What pads do you recommend for jap brakes? I dont do track day's and I would say it is quite important that I get good bite from cold aswell as a pad material that can handle high temps for those spirited moments

I'd say SSS for J-spec's if you want bite from cold but still handle fast road moments

Regards,

Gaz.

Get some Hawk Brembo spec from Dusty at MVP. They are brilliant pads.

I'm going for Hawk with my new brake setup

Thank's guy's and thanks for the info Gaz

My list keeps getting longer maybe a poll is in order.

I was impressed with my Hawk pads, for £45 (90$) a set they're great value. Dust is so fine too so they dont eat up the disks like some other pads. Very close to stock performance I think.

I've tried the EBC's and they were appauling.

Then switched to CW fast roads (3 yrs ago) and have used them ever since.

Endless seem to be recommended by a few on here too.

I've got CW pads on mine and they are great; until you get them very hot - they helped build my confidence to push my brakes compared to stock pads, and do last a few bends longer, but they're not magic trick and will fade on a circuit (as Chris would be the first to admit). Mine also squeel now under low/medium pedal pressure, which is annoying but not the end of the world.

I've got CW pads on mine and they are great; until you get them very hot - they helped build my confidence to push my brakes compared to stock pads, and do last a few bends longer, but they're not magic trick and will fade on a circuit (as Chris would be the first to admit). Mine also squeel now under low/medium pedal pressure, which is annoying but not the end of the world.

I must admit that mine were fading after 3-4 laps at Bedford and were smoking badly at one point. I think it's just because they're the smaller discs and calipers and just not made for serious usage (the discs have been glowing red before now)

They've never squeeled though!

I'm not sure an alternative pad would help that much, but I'm sure there would be compromises when it comes to cold use if you buy one made to handle the track.

I had some Hawk brake pads from JPS motorsport when I first got my Supra. They were horrendously expensive (about 250 quid for all four) and squealed badly, but they were absolutely fantastic.

I've now got Chris Wilson's ones which are not quite as good as the Hawk's but still very good. That's what I'd buy again.

Sounds like the brake setup I'm eventually going to order from Gaz, i'm going Endless sss pads

Looks like CW pads or hawk's are the ones to buy. Thank's for the advice guy's I'm looking forward to getting the brakes sorted as the car still has what was on from japan They could be anything, I dont even know what fluid is in there so I bet this little setup makes quite a big difference, I'm looking forward to being able to press the brakes hard with confidence.

I have just fitted 3G brake discs and EBC Greenstuff pads and they seem to be very good so far, still wearing them in. Initially they are more responsive on initial braking, the red pads have a medium bite. I did not fit the Goodridge braided lines but could have got them for around £50, maybe I will soon and also change the brake fluid but at the moment everything is working fine so there is no real need to. I got these for a good price and saved over £300 by fitting them myself, I would say put away £500 and you will have no problem getting a decent set of brakes and lines. OEM is still very good but will cost you around this much just for parts then there is fitting to consider. I did mine for £366 by doing it myself its very straight forward.

If you're spending £?00 upgrading J Spec brakes wouldn't it be worth spending a bit more and going for UK brakes?

My Uk brakes were £550 with almost new 3G front discs, I bought new grooved rear discs, CW fast road pads & goodridge brake hoses. Total £950 IIRC

Sounds like a lot, but it'll be close to the best braking system for under £1k, and that's front & rear.

My fast road pads are NOT intended for serious track day usage, hence the "fast ROAD" moniker:) I can do a race pad, but they are noisy and can dust more than stock, they are also a LOT more expensive then the fast road compound pads. As I have always said, with pads you get EXACTLY what you pay for. Same with wheels, tyres, clutches and calipers et cetera, et cetera. IMO quite the WORST pads I have ever experienced are EBC, which are just dreadful. Endless and Performance Friction do some superb compounds, the best ones cost a packet, but if you have a need for a specialised pad, they work well, very well.

BTW I have some new sets of AP six pot caliper pads going cheap.

Chris, this seems as good a place to ask as any, but how are your race pads when it comes to cold usage (i.e. on the shopping run). Noise does not concern me at all, but I would be concerned if there is a moderate reduction in braking performance when the pads are cool.

Chris, this seems as good a place to ask as any, but how are your race pads when it comes to cold usage (i.e. on the shopping run). Noise does not concern me at all, but I would be concerned if there is a moderate reduction in braking performance when the pads are cool.

Homer i honestly don't think you'd notice the 'cold usage' i think they lack bite when you are reversing out of the car park but thats it!..........i've had them on my car (lightweight NA which would highlight it more?) for ages they've lasted quite well too.

Also i noticed that i think chris had them made a bit larger than the stock (and used porterfields i have on temporarily now) in that they sweep the hole disk face and the disks don't get a outer 'lip' as they wear.

IMO an awesome pad............trade off is a little squeal (not horrendous at all) a lot of dust (quite aggressive when used hard - regular cleaning essential on aftermarket wheels) and the cost being 'alot' more than the 'fast roads' (but similar to the high end Endless pads)

Chris, this seems as good a place to ask as any, but how are your race pads when it comes to cold usage (i.e. on the shopping run). Noise does not concern me at all, but I would be concerned if there is a moderate reduction in braking performance when the pads are cool.

I find them fine, they should work as well as a stock pad from cold, maybe a tiny bit more pedal effort from STONE cold, but once warmed up even a bit they are awesome, with a LOT more bite for a LOT less pedal effort.