Savington

iTrader: (31)

Wait, you're changing blues after 1 weekend? Is the car turbocharged?

pmhaddad

iTrader: (2)

No sir, totally stock motor-wise. Now that I think on it, these pads have 3 days, I had them on when my motor blew, and ~7 months of DD duty. They are lookin pretty thin. No fade on the track yet, but I wouldn't do another day on them at Sebring.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

7 months of DD duty makes me feel a little better.

I've never heard of the pads recommended by the Lotus guys. I'd try the Carbotechs first and see if the life is acceptable - I don't think you're going to see double the life out of the pricier pad.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Phil is running 225/45/15 RS3 tires on 6ul wheels.

You must be complaining about the pad prices because Miata front rotors are only $14 apiece and rears are $10 on Rockauto.

pmhaddad

iTrader: (2)

Damn I forgot to mention that too. I should put this stuff in my signature... I just assume everyone knows my car

Savingtion - Yeah I'm not sure if I'd see twice the pad life compared to the blues either, but the Lotus guys do, so it might be worth a shot. They are only $60ish more than the Carbotechs. Still not sure yet, but if I don't go for the CLs, I do know some track miata guys that have had great experience with the XR line of pads, so I might try those, and they are closer in price to the carbotechs.

FatKao

Is buying two different pads and changing totally out of the question? If you get a Hawk DD pad (HPS/HP+) and a Hawk track pad (HT-10/DTC-60) you only need to swap pads, not re-bed or change rotors. I leave the track pad on the rears all the time and just swap the fronts back and forth.

pmhaddad

iTrader: (2)

No, not at all, but I wouldn't want to run a sintered pad in the front and a semi in the rear (if nothing else because of rotor wear). I feel its best to adjust the "bias" like that with the same brand/type of pad, so like xp12 f/xp8 r. Or XR1/XR3. I wouldn't crossmatch pad type and brand.

I'm also more of a fan of the same pad all the way around, especially if you aren't really familiar with the pad. Gives you a good starting point to tweak from.

Mobius

iTrader: (2)

I have been on sport brakes with XP8's, and I have had excellent pad life. The current set has 5 track days on them plus roughly 8k street miles and have lots left in them still. Other than the cosmetic issue of some dusting, and occasional squealing, they have been fine as street pads. You will not need to swap pads back and forth for track days, just leave them on.

Of those track days, one was naturally aspirated without brake ducts, the other four boosted with brake ducts. Also, my car is about as heavy as they come.

curly

iTrader: (25)

I think Fatkao meant swapping pads between track days. Run one set during the track days, and another for the streets. Not different pads front to back.

monkeywinky

Props to Sav for the info.

I'm currently on stock na6 brakes since my car is stock power. PFC 97 f/r for the track. I like the pad, initial bite is medium, love the modulation, haven't faded them yet.

But, for when I get around to upgrading, I want TSE fronts and sport rears. I happen to have some sport rears laying around so I snapped these pictures.

1.8 on left, sport rear on right.


Sport rear pad on sport rear bracket w/ sport rotor


1.8 pad on sport rear bracket on sport rotor


Looks to me like it will work. Thoughts?

Assuming this works, it'll give me more pad options when the time comes around.

pmhaddad

iTrader: (2)

Excellent info. Did you bed the pads in on the street?

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

I think the best option for Phil at this time was proposed above. You should consider a milder compound pad for DD and the day before you go to the track switch to your track compound pads. You will likely be bleeding or inspecting things before the track day anyway.

Edit: Your car is far too nice to make a spec Miata out of. Why not just enjoy your 10AE as an HPDE car and later pick up a used Spec car that already has been gutted, caged, and had the sheet metal bent a little? Or get a junker for $500 and gut and cage that? I know where there is one...

pmhaddad

iTrader: (2)

I am far too lazy to swap pads before and after track days. I just helped my buddy do that, and with the amount of track days I do, its just not practical. I like setting it and forgetting it, especially with brakes. I do a bleed when I change pads, that's never been an issue. The RBF600 works great, and I've never had an air bubble problem with that fluid. I'm gonna get a motive vaccum bleeder to make the process a bit easier as well.

RE: Spec miata, my reasoning there is that it'll be about $4500-5500 for me to have it fully prepped and *competitive*. I can't spend that money on another car (either a pre-built or a junker) and have it competitive in the class (at least I haven't figured out how that would be possible). I'm going slow with it though, for now I'm good with doing DEs and still learning a lot about driving better.

Alta_Racer

iTrader: (4)

monkeywinky:

I have rear 1.8 pads,rotors and brackets with sport calipers. The pads bind on the caliper, but only take a small amount of grinding to fit. Not sure if this was really what you needed to know, but a good addition to the thread I hope.



Modified Sport caliper

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

First, you can be lazy or cheap but not both. I don't want to hear complaints about how much it costs if you are just too lazy to do a minimal amount of wrenching, lol.

And how long did it take you guys to do a four corner brake pad swap? It took me 40 minutes at Road Atlanta, in the dark, exhausted, in December when it was really cold and really windy, and I was doing it in a parking lot with a mixed bag of hand tools and with Lars (Shuiend) holding a flashlight so I could almost see. It takes 20 minutes with air tools in my driveway.

monkeywinky

Thanks Alta_racer, that is helpful information. I'll keep that in mind when I do the brake swap.

pmhaddad

iTrader: (2)

Exactly! Lazy or cheap, but not both! I'm not trying to be cheap! I just want pads that are going to last a lot longer.

It takes me by myself with no air tools ~2-3 hours to do pads. With a buddy I can get it done in an hour or so. This won't be an issue once I'm not DDing, but I want something that lasts a while and has a simple bed in, which is why I still think a sintered pad might be best for me. Spend a bit more money so I can be lazy basically

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

*****, you slow!

I gotta show you how to do it quickly.

pmhaddad

iTrader: (2)

You've just been nominated to help with my next pad change!

Mobius

iTrader: (2)

Yes. Bedding Carbotech pads is not complicated, you just have to do it like they say, and make sure the rotor is free of any other pad compound.