Brake pads for a novice??
 

I have done 3 HPDEs and used Carbotech XP 10s on the front and XP8s on the rear. This was on my LS3 C6.

I'm going to be using a stock 99 Miata this year WITHOUT ABS. I have locked up the tires twice in the last 4 months on the street. Any suggestions? I was going to install new fluid, rotors, & SS lines, with the pads.

Thanks!

XP8 Front and XP10 Rear.

I just did my 3rd HPDE event this weekend with porterfield race pads (FM) front and XP10 rear. Breaks were excellent. Felt very linear, and never faded. Good feedback through the pedal. I knew right where to push them before they would like up. On the couple of occasions early on where I chirped the tires, the F/R locked at the same time. I do have a wilwood prop. valve?

Did you mean XP10 front and XP8 rear? That is the setup that most spec guys run and works very well.

I absolutely did not mean that. I meant putting the more aggresive pad on the smaller, weaker end to balance out the bias and give you optimal breaking power without a front-end-only lock up.

Why not just get the DTC-60s? If I were buying new, that is what I would probably try.

Hustler seems to love them.

I'm just going to throw this out there since I consider myself a novice. I don't think there are "novice" break pads. If you are at the track, then you want good track pads. You will have a lot more fun. BUT, based on your first post, It sounds like you just want to know which track pads to buy for your miata.

It's easier to lock-up a high-friction pad than something like a Carbotech sponge-pad. I like super-high friction pads because I like braking with the toe and I'm delicate on the pedals.

Where do the porterfield race pads fall??? I break with the ball of my foot and liked how there was a lot of room before lockup. I'm sure you get used to whatever you are using at the time. I like the sponge analogy, but it may convey an negative quality that may not be negative. Like you said, personal preference. I'll try DTC-60s next go around.

My car is stock, so not very fast. I'm a novice, so not very fast. I locked up my brakes on the street, so not very good at brake modulation under pressure(probably from years of ABS). I believe an expert level driver will need way more aggressive pads than I, due to their higher speeds coming into a corner. I let off way too early. I only know this from years of offroad motorcycle racing. I realize I am slow. When I let off the gas and coast coming into a turn, I know that it is wrong to coast, but still too chicken to brake later and harder. It will come with time.

I am surprised about more pad for the rear than front, but that's why I'm asking. It was my front that locked up.

I found that with better breaks I gained more confidence. Knowing that your brakes aren't going to fade is a good feeling. I would never go to the track again with a street pad, regardless of power.

Some people like the feel of Carbotech pads, this does not compute with me.

OP, I'll get skinned here buy try Hawk HP+. If you're a novice, they'll do fine. I had all of half a dozen "hot" laps on my very first track day. VERY slow traffic, speed limits, passing restrictions, and an instructor that doesn't want you to push it. The Hawk shouldn't fade in those conditions, and might last you another day or two if you're not dive bombing every corner. As a bonus you can put them on weeks in advance and keep them on afterwords for 1000s of miles. Swapping pads would be the last thing I wanna do on my first track day.

FYI, the above experiences were with 1.8 brakes all around, all seasons, and stock power.

The car is now much lighter, although still with all season tires, and 11" wilwood brakes. I'm back on HP+ in the front, and while I tested the waters with my new setup (brakes, turbo, cooling, everything changed), they held up. As I begin to trust the car more and more and possibly add r-comps, I know I'll be needing some better pads.

HP+ work well on a stock miata. and a great loud-ass noisy dusty street pad for a turbo miata.