Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.

Best brake pad?

"M" Specific discussion
User avatar
R60BBA
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1776
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:53 pm
Location: London, United Kingdom

Best brake pad?

Post by R60BBA » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:13 pm

wspohn wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:23 pm
R60BBA wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 6:28 pm Whatever you do, do not put EBC on there.

They’re shite!
Which compound did you try and why didn't you like it?
Red stuff.

For fast road use OEM brakes are much better. Red stuff pads create a lot of brake dust and also noise which can be quite embarrassing when pulling up in shopping carparks for example.

I initially put on the pads in prep for a Nurburgring trip earlier this year. However I started to get fade after about 6 mins of driving.

They are cheaper than the likes of Pagid and Ferrodo for a reason.
Current: 2002 E46 M3
Current: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI

User avatar
wspohn
Member
Member
Posts: 757
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 9:11 pm

Best brake pad?

Post by wspohn » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:25 pm

Interesting, as the Redstuff is ceramic and has produced very little dust at all for me. Nor have I been able to fade them despite driving hard down a local mountain. And absolutely zero noise.

Are you sure your brake system is in spec? Your results are at variance with mine. I currently have the Porterfields on the Z4M and have likewise had no squeal, nor fade.
Vancouver BC, Canada
2007 Z4MC
2009 Solstice GXP coupe
1962 MGA Coupe
1956 MGA (rebody+re-engined)
1958 MGA Twin Cam race car
1972 Jensen Interceptor

User avatar
R60BBA
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1776
Joined: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:53 pm
Location: London, United Kingdom

Best brake pad?

Post by R60BBA » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:36 pm

wspohn wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:25 pm Interesting, as the Redstuff is ceramic and has produced very little dust at all for me. Nor have I been able to fade them despite driving hard down a local mountain. And absolutely zero noise.

Are you sure your brake system is in spec? Your results are at variance with mine. I currently have the Porterfields on the Z4M and have likewise had no squeal, nor fade.
I put them on my previous car (Z4C) and yes my brakes were in spec as I also upgraded my discs, replaced the rubber hoses with stainless steel lines and put in a racing brake fluid.

Take them on track and you will see what I mean. You just reminded me that my brakes started to overheat whilst driving back to my apartment from the Nurburgring 24HR race on normal country roads.

I will be putting either Pagid or Ferrodo on my M3 when my current OEM pads are finished.
Current: 2002 E46 M3
Current: 2004 R53 Cooper S
Current: 2005 997 Carrera S
Gone: 1998 E31 840Ci Sport
Gone: 2007 Z4 E86 3.0Si Sport
Gone: 2001 Z3 E36/7 2.2i San Remo Individual
Gone: 2015 F21 116d M Sport
Gone: 2012 A3 Sportback 1.2TFSI

beanie
Member
Member
Posts: 834
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:57 pm
Location: Bournemouth/Turin

Best brake pad?

Post by beanie » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:57 pm

I think this is a tricky one as everyone has a different idea of what spirited driving is when it comes to road use. Some lean on the anchors like a trackday whilst others are more relaxed. I've actually found the standard pads (OE BMW fwiw) and discs together with a good fluid have been more than up to the task of both fast road and a couple of laps of the ring as long as you aren't driving like a complete mentalist.

On the road I've only had light fade once or twice and tbh I was probably driving a little outside of what might be deemed 'spirited'. It was all well signalled and very manageable so I hardly thought it worth changing anything.

Even on a short sprint track doing a 20 minute session the standard brakes really surprised me. Of course, they really aren't up to the task at all (softer, longer pedal and in need of management midway through) but they hung in there and performed way beyond what I ever thought possible from the 'notoriously poor' M brake setup.

Tldr - If you're not a 'last of the late brakers' then, kept in good order, the oem stuff with good fluid may be all you need.
Image
RUBYIMOLACARBON

mmm-five
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 12714
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:03 pm
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Best brake pad?

Post by mmm-five » Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:05 pm

R60BBA wrote: Red stuff.
I’m not surprised your unimpressed with EBC pads if all you’ve ever used is RedStuff.

I know some people don’t like EBC, as they’re a ‘cheap’ pad, but there are also plenty of people who are happy with them.

I’ve been through Ferodo DS2000, DS2500, DS3000, Pagid RS14, Pagid RS42, and Pagid RS29 - of all of those I prefer the feel of the RS14.

However, a friend mentioned EBC pads a long time ago, and I bought a set to replace the expensive RS14s I was running (at about 1 set every 2 track days) in the M5...initially only for the cost saving if they were any good (averaging about a track day a month was getting expensive of pads/discs/tyres).

Since then I’ve had about 20 sets of EBC pads, but the ‘lowest’ spec I’ve used have been Yellowstuff...as road & track pads on a 1700kg e34 M5. Never had any fading, crumbling, detachment, or anything else that other people have reported on the internet.

I had Yellowstuff on the Z4MC, and when I went to order my next set (about 4 trackdays and 20,000 miles later) it was suggested that I give their new formula Bluestuff NDX pads a try.

I did, and used them for the next 6 years and 100,000 miles (about 4 track days a year, and 2-3 Ring trips of 20-40 laps). Again never had a problem.

If I can’t quickly get a set (usually when I think I have a spare set, but don’t or can’t find them) then my spanner monkey has a contact at Pagid and fits RS29s for me, but they’re very dusty, squeal, and don’t last as long...and about £500 for a 4 wheel set.

I use them for a couple of reasons:
  • they’re good enough for my use (and my braking technique - they may not suit your driving/braking style)
  • they last about about twice as long as RS29
  • they retail for less than half what the equapivalent Pagid RS pad sells for
  • i get a 40% discount from EBC as a perk for being a marshal (so about £120 for a 4 wheel set)
Although I am planning on trying some PF.11 pads when I get a chance...after the Orangestuff I’ve got in the Porsche callipers die/are killed :P
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

Image

beanie
Member
Member
Posts: 834
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:57 pm
Location: Bournemouth/Turin

Best brake pad?

Post by beanie » Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:10 pm

mmm-five wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:05 pm Many brake related words...
How did you find disc wear with the various pads you've tried?
Image
RUBYIMOLACARBON

mmm-five
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 12714
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:03 pm
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Best brake pad?

Post by mmm-five » Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:55 pm

beanie wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:10 pm
mmm-five wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:05 pm Many brake related words...
How did you find disc wear with the various pads you've tried?
Seemed to be about 3 sets of pads to every set of discs - although I had a lot of road miles between track days (25k miles a year and about 90% road to 10% track) to smooth the discs/remove uneven pad deposits. That's probably also why I got so many miles out of a set of tyres too...considering I don't swap tyres for track work...about 20k out of the rears, and 40k out of the fronts.

Some of it will be down to braking technique, as my mate in an e34 M5 goes through a set of pads a day when we go the the Ring, and that's usually when he's trying to get away from me. I prefer to lift off a bit earlier and carry more speed through the corner, so that I'm right up his chuff accelerating out of the corner.

I was always taught to brake hard & early, and release the brakes as early as possible so that the car is balanced, the brakes have had the greatest benefit from high-speed cooling, and you're ready in plenty of time for the corner. The Ring is not heavy on brakes though - nowhere near as bad as Oulton or Cadwell.

But then I don't drive it like I stole it everywhere!
Trigger’s Z4MC
Some bits now over 163,000 miles, some less than 1,000 miles.
Individual Ruby Black, Individual extended champagne leather, plus many options

Image

Rickster93
Member
Member
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:23 pm

Best brake pad?

Post by Rickster93 » Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:58 pm

Some really interesting reviews! I’m so stuck what to go with!! 😂

Rickster93
Member
Member
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:23 pm

Best brake pad?

Post by Rickster93 » Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:51 pm

I’ve decided to go with stoptech street performance pads. The car is a weekend toy and I’m no track expert anyway. So can’t see my self going mad. These seems to tick all the box’s for a pad above oem

User avatar
NickDE
Senior Member
Senior Member
Posts: 1170
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 12:21 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Best brake pad?

Post by NickDE » Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:58 pm

Yellowstuff. No problems at Nordschleife, Oulton, Cadwell, Anglesey, Rockingham, Spa. Also fine on the road.
Darkness gone, go Darknes2, go Frozen, go Tronic

Rickster93
Member
Member
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:23 pm

Best brake pad?

Post by Rickster93 » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:05 pm

Are the rear discs of the z4mc the same as the e46 m3. On the hunt for the best place to buy some rear discs

User avatar
ph001
Lifer
Lifer
Posts: 3870
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 5:53 pm
Location: N. Yorkshire.

Best brake pad?

Post by ph001 » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:12 pm

Rickster93 wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:51 pm I’ve decided to go with stoptech street performance pads.
How much were they if you don’t mind me asking?
2007 E85 Z4 3.0Si manual :driving:
19" CSL's | Eibach Springs | Aeroskirts | Z4M front bumper | Clear brake light | ZHP | RCH+| Stubby

2004 E46 M3 coupe manual - gone but not forgotten.

Image

beanie
Member
Member
Posts: 834
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:57 pm
Location: Bournemouth/Turin

Best brake pad?

Post by beanie » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:13 pm

mmm-five wrote: Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:55 pm Seemed to be about 3 sets of pads to every set of discs
that sounds pretty good, I don’t think I’d get that many pad swaps on my standard stuff.

Rickster-seems like a good choice, let us know how you get on with them :)
Image
RUBYIMOLACARBON

Rickster93
Member
Member
Posts: 68
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:23 pm

Best brake pad?

Post by Rickster93 » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:27 pm

ph001 wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:12 pm
Rickster93 wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:51 pm I’ve decided to go with stoptech street performance pads.
How much were they if you don’t mind me asking?
Found them on eBay for £50 delivered

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 2537826846

Does the z4m have e46 m3 callipers and just csl front discs. So these pads will be fine?
Last edited by Rickster93 on Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
wspohn
Member
Member
Posts: 757
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2016 9:11 pm

Best brake pad?

Post by wspohn » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:28 pm

NickDE wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:58 pm Yellowstuff. No problems at Nordschleife, Oulton, Cadwell, Anglesey, Rockingham, Spa. Also fine on the road.
The reason I went for Red rather than Yellow were reviews like this:

https://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthr ... ?t=1189244
Vancouver BC, Canada
2007 Z4MC
2009 Solstice GXP coupe
1962 MGA Coupe
1956 MGA (rebody+re-engined)
1958 MGA Twin Cam race car
1972 Jensen Interceptor

Post Reply