Best brake pad?

R

Rickster93

Member
I’ve just bought some oem csl front discs for my z4m coupe.
Just wondered what the best pad to use was?
It’s not a track car but I do like a spirited drive and it will do a couple of laps at the Nürburg in November.

I’ve been looking at ebc yellow or red stuff pads
 
I have Ferodo DS2500's on the track car. Superb for not fading but they throw out a lot of dust.

H.
 
Havard said:
I have Ferodo DS2500's on the track car. Superb for not fading but they throw out a lot of dust.

H.
Click to expand...

I have them on my Clio trophy. I feel they may be a bit excessive for every day road use
 
EBC Red are ceramic and low dust, and have good initial grip.

I currently run Porterfield R4-S and have been pleased with them.
 
I've used yellows a few times , once on a z3m coupe , around the ring and for general road use , bed them in properly using the give it the death method after you fit them and they are fine all round . I used reds once on a 3.0 roadster and bedded them in using the light braking for the first 1000 miles method and they gave up before Adenauer forest . Only you can decide which way you bed them in ! :driving:
The reds were fine after I'd let them cool off and tried again
 
Paulwirral said:
I've used yellows a few times , once on a z3m coupe , around the ring and for general road use , bed them in properly using the give it the death method after you fit them and they are fine all round . I used reds once on a 3.0 roadster and bedded them in using the light braking for the first 1000 miles method and they gave up before Adenauer forest . Only you can decide which way you bed them in ! :driving:
The reds were fine after I'd let them cool off and tried again
Click to expand...

Give it the death menthod ? 😂
 
Rickster93 said:
Paulwirral said:
I've used yellows a few times , once on a z3m coupe , around the ring and for general road use , bed them in properly using the give it the death method after you fit them and they are fine all round . I used reds once on a 3.0 roadster and bedded them in using the light braking for the first 1000 miles method and they gave up before Adenauer forest . Only you can decide which way you bed them in ! :driving:
The reds were fine after I'd let them cool off and tried again
Click to expand...

Give it the death menthod ? 😂
Click to expand...

Fit them , take the car to a quiet road and brake as hard as you dare 60 down to 10 a dozen or so times until the brakes stink then drive home the long way using them gently until they've cooled down .
 
Performance Friction carbon metallics .11 compound (unfadeable, ultra low dust, ok from cold, amazing once warm, and cheaper than most of the EBC range, really kind to discs and seem to last forever!). There is no way on earth you would ever go back to the likes of EBC after trying them..

BMW E46 M3 pads:

F: Performance friction 0394.11
R: Performance friction 0548.11

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Performance-Friction-Z-Rated-Brake-Pads-Front-BMW-3-Series-E46-M3-CSL-039411/121830063495?hash=item1c5da33d87:g:lbkAAOSwHQ9WXvid

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-M3-Performance-Friction-Z-Rated-Rear-Brake-Pads-0548-11-/121830057465


Just double check that the E46 M3 ones are the same as the Z4. I think they are.
 
ph001 said:
Performance Friction carbon metallics .11 compound (unfadeable, ultra low dust, ok from cold, amazing once warm, and cheaper than most of the EBC range, really kind to discs and seem to last forever!). There is no way on earth you would ever go back to the likes of EBC after trying them..

BMW E46 M3 pads:

F: Performance friction 0394.11
R: Performance friction 0548.11

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Performance-Friction-Z-Rated-Brake-Pads-Front-BMW-3-Series-E46-M3-CSL-039411/121830063495?hash=item1c5da33d87:g:lbkAAOSwHQ9WXvid

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-M3-Performance-Friction-Z-Rated-Rear-Brake-Pads-0548-11-/121830057465


Just double check that the E46 M3 ones are the same as the Z4. I think they are.
Click to expand...

I think I’m going to give these a go! Cheers mate thanks very much. So the z4m front discs are csl size but are a standard e46 m3 Caliper which obviously holds the standard e46 pad
 
Performance Friction are great for the cash and better than the EBC pads, if money isn't an object and you want really really good pads go for the Pagid RS29's you'll struggle to beat them
 
hopz121 said:
Performance Friction are great for the cash and better than the EBC pads, if money isn't an object and you want really really good pads go for the Pagid RS29's you'll struggle to beat them
Click to expand...

Think those pads are a bit much for what I’m after to be honest. Think these friction pads have ticked all the boxes
 
wspohn said:
R60BBA said:
Whatever you do, do not put EBC on there.

They’re shite!
Click to expand...

Which compound did you try and why didn't you like it?
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
wspohn said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
R60BBA said:
Red stuff.
Click to expand...
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
 
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