[Lou Monnot]

I was wondering what experience anyone has had with the following pad material:
Carbotech Bobcat
Porterfield R-4S
Axxis Ultimate
I have the OE brake set-up and plan to attend 2-3 Drivers schools this summer. I don't want to resort to changing pads to track material for each event, I am not that aggrassive a driver.

 

[SR20DEe]

the bob cats are very nice. stand up really well to heavy track/street abuse..


i can also say the ultimate pads i use in the rear take a tad bit of warmup before the car brakes to its potential.

I am 20 K on this setup. and at 60% pad life front and ??? rear.

Wash your car weekly and you'll be fine double dutying these pads

don't know about the porterfield pads

 

[maxQ]

I was wondering what experience anyone has had with the following pad material:
Carbotech Bobcat
Porterfield R-4S
Axxis Ultimate
I have the OE brake set-up and plan to attend 2-3 Drivers schools this summer. I don't want to resort to changing pads to track material for each event, I am not that aggrassive a driver.

Ultimate = good, cheap.
Bobcat = better, expensive.

The Bobcat will handle track days noticeably better.

 

[spdracerUT]

I've had the porterfield r4s pads. I'd say they make a good auto-x pad. I've heard they don't hold up on a big road course though. I've used them for 5-10 min. on a small road course only hitting about 80mph. They grooved the hell out of my rotors though on the street because I'm pretty easy on brakes and they never got up to temp.

 

[JimmyNX2000]

If this is on an AD22 car, then I can vie for the Ultimates. These are F-ing awsome. I have had these on for about a year now, and they are almost still as good biting. I gave them hell in autocrossing, and they were the ****. I would reccomend the Ultimates for good street and racing pads that wont bust the wallet, and then get some SS brake lines to compliment them. You would be happy. though if you need the best, listen to the Track guys. Im just an autoX junkie.

 

[1lapdawg]

After doing over 12 track days plus 5 one laps of America I would go with Carbotech products for track days. The Panther Plus have been great, very rotor friendly no fade, worth every penny. For the rears I usually run stock nissan pads. Happy with the set up but I'm sure there will be someone who can add a bit more info.

Jeremy

 

[98_1LE]

I am an advocate of swapping out pads and rotors for track use. Good track pads suck on the street, and good street pads suck on the track.

On my T/A I use stock pads for street and autox, and run Panther + or Panther XP's for track events (and some autox). I run OEM pads out back.

I have EBC Greenstuff's on the NX up front, and whatever was on the back when I bought it, and am really impressed with them. They brake really well compared to what was on it before. I have been told they don't take heat well, but time will tell. I do like the clean wheels

 

[FastNX]

I have EBC Greenstuff's ...... I have been told they don't take heat well.....

 

[98_1LE]

FastNX - What is the story? How many miles, and how hard were they driven (street, autox, RR)?

Thanks

 

[98sr20ve]

Even with the NX brakes you can destroy Ultimates at the track. It depends on the driver. Matt used the Bobcats at the track in testing at VIR and he was pretty pleased. For a true street pad it would be the better choice. I was there when he did this. He hadn't taken them off the car to inspect the wear but they worked pretty well from what he told me. I got a ride with him and he was working them hard but not abusive. It is not hard to change pads at the track on the oem brakes. You just remove one pin and swing the caliper up and out of the way, remove the pads and then drop it back down and retighten. If you need to retract the caliper you just get a big C clamp and some blocks. In other words dont be too afraid of switching pads. It doesn't have to be that bad. If you own stock non-nx brakes forget the dual purpose pad. Just put it out of your mind.

 

[Peanuthead]

Switch pads at the track and give Matt at Carbotech as he knows what he is doing.

 

[MaddMatt]

I'm skiing this week, so call me next week

Trying to find a "one pad for everything" is tough. Almost impossible. If you're serious about this track thing, you'll end up having a set of street pads and a set of track pads. And likely a set of rotors for each pad.

One thing's for sure: Keep anything EBC as far away from the track as possible.

 

[FastNX]

FastNX - What is the story? How many miles, and how hard were they driven (street, autox, RR)?

Thanks

Street driven with one half day at a short road course. That's what they looked at after the road course. I had put about 20 000KM on them prior to that, mostly highway.

 

[spicez]

I dont know much about the carbotech compounds except I have only heard good things about them.

I dont know why HP+ wasnt mentioned, maybe there is no application for your car... but hawk HP+ are the best street/track compromise you can find. They will hold up to very hard track abuse with no fadding, and will brake great on the street. They will squeal and dust... but you have to make compromises at this point.

I`ll be trying out the Axxis Ultimates soon for the first time. We just started being able to get them in Canada under the (PBR Ultimate Ceramic) banner. Axxis/PBR/Repco all the same australian stuff.

I`ll see if I like them, I might use them as my winter compound Summer is always HP+ for me though. 2-3 lapping nights a week, plus weekend solo 1 events or lapping days. This means swapping out pads is OUT OF THE QUESTION for me. I mean, once a week ok, but more than that... I already have to change wheels, hehe.

 

[98sr20ve]

I thought the Hawks were no longer made for our cars.

 

[MaddMatt]

Hawk doesn't make the 91-94 SE-R or NX pad.

They do make a pad for a Mitsubishi that's *real* close to the NX pad...

 

[spicez]

Thats why I mentioned I wasnt sure which application this was for and if hawk made one.

They still do for my car, so Im lucky.

 

[Lou Monnot]

Well, thanks for the response, I have the smaller stock brakes and I am thinking of going with the Carbotech's for a good track pad on smaller brakes before I decide to go to the brake upgrade. I just don't like idea of having to change pads at the track each day, I have swapped enough tires and wheels in the rain, I don't want to have to start doing the brake pads.
My question now is, those who have the Carbotech track pads, could I change the pads at home (in a dry garage) and drive them to and from the track on the weekends?

BTW NAPA has stock rotors for the AD18 calipers for $17.00 each. Has anyone found them cheaper?

 

[Driven97]

I change mine the day before the track day and change them back the day after. You get a bit more wear for the drive each way, but nothing to worry about. I reccommend Panther XPs. They rule.

FWIW, I went through a set of "Hot Street" pads in ONE SESSION on the track. I've gotten a good 4-5 track days out of XPs, and I'm murder on the brakes. (Gotta keep up with those Porsches somehow.)

 

[98sr20ve]

My question now is, those who have the Carbotech track pads, could I change the pads at home (in a dry garage) and drive them to and from the track on the weekends?

Yes, In fact once in a fit of laziness I left mine on for a month. If the rotors only cost $18 then its not a big deal to eat thru rotors a little faster. My rotors took a little bit of a hit but they where still usable.