Brake pads options

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

Hey guys i’ve searched and haven’t found many answers on the topic. I currently run the Porsche front BBK and for the pads im using hawk ceramics. Im not fan. I dont like the lack in initial bite and overall just dont seem to like them much. I also experienced a bit of brake fade last year as quattro de mayo. Ive been thinking of swapping them out for something else with more of a bite.

I looked at reviews and even spoken to someone on here once about pads and (maybe datadutum?) and they were running stoptechs and liked them because they had a near OEM feel.

Any suggestions on a good pad that fits the 18z calipers (gonna swap the rears as well) that i can put on that has a nice initial bite and overall is a great pad. Thanks for your suggestions.

#2

I like Carbotech’s 1521 pads for the street. They are better than Hawk HPS and Stoptech’s performance street pad on dust, initial bite, and cold/wet performance.

If you’re running into brake fade because of the pads, you need to go with something more aggressive than a “street performance” pad. I think Carbotech’s AX6 would provide plenty heat tolerance and will still work when cold for you. These pads might be loud when cold due to the nature of ceramic based pads. The AX6 is engineered for autocross so they are meant to perform when cold and during short hard braking stints, which is the same conditions you’ll be seeing at QDM, right?

Give Carbotech a call, they always provide great advice.

#3

I also run bobcat’s (1521’s) from Carbotech. One of the things that is really nice with their pads is you can swap their different pad compounds in the calipers (I have XP10 fronts XP8’s in the back and then 1521’s for the street) with no worry about pad contamination.

#4

+1 for Carbotech.

I run the 1521 streets and XP24/XP12 front/rear for track.

Great pads with good modulation (and additional benefit in not having to worry about transfer material compatibility).

#5

Damn, what kind of tires do you run with that track setup?

#6

I got stoptech pads with the stoptech BBK and I hated them.

Switched to the bobcats mentioned here and loved their linear feel and they are very good and I would highly recommend them (even recommended them to saki which he bought for his RS4).

That said, I did manage to over heat them on a spirited drive in Northern Ontario.

I then decided to try out the Ferodo DS2500 pads which are great as well (although little bite within the first 3 minutes of driving of course due to the fact that they work best when warmer). They did start squealing at 5% pressure not long after I installed them (anything above 5% pressure did not cause any squealing) but then when the winter came they became totally quiet. I don’t know if it’s due to the cold weather or if the noise just went away from use. I need to wait another 6 weeks for it to warm up again to see if the noise comes back.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to push them yet with it being winter and all so can’t say if they hold up better than bobcats when pushed hard but they should according to their description. We’ll see I guess.

Can’t go wrong with the bobcats unless you start pushing them hard (by hard I mean fast (40-55mph) twisties and bends with few straights available to allow for cooling for 10 minutes) so I guess it depends what you plan to do with them. Ferodos were not cheap though.

#7

I’m running PSS’. Nothing exotic. RP2s and XP12s don’t last very long for me on the RS5. :frowning:

I ran RP2/XP8 on the B8 S4 I used to have.

#8

carbotech is the way to go. originally started with them in my race car but then switched my audi to xp10’s

mike puskar is my go to contact

#9

That’s crazy, I was out-braking a set of PSS with just XP10 on the front on my RS4.

#10

It does get sketchy if I brake hard from over 130mph - really need to make sure I load up the fronts before braking hard (and the occasional yaw) - less so an issue with stiffer suspension.

I burned through a set of RP2s and XP12 in about 2 track days.

#11

Yeah, you had said that you load up the brakes before you hammer on before. I have tried that and it does work well. Otherwise I can over power my 265 PSS tires with my RS4 front brakes using EBC YellowStuff pads on my S4. I think that I am going to switch to Carbotech pads when I wear out my current EBC YellowStuff pads.

#12

Yeah, load up the suspension and then threshold brake.

This is probably the hardest that I’ve had to brake (in recent memory):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaySZ4ezeHk

Came up a blind crest only to find a very slow conga line in front of me (one car was off pace). Towards the end, the car was squirming (rear got a little loose) as I was preparing to take the car off track to avoid rear ending my buddy. Fortunately, the brakes and tires came through. (I usually go deep/dive bomb into that corner - since it’s so tight then rotate and unwind while powering out - car complains less that way)

#13

After doing some research the Ferodos really seem to be what im looking for but man that price kills me. lol. I think im just gonna bite the bullet and order them. The 18z calipers are 300 bucks for the front pads. lol. Komseh, yeah QDM is exactly how you and Axel described it which is why i may go with the Ferodo’s over the carbotechs. The carbotechs show a warning of no track use for the bobcats (probably why you burnt the Axel) and everything else says no street use.

#14

Catless down pipes also say for offroad use only :slight_smile:

#15

Yeah I mean a lot of people drive to the track with their racing pads already installed. Sounds like you’ve already made up your mind, but I would go with the CT AX6 as they are designed to operate at 50-1000 degrees F.

Which Ferodos are you thinking of using?

#16

The ones Axel spoke of. DS2500. I read reviews for the AX6 and most really like them, but overall i kept reading they are pretty noisy while the Ferodos dont seem to be as noisy (actually pretty quiet). Do you run the AX6? If so are you getting a lot of noise?

NOTHING is set in stone until i make a purchase. LOL ill be standing in line at a store and reading reviews while waiting to pay and end up not buying something if i read something i dont like.

#17

I wouldn’t be surprised on the noise for the AX6. The XP10s were super loud when cold during the few days I ran them on the street. Once you get any of those pads up to temp they won’t make any noise though.

#18

XP10 are VERY noisy. I daily them, I am not bothered too much by it. Once I do brakes again, I will switch to another carbotech for the street

#19

LOL… you run XP10’s on the street!?? Yikes! Like I said, I have XP10’s for the front and XP8’s for the back, and the last time I had to drive to a track event my ears were killing me on the way there and back. I sounded like a big old school bus coming up to stop lights and stop signs, got all kinds of looks haha.

#20

Yeah old school bus screeching brakes would describe them perfectly when cold. I only had them on for a day or two and I was trying to brake as hard and late as possible so as not to make a bunch of noise at a stop light.