What are the best pads on the Stop Techs??

[Docta Vipa]

I just got the Stop Tech Big Brake kit installed on my 2001 GTS ACR (the first year with ABS). I installed the Brake Man 3 pads, front and rear, but I am not so thrilled about the way they performed at Laguna Seca and Buttonwillow over the past weekend. They don't seem "grippy" enough. What pads do you use in your Stop Techs. I don't want to have to change pads (and bed them) each time I drive to the track, so I am looking for a pad that I can get away with driving around town.
Thanks!!

 

[REDSLED]

Hey Michael, it was good running with you this past Monday. There are certainly better pads for the track, however, you will sacrifice the driveability for the streets. I believe John Dearing has been using the PAGID Blacks on his GTS (with great success) with the same brake set up as you. Although I do believe that his GTS isn't driven on the streets too much. I too switched from the Brakeman 3's to the Stop Tech Club Sports about 4 mos ago and have good success with them. As for your brakes this past weekend, you might want to completely bleed the system as it might have air in the line. Joe B also thought that this might be affecting the "grabbyness" of your Stop Techs.
Good luck-Jonathan

 

[K Adelberg]

Not sure there is a good pad for street and track. The temps. are too different. Dearing and I both really love the PFC 01's. We will be racing at Laguna this weekend, if you want to come out.

I never loved the Brakeman stuff. Easy on rotors and linear pedal feel. If you want grippy stuff, try the Pagid or PFC.

 

[GTS Dean]

The BM 3s have these things going for them: reasonably priced, plentiful, easy to drive, not much dust. The not-so-greats are: fairly high wear, and not much bite. They're about like a PFC 90 with less dust and better release.

I prefer a very aggressive finesse pad for the track. First choice PFC 93, second choice PFC 01. Dust doesn't bother me. I run OEM pads on the street. Brand new bedded takeoffs for free is a heck of a deal.

 

[Docta Vipa]

Thanks for all the very useful input. For awhile I just assumed that the BM 3 was the pad that everyone was using so I was having second thoughts about my new Stop Techs. Try some different pads?? DUH!! I am feeling a lot more optimistic now about these new brakes thanks to you guys. I will have to get me some PFCs in time for my next track day at Thunderhill on Monday, June 9th.
I do like that Autoform rollbar I had installed at the same time as the brakes. Great fit and very little loss of visibility. Next project is going to be to install the Cone Brake cooling ducts I got from REDSLED.
I had Random Technologies High Flow ceramic cats and teh Corsa exhaust installed a month or so ago, and it is a lot louder than I expected. Nice, but LOUD! Laguna was not happy on a 90db day a week ago. I had to let up so much that I created a traffic jam every time I crawled up that hill past the sound booth!
Still, I love this car! and I can't believe just how much attention it gets - amazing.
Have fun out there.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

I used the Brakeman 3 pads on my '00 with the Stoptech system for a couple of reasons, they're good on the street as well as the track. It is a more progressive pad with good feedback, this was important to me with a non-abs car. I drove SSpeed Racer's '02 GTS at the OTC, he had the Stoptech system with the Pagid black pads and it was a huge difference, the Pagids grip waaaaaay more.

 

[JoeB]

I used the Brakeman 3 pads on my '00 with the Stoptech system for a couple of reasons, they're good on the street as well as the track. It is a more progressive pad with good feedback, this was important to me with a non-abs car. I drove SSpeed Racer's '02 GTS at the OTC, he had the Stoptech system with the Pagid black pads and it was a huge difference, the Pagids grip waaaaaay more.

I have the Pagid s also and they seem to get that bite when they get hot. IMO And I am still on the stock brake system.

Joe B

 

[WCKDVPR]

Docta,

You might want to check with StopTech or maybe Ken Adelberg about the PFC 01's on StopTech rotors. I really like the 01's but they seem to eat my StopTech rotors alive (severe cracks after 4-5 track days). The StopTech guys have looked at my brakes and said the pads (01's)are too hard.

Of note, I have well over 500 hp, weigh 3400 lbs, and run big slicks so I am putting a lot of stress on the brakes.

Please check around and make sure this is the right mix for you.

Disclaimer: This is my personal experience and not indicative of what others may be experiencing. I may just be a lousy driver and very ******* the brakes.

Best of Luck,

 

[Docta Vipa]

I spent the day at Thunderhill this past Monday, running with the BrakeMan 3 pads front and rear, on the new StopTech Big Brake kit. The braking is totally unacceptable. Period. These brakes just need so much time to bring me down from speed. I am going to try the Pagids next, but there is no way that this setup is an improvement over the stock calipers with Brakeman 3 pads which I was using prior to the StopTech upgrade.

 

[Stephen Yap]

Uhhh, maybe you were just going too fast

 

[Docta Vipa]

So why didn't you join us for the day on Monday? There was plenty of track time for all and a wonderful, sunny 100+ day. Not as hot as Thunderhill can get, but enough so that Nomex got real uncomfortable by early in the morning.
I wish I was going that fast. It has got to be the brake pads! I am sure the StopTechs are not at fault.

 

[Stephen Yap]

I have many excuses

I just took Monday off a couple of weeks ago for the NorCaL Racing Club and can't really do that too often. Wife has vacation plans and I'm thinking of going to Portland again to join the Oregon VCA for their track event so I need to save my vacation days.Seems like all the weekend dates are taken this year.

1 front and 1 rear tire set is down to the cords. Actually the rear was down to cords before the event but not too bad. Now they are bad

I have a seat project I am working on and probably won't be out until that's done.

Anyway, I'm sure we'll run into each other again at some point though I hope not during 100+ degree weather.

 

[Docta Vipa]

Oregon VCA event? Sounds like fun. I did a few days at PIR in 2000 when I raced with Porsche Club Racing. Fun time.
excuses, excuses............. ;o)

 

[StopTech Service]

Here is a link to an FAQ from the StopTech Website giving part numbers from various manufacturers who have pads that fit our ST-40 calipers:

http://www.stoptech.com/faq/data/faq19.html

Also, there are pads available from Carbotech and Cobalt Friction that fit our calipers, either company can provide you with the proper part numbers. There may be others as well.

We have had different levels of success from various pads, the main variable being the driving environment, level of vehicle performance and driving style. For on track performance we've seen PFC, Pagid, Hawk and Cobalt show good results. On the street, AXXIS Ultimate, Hawk HPS and HP Plus all work pretty well.

Now the big question... What can be used on the street and track? Unfortunately, there's no pad we're yet aware of that will do everything on the track and street. Actually, the Brakeman #3 is probably about as middle of the road as you'll get, but it won't stand up to aggressive track use as well as other pads and it will be noisy and dusty on the street. If you choose to leave track pads in on the street, you may have cold stopping issues and increased rotor wear in some cases. Also, you'll need to keep them bedded in more aggressively than a street pad.

The best solution is to swap pads for track events. Yeah, it's a hassle and you have to figure out how and where to bed them in each time you swap. The plus side is when you're spending all that money on track rental, tires, fuel, hotel bills, feeding your crew, getting the suspension set for the track etc., you'll not be worrying about your brakes, you'll be concentrating on all the other aspects of going faster. Also be aware that some pads (PFC in particular) don't like to share the rotor, meaning they are not so easy to re-bed with different pads. If one had the means, they would have a spare pair of rotors and hats and swap them with the pads.

I hope this helps rather than confuses. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Matt Weiss
StopTech
mweiss@stoptech.com