When swapping between two different pads for street and track, are there any issues?
do the pads need a bed-in procedure/period every time they are swapped?

thanks,
Aaron

 

In general, it's recommended to use the same brand for both (i.e. Porterfield for both street and track, or Carbotech for both).

Basically, it's harder for the street compound to scrub off the track transfer layer off the rotor since it's not as abrasive as the track compound. I've never really had any issues, but you could have less than stellar braking for a little bit after switching back to your street compound.

 

hmm, i'm running EBC green right now on the street. guess i will have to get one of their track pads, whatever that is.

thanks for the tip.

 

alright so EBC's track pads are the Yellow and Blue. i can't find a part number for the Blue for TII/FD brakes so i'm assuming they don't have them.

is the Yellow stuff a suitable pad for driving schools or a day of lapping?
i'm planning on doing one or two this summer on a fairly big track, but my car isn't that fast so i won't be generating huge speeds or anything. i just don't want brake failure.

edit:

this is what it says on the EBC website

 

EBC's seems to be a hit or miss with customers. Some customers really love them, others really hate them. The Yellow's should be fine for your first few events. I would eventually look at something like the Carbotech XP10's or something from Porterfield.

 

well i've been pretty happy with the Greens on the street/autocross.
and i can get EBC pads fairly easily through a local supplier, unlike something like Porterfield which i would have to somehow get from the states.

guess i might want to think of upgrading my Ford DOT fluid also, ha...

 

I would recommend Super Blue ATE (and ATE Gold) for brake fluid. Great temperature range and not as hydroscopic as some of the "race only" fluids so you can go farther between completely flushes.

I would also recommend a Power Bleeder: http://www.motiveproducts.com/

 

yeah i think i will get that brake fluid.
do you know a good online source that sells that fluid?

 

The link above, Motive Products, sells it.

 

ah i should have looked further at that site. thanks man, you've been lots of help.

one more thing, do you think i have to get a full set of Yellowstuff? it's pretty pricey for those pads. if i can i would rather just leave the rear Greenstuff on all the time and just swap the front pads.

 

If the rear street pads have a high coefficient of friction and you aren't running some modded beast with a lot of track time, running rear street pads should be just fine.

 

I agree with rynberg: you're not going to cook the rear brakes. EBC says the Green's Cf is 10% higher than the Yellow's, so you'll get a little more rear bias. This should work well with stock FD brakes.

 

I change my pads and rotors. You can get rotors for quite cheap (~$100 out the door for all 4) at parts stores like NAPA, and changing them isn't a big deal, so you then don't have to re-bed every time and don't have to suffer the concequences of mixing pads. Hawk pads are the de-facto choice for track driving and are apparently pretty good. I've used the HP+ and then the Porterfield R4, but not the Hawk race pads. For learning the HP+'s are ok, as you won't be getting near the car's capabilities, but when you get better you'll need to get race pads.

I've boiled my rear brakes the last time I was at the track, and that was with fresh 550 degree Ford fluid and the R4's (on unvented rears though). There was also some pad material flaking off the corners. So yes, you can get the rears pretty hot, and that was with street tires (SPT's).

If you're talking about the 550 degree Ford fluid I wouldn't bother "upgrading" it, since some of the "race" fluids actually have a LOWER boiling point. Just make sure it's good and fresh.