I don not disagree. I'm just relaying what the RB folks told me. I'm skeptical as well but we'll see. As materials technology continues to advance we may well find a pad that could pull off both well. for now I doubt any that could do both would do well with either but at the price it's worth it for me to try. If they chatter too much I'll pull the fronts and put on a set of 500s and call it soup.

 

Seems like not as many people run PF97's now. I found a lot of info from 2006 when searching on these.
I was thinking of getting these for the Fronts; not sure about the rears. This would be track-only setup for HDPE/Lapping/TT events. My setup:

255/40 RA1's on 17x9 rims
Motul fluid
311whp (if I run 23psi)
Stock rotors / Stock calipers
No brake cooling ducts (yet)
No stainless steel lines (yet)

Throw me some suggestions...

Btw, I found AMS put up a brake guide FWIW:
http://www.amsperformance.com/store/...oducts_id=1546

 

Not many people run the PFC 97's anymore because they don't make the rear pad anymore.

For your uses, I would go with PFC 01's front and rear.

Dan used to run Pagid Yellows, but when he switched to RA-1's he found he really needed a little more pad. His PFC 01's held up nicely.

- Andrew

 

Ah, that's why they're not used as much! I kinda remember that now. I know some people run a lesser pad in the rear, could this be done with the PF97's in front?

PFC01's I was more hesitant to go with because (I believe) they are more aggressive yet. I am using the stock rotors, and am looking for a pad that'll get me more than 3 track days like the DTC70's seem to support for some people! I'd like something to get me 6-10 track days - and I'm not too hard on brakes since I don't run past 8/10's really at my level.
I know.......tracking on a budget is a no-win situation!

 

Only thing I'm worried about is using a very aggressive pad with my stock rotors. From suggestions, sounds like my best bets are the following:

PCF01's
ET900's -> http://www.racingbrake.com/main/rb_pads.asp
DTC60's or DTC70's

 

Agressive pads with Stock calipers and Rotors are fine, but just plan on replacing the rotors often and rebuilding the calipers on occasion. PF01s front and rear have done me well. The EBD on the Evo is pretty good, so the need to adjust brake bias with lower friction pas in the rear isn't required.

I HIGHLY recommend replacing the brake lines with SS. I have been witness to two OEM Evo brake line failures one on a new Evo 8 and the other on Marty's Evo 9. In both cases the line seperated from the metal fitting at the caliper. Marty was able to get the car slowed down and after he cleaned his shorts was fine...the Evo 8 however found a tirewall and hit it so hard that it tipped the concrete Jersey barrier behind it over...total loss on a car that hadn't had a payment made on it yet.

 

Ouch. I wonder how much heat was a factor versus pressure? I only autocross my Evo, so the brakes don't get that hot, so I wouldn't think that it would be an issue?

I know the older (mid to late-90s) Mustang Cobras had an issue with the rubber brake lines with race pads and track use. There was even some Ford bulletin about the problem, but as far as I know they never pushed out the info. to owners.

 

The big drawback to PF97 pads is how corrosive the compound is. The dust sticks to everything and ruins everything it touches. A good friend of mine destroyed a very $$$ set of BBS alloys and screwed up the paint on his flanks because he didn't wash the dust off immediately. I wouldn't use these pads on a car you really care about.

I've had good luck with Carbotech products. The XP-9 is a good choice with street tires. The XP-10 and 12 work well with R-compounds. All of these are pretty gentle on rotors. And the dust is non-corrosive.

Emre

 

I'd strongly suggest you stay away from the Racing Brake pads. I don't know if my case was isolated, but the compound separated from the metal backing after one 20 minute club race. The customer support department told me this was normal

I also do not like the XP12, they were very odd for myself and Bill Ziegler, the pads would give mushy pedal but come back right away, very unsettling. I hear the XP16 compound is much better. I loved the XP11 and XP10 when they were "the compound".

 

I was thinking of getting a set also. Can anyone who has exp. w/ these chime in?

 

If I were you, I'd improve the brake cooling first. I use the factory brake cooling air guides, no gravel/dust/spray shields, RBF600 fluid, SS lines, BAER Eradispeed rotors, Ferrodo DS2500 pads, and good (I think!) braking technique. Typically, I don't have any significant brake problems, but my car has a bit less horsepower than you. The Ferodo pads are relatively cheap, streetable, last a long time, and have good rotor wear characteristics.

The typical tracks that I go to are Road America, Brainerd, Blackhawk Farms, and MAM.

The only time that I have had significant fade with this set-up was last year at Blackhawk where both my son and I were driving the car in sequential track sessions in 95 degree temperatures.

Bottom line - the Ferrodo pads work well as long as you keep make a good effort to cool the brakes and use good technique (short duration brake periods).

 

Forgot to mention - the Ferrodos typically last for about 6-7 track days.

 

I'm looking for more stopping power than that. I currently have a similar setup to the DS2500's - I'm running Performance Friction Z rated pads (PF Z's). They have very little, if any, fade and are solid and repeatable. I've recommended them to several people that run on the street.

I want something that will stop my ~400hp 3200lb machine sooner from 130mph.

 

The main differences in brake pads are their optimum operating temperature range and coefficient of friction. Changing brake pads to ones that have a higher coefficient of friction will mean that you have to push on the pedal less hard to get close to the ABS actuation point. Pads with a high limit to their useful temperature range means they are more fade resistant.

"stopping power" really doesn't mean anything. On the track, you almost always want to be braking just short of ABS actuation. I guess a high friction pad will allow you to get at that point a millisecond or so sooner, but it wouldn't be an issue for most of us amateurs. If you want to get from 100mph to 40 mph in significantly less time, you have to increase the friction between your tires and the road. Without changing the car, this means using stickier tires.

I guess "stopping power" is mainly your tire grip and the ability of the pad/rotor/fluid combo to resist failure. Hence - maximize the brake cooling.

 

If this were true, then everyone would use the same pads, right?
Why would we spend $300 when we can goto autozone and spend < $100??


.......Rereading your post and I get what you're saying. I've yet to overheat my PFZ pads, but others have so much more 'stopping power'. What I want to do is reduce the distance and decrease my braking zones. Maybe that's a better way to put it.
Either way, I know PF Z pads and DS2500 pads aren't up to the task!