2K6Z06

Need some suggestions on which pads to buy. I am running stock rotors (brand new), SRF fluid and stock calipers. I will be running 4-5 Hpde events per year and the occasional weekend getaway...I ran 3 events last season and want a little more stopping power....



I have had the HP+ recommended but didn't want to count out others...

Any and all advice is appreciated!

SunnydayDILYSI

I was running HP+ for my first 5 HPDEs. They did great for the first 4, but melted down fairly well as I was picking up speed and braking deeper on the fifth. If you are on a track where you have to drop 80+ mph going into a turn, I recommend real track pads. After much research, I settled on Carbotech XP10s. They are real track pads with good wear, good bite, rotor friendly, and competitive price. Adam on the forum gives a small discount. Everyone seems to have their favorites though (PFC, DTC70, Raybestos, etc). The switch from HP+ wasn't that dramatic from a street perspective. The HP+ were already very dusty and not exactly quiet.

Gas Junkie

I've used both the Hawk HP+ and the Carbotech AX6 for mostly autocross. The performance of both pads is similar on my C4. The Hawk pads dust a lot more. When I run autocross with the Hawks I usually wind up with brake dust in my left ear.

With the Hawks, I would blow through a set of pads and rotors in one track day. Granted it was a short track (TGPR) with lots of braking and LOTS of track time. I swapped over to Hawk DTC70 got two track days out of a set with less rotor wear. I tend to overuse the brakes.

My 2 cents,

TheKomoman

As you pick up speed you'll find that those compromise street/track pads are exactly that - a compromise. Buddy & I at VIR a couple of years ago, he was on Hawk HP+ and I was on Carbotech XP8 with identical cars aside from that. I told him where I was braking at the end of the back stretch and he tried to drive it a bit deeper and said he nearly wound up in the grass. That's not saying that Carbotech is better than Hawk, it's just that those dual-purpose pads become far less useful the faster you go. Your results will also vary by track depending on how hot you're getting the brakes and how much time they have to cool.

Resign yourself to pad swaps - get some real race pads like the Hawk DTC or Carbotech XP. Good news is you really only need to do that for the front, though I still wouldn't use ANY ceramic pads on track even on the rear. Which pad to use? Well that is entirely personal feel so really the only way to find out is to try 'em. The good news is that they're all good pads and will stop the car, so it's just a matter of finding out which you like best. I started with Carbotech, love the way they feel and stop the car and I've stayed with that. Good initial bite, nice modulation and very rotor friendly.

BTW, stopping power = dust. You get stopping and dust or you get no stopping and no dust...

JDIllon

You should also consider the Cobalt's they are great pads and require no bedding. They also offer street and track pads. The XR1's and XR2's are really great track pads. And they were one the first to offer pads for the stock C6-Z06 setup. And in my opinion, a lot easier on rotors than there competitors. Just my .02. JD

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

What tires will you be using for HPDE? With Carbotech all are compounds are compatiable with each other so swaping pads for street and track is as simple as that. No rebeding no cleaning the rotors just put pads on and go. If you do not want to swap pads than I would use the carbotech XP8 compound.

2K6Z06

I am running NT05's this season. Assuming I can swap out pads would I use the XP10's in the front and XP8's in the rear? And which pads would I swap out to for the street?

Would it be safe to drive the car to and from the track with the pads or would they need to be changed out at the track?

Thanks for your help!

2K6Z06

Thank you for the response...Were the Carbotech's easier on the rotors?

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

Yes you would use 10&8 combo and they are safe to drive on the street with no issue. If you are to swap pads you would use the Carbotech 1521 compound for street use. Give me a call I will be happy to help you 216-780-8825. On a side note all Carbotech compounds are 100% non corrosive won't harm your wheels or paint Hawk will.

Rob Willis

I like Carbotechs a lot!

...one super nice thing about them is the dust is very easy to clean off the rims/car...

2K6Z06

Ok I have recieved some good feedback and experiences...My local guy threw a wrench in what I had narrowed down to the 2 by now suggesting Raybestos ST43....Any experience here?

Thanks in advance!

SunnydayDILYSI

Since the HP+ are really street pads and the Corbotechs are far higher performance track pads, it's not really fair to judge them just on rotor wear. It would be more fair to compare the Hawk DTC60s to the Cabotech XP10s.

That said, the stock front rotors are 1.26 inches thick new and discard thickness is 1.19 inches. I wore my front HP+ pads down from 10mm to 3mm and the rotors from 1.26 inches to about 1.23 during those first HPDEs. However, the rotors were beginning to heat check (1/4 in cracks on rotor surface) at that point and it made nervous so I put on new rotors and the XP10 pads and ran them the last couple events. I haven't measured the wear yet with calipers, but the XP10s still seem to be ~50% and the rotors have not yet begun to crack.

davidfarmer

HP+ are not good track pads...not on a 3300lb Vette anyway. I go way back with Hawk, but I think Carbotech makes a better product these days!

Hi Volts Z06

Carbotech makes the best pad for the money. I have tried others that are more expensive and still think the stopping power and modulation of thier XP-16 and XP-20's are excellent. I'll be trying the new XP-22's for a 12 hour enduro in April but I always know I can trust thier products. You also can't beat tech support from the owner's themselves.

JeremyGSU

Here's a thread that may help.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...tech-xp12.html

MarkDFW

I vote for the carbotechs. I run xp12/xp10 setup but I'm on a stickier tire. FYI I drive around in them as my daily driver as well. They are very noisy, but people barely notice over my loud exhaust.

2K6Z06

Here's a thread that may help.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...tech-xp12.html


Great link...Thank you!

2K6Z06

Seems to be the consensus!

That is a big concern for me. Although I track the car it still looks brand new and is a garage queen in all other aspects!

Thank you!

el es tu

I run hawk HP+ and they are good pads, but Hawk also makes a compound called DTC 30 which has just as low of a minimum operating temperature (work almost immediately - even in the winter they work on the first braking application) but has more bite and a higher max operating temperature. (I think it was something like 1200 degrees)



I love the squealing of aggressive pads. Everyone else on the road that doesnt want to listen to them can shove it

Zenak

Read the Stickies in this forum for basic Ques:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html