Best option for DD/Auto-X/Track pads

[Chad44]

So, here's the breakdown:
I drive my car every day, without exception year round...
I autox my car at least once a month in the summer, and will be doing my first track day this weekend.
I would like to get one pad setup that is workable for all the time use, but am open to swapping pads/rotors for autox/track.

My specifics: I will have 135i calipers up front and stock 330i calipers in the rear. I already decided to go with blank rotors front and rear, and have them ordered.

I was looking at the carbotech ax6 front and rear, xp8 front and rear, xp8 front ax6 rear... I'm open to all ideas, and am a complete noob to buying pads so any help is appreciated. Price is not really a concern, I'm expecting to pay around $500 for pads all around, I would just rather find the right combination of brake feel, and pad/rotor life.

[Chad44]

I am worried about having improper brake biasing(from only upgrading the front calipers) and being a little light on rear braking, so if there's a way to help that at the same time, that would be great!

[M3TA5IN]

Very interested in this thread. I need to get new rear pads and would like them to perform in the same function as you chad.

[Hermes]

I am worried about having improper brake biasing(from only upgrading the front calipers) and being a little light on rear braking, so if there's a way to help that at the same time, that would be great!

If you are worried about bias being off I would use some high performance street up front and some true track pads in the rear to help even things out.

[M0nk3y]

I've been looking for ideas for awhile now. Its impossible.

You're going to compromise somewhere, if its noise, how they heat up, initial bite, dust.

Good luck

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[spencers]

Ain't happenin, unless you're willing to deal with compromises (mentioned above)...

Get a dedicated set of track pads.

Though for street/auto-x use, stock brake pad is fine.

[danewilson77]

....... but am open to swapping pads/rotors for autox/track.

I'm open to all ideas, and am a complete noob to buying pads so any help is appreciated. Price is not really a concern..??

He's open to all ideas. What do you track rats recommend for track pads, and recommend for street use?

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[spencers]

He's open to all ideas. What do you track rats recommend for track pads, and recommend for street use?

Like I said, use stock pads for street/autox.
Buy a dedicated set of track pads for track. I don't track so I don't have any recommendations.

[GT172I]

Porterfield R4S. Came recommended by two instructors at my last track day and I've been very happy with them since, the R4S ~ "Race for Street" which seemed appropriate for my situation and likely yours based on your OP. Make sure you bed properly to keep them quiet as mine were squeaky until I did, now silent

[Chad44]

Thanks for the input, I do have a good set of stock 135 pads that I can use for daily driving, and I can get a good DD pad... if that's the way I go, planning to get a set of pads to handle the autox and the track, what pads would you suggest? Assume that the autox/track set will have their own set of rotors, so rebedding will not be an issue.

[Chad44]

Porterfield R4S. Came recommended by two instructors at my last track day and I've been very happy with them since, the R4S ~ "Race for Street" which seemed appropriate for my situation and likely yours based on your OP. Make sure you bed properly to keep them quiet as mine were squeaky until I did, now silent

The porterfield specs list them "for occasional autocross, solo and offroad use" They don't list them as a track application where prolonged heat and all that track abuse is much more severe than those other applications... any insight?

[az3579]

FYI Chad,
I just completed my first track day with the stock 135i Jurid pads and they did fine. Granted, Lime Rock isn't a brake intensive track, but they were hot enough to smell them after a session and I had virtually no brake fade.


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[Mike V]

Seems like we've talked about this at least 3 times on here but I'm a big fan of Performance Friction Z-Rated for street, autox, and 1 or 2 track events (per year). After a few track events, some people move up to a dedicated track pad but I've honestly never felt the need to. I consider myself an average braker, meaning there are others who brake later than I do and others who are more conservative. If you like to brake as late as possible, you might want a set of dedicated track pads.

[Chad44]

I just changed my summer school schedule and will be very unlikely to do as much driving this summer as I had planned, so for now I will get my brakes set up and run the jurids out front, and figure out what to do with the rear... I can get performance friction for the rear, and have been thinking about it, but they don't make pads for the 135 calipers (shape 1371)... I will feel out the brake situation again once I'm settled into my school schedule, but thanks for all the suggestions. I have a pretty good idea what I'll be doing for most or all of this year, and may look at stepping things up next summer when I will be free from summer semesters.

[derbo]

I use Carbotech XP10 135i front track pads, Carbotech XP8 rear 330i pads. I am deciding to go a full track pad/rotor setup to minimize the brake judder that I experience on braking at freeway speeds.

The carbotechs are an amazing set of a track pads. They do squeal like crazy during street driving.LOL. One thing I never did was try the factory 135i pads on the track. Botond has me wondering if they would do well at the track now. Maybe I'll try them one session.

I never done auto-x but I would guess that you would need a brake pad that operates at low-to mid temperatures since most runs are under 1minute? Track pads usually don't fully heat up till end of 1st warmup lap and IMO be horrible auto-x pad.

PFC doesn't make 135i pads otherwise I would've tried them.

[Chad44]

As is always with braking, the driving and braking style is important too.. I am generally a late and heavy braker, but I've never been on the track before so I'd just be making assumptions.
First things first... I need the car back from the body shop, then it's a matter of getting the brackets fitted to the car for the calipers... And so you know, I sent the ZCP rotors back as the more I read on m3 forums, the less I was willing to go with those rotors for any track use... So I got a set of m3 centric blanks or the front to give me just a little more rotor thickness(28mm vs 25mm)


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