Carbotech brake pads + Daily driving?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Sept. 24, 2011 7:21 a.m. thestig99 Reader

Anyone DD their car on these?

I'm looking at stepping up from my current EBC Redstuffs. You may remember this picture from a while ago:

After one track outing. Since then they've pretty much completely lost their "bite". Unfortunately the selection of pads for a '93+ Saab 9000 is pretty slim.

Carbotechs website says they're not recommended for daily driving due to increased dust (have you SEEN what the Redstuffs do to my wheels?!) and noise (meh). Not really concerned with those as much as them flat out not working when cold, etc. Looking at the XP10's. Worth noting that I don't want to change pads to go to the track.

Thoughts?
Sept. 24, 2011 10:28 a.m. wbjones SuperDork

I've used several different pad compounds from carbotech on the street and a-x ... some noise , lots of dust.... absolutely NO problems as a DD pad ( as far as stopping is concerned ...)

I've used the bobcat ( I think there is a #designation for these now ), the xp8, 10, and the 12... all have worked very well on the street
Sept. 24, 2011 8:59 p.m. wlkelley3 Dork

Have CarboTech Pads on my Miata. AX6 on the front and 1521 on the rear. I DD'd it for a while, now my daughter DD's it. Yes it does make the rims dirtier, front mainly. But regular washing keeps it in check. Plus we now run NA Miata daisies w/Falcon Ziex on a NB for daily use. Factory alloys have Azenis and a set of Kosei's have Hankook C71 for autocross use. The Daisies hide the dust pretty well. As for the noise. It only squeels with light application at slow speeds and not very loud. No more than others. Extremely doable. Stops better too.
Sept. 24, 2011 9:38 p.m. Travis_K SuperDork

I have used the lowest grade ones on the street with good results, very little dust and noise. I also have used the one that used to be called the panther, not good on the street at all, very noisy, very fast rotor wear, and lots of dust. I have never done a track day and probably won't, but I wouldn't buy any higher than the lowest grade ones for a street car.
Sept. 24, 2011 10:02 p.m. stumpmj Dork

I DDed XP9's for awhile. It's not the dust that got me. It was the noise. I mean people just barely able to see you in the distance will stop what they're doing to try and find the source of the squealing. Outrageously loud. Crazy loud. Not recomended. Not hard on rotors though. And they stop just fine (they just don't throw you throuhg the windsheild like they do when hot). Strangely, my XP12s weren't as loud so maybe they changed formulations and made them quieter. The 12's were still too loud to daily.
Sept. 25, 2011 4:27 p.m. wbjones SuperDork

Travis_K wrote:

I have used the lowest grade ones on the street with good results, very little dust and noise. I also have used the one that used to be called the panther, not good on the street at all, very noisy, very fast rotor wear, and lots of dust. I have never done a track day and probably won't, but I wouldn't buy any higher than the lowest grade ones for a street car.

Travis, I think you could use these links...

following his directions I've used the same rotors all season ( switching a-x pads and rotors to track pads and rotors )

http://www.essexparts.com/learning-center/cat/brake-rotors/post/Bed-in

http://www.essexparts.com/learning-center/swapping_pads
Sept. 25, 2011 6:03 p.m. sachilles Dork

The panther plus didn't work great for me as a daily driver pad. Performed fine, but they ended up crumbling. EBC yellow's work much better for that duty. Better than the redstuff. Yellows are adequate for the track, but not an all out track pad. I was happy with the carbotech's, the ebc's just lasted better with daily driving in the mix....that is on a WRX and a 2.5rs subaru with wrx brake setup.
Sept. 26, 2011 1:26 p.m. SVTF Reader

I've DD'd the XP10s on my track rat for a year now, even through the Atlanta "winter". The pads and rotors were properly bedded at the track previous to DD duty. They work just fine - initial bite even when cold is excellent. A squeak or two is the only noticable issue. Dust is about the same as the Mintex street pads.

I wholeheartedly recommend the XP10s for track duty. They do great getting to the track as well. And they work fine for DD since they are now too worn for another track day.
Sept. 26, 2011 8:23 p.m. thestig99 Reader

EBC Yellows are what I wanted in the first place, but aren't available for my car. Settled for the Reds.

Sounds like I won't die in a fireball with XP10's on the street. How long have they lasted for you guys?