Difference between revisions of "Brake pads"
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Sintered brake pads from French manufacturer who started out as a motorbike brake manufacturer, but also does the brake pads for the TGV and works rally teams from Peugeot, etc. | Sintered brake pads from French manufacturer who started out as a motorbike brake manufacturer, but also does the brake pads for the TGV and works rally teams from Peugeot, etc. | ||
| − | + | * RC5 pads have the lowest friction index (approx 0.48) | |
| − | + | * RC6 is medium (0.55) | |
| − | + | * RC8 is high (>0.6) | |
| + | |||
| + | RC8 probably has a firction index that is too high for a light car like the Elise and locks up too quickly. RC6 and RC5 are more useful. | ||
[http://www.carbonelorraine-motorsport.com/ Website] | [http://www.carbonelorraine-motorsport.com/ Website] | ||
| Line 101: | Line 103: | ||
[http://www.carbonelorraine-motorsport.com/marques_vehicules/lotus_elise_mk1_2_700.htm Click here] for Elise specific pads | [http://www.carbonelorraine-motorsport.com/marques_vehicules/lotus_elise_mk1_2_700.htm Click here] for Elise specific pads | ||
| − | + | * Front pad type code: 4060 | |
| − | + | * Rear pad type code: 4115 | |
As delivered the pads may be too thick and require some grinding of the friction material (about 1mm) to fit properly on new discs. | As delivered the pads may be too thick and require some grinding of the friction material (about 1mm) to fit properly on new discs. | ||
Revision as of 12:13, 21 September 2007
The OEM Brake pads on the Elise are reasonably expensive and generally not highly regarded. There are many after market products to choose from with superior performance, both in terms of stopping power and longevity, and at a more reasonable costs.
Changing brake pads is an easy and rewarding DIY project, and some people prefer the reassurance this gives. There is a Brake pad bedding in procedure which you are encouraged to following after fitting new pads.
Brake pad fitment for the Elise is as follows:-
Below is a list of after market manufacturers with descriptions, and real world experiences, from SELOC members.
EBC
Greenstuff
A commonly used budget pad, OK for normal road use but don't cope to well when pushed.
Fine as a replacement for OEM
Ferodo
DS2500
Similar performance to Mintex 1144. Common replacement pad in mainland Europe
Mintex
1144
Excellent value for fast road and occasional track. Quick to bed in and work well from cold. Good pad life and not particularly abrasive on disks, although can be a bit dusty. Some fade experienced after pro-longed track use. Squeal can be a problem when the pads are hot, but a hefty dollop of coppaslip on the back of the pads should help.
Pagid
Racing Compound Characteristics
RS 4-2 Blue
A medium friction racing compound with good cold friction and fading resistance up to 500°C ( 930°F).
- Work well from cold.
- Under very hard use they will fade before the RS14 compound.
- less prone to squeal than RS14's
Summary, A good compromise for both Road and Track usage.
Fronts are lasting around 10 hard track days (20 hours) rears are lasting 40 track hard days (80 hours).
RS 14 Black
This is a medium high friction value ceramic type compound with very good modulation, high fade resistance, low heat conductivity, and a good wear rate up to a temperature of 650°C (1.200°F).
- If used as a road pad they can eat discs, however when at track temperature the wear ratio will be higher in the pad providing less wear of the disk.
- Not as effective from cold as the RS 4-2 compound.
- Very track orientated pad so whilst safe to use on the road a driver with a road only intention may well be better to look at a different compound.
These pads can generate a lot of squeal if not used in anger on a regular basis, so while highly rated for track work, these pads are perhaps too compromised for a road car.
RS 15 Grey
Very high torque compound. It combines a 20% higher friction value than the RS14 with a slightly increased pad wear. Needs finesse to avoid over braking the car. Good release characteristic. Although the RS15 has a very good modulation (controllability) it might have an excessive bite for some applications, as lightweight cars or cars with boosted brakes. Applications: NASCAR, CART, F3, Touring cars, GT cars, WSC, DP, Trans Am and Rally.
SBS
ProTrack
http://www.sbs.dk/index_uk.html (Autosport menu => ProTrack)
OMP
Road&Sport
OT/7951 Front pads
OT/7954 Rear pads
http://www.ompracing.it/prodotti.html?categorycode=GPASTIGLIE1&changelanguage=en
OMP Road&Sport brake pads have been developed to offer excellent performance in fast road use.
- Excellent stability of the friction coefficient, even at the highest temperature (see graph).
- This compound is the result of 30 years experience in rallies and track racers.
- For the new car models manufactured from 10/1999 the pads are homologated according to R-90 rules.
Racing
OT/6951 Front pads
OT/6952 Rear pads
http://www.ompracing.it/prodotti.html?categorycode=GPASTIGLIE&changelanguage=en
971C RACING COMPOUND OMP 971C range of brake pads is made from a new friction material, asbestos free, having following characteristics:
- COMPOSITION: thermosetting resins with the addition of special carbon materials.
- FRICTION COEFFICIENT: very high (0.48).
- FRICTION STABILITY: uniform also during varying of the temperature in a field between 100 and 800° C (see graph).
- ANTI-FADING PROPERTIES: excellent
- MECHANICAL RESISTANCE: very high also thanks to the special structure formed by the substances present in the compound.
- TOP LEVEL PERFORMANCES in professional use (Rally, Group N).
Pads have good initial bite from cold and cope well with track use.
Could do with a little more feedback under hard braking, but don't show any signs of fading.
Like many track-oriented pads they can squeal/screech quite a bit on the street.
Low disc wear.
Carbone Lorraine
RC5, RC6, RC8
Sintered brake pads from French manufacturer who started out as a motorbike brake manufacturer, but also does the brake pads for the TGV and works rally teams from Peugeot, etc.
- RC5 pads have the lowest friction index (approx 0.48)
- RC6 is medium (0.55)
- RC8 is high (>0.6)
RC8 probably has a firction index that is too high for a light car like the Elise and locks up too quickly. RC6 and RC5 are more useful.
Click here for Elise specific pads
- Front pad type code: 4060
- Rear pad type code: 4115
As delivered the pads may be too thick and require some grinding of the friction material (about 1mm) to fit properly on new discs.
If used on older discs they usually fit directly.
These pads give a very consistent pedal feel and show little or no variation in retardation if temperatures go up. Fading because of pad material breakdown is virtually impossible as sintered material does not break down until >1100C and by that time your brake fluid will have started to boil.
Textar
R90 Road pads
Pure road pads which should be similar (and possibly identical) to Lotus OEM brake pads.
Part numbers:
- Front: 2032306 (EAN-number: 4019722256141)
- Rear: 2041003 (EAN-number: 4019722256172)