Cool Carbon Brake Pads?

[rammstein]

Has anybody tried these?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/catalog/shopcart/BE30/POR_BE30_BRKpad_pg2.htm

I am going to flush my brake fluid this weekend in anticipation of a HPDE the following weekend. At that time, I am going to inspect the brake pads. Should I deem the current pads too thin for the track, I will need to order some pads quickly. I have been searching around for a good dual-purpose pad and came across these. Plus, I trust Pelican with delivering in a timely fashion. So has anyone tried these? Got a better recommendation?

(Note: YES, I know a dual purpose pad is not ideal, but until I have a house with a garage, hopefully in two months, changing out pads for each event will be infeasible).

[jlevie]

A garage isn't necessary for pad changes. That is best done at the track and it only takes about 30 minutes to do all four wheels. Hawk HP+ pads come close to being street/track pads, but they really aren't up to aggressive track duty. Best to have a race pad on the car at the track.

[JRKOUPE]

pads

What is your track experience?..

(and yes changing pads is on the easy end of the scale.)

if you are a newbie...dont overthink this...HP plus are good......you dont even need cool willys.

I have a few yrs of track driving and cool will was fine for me.

or try xp 9 or 8 carbotechs.....

there are so very many.

and for track work.....changing pads when they are as thick as backing plates is a good rule.

[rammstein]

So lets say I decide to try doing it right and swapping in track pads for the big day. Can I reasonably drive home on them (30 miles)? Its just that it is disgustingly hot out here, and I REALLY want to avoid playing around outside after a hot day at the track. Especially without all the cool tools that all the big boys have (impact wrenches). I'm planning to drive there on the track wheels, so if I could do the same with the pads perhaps I can go that route.

My track experience is decent but spaced out over a few years. I've done 6 HPDES and the 3 day skip barber school, so I hope that I am at least a step above noob, maybe Senior Noob :)

I've changed pads on 2 other cars.
On a 944 Turbo, it was super easy- you just popped out the spring clip, pulled the pads, used a piston compressor if necessary, and droped them in.
On the E30, it appears that there are more steps involved- does it need the rotating compressing device? (I do have one, used it on an RX8).

I'll search around for these 'cool willies'... are those considered the best (for this application)?

[rammstein]

I am sometimes slow at things... it looks like Turner Motorsports sells the Cool Willy pads, but for E30 (non-m3) I can only find front pads.

edit- nevermind- my inability to read english was the problem. I have found them. But geezz... I'll be out $240 bucks! I hope these are worth it.

[jlevie]

You will need something to compress the caliper pistons, but that that is the only specail tool needed to change pads. A C-clamp, large pair of channel locks, or piston compressor all work.

Other than noise, you can drive tor or from the track with race pads on. I drive my SpecE30 on the street with race pads (PFC 01 pads) on the street about once a week. The pads tend to squeal, but other than that they are fine.

[JRKOUPE]

padz

pls dont spend 240..its crazy...really.

here is my story...and its not to brag...at all:

I run r tires for over 4 yrs..I drive on them to track.

I run HT 10 frt pads...a race pad...I drive on them to track.

Ive run stock rrs.....cool will rrs....mintex rrs....metal master rrs... HP + rrs.....etc.....

dusnt matter much..I see you have a swapped car...get a good perf street rr pad.

[JGood]

I used to run HPS on my track car on the street and switch to HT-10 at the track. After some weird wear issues, I started running HT-10 full time. It works out great.

I wouldn't trust Pelican to deliver parts "timely". Any time I order from them, it's 5+ business days. Great company, just slow on shipping. They are in CA, and I'm in PA, but with you being in FL, I'd expect the same delivery times. Bavauto and tirerack get parts to me within 48 hours.

[kishg]

call bimmerworld tomorrow and ask for pfc06 (front), pfc01 (rear). Swap and drive to/from. Swap your streets back in once your home (or the next day) so you don't use them up daily driving or if you don't care, keep them on. don't sweat it.. and i would order new pads whether or not your current pads have meat on them btw. taking a spare set to the track is always prudent. there's plenty folks there who will be willing to lend a hand. swapping pads is cake.

[JRKOUPE]

pads

rammer...

your thread has brought out the creme de la creme of track fellows.........all sage advice .!!!!!!!!!not incl me of course...lol

[CincinnatiKid]

I just put on some EBC yellowstuff pads to try out this weekend at the track, so far on the street driving them seem like a good pad, anybody else had experience with EBC?

[SA E30]

Yup I've had experience with Yellow Stuff. A terrible one at that.

Bedded them in and all that jazz. Drove on the track and from the get go I didn't like the feel compared with the HP Plus. Then I experienced a scary case of brake fade (and not due to the pedal going soft). I started a lap went through the 1st 2 turns and the brakes felt like the weren't gripping as hard and then stood on them for turn 3 and nothing! Not even an ounce of stopping power. I had to take evasive action to avoid a Lotus Exige, and plowed into the sand trap at around 120km/h. A bit freaky to say the least. I sat there till the end of the session and got towed out.

When I got back to the pits, I changed out the pads and they still had almost all the pad material. I know it had nothing to do with the actual brake system as I still drove the car home, did numerous track days following that without an issues.

So yeah my experience with them wasn't the best.

[Boris3]

+1 for PFC pads and Bimmerworld. Higher initial price but you get your money's worth. I have a full set of PFC-06 that I've used so far for a Road America HPDE track weekend and three track days at Blackhawk Farms (which is hard on brakes) and see only marginal wear on the pads. Great stopping power, no fade. I swap out pads and rotors and drive to the track, about 140 miles RT to Blackhawk and then about 100-120 miles of track session runs (advanced run group). Never a problem on the street, and much quieter than the HP+ I use as an autocross pad.

[2002maniac]

dual purpose pads suck. I see no point since they are ideal for neither the street nor the track.

[Bimmerman325i]

I have Pagid Oranges, which came on my car. I can't speak to their track worthiness yet but I DD on them. They are analogous to the HT10 in the pad hierarchy from what I can find, and they are great pads. I've DDd on them in a blizzard in -20F temperatures.

Cold braking is not that great, but just adjust your driving style to suit. DDing race pads isn't that bad, but fwiw I'm going to HP+ all around for most use.