Brake Pad Reviews

zintoatree · 12-31-2011, 09:13 PM

Am I right in assuming that Carbotech doesn't make xp8 for non sport brakes?
I really don't want to upgrade to sport brakes. Would good pads, SS lines, and a quality fluid be enough for the occasional autocross or should I suck it up and fork out for the sport brakes?

ChrisSlicks · 12-31-2011, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zintoatree

Am I right in assuming that Carbotech doesn't make xp8 for non sport brakes?
I really don't want to upgrade to sport brakes. Would good pads, SS lines, and a quality fluid be enough for the occasional autocross or should I suck it up and fork out for the sport brakes?

Yeah the stock brakes will be okay for auto-cross, it takes several back to back runs on a hot day and a long course to get them overheated.

spearfish25 · 12-31-2011, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zintoatree

Am I right in assuming that Carbotech doesn't make xp8 for non sport brakes?
I really don't want to upgrade to sport brakes. Would good pads, SS lines, and a quality fluid be enough for the occasional autocross or should I suck it up and fork out for the sport brakes?

Agree with Chris. You don't need to do anything to a stock 370 to be able to autocross. Go enjoy the car.

zintoatree · 01-01-2012, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

Agree with Chris. You don't need to do anything to a stock 370 to be able to autocross. Go enjoy the car.

Works for me. Thanks guys.

m4a1mustang · 01-04-2012, 08:24 AM

I miss dusting the hell out of my rims. I am running HPS now and they are nice on the street and my wheels look squeaky clean even after a month... but I want my Ferodos back.

ImportConvert · 01-04-2012, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m4a1mustang

I miss dusting the hell out of my rims. I am running HPS now and they are nice on the street and my wheels look squeaky clean even after a month... but I want my Ferodos back.

m4a1mustang · 01-04-2012, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

LOL I had to look at this again to make the connection. Ferodo.

FL 4Motion · 01-04-2012, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImportConvert

I thought about upgrading pads, but I agree with this. When I get my 370Z, it will stay OEM pads. Why? because the brake-pads are just fine with the rest of the car. If you want to SERIOUSLY track it, from what I understand:

Oil cooler
Different diff
Different rotors
Different pads
Brake ducting
Upgrade brake-fluid

etc.etc.etc.

The 370Z is not my Z06. It's not an all-out track effort. It's meant for people like me who will have some fun with it through the twisties, and do an HPDE every now and then just to enjoy the atmosphere and BS with friends and learn a little something.

I have come to appreciate that concept a lot more, having now owned a no BS track-ready-from-the-box car. You can't have it all. Not for under $100K. Start getting into the AMG BLACK series cars and the like, and you can...but that's not germane to the discussion.

I just put ceramics on my Infiniti G20 and love them. Good on Nissan, I think. The no-dust even from my cheap pads on my G20 is astounding. That car dusted the rims BAD with the OEM brake pads.

/\ the ones in red above aren't requirments imo, I agree with the rest of the list tho, and also the fact that for street driving, stock pads are fine.

SPOHN · 01-04-2012, 09:31 AM

If anybody wants some Hawks HP+ pads I'll make a killer deal on them. Only have about 2000 miles on them. They are dusty. Just want to move them. I need to post them up.

martin82 · 01-05-2012, 01:21 PM

How are the xp8 if you have to daily drive and 5-6 track days a year? A little too lazy to swap the night before going to the track. Will I just completely kill the rotors for a DD?

SPOHN · 01-05-2012, 01:28 PM

I run the 8's always. Even though it's not a DD I still get out regularly. The ate more than fine for DD. Carbo's are rotor friendly. I've track three days on mine and rotors are still perfect.

m4a1mustang · 01-05-2012, 01:39 PM

I am going to give the XP8s a try in spring.

wstar · 01-05-2012, 01:39 PM

^ They're fine on rotors, but I think whether XP8's noise level is good for you is gonna be pretty subjective and subject to conditions. I don't think there's any way around it, I've never heard of a good track pad that wasn't noisy cold and/or under street conditions.

My personal experience with the XP8 was that as long as it was *mostly* driven in track-like conditions and kept bedded properly, it was pretty damn quiet. But when you drive them for an extended period (weeks, months) of street driving, over time they get increasingly noisy. At one point my fronts were so loud I was cringing every time I had to come to a light stop at a stoplight.

I think a contributing factor was that it's winter (so they're even colder) and that when daily-driving on the street, I put a high emphasis on not using my brakes much. I prefer to predict and downshift and come to slow stops in general, it's just less wear on everything involved, and less concern about relying on a fallible brake system being the only thing between me and plowing into some soccer mom's minivan at high speed.

I think if you track more often, and/or the weather's warmer, and/or your hard enough on your brakes on the street to get them nice and hot regularly, and/or you don't care so much about noise, you could run the XP8's on the street. But I decided not to, and now I'm swapping in their Bobcat series on the same rotors for street use.

wstar · 01-05-2012, 01:41 PM

Also: pad changes are super easy on the sport package calipers, because the pads pull out of the backside of the caliper easy without taking anything else off. At each corner, the whole process is, literally: take off wheel, remove two cotter pins, pull two long pins out, and then swap the pads (with a little finagling to get the new one to push the piston back out of the way).

m4a1mustang · 01-05-2012, 02:02 PM

Where do you guys buy your Carbotechs?

01-04-2012, 08:24 AM	#5 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6964	I miss dusting the hell out of my rims. I am running HPS now and they are nice on the street and my wheels look squeaky clean even after a month... but I want my Ferodos back. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

01-04-2012, 09:31 AM	#9 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 47 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 223	If anybody wants some Hawks HP+ pads I'll make a killer deal on them. Only have about 2000 miles on them. They are dusty. Just want to move them. I need to post them up. __________________

01-05-2012, 01:28 PM	#11 (permalink)
SPOHN A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Covington, GA Age: 47 Posts: 14,844 Drives: Waiting on next Z Rep Power: 223	I run the 8's always. Even though it's not a DD I still get out regularly. The ate more than fine for DD. Carbo's are rotor friendly. I've track three days on mine and rotors are still perfect. __________________

01-05-2012, 01:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6964	I am going to give the XP8s a try in spring. __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

01-05-2012, 01:39 PM	#13 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3596	^ They're fine on rotors, but I think whether XP8's noise level is good for you is gonna be pretty subjective and subject to conditions. I don't think there's any way around it, I've never heard of a good track pad that wasn't noisy cold and/or under street conditions. My personal experience with the XP8 was that as long as it was mostly driven in track-like conditions and kept bedded properly, it was pretty damn quiet. But when you drive them for an extended period (weeks, months) of street driving, over time they get increasingly noisy. At one point my fronts were so loud I was cringing every time I had to come to a light stop at a stoplight. I think a contributing factor was that it's winter (so they're even colder) and that when daily-driving on the street, I put a high emphasis on not using my brakes much. I prefer to predict and downshift and come to slow stops in general, it's just less wear on everything involved, and less concern about relying on a fallible brake system being the only thing between me and plowing into some soccer mom's minivan at high speed. I think if you track more often, and/or the weather's warmer, and/or your hard enough on your brakes on the street to get them nice and hot regularly, and/or you don't care so much about noise, you could run the XP8's on the street. But I decided not to, and now I'm swapping in their Bobcat series on the same rotors for street use. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

12-31-2011, 09:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
zintoatree Base Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 36 Drives: 2011 370z 6 speed Rep Power: 16	Am I right in assuming that Carbotech doesn't make xp8 for non sport brakes? I really don't want to upgrade to sport brakes. Would good pads, SS lines, and a quality fluid be enough for the occasional autocross or should I suck it up and fork out for the sport brakes?

01-05-2012, 01:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
martin82 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: los angeles Posts: 2,636 Drives: 12 Nissan 370Z MB M6 Rep Power: 21	How are the xp8 if you have to daily drive and 5-6 track days a year? A little too lazy to swap the night before going to the track. Will I just completely kill the rotors for a DD?

01-05-2012, 01:41 PM	#14 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3596	Also: pad changes are super easy on the sport package calipers, because the pads pull out of the backside of the caliper easy without taking anything else off. At each corner, the whole process is, literally: take off wheel, remove two cotter pins, pull two long pins out, and then swap the pads (with a little finagling to get the new one to push the piston back out of the way). __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

01-05-2012, 02:02 PM	#15 (permalink)
m4a1mustang A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 55,385 Drives: on two wheels Rep Power: 6964	Where do you guys buy your Carbotechs? __________________ - Steve Zs & Coffee - Saturdays at 10AM in Fairfax, VA and Columbia, MD (Click the banner!) LIKE us on Facebook!

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