Brake pads for xflow

[SteveP]

Looking for some advice on new brake pads for my 1700 Supersprint. Brakes are standard all round as far as I can tell, but find that the performance is pants to the point of scary and am therefore thinking about a pad change to get more bite(don't really want to go to new calipers just yet).

 

Car is used on the road and for occasional sprints / hillclimbs - any suggestions.

 

Anything else I can do to get better performance?

 

Previous posts suggest Green Stuff pads then others say not.

 

Thanks

Steve P

[Paul McKenzie]

SteveP,

Sounds like there is something fundamentally wrong with your brakes - they shouldn't be as poor as you describe even with lousy pads. Anyway, IMHO, if you have standard solid discs, stay away from Green Stuff, they will overheat and begin to fall apart. I am very happy with Mintex 1144, which give great bite and do not need warming up.

Paul

 

[Simos]

Have a look at the disks at the same time to see if they're also pants. If they've been sitting around for years they could be pitted with rust etc giving a poor contact surface. A new standard disk is £15 and you can fit it pretty easily with just a socket set (and torque wrench).

 

The pad debate has many options and like most things no clear answer. Green stuff seem to be a good place to start. I have greenstuff in the front and standard in the rear to address the balance problems - I can lock all the wheels without too much difficulty (depending on how scared I am at the time)

 

If you've old brake fluid a change and good bleed may make a world of difference.

 

Often overlooked is the brake pedal angle. Adjust so the pedal is square to the master cylinder when pressure is applied and adjust all the other pedals so thay are in the correct place relative to the brake. This is an apparently tiny change but made a BIG difference to the feel of my brakes.

[Casbar]

I have green stuff pads (Dp2114). My breaks are not great, I have managed to warp my front discs, this is probably due to the pads. I have ordered x drilled front discs and new pads, still going to stick with Green stuff though.

 

You could try de-glazing your discs, also make sure that your rears are working ok, as the brake system has a duel curcuit and if one is stuffed, the brakes will still work.

 

If you can bleed the rears ok, then the master cyl will probably be ok.

[Robster]

Have got to chip in here. Best upgrade for braking has been stickier tyres. With A21s, once warm, you can stand on the brakes and lose speed at an incredible rate. I have just changed from the original pads that Caterham supplied with the car to Green Stuff, and to be honest the brakes do not feel as good. My brakes are standard, and the car outstopped the Porches etc at my last trackday, so I have no complaints at all about the brakes. You may have glazed the pads which will mean that you brake hard, the car loses little speed and then locks the wheels (the pads no longer causing enough friction). I think you can lightly rub them with some sandpaper to de glaze (DO NOT BREATHE THE DUST...no longer asbestos, but best not done anyway!).

[Martin H]

Surprised about the Mintex 1144s - I've found they do need warming up, and so are a bit pants on the road. On track they're great (although I do spend a lot of time cleaning the wheels because of the amount of brake dust).