Performance Friction PFC 97 pads for street?
#16
Drifting
PF97s are OK for the street if you can stand the squeeling and dust. However, I'd still recommend you switch on track days because:
- PF97s are now freaking expensive
- when swapping, you have a chance to inspect your pads, rotors, suspension, wheel bearing tightness, etc. All are important when going to an event or coming back from one. Do it enough times and you can have it done in quick order.
- PF97s are now freaking expensive
- when swapping, you have a chance to inspect your pads, rotors, suspension, wheel bearing tightness, etc. All are important when going to an event or coming back from one. Do it enough times and you can have it done in quick order.
#19
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I got the pads today and put just the front set on. Tried it for a quick test drive (street). Nice! Excellent stopping power, but very civilised and smooth, with very little warming up. Not a single squeak! And I was expecting _race_ pads...
Seriously, so far I could see myself living with these as street pads without any problem. Either that, or I'll have to get better at changing brake pads on 4-pot Brembos. Anyone got any tips on making this a speedier job? Getting those pistons pushed in by the method I'm using sucks.
Seriously, so far I could see myself living with these as street pads without any problem. Either that, or I'll have to get better at changing brake pads on 4-pot Brembos. Anyone got any tips on making this a speedier job? Getting those pistons pushed in by the method I'm using sucks.
#20
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Maybe 97s all round for an S2 is not a bad option. The 01's bite harder and you might overslow with them perhaps?
Once you try them you will be hooked I'm guessing.
#21
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Thanks everyone for sharing the experience... I think I've got a much better handle on what to expect.
Thingo -- I was going to ask, where did you buy your PFC 97 pads? I enquired about prices from a local distributor, and it was still significantly cheaper to buy from the US, even after adding on nearly $70 shipping. Shameful, really.
The US dealer I bought from was rotorsandpads.com -- competitive pricing, and no-fuss international payment and shipping policy. Came to $308 all up, including shipping, for two sets.
Thingo -- I was going to ask, where did you buy your PFC 97 pads? I enquired about prices from a local distributor, and it was still significantly cheaper to buy from the US, even after adding on nearly $70 shipping. Shameful, really.
The US dealer I bought from was rotorsandpads.com -- competitive pricing, and no-fuss international payment and shipping policy. Came to $308 all up, including shipping, for two sets.
#22
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Can you clarify that Mark on the costs? Are you saying that you paid $308 for 2 sets (meaning 1 pair for each wheel?) and shipping?? That's a very good price. I bought mine from OG racing after also finding the local guys in QLD to be more expensive by a decent margin. I think the front 01's for Big Reds seem to jump up in price though. Mine came to $574au.
So I paid about $120/axle, plus just under $70 shipping, to get to $308 all up. US dollars.
I had a look at OG (since they are a site sponsor) and they were a bit more expensive per set for the S2 PFC97, about $130/axle IIRC. But their advertised int'l payment and shipping policies were ridiculous! I think they required a bank wire transfer (with all the attendant costs) from int'l customers. WTF?
I noticed the 01s seemed a deal more expensive wherever I looked -- closer to the $180 mark per axle for the S2 Brembo calipers (0345 is the PF pad model code for my calipers).
It was also a bit ambiguous whether the 01s were actually available in the 0345 size. Most places didn't list that size/compound combo, and when I spoke to him, the guy in QLD didn't seem to think it was available. So I played it safe and went for the 97s all around. (So far so good. )
BTW, I'm serious about the no-squeak on my car. How come my pads are so quiet?
#23
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Put the rear pads on today, and took it for a spirited run on some twisties to do some bedding in before tomorrow. Stopping well. I noticed the ABS kicked in for the first time in a while.
Last edited by Mark944na86; 07-23-2010 at 07:16 AM.
#25
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Actually PFC suggest that they don't need bedding either. Whatever, I am sure you will go deeper into your brake zones. Have fun tomorrow and report back Mark
btw, is next Sunday the track event when some of your guys are coming down to Eastern Creek?
btw, is next Sunday the track event when some of your guys are coming down to Eastern Creek?
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#27
Bannana Shine
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The instinct is always "more brakes more brakes more brakes" but once you can ABS (or threshold brake) at will, you're not gaining a thing.
#28
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Some sort of midnight Nordic sacrifice Dukey?
I agree on a n/a car (if your avatar is the car in question?). To be honest I haven't tried my car with 97s all round either, but I think with a modified turbo you can justify the extra bite. I am still getting used to a non ABS car but funnily enough I noticed some rear lockup on a bit of video shot from behind my car and this is without the 5/33 bias valve that I used to run....so....not sure why that's happening? Apart from driver error.
I haven't used 01s yet, so I'm sort of talking out my *** as usual...but for these relatively lightweight cars, I don't see a whole lot of use in the 01s. I can already brake so late with the 97s that I can't imagine shaving more than milliseconds off a good lap time with more bite, even with slicks the tires become the limiting factor.
The instinct is always "more brakes more brakes more brakes" but once you can ABS (or threshold brake) at will, you're not gaining a thing.
The instinct is always "more brakes more brakes more brakes" but once you can ABS (or threshold brake) at will, you're not gaining a thing.
#29
Three Wheelin'
Some sort of midnight Nordic sacrifice Dukey?
I agree on a n/a car (if your avatar is the car in question?). To be honest I haven't tried my car with 97s all round either, but I think with a modified turbo you can justify the extra bite. I am still getting used to a non ABS car but funnily enough I noticed some rear lockup on a bit of video shot from behind my car and this is without the 5/33 bias valve that I used to run....so....not sure why that's happening? Apart from driver error.
I agree on a n/a car (if your avatar is the car in question?). To be honest I haven't tried my car with 97s all round either, but I think with a modified turbo you can justify the extra bite. I am still getting used to a non ABS car but funnily enough I noticed some rear lockup on a bit of video shot from behind my car and this is without the 5/33 bias valve that I used to run....so....not sure why that's happening? Apart from driver error.
Eric
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Well, I did get a few sqeaks on the way home from the track, so I guess the old Norse gods have been appeased!
Based on the earlier discussion, I did change out my pads back to the Mintex for street today, and cleaned all the dust from the wheels and calipers.
The brakes were fine, but I did get a disconcerting "wobble" (for the want of a better description) after about 10 laps or so. Felt a bit like a wheel wasn't bolted on firmly. The things I checked were: lugs nuts, strut mount nuts, rotors, wheel bearings (did the "grab each wheel and shake looking for play" test), but found nothing.
Today I changed pads, set the tyre pressure back to street use, took it for a test run, and no wobble.
I'm wondering whether hot tyres with too much cold inflation pressure might cause this effect? (My tyres are Z rated, but they aren't track tyres.)
Any ideas?
Based on the earlier discussion, I did change out my pads back to the Mintex for street today, and cleaned all the dust from the wheels and calipers.
The brakes were fine, but I did get a disconcerting "wobble" (for the want of a better description) after about 10 laps or so. Felt a bit like a wheel wasn't bolted on firmly. The things I checked were: lugs nuts, strut mount nuts, rotors, wheel bearings (did the "grab each wheel and shake looking for play" test), but found nothing.
Today I changed pads, set the tyre pressure back to street use, took it for a test run, and no wobble.
I'm wondering whether hot tyres with too much cold inflation pressure might cause this effect? (My tyres are Z rated, but they aren't track tyres.)
Any ideas?
Last edited by Mark944na86; 07-25-2010 at 09:14 AM.