For what it's worth. Running 30-min run groups in the instructor class for the Audi-Club this year I had a brand spanking new set of Ferodo OE that were cheap-o (I did front and rear). Marketed as slightly more agressive than stock with low dust and noise components.

I'm now through 4 days of track time totalling 8-30min run groups at MidOhio over two days and 10-20min run groups over two days at BlackHawk (less friendly to brakes than MO) and I still have over half pad left both front and rear.

Comments:
1. Took significant effort to get them bedded in a few nights in advance. They were not impressive at all during that process. Possibly even scary.
2. The pads have a slight "give" feel to them when hitting your binders. They are definitely not grabby. They seem to reward smooth braking and progressive pressure.
3. Low dust. Definitely. Running the cup wheels I've noticed the dust stays inside the line of the spokes after a full day of running. That's really cool!
4. Temp range isn't as high as I'd like. Well it is a street pad, but when using LFB I put more heat into the pad resulting in that oogly rotor look that is basically pad compound fused to the rotor surface... It goes away with miles and doesn't impeded braking notably. Just oogly. You'll see the tell-tale grey area of the pad where the temp has gone out of range for the compound; but they recover nicely after a cool-down.
5. Noise. These babies are quiet. Only twice since putting them in have I experienced even light squeal. So this is a BIG-WIN in my book. I did treat the pad surface with special anti-squeal soak, and I put the right stuff between the pads and pistons too. So overall really good on noise.

Post event thoughts.
It was stated before. Ideal situation is to have your street pad that gets you to the track without causing ears to bleed. Then whilst putting on your R-compound wheels & tires, you simply drop in your Blues (rotor eaters) or whatever you fancy. You pull them back out when putting on the street tires again.
If you're like me, well I just ran the darn events on the silly all-season tires that I am trying to burn-up anyway. So I'm not swapping wheels, so I'm not swapping brakes. The Ferodo pads could easily out perform the tire I was running so it was a good decision for me.

Rob D.

 

GeoffS,
Here is a link to the Porsche Club of America's DE section:
http://www.pca.org/drivers_ed/index.html

 

wow! Only 4 of them!!! They should have made more - it's a great looking car!

 

Rob D. - my experience with the Ferodos has been mostly similar to yours.

I have done several track days with them as well as about 4000 km street driving. I just peeked when I got home yesterday and have over half left. They are quiet but not quite as dust-free as you suggest -- I get alot of dust on my Boxster wheels, especially the rear. I think you are running D90's that may be more enclosed and trap the dust better than mine.

For cheap pads, I am pretty happy with them as a compromise street/track pads but do find that they do not have as much bite as I'd like once they are very hot.

Marc
p.s. You're also running in the Red group while I am green so you've much more experience than I do!

 

Not running D-90's anymore.
I was able to pickup some nice Cup-wheels in 17x7 & 17x9 from a neighbor who had moved on to 18's. Sometimes you gotta love this town!

I will say that the first weekend at MO they were very dusty. Perhaps I've just built enough heat into the pads now that they chunk & slime the rotor rather than producing prodigious dust...

 

OK here's the deal - be honest with yourself and choose which description fits you best:

If you're SLOW - stock pads are more than enough
If you're (not slow) - awesome compromise pad is Hawk "HP-Plus," although they do squeal a bit when cold, they're very progressive under track conditions, and their cold bite is even better than stock pads. Only downfall is the noise, but they're the best compromise i've come across, and I've gone through a lot of pads - for my 993, they're about $80/axle

 

Hi guys

Thanks for all the info on what a DE is - sound very useful and great fun.

Now, can I get a cheapo ticket for me and the 964 to the US of A?

(And can I bring my very obedient dog?)

 

I've used stock pads at Road America and Gingerman and had no problems. Just went to blue Pagids. Don't know how they are on the track yet but they're fine on the street.
Four is very few. Seems like there is too many black ones.

 

Thanks for the input guys, I just talked it over with the shop that is preparing my track car and decided to go ahead and run Hawk Blue pads in place of the OEMs. Better for the track (IF I run her) and fine for the street. They are quite optimistic that my SC will be ready for her shakedown cruise by then also, but better to be over-prepared is my motto!

 

Gary,

You may already know that Hawk Blues, while a good track pad, also have the characteristic of producing brake dust which, if it gets wet and dries, is difficult to get off. Words like cement come to mind.

In the pure track pad category, Performance Friction 97's would be a choice, too.

 

Have you considered using EBC Redstuff ceramic brake Pads?
They are a *huge* improvement over the old Greenstuff pads...

Here's a review from a Subary racing site:

http://www.subiegalracing.com/sgraci...mic_review.htm

 

It's so easy to change pads and also allows you to give the car a proper check when you remove the wheels, why not keep the street pads for the street and have a set of Pagid's for the track?
ALl the best
JM

 

I understand, but I have no intention of changing the pads once I replace the OEM units.... this isn't my track car, only may have to fill in in an emergency and it looks doubtful that it will have to, they are cooking away at my beast as I type...