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Essex/AP Racing 2-piece Brake Discs and Ferodo Racing Brake Pads for 991 GT3!
Hello Gents,
I’ve posted on this forum a few times over the years, but we haven’t had that many products to support the Porsche market. That has now changed, and we (Essex Parts Services) expect to become more of a permanent fixture around here.
I posted the intro below back in early 2012 when we last surfaced on this forum, so I’ll repeat it again here so you know who we are and what we do. Then I’ll get into the specifics of our new brake components for the 991 GT. Feel free to skip ahead to that section if you’d like.
My name is Jeff Ritter, and I’m the High Performance Division Manager at Essex Parts Services. We've decided to become a supporting sponsor for this forum. Essex has been in business since 1981, primarily servicing the professional racing market (NASCAR, ALMS, Grand-Am, etc.) We are currently located in Charlotte, NC. You can read a bit about our history here. In recent years we’ve had a growing presence in the automotive aftermarket, bringing professional level products and technology from Europe to amateur racers and enthusiasts in North America. Much of our business revolves around brakes, and we are the exclusive North American importer and distributor for some of the biggest brands in motorsports. Our focus is solely on the highest quality products that have been proven under the most rigorous forms of racing. Moving forward, we will be continually working with these manufacturers to develop new products for the various Porsche platforms.
AP Racing competition (England)- Complete high performance brake systems, calipers, discs, brake fluid, clutches, master cylinders, pedal boxes, brake pads
In addition to importing and selling these products, we provide a number of services to the professional racing market, such as our now patented brake disc and pad burnishing service, caliper and master cylinder rebuilding, brake dynamometer testing, etc.
Essex Staff: Essex has a diverse and talented staff, with over a century of combined experience in motorsports. Most of our managers are industry veterans who have held high ranking positions throughout racing, and just about everyone at Essex has personally participated in motorsports as well. We understand your passion for your car, and we strive towards keeping our customers satisfied at all times.
Personal History: I’ve been actively involved in motorsports since roughly 1999, initially in autoX, then in HPDE and time trials. I’ve owned a number of performance cars over the years, including: Integra Type-R, 350Z, C5 Z06, Miata, etc. I have also been participating in various automotive forums since that time under the screen name “J Ritt”. You can read more about me here. Of relevance to this forum, the very first time I ever experienced a racetrack was Watkins Glen in a 1989 911 Carrera...and I was instantly hooked.
I and the other folks at Essex are excited to join and support this community, and we look forward to providing its members with top quality products and services. If you want to keep track of what we’re up to, you can like us on Facebook, and follow our blog (which contains lots of customer reviews). If you ever have any questions or are interested in any of the products we represent, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our phone number is 704-824-6030. We do not have an automated attendant, so you will always get a live human on the phone during business hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm ET). You can also email me at any time through my signature, and I’ll make sure someone gets you an answer in a timely manner. Thanks for having us, and we appreciate any support you can give us.
Essex/AP Racing 2-piece Heavy Duty Racing Discs for 991 GT3
AP Racing may not need much of an introduction, but I’ll give you a quick snapshot anyway. AP Racing is widely considered the technology leader in the field of racing brakes. They’ve been involved with motorsports for over 50 years, and have won over 700 Formula 1 races with their brake or clutch products! They are a leading supplier in many of the other top race series around the world such as NASCAR Sprint Cup, ALMS, WRC, DTM, Aussie V8, etc.
As mentioned above, Essex is AP Racing’s exclusive North American importer and distributor for competition parts. Historically our focus has been on professional racing. More recently however, we've been working on bringing the technology from our professional racing experience into the aftermarket, and making it available to the typical enthusiast. Many of the exclusive products we sell have either been used in professional racing, or contain a number of features that in the past have only been available at the higher echelon of racing.
Over the past couple of years we’ve received a lot of requests for Porsche products. Customers have been asking for a steady supply of reasonably priced, premium racing discs to replace either their OEM iron discs or their fragile PCCB’s. We decided to dig in and produce the discs that our customers want.
We used our extensive professional racing expertise to design the specification of these discs. They include a number of features and benefits that can’t be found in competing products:
• 72 directional internal vanes
• Exclusive AP Racing J Hook slot pattern
• Twelve attachment points for floating disc hats
• Complex metallurgy developed over 50 years of racing at the elite level
• Reasonable iron replacement cost
A special note on weight/mass
Low weight is usually a hot topic with 2-piece discs, particularly if they’re replacing carbon ceramics. While we could have designed the absolute lightest iron disc on the market, we didn’t think that was necessarily the proper solution. Instead, we decided to go with what we consider a near ideal blend of low mass and durability. In professional racing, we design brake systems that barely make it through the race before they’re consumed/destroyed. You can think of the situation just like you would race engines: They’re only designed to get the job done on that day, nothing more. With brakes, that means building the absolute lightest components possible while maintaining adequate durability to finish the race. That strategy works great when huge budgets are involved, and the cost of constantly swapping parts and maintaining them on the ragged edge isn’t an issue. We know that our aftermarket customers don’t have the same luxury however. Our enthusiast customers want the latest technology, but also desire the convenience that added durability provides. They want discs that run cool and won’t overheat their pads and fluid, but they definitely don’t want to be constantly swapping discs due to cracking. We addressed these concerns by adding a bit more mass to the outer disc walls and internal vane structure. Our discs likely won’t be the absolute lightest on the market, but they will provide a stellar blend of both lightness and durability. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll find anything that will take a similar beating before expiring.
Our customers told us that there were a number of other issues with competing products as well. Replacement iron cost and availability were concerns, and our customers were frequently unsure about which parts to order, where to buy them, and how long they’d have to wait after they did order them. Our goal is to remove these barriers from the product and process. We will do this by providing as much detail on the discs as possible, holding a large inventory of these discs on hand at all times, and offering fair pricing on replacement iron.
Without further ado, you can see the full details on the discs at the links below:
• Designed for: Club racing, time trial, autoX, HPDE
• Works with OEM Porsche 991 GT3 calipers without any other modifications
• Fully floating, anodized billet aluminum hat with float control/anti-rattle clips
• Ultra lightweight at only 24lbs. per disc
FYI…We’re also working on a number of applications for the 996 GT3, 997 GT3, 997 Turbo, and 991 Turbo. We’ve also just released a wide range of similar discs for other exotics such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, etc.
We’ve had several cars successfully running these discs on track for the past couple of weeks, and we’re now in the final leg of testing. We do have a very limited number of the prototype batch remaining. If you’re interested in securing a set asap, please email me. Once testing is concluded, the first full production run will be manufactured. By the end of May there should be plenty of discs for everyone.
__________________
'09 Carrera 2S, '08 Boxster LE (orange), '91 Acura NSX, Tesla Model 3 Performance, Fiesta ST
Jeff Ritter
Mgr. High Performance Division, Essex Parts Services Essex Designed AP Racing Radi-CAL Competition Brake Kits & 2-piece J Hook Discs Ferodo Racing Brake Pads Spiegler Stainless Steel Brake Lines
704-824-6030 jeff.ritter@essexparts.com
Founded in England in 1897, Ferodo was actually the first company in the world to be entirely dedicated to the design and manufacture of friction products! Ferodo pads are original equipment on many of the world's most popular sports cars and sedans, and are used around the globe by many of the top teams in motorsport. Ferodo is now a subsidiary of Federal Mogul, based in Mondovi Italy. You can see more on Ferodo’s history and accomplishments here.
As with AP Racing, Essex is the exclusive importer and distributor for Ferodo Racing brake pads. The two primary compounds that we currently have on offer for the 991 GT3 are the DS2500 and the DS1.11.
DS2500 (Ferodo compound code H)
The DS2500 is currently one of the best hybrid light-duty track/street pads on the market. It features the moderately high bite and solid fade resistance of a track pad, with the relatively low dust and noise levels of a street pad. When used as a street pad, it can produce a small amount of squeal on certain vehicle platforms. During aggressive driving the DS2500 is known for its flat torque curve, which means as temperatures go up, the response through the brake pedal remains consistent. If you drive aggressively on the street, do some canyon runs, autoX, and maybe some light track duty on street tires, the DS2500 is tough to beat.
When used on fast, heavy cars on the track with race tires, pad wear rates tend to be higher than they would be on Ferodo’s full track pad compounds. Under those conditions, Essex would recommend the DS1.11.
Front DS2500 for 991 GT3: FCP4664H
The DS1.11 is one of Ferodo's latest race pad offerings. It is an endurance compound designed specifically for extended heavy use on the track. The DS1.11 is known for its extremely flat torque curve, which means that as temperatures go up, the response through the brake pedal remains consistent. If you want a pad that you can thrash all day without having it burn up or fade, the DS1.11 is a great choice. We’ve been running these on everything from the Subaru BRZ to 700hp Corvettes. They hold up great, they’re easy on the discs, and they exhibit very little vibration or judder.
One of the great things about the two pad compounds described above is that their core material composition is quite similar. As such, they form a great combo for cars that are driven on both the street and track. You can run the DS2500 on the street and sport driving, then swap in the DS1.11 for track duty. You won’t have to re-bed your pads or worry about vibration or judder caused by the pad material interaction on the disc face.
Where can I buy them?
Essex currently has an extensive reseller network across North America, and we sell direct to retail (see product links above). We also have a growing list of Porsche-focused resellers who I’m sure will chime in on this thread.
When can I buy them?
Available now on our website or through any of our resellers.
Front Pad Drawing
Rear Pad Drawing
We believe these brake solutions will provide our customers with a much more enjoyable experience vs. the OEM brake components. Please feel free to ask any questions here, or contact me privately. Thanks again.
The replacement friction rings at $399/ea are very reasonable. Since the hats appear to have the holes for 5-lug mounting, is it fair to assume these rotors will work with the Cayman GT4 as well (iron brakes)?
Now that is the way to post an ad. Congratulations sir. Well played.
Thank you very much.
The replacement friction rings at $399/ea are very reasonable. Since the hats appear to have the holes for 5-lug mounting, is it fair to assume these rotors will work with the Cayman GT4 as well (iron brakes)?
Yes, one of our objectives with these discs is to provide a sustainable long-term solution for our customers. The spare iron is a great value, and my hunch is that you won't be buying them often given how tough the discs are!
Yes, everything I've seen/read indicates that the Cayman GT4 will share the same front and rear discs as the 991 GT3. We should therefore have a great solution for GT4 owners at launch. We'll try to verify as soon as we can.
Apex Performance is happy to announce we are working in conjunction with Jeff Ritter and Essex. We are carrying the AP rotors and both Ferodo and CL pads.
Please PM or call with any questions. These products will not be put on our website until next week sometime.
Fantastic! Always been a fan of AP Racing hardware. Great to see this option for our GT3s.
The MSRP cost for running through two sets on track ($1800 initially plus $800 for new rings = $1300 per set) is the same cost as the discounted price for OEM rotors.
Fantastic! Always been a fan of AP Racing hardware. Great to see this option for our GT3s.
The MSRP cost for running through two sets on track ($1800 initially plus $800 for new rings = $1300 per set) is the same cost as the discounted price for OEM rotors.
So, to clarify, the initial buy in here is $3600 for front and rear vs $2500 for stock. Is the expectation that the replacement after first purchase with these would always be 800/corner? That would be twice what GiroDisc and some others charge for a disc replacement on 2pc (while just slightly cheaper than factory 1pc). Is there any claim that these last longer or improve performance in some way?
So, to clarify, the initial buy in here is $3600 for front and rear vs $2500 for stock. Is the expectation that the replacement after first purchase with these would always be 800/corner? That would be twice what GiroDisc and some others charge for a disc replacement on 2pc (while just slightly cheaper than factory 1pc). Is there any claim that these last longer or improve performance in some way?
I think I'm reading it wrong and the replacement is $400/corner, making it a fair bit cheaper than getting factory 1pc replacements.
Also, has anyone tried these pads? Are any racing teams using them? How do they differ from the PFC11?
Thanks for the kind words gents. We're excited to be here!
Originally Posted by MayorAdamWest
I think I'm reading it wrong and the replacement is $400/corner, making it a fair bit cheaper than getting factory 1pc replacements.
That is correct. Iron rings for each corner are $400, + $25 for a new attachment hardware kit (the bobbins get reused).
Is there any claim that these last longer or improve performance in some way?
Absolutely yes! AP's discs are designed to flow more air, hold less heat, and be more crack resistant than other available options.
These discs are essentially identical in design and specification to the AP Racing discs run in NASCAR Sprint Cup, ALMS, Rolex, V8 Supercar, DTM, etc.
Here are some of the cars with similar AP Racing J Hook discs:
C5.R, C6.R, C7.R Corvettes on a whole slew of championships and class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans:
Daytona Prototype Championship winner:
LMP Cars
Tons of GT Cars
A whole bunch of cars in Super GT (Asia):
German Touring Car (DTM)...before they switched to carbon/carbon
Aussie V8 Supercar
A lengthy list NASCAR Sprint Cup Championships...I won't bother with a pic because you can't see inside the tiny wheels anyway!
The list goes on and on. AP Racing J Hook discs are currently a permanent fixture everywhere at the highest levels of racing except on Porsches!
I snapped a few pics with my phone comparing the OEM disc to the AP Racing one (sorry for the poor quality). One of the greatest benefits of these discs is increased airflow and cooling capacity. For a disc to run cooler, air must reach the disc's internal cooling vanes. The OEM dual-cast attachment mechanism prevents a good portion of the air from even entering into the internal vanes, let alone reaching the outer disc face. On the AP Racing disc, the air path is wide open into, through, and around the faces of the disc. The shape and number of vanes is also a critical factor in determining how much air can be pumped through the disc. Also notice the gaps between the hardware on the AP disc that allow air to reach the outer disc face.
Also of note, the dual-cast method of attaching a disc usually doesn't allow quite as much float as the float-in-disc mechanism we use. More float allows for greater disc expansion with less fatigue/stress on the iron.
04-02-2015, 12:31 PM
Essex/AP Racing 2-piece Brake Discs and Ferodo Racing Brake Pads for 991 GT3!
AP's discs are designed to flow more air, hold less heat, and be more crack resistant than other available options.
