Has anyone used the R4S Porterfield pads listed below? $179 for front axles, $149 for the rear. I'm looking for something that has better bite on the track and a little more abrasive that can clean the pad deposition on my rotors after washing the car. I think most people are using Pagid's.

Here's their website:

Porterfield Website

" R-4 Full Race Compound
Designed specifically for heavy-duty motorsports. The carbon based semi-metallic R-4 materials allow the pad to absorb tremendous amounts of heat and dissipate it at very even rate. Carbon Kevlar material warms up to race temperature quickly, which is quite helpful during restarts, and when track time is limited. When used with cast iron and steel alloy rotors, the R-4 compound requires minimal bed-in period. Throughout the entire heat range, the carbon kevlar material will give extremely consistent modulation and predictably. This is truly the most rotor friendly racing brake pad material ever. Good for road courses, oval track, rally, vintage racing, autocross, club events or professional racing events.

R4-E Endurance Race Compound
A carbon kevlar compound made to last a bit longer than the original R-4 compound. The R4-E compound is designed to endure higher prolonged temperature and still has pad life as long or longer than Porterfield R-4 do. This pad is great for club enduro events and applications where temperatures are at their maximum.

R4-1 Vintage Full Race Compound
Developed using knowledge testing in the vintage racing community. Optimum uses for the R4-1, under conditions where very high friction is needed with minimal warm up time and in applications where there is difficulty in maintaining sufficient heat with conventional race pad compounds. Widely used on vintage GT and formula cars the R4-1 is also gaining popularity in off-road and rally-cross classes. Great modulation, consistent pedal feedback and rotor friendly at all temperatures as with all the other Porterfield Carbon Kevlar compounds.

R4-S High Performance Street and Autocross
For high performance and heavy-duty street conditions. Perfect for prolonged everyday street use while also being capable of tolerating the most severe street use without any fade. Rotor friendly of course. The R4-S friction level will give you an impressive increase in stopping ability with very minimum pedal effort. R4-S compound has the absolute lowest noise and dust levels, far below OEM equipment or any other high performance brake material. Good for autocrossing, some drivers schools, solo events, and rally’s. The R4-S compound is available for virtually any vehicle sold in the US. We also offer the R4-S in pad sizes for competition type calipers that are used under street driven conditions. "

 

when I was looking into rs4's they didn't make them for the 996. I have a set of pagid "S" pads and they're markedly better than stock all around, you just really have to bed them right and not use light pedal pressure often or the squeels like to come back a bit.

 

Thanks. I think they must have them now since their salesperson said they did. I was disappointed with the woman salesperson though. She insisted that I have warped rotors. I have no idea why she insisted this. My rotors are fine.

I leaning towards the Pagid Blues (their sport pad). I'm waiting to hear back from some other sources of advice before I purchase.

 

I would get the pagids, but look up the archives on them, the instructions for bedding them aren't complete IMHO. I actually found a good way to make sure they didn't squeel.

 

They are a good pad and a nice improvement over stock. I ran them in my NSX on the track and in my S2000 also. They tend to make a bit of a clight "crunching" sound at low speed and they do dust no matter what they say. For the money I was very pleased with them.

Pad maufacturers typically try to get you to change rotors in my experience... I think you should at LEAST pu a clean surface on them with either a light turn or some kind of abrasive paper to allow for a clean bed in process. Any imperfections you may have will effect wear, and a pads performance no matter if you feel waffle in the pedal under breaking or think you can see issues or not... the only problem is turning the rotor (if required) takes away material and it's mass to pass off heat... so it is a toss up... again I would at least scuff them with something (Just Brakes in my neighboorhood had some sand paper looking stuff they used from Raybestos that worked great on mine... I have been happy.. IMHO a warped rotor is trash... don't turn em' , chunk em.. esp as cheap as they are these days...

FWIW

 

Thanks for the advice guys. And speaking of rotors, where is the best place to get them for a decent price? And are the non-OEM ones any good? Like Zimmerman or something? I don't think I need them yet since I'm above the minimum thickness, but I'll need them fairly soon.

BTW...garnet paper works well for rotors. Some other guys here referred me to the Stoptech website a few months back. They recommend garnet versus the standard aluminum oxide or silica paper because the latter are not good for the rotors. I found some at Ace Hardware. Apparently its used for woodworking.

SPR: what's your bedding secret?