mdfud

Looking to replace pads/rotors on a 2011 C2S. Car has about 22k miles and looks to have original pads/rotors (I am the second owner and could not get access to previous service records). Last time on the track got tons of fade when the brakes got hot and suspect it may have been due, in part, to the age/quality of the pads. In searching previous posts it looks like everyone has their favored pad/rotor combination. In the past, I have used Zimmerman rotors and EBC (Yellow) in other cars (993/996) with good success. Seems like most folks lean toward Hawk Ceramics and Zimmerman/Sebro rotors. I intend to do a couple of DE events a year but more street than track. I am ok to change pads for the track if needed but would prefer not to. Anyone have experience with EBC pads on street/track? TIA

ejabour

If you want one pad for both Ferodo DS2500 is a good option.

However, if you have used EBC pads in the past and liked them, I see no reason not to stick with them.

Kitc2246

FCPEuro has a LifeTime warranty on parts. I know they sell DS2500 for my 2013 Boxster S. I run DS1.11 with Sebro slotted. As already stated DS2500s have a reputation for being good street/track option. You need to up grade to track fluid. I use Motul 660. 600 might be OK for you. No need to waste money for Castrol RSF for a few DE days. I change at least every year, sometimes twice a year depending on how many events. Invest in a cheap brake fluid moisture tester. Mine has never registered the first increment which is <1%. The top increment is 3% which means it will boil on the track and maybe with aggressive street driving.

jayzbird

You’re probably due for pads regardless since oem don’t last long on track, but to help diagnose what caused it, fade where pedal goes soft and you have to pump it is boiled fluid, if pedal stayed firm but brakes were not stopping well then pads or some other mechanical issue with the braking system.

JRitt@essex

What tracks are you running?
What tires do you run on track?
Is your car at approximately stock power levels and curb weight?

Depending on your answers to the above, you may be able to get away with just leaving Ferodo DS2500 in for both the street and track. The one thing to keep in mind though, is that as far as your brakes are concerned, one trip to the track is no different than 20 trips to the track. Any time you go to the track, your brakes will experience a set of conditions that isn't achievable on the street. If they are going to ever face those conditions (even once), they need to be prepped for those conditions.
If we determine that you can likely get away with DS2500 on the track, the shapes that fit your car are below:
Front Ferodo DS2500 for 997.2 C2S= https://www.essexparts.com/ferodo-ds2500-brake-pads907
Rear Ferodo DS2500 for 997.2 C2S= https://www.essexparts.com/ferodo-ds2500-brake-pads910

Ferodo pads are a far cry from EBC in terms of capability and quality. Ferodo was the first company dedicated to producing friction products for competition use. They have won countless championships, etc., and have been a dominant force in global motorsports for the entire history of motorsports.

Hawk ceramics are low dust street pad that should never be used on the track. They were absolutely not designed for that usage. While we haven't dyno tested them back-to-back with an OEM 997 pad compound, they likely have a lower temperature threshold than the OEM pads.

Here's an article I recently wrote on running OEM pads (or comparable street pads) on the track: Can I run my OEM brake pads on the track?

Worst case, if we determine that you should be running a higher spec racing pad for the track, Ferodo has some options like the DS1.11 and DS3.12 that will fit the bill. The even better part is that they are made from the same core materials as the DS2500, so they can be swapped on the same discs without having to re-bed them, etc. They will play nice on the same disc, without vibrations, judder, etc., which is what commonly happens when you swap between pads from different manufacturers, or from street to track pads. You can see more on Ferodo and their different compounds on our site here: https://www.essexparts.com/brake-pads/ferodo-brake-pads

JRitt@essex

Kitc brings up a great point. Make sure you have a good quality fluid with a high dry boiling point. Castrol's marketing slant on wet boiling point is irrelevant for anyone who regularly services their car, which we all do. We wrote an article on that topic as well:
How to choose racing brake fluid

For what you're doing, something like AP Racing R2 would likely be a good choice (3 bottles is typically enough for a full bleed and you have enough left over for a secondary bleed): https://www.essexparts.com/brake-flu...al-brake-fluid

mdfud

Thanks for the responses, very helpful. To add more information: car is 20mm lower from factory, has ltd slip differential, no weight saving modifications, stock drilled rotors, Continental Sport Contact Tires. Prior to last track day only thing changed was brake fluid (Motul 600). Toward the end of third session, brakes started to fade/squeal; pedal was good but pads weren't gripping. Brakes are good for daily driving; pads look to be more than 50% F & R. Based on responses I am leaning toward Sebro slotted rotors and Ferodo DS2500 pads. I am only going to do about three DE events over the next four months and will be changing to Michelin PS4 (unless I can find a good deal on a set of rims & Hoosiers). I track it more for fun than competition but I don't want to be going off into the dirt. Again, thanks for the responses!

JRitt@essex

Your description is definitely indicative of pad fade. Pad fade means that the pads have exceeded their max operating temp and can no longer generate friction. At that point they tend to smear onto the disc face, crumble, etc. A street tire like PS4 or the Contis you're running now are a fine match with the DS2500. If you run Hoosiers someday, you'll be able to leverage a pad with a higher mu like the Ferodo DS1.11 or DS3.12. The DS2500 will probably get the job done for you. If you run hour long sessions at Sebring, Road America, or Watkins Glen, possibly not. If you're on a milder braking track you will likely be fine. One great thing about the DS2500 is that when they do reach their max operating temp, they give plenty of warning and slowly lose their friction. Some pads give little to no warning, and basically just stop working. Obviously that can be a huge problem! The DS2500 fade very progressively. To be honest though, you have to really thrash them hard to get them to fade. Let us know if you need any further guidance and good luck out there.

Brainz

I had Hawk Ceramics on my 997TT. They were OK. You can stop the car, but it's not a high bite pad. Pedal feel was pretty wooden. But dust was low which was nice. NOT a track pad. Acceptable as a street pad.

I switched to DS1.11s. Night and day in terms of bite and feel. It's a track pad that can be run on the street. No issues with cold temps - - very consistent. Initial brake dust was bad during break in, but now it seems no worse, maybe better than factory. The only downside is a slight squeal at light, low speed brake application. Slightly annoying, but not awful. Terrific pads. Wish they made them for my Cayenne.