Any reccomendations for well balanced pad that fits both needs? Don't want to run a dedicated set of track pads at this point.

 

Some may try to claim that such a pad exists. But it's not true. Street pads are for street, track for track. There is no pad that works well in both heat ranges stone cold (street) and stupidly hot (track). Also, track pads when cold will tend to squeel and eat up rotors.

Tweener pads like Axiss Ultimates are not good enough for track.

The closest to a dual use pad would be Pagid Orange -- they are a light duty track pad. They could pass for street pads, but will eat rotor and not be as effective cold as a good street pad.

I use Axiss Ultimates for street and Performance Fricton 01s for Track.

 

Try the EBC RedStuff Ceramic. It is noticebly worse when cold than OEM, but not dangerously so, and works well on the track. I can usually put about 15-17 laps on them on a hard braking track before they start to fade from heat, making them good enough for driving to a HPDE or track event. They will wear very fast though, about three events and mine were done. But they are also inexpensive compared to a full race pad like 01's and can decently serve double duty. Expect a lot more dust, noisy when outside their optimum heat range, like on the street, though they are not hard on the rotors. Like Skrill said, there is no one pad to excell at both, so you will have to compromise.
Will

 

Agree with skrill. You can't have both. You really are better off changing pads at the track. You will save money in the long run, stop better, and have longer lasting rotors.
But if you are really against 2 sets of pads decide which end of the spectrum you want to be on. You could run a club race pad like the pagid orange or porterfield R4 and stop fairly well at the track with the trade off of school bus squealing and rotors that will be done in 10k or so.
To stay more on the street side you could go with an axxis ultimate or hawk hp plus and sacrifice high temp braking at the track.

 

Yeah I understand it's a compromise, and right now I'm leaning more towards a track pad that will eat rotors but will still be safe on the street. Squealing doens't bother me Reason I'm OK eating these rotors is because I intend of upgrading to a set of 13" Stoptech's in the relatively near future.

 

Ok, Well whats the best STREET pad? Anything out there better for shortening stopping distances in cold...Anyway of getting less dust with these too? I was going to get the Hawk HPS until lI read thru about 200 posts about how they really werent that great when cold. Any suggestions?

 

surprised no one has mentioned the Ferodo 2500 pad. i use them on my track days with 0 fade and they bite really well being driven on the street....raceshopper.com has em

 

If you really don't care about noise/dust, I've been using Carbotech XP-10s as track pads. They're so-so when cold but absolutely increadible when hot. I've had to recalibrate my foot while braking so that weight will transfer to the front wheels before the ABS goes crazy. I've run Pagid Orange, XP-9s, and PF-01s and the XP-10s are by far the best pad I've used. I used them on the steet for about a month and like I said before, they're acceptable.

 

Pads and BBKs are really for heatsoak resistance and fade resistance. On a cold stop (on the street), your braking distance from say 60-0 is going to be a function vehicle weight and tire grip. So pads will not make a difference. Getting a stickier tire and/or losing weight will.

Now do ten 60-0 hard stops and your pads, fluid, rotor size, etc. will determine if you stop the same on the 10th as you did on the 1st.

 

Good post. This should be in the official 350Z FAQ (when someone makes one).

 

Skrill, Thanks, I am very aware of all the benefits to a "track" pad, as well as tires being one of the biggest braking components. I was trying to pick some brains on a replacement pad for the stock ones as I need to do so soon. I want stopping power all else being equal at least as good as stock and if possible better. And definately LESS DUST, if possible no squeak. Any Suggestions? THANKS for the reply though!!

 

I have Axxis Ultimates -- they have very good bite and are plenty of pad for agressive street and light Auto-X. But they dust a bit and squeel if you are not hard on the brakes enough. They bed in -- but then the material wears off if you don't get the rotors hot enough often enough. Once the material wears off they squeel. It just means you have to bed them in again.

I may try Axxis Deluxe next time. They are a less agressive pad, but are silent and dust less. I am not trying to set killer lap times on the street, so as long as the pad will stop the car, I don't care -- I just want something that does not destroy rotors or squeel. So for me -- the Deluxe may be good enough.


I am not familiar with any other street pads enough to make a recommendation. Sounds to me that Ultimates may be what you want (and they are cheap). You will just need to re-bed them periodically (like once every couple of months) when they start getting noisey.

 

Skrill - You'll love the Axxis Deluxe Plus for the street....minimal dust (about like Hawk HPS) & good street-stopping grip. I've been using them for about a month now on my StopTech BBK for the street. I use the Axxis Ultimates for more "spirited" driving. And not 1 squeak........