Bigpower

My experience of EBC blues after some very very hard abuse at Snett 300 yesterday…

I’ve used Performance Friction Z pads for road and track duty over the past few years and whilst I’ve been more than happy with the on track capabilities of the Z’s, the on road (cold bite) has been very poor almost to the point of being dangerous!
Cue the group test of Andy Freemans EBC blues. Fortunately I was given a set to try out and up until yesterday I’d only used them for fast road and 20 minutes at Brands.
My first impressions were that the cold bite and sheer stopping power was head and shoulders above the PF Z’s. Very impressed indeed!.

So, onto yesterdays day at Snetterton 300.

I typically stay out for 20-30 minutes on track and thrash the knackers off my car without any mechanical sympathy whatsoever!
Whilst the Z’s took a while to get up to temp and gave me some confidence the Blues were bang on the money from the start and needed very little warming up to perform.
But, after approx 15+ miles of very hard non stop track abuse they started to fade slightly and needed to cool down before getting back to their best.
There have been plenty of comments about brake judder and pad deposit left on the discs from the Blues, but not once have I had this problem with them, where as with the Z’s I’ve had a nightmare with judder and trying to remove to deposit has been a right royal pain in the ass!

PF Z deposit on discs…



Old PF Z pads…



So, back to the EBC Blues.

My overall impression is that as a fast road and occasional light track pad the Blues are fantastic value for money and pretty much do all that is asked of them with no downside whatsoever.
But when given some real abuse (and I mean some heavy abuse) they don’t cut the mustard compared the to Z’s.
Pics…





Obviously the Blues have smeared quite a bit and started to crumble in places but they still did a good job of stopping me, although two track days would be their limit where as the Z’s have previously last me six+ hard track days.
I look forward to trying the EBC Orangestuff at some point, although they will have to be real good to match the hard race capabilities that PF offer.

Good write up Jon, im sure that'll be a good reference for anyone looking to use them have to say though looking at those pads... fucking hell you really wasn't holding back

I'm surprised you're using Z rated pads which are at the bottom of the pile in the PF catalogue.

Try some 06 compound pads and prepare to have your brake pad expectations rewritten!

EDIT: by the way, a great review and one I'd like to post on another forum if you don't mind? Actually I already have but if that's not good, just let me know and I'll remove it

Good report and feedback quality Jon Thanks for the info.

Tommy wrote:I'm surprised you're using Z rated pads which are at the bottom of the pile in the PF catalogue.

Try some 06 compound pads and prepare to have your brake pad expectations rewritten!

EDIT: by the way, a great review and one I'd like to post on another forum if you don't mind? Actually I already have but if that's not good, just let me know and I'll remove it

That's cool Tommy . You got a link? Alway's interested in others brake opinions.

Sorry no link but you need only talk to Alyn.

I have used Z rated, 97, 01 and 06 compound Performance Friction pads.

The Z pads are no more than a fast road pad. The 'compound' pads are their proper race variants.

Out of the 3 it's the 06 pad that is best for me. I've used them on my full weight M3 Evo with standard calipers and discs and they couldn't be 'broken'. In fact my discs cracked but I put that down to a manufacturing fault that I should have followed up but never did.

They are also used in my friend's (my old) M3 race car which weighs in 300 kgs less and is also on standard calipers and discs. Those pads have so far endured a 45 minute race and 3 trackdays and they never fade, provide literally unbelievable retardation and don't deposit. They're even kind to the discs in terms of no noticeable wear. The wear of the pad is probably less than 50%.

Great info, cheers
My reason for using the Blues & Z's is that I require an all round pad that I can use to drive to a track and back again and one that will perform as a daily drive without killing me. I'd love to use the 01's but I fear that they'd be crap as a road pad.
PS
My PF's have always been sourced through Alyn

My full weight M3 was a road and track car. The 06s had more cold bite than any other pad I've used. You will be fine with them.

That's good to know, cheers.
I'll probably go with the EBC Orangestuff next and see how I get on, but if they don't work then i'll give the 06 PF's a bash.

It's strange how the blues are good with one set up but utterly crap with another. With the K Sports they were bloody awful.

Have you tried XP8 or XP10's Jon? I've found the XP8's very good on the road and Logan uses them on his sprint/track car and found them to be very good. I know the Carbotecs are expensive but I'd guess the PF are in the same price range?