Performance Friction Brakes - Up to the job?

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:16 am

After having fried my Impreza brakes at Cadwell Park last October and then finally killed them at Snetterton in Dec, I needed to change my braking system.

Previous set up was:

OE impreza Brembo calipers and discs
Ferodo DS2500 pads all round
Braided Hoses
RBF600 Brake Fluid

Having toyed with ways to improve my braking system on the impreza from fitting AP 6 pots, AP 4 Pots, AP Strap drives, stoptech, big brakes kits from all and sundry.... I starting to investigate Performance Friction brakes discs and pads after chatting with Paul from Zen Performance about what could be done. Paul assured me that they would be up to the job for frequent track days, nurburgring laps and normal day to day driving.

Seeing as the OE Subaru discs had been ruined by carbon deposits left by boiling the Ferodo DS2500 fast road pads and effectively making them feel warped (they werent) I needed new discs and pads. At that stage I could have shelled out

frayz · Post by **frayz** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:33 am

Nice report guv...

Looks like I too will be going down the PF route soon.

Unless i can find AP money

Post by **Ben** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:46 am

Can't be left out .. think I'm going to have to have a looky myself.

And it helps that the rota's look damn fine too

.

Dan@PFC · Post by **Dan@PFC** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:04 pm

Hi Duncan, nice to meet you yesterday.

Temperatures were certainly too low in the morning for eveyone concerned, but at least the rain kept away and the track dried out, and towards mid morning the track dried and everyone could go for it.

Thanks for the great report, im pleased everything went to plan in the braking department. 8)

Did you managed to sort the oil problem before the end of the day?

Dan.

ps, Nice to meet you Frayz...only very briefly mind!

pps, Ben, nice to meet you also, as soon as i have any info, i'll get in touch.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:08 pm

Sort of worked around it to be honest Dan - I will post a full report up later today but it was oil splashing around in the sump that made it way through the breather. Problem first happens after the track dried and I was able to corner a lot quicker but went away if cornered slower and oil level dropped.

So ran it with lower oil level and bingo

Brakes are well and truly off the upgrade list now and I wont be bothering to fit the cooling ducts to them either....

Pavlo · Post by **Pavlo** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:15 pm

Thanks for the writeup Duncan. Despite the efforts of some companies, these discs and pads are a well kept secret it would seem! I am glad they were everything I said they would be, and you've saved

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:27 pm

[quote="Pavlo"]Thanks for the writeup Duncan. Despite the efforts of some companies, these discs and pads are a well kept secret it would seem! I am glad they were everything I said they would be, and you've saved

mike-payne · Post by **mike-payne** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:55 pm

I ran the Pagid 29's yesterday on the 6 pot AP's and i have to say i was very impressed with them! With a little more commitment i could have braked down the back straight at the number 1 board, instead of 1.5 as i was doing!

Pavlo · Post by **Pavlo** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:09 pm

I am currently running Pagid RS14s in my stoptechs, they are great on track but prone to depositing when used not hot enough. The RS29 would be on the list for a better road/track pad (than the RS14), with better wear rates too. I have change to another stoptech caliper for this year, but have the option of RS15 or RS29 pads to tune the bite at the front end. I will be talking to PFC about my application though.

The trackday PFCs seem great, only downside is more wear when cold, but I think the rears may only experience that problem to any noticable extent. I don't imagine it's any worse than other race oriented pads.

I've looked long and hard on the net for the "ultimate" pad, but no single pad stands out as being clearly better than the rest (unlike brake fluid where SRF is undisputed king).

Paul

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:37 pm

I have no doubt that AP 6 pots or stop tech kits would be superb and man enough for the job for my modest needs but very impressive that a simple disc and pad replacement could give me braking to spare. Just need PFC to expand the range of applications which I am sure they are up for doing from speaking to Dan and Chris