Brake Fade

[hanceformer 0]

Hi all just wanted to get some opinions on the best pads for fast road use. I have 306 xsi callipers and drilled and grooved discs but the pads are standard and seem to fade quite quickly in hot weather. Any ideas on what the best pads to buy are? Thanx.

[Cameron 16]

Mintex 1144 are pretty good.

[welshpug 1,655]

depends what you mean by "standard" cheap APEC from a motorfactor? or decent branded pads?

 

the 266mm XSI setup shouldnt overheat without very hard use, if the weather affects it greatly I'd be looking at the fluid.

[swordfish210 20]

I'm just using Ferrodo Premier pads in my XSi calipers and they don't fade, even after 15mins around Combe. It's quite difficult to get a decent pads for these calipers, Mintex do have a template but they make them to order so you'll have to wait around 6 weeks. I did find a place on the internet selling DS2500's for them but i can't remember the name of the site.

[Anthony 1,002]

Pad availability depends on what era 306 XSi calipers they are - the early ones which were shared with the 306 S16 have a very good selection of uprated pads available, whereas the later ones which were shared I believe with Berlingo vans are less well supported.

 

A moot point somewhat though, as a decent set of standard pads (eg Ferodo Premiers) should be plenty sufficient for typical hard road use. It's typical cheap pattern rubbish that fades badly.

[Cameron 16]

I think I'm gonna try the Premiers out on my road 205 when I come round to swapping the pads.

[stu8v 68 1 Cars]

I wouldnt use anything other than the big names, pagid, ferodo, mintex, performance friction etc.

 

Its false economy otherwise IMHO

 

Cant comment on availabilty Pug wise, but I used to swear by Performance Friction on track/fast road.

[smithy 1]

i would be more inclined to flush the fluid out with some fresh firstly and see if that improves things.

[hanceformer 0]

What difference would changing the fluid do? I'll go for a big name in pads then, just wondered if there was a unanimous view on a certain make. Thank u everyone for ur replies most appreciated.

[smithy 1]

Brake fluid degrades over time as it is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture thus lowering the boiling point and causing brake fade as it gets hot.

That is the reason it is supposed to be changed every 2 years.

 

So if you are running standard pads and have not changed fluid then that would be my first port of call as the standard pads should take more punishment than yours.

[Anthony 1,002]

Brake fade from overheated pads and the problems you get from old fluid that boils are distinctly different though.

 

Very simplistically, if the pads have overheated and you get brake fade, the pedal will still be hard but the car will struggle to stop. If you boil the fluid, the pedal will be very spongey but the car will slow down, atleast until you boil them to the point that you have no brake pedal.

 

A decent set of standard pads will take a fair amount of punishment, but cheap pattern ones can be truly awful. As an example, I fitted a set of GSF supplied Texstar pads shortly before the PSOOC Euro Trip in 2004 to my 205 Mi16 with GTi-6 brakes that I had at the time as a precaution because the set that I had on there was getting quite low. Biggest mistake I ever made, as to give you some idea, I cooked the brakes going *up* the Grand Ballon mountain, and going back down.... well, that was exciting when the middle pedal only served to make the smell worse rather than actually slowing the car

 

Needless to say, they were thrown straight in the bin when I got back, and a set of Mintex 1144's was purchased.

[matt.f 16]

1144's will do the job,got them in my civic type r road car and they are really good.

Get all my pads for road and rally cars from Questmead,they are really helpfull

[hanceformer 0]

Brake fade from overheated pads and the problems you get from old fluid that boils are distinctly different though.

 

Very simplistically, if the pads have overheated and you get brake fade, the pedal will still be hard but the car will struggle to stop. If you boil the fluid, the pedal will be very spongey but the car will slow down, atleast until you boil them to the point that you have no brake pedal.

 

A decent set of standard pads will take a fair amount of punishment, but cheap pattern ones can be truly awful. As an example, I fitted a set of GSF supplied Texstar pads shortly before the PSOOC Euro Trip in 2004 to my 205 Mi16 with GTi-6 brakes that I had at the time as a precaution because the set that I had on there was getting quite low. Biggest mistake I ever made, as to give you some idea, I cooked the brakes going *up* the Grand Ballon mountain, and going back down.... well, that was exciting when the middle pedal only served to make the smell worse rather than actually slowing the car

 

Needless to say, they were thrown straight in the bin when I got back, and a set of Mintex 1144's was purchased.

 

Thanx Anthony that settles it.