Help me Decide on my Tires and Pads for the Track.

[nordique14]

I would also like to know people’s feedback on using a different (less aggressive) pad on the rear. I have run same pads all around on other cars. Is the GT350 better with more braking up front?

 

[TennTex]

Thanks for the input, you’re right in line with the pads I’ve been considering.

How was pad life with the DSUNO? Did you have any issues with ABS running the stock rear pads? What made you move away from this setup?

For the Raybestos pads, did you purchase new rotors? If not did you have any issues with shuddering after cleaning off the old compound?

Lastly, sorry for all the questions, are you switching back to street pads or just running a dedicated track setup?

My 350 is going to be 80% track duty since it’s a third car, but would like to take it out on the street every now and then.

Thanks again!

For the DSUNO, I used them for 5-6 weekends, and still have them as my backup pads, with about 1/3 thickness left. I remembered the reason I tried another pad was that they didn’t have as much initial bite as I was looking for. I used PFC-01’s in my old S197 with Stoptech 4-pistons and loved them. I have never found a compound I liked as much as those. That said, I’m also a faster driver now and probably use less brakes than I did back then - so maybe rose colored memories there!

Never noticed any ABS issues with the stock or any rears. Not related, but I had a rear bearing go bad last year and the speed sensor didn’t work right. It meant the computer was working overtime trying to work the rears and I got those Pagids over cooked!

Since it was time for new pads, and because - COTA, I put fresh stock rotors on with the Raybestos, and bedded them in best I could before the track day.

When I had the DSUNO pads, I changed them with the factory pads, no issues - both Ferodo of course.

My car is 95% track toy, rarely drive it on the road, and I just keep the track pads in it. No problems with an occasional drive, just extra space for cold pads.

Enjoy the GT350, I like them, and 2 buddies got them after I got my GT, so was not able to get in front of them! My prior S197 was a Shelby GT, which was cool, but I didn’t want to “cut up” a Shelby to make it a track car. So, I got the S550 and have made some mods. Just sent my oldest to Freshman year of college, so investment is paused, will have to drive what I have!

 

[VUDU V8 Steve]

Running G-Loc R-10's in front, R-8's rear; R-12's up front also pairs well. I don't change pads for street use, but I personally don't care about dust and squeel.
Fantastic initial bite, modulation, durability...just IMHO

 

[jashton]

For reference, I ended up going with Ferodo DSUNO front pads and will be running OEM rears initially. I'll post another update after Sebring which is less than two weeks away.

 

[DocWalt]

Curious to hear how it goes.

Stock pad compound is HP1000 from Ferodo. It's like a DS2500 that's taken a bit of steroids, but it's no DSUNO.

 

[petstang]

After the OEM front brake pads were done, I have been using the Power Stops Track Day pads for the last 15 or so track days. I like the way they perform but they wear too fast. I will be changing to the Hawks DTC70 front & DTC60 rear for my next track day @ NJMP Lightning this Saturday. Will update.

 

[Coz]

I have also used the PowerStop Track Day pads and love their performance. I haven't had any complaints about their wear. But the sequel like a banshee when braking at the end of the straights. This has happened with two sets of pads with and without titanium shims.

 

[petstang]

I changed to new front Power Stop Track Day pads just before going to Watkins Glen, did a two day event there and the pads were over half way gone.

Last time, I started a track day with similar wear and I had a scary moment during the last session that day where I almost went straight in turn 1 at NJMP Lightning. The material left over on the pads was really thin and most probably created the problem.

For the price they are absolutely great but at least to me they have less material to start with, which makes them more expensive at the end lol

 

[JDee]

I found the Powerstop Trackday pads to be not great, in long hard braking zones they give up pretty badly. They would be fine for learning at moderate speeds, they wear pretty well under that use and certainly are inexpensive but once you really get going they're not up to the job. At Mosport doing 1:37's they were fine, now I'm knocking on the door of 1:33's (1.34.205) and they absolutely give it up at the end of the longest straight where I'm braking from close to 145 mph. Mosport is not considered a hard track on brakes. At Shannonville there's 3 places they give up and at Tremblant there's 2, I wouldn't even try them at Calabogie.

It's pretty unnerving when they do that, they start off early in the brake zone feeling not bad but you can just feel the brake force going away the deeper in you get. Best case scenario you miss an apex, I haven't found worst case yet fortunately. They put a ton of heat into the rotors as well, even with brake ducts they work hardened the rotors so bad they couldn't be sanded and in fact couldn't even be turned. I am running Hawk DTC50/30 now and so far they are working fine. At Mosport the fronts wear about 1 mm per track day, the rears are hardly measurable for wear. I believe I can find more time in brake zones as I get more confidence in these pads.