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expensive rear pads necessary?
rodgling - 17/2/13 at 10:17 PM

I've just upgraded my front pads from the-cheapest-pads-i-could-find-on-ebay to Carbonne Lorraine CL5+. I've had to dial the bias a long way towards the back and I'm still not convinced the rears are doing enough work - do most people fit expensive pads all round, or just on the front and use more basic/cheap pads on the back?

Custardpants - 17/2/13 at 10:41 PM

Im sure some will advocate running the same compound all round, but I run cheap pads at the back because my engine has a lot of natural engine braking going into the rear axle. At first I couldn't work out why the car was so prone to oversteer unless the throttle was feathered slightly.

RK - 18/2/13 at 01:37 AM

normally, I wouldn't think the rear did a lot of braking, which is why I haven't replaced my rears with racing compounds either. The different compound made braking a lot better, although as usual, you really have to stomp on it compared to a regular car.

britishtrident - 18/2/13 at 07:40 AM

The reason for matching front and rear pads is to ensure the front/rear brake bias doesn’t change when the brakes warm up.

One of things I found with brake balance bars is that their effect becomes much less sensitive the further away from the centre position they are adjusted.

r1_pete - 18/2/13 at 08:20 AM

Same pads all round would maintain brake balance, and effectively reduce pedal pressure required once up to working temperature.

But, be careful your brakes then dont out perform your tyres & Suspension, or its all counter productive.

motorcycle_mayhem - 18/2/13 at 09:16 AM

Reading that, I'd ask the question - is the front braking too severe?

The standard Sierra caliper at the back normally does a great job on my cars, regardless of pad, with a 0.7" master.

rodgling - 18/2/13 at 10:42 AM

quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
The reason for matching front and rear pads is to ensure the front/rear brake bias doesn’t change when the brakes warm up.


Shouldn't be an issue as the CL5+ pads are supposed to work from cold and have a fairly flat response to temperature.

quote:
Originally posted by RK
normally, I wouldn't think the rear did a lot of braking


I've heard it's about 33% on a 7, so, enough that it needs to be right.

Hmm... probably more testing required.

MikeRJ - 18/2/13 at 11:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by rodgling
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
The reason for matching front and rear pads is to ensure the front/rear brake bias doesn’t change when the brakes warm up.


Shouldn't be an issue as the CL5+ pads are supposed to work from cold and have a fairly flat response to temperature.


Whereas cheap road pads work well from cold but quickly fall off as they get hot...

ceebmoj - 18/2/13 at 05:11 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Custardpants
my engine has a lot of natural engine braking going into the rear axle. At first I couldn't work out why the car was so prone to oversteer unless the throttle was feathered slightly.


That relay caught me out in the damp the first couple of times.

[Edited on 18/2/13 by ceebmoj]

rodgling - 19/2/13 at 03:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
quote:
Originally posted by rodgling
quote:
Originally posted by britishtrident
The reason for matching front and rear pads is to ensure the front/rear brake bias doesn’t change when the brakes warm up.


Shouldn't be an issue as the CL5+ pads are supposed to work from cold and have a fairly flat response to temperature.


Whereas cheap road pads work well from cold but quickly fall off as they get hot...


That's a fair point, I do want the rears to continue to contribute after a few hard laps.

So I've now got a set of rears too (thanks to clbraking.co.uk for the fast delivery), will try and get some test driving in at the weekend if the weather stays nice.