Brake Pad options

[kg002]

We cut pad shapes every day out of all sorts of materials, Iam sure we could accomodate that shape in that material, next time you require it.

Regards
KG

[robo]

Originally Posted by AV1611

Dark horse in the field....

Lucas LM116 compound. Must be from Europe (Spain), not any of the other Lucas pads. They are rated by Race Magazine as being an awesome pad at a very, very low price compared to others.

Where can you get the Lucas pads from. My local brake place asked his Lucas Distributor and they didn't know what was happening and kept trying to point me towards standard Lucas numbers.

One of the Vic excels is running the DS3000 and reckon the cost to be about $230-. He reckons there great but others tell me that DS2500 should be what I need, yet others say just get Metal kings or Ultimates . I used Metal Kings years ago on a Swift and apart from some sparks and fires after big downhill sections I don't remember them fading, but now the excel is about 200-300kg heavier. Such a confusing business. At least it seems reasonably easy to choose brake fluids in comparison . There are some choices, but know where near as many.

[MichaelF]

For a comparatively light car the DS3000s are probably overkill on the front unless you are a really hard braker. I run the DS2500s on my fat bugeye WRX and they last 3-4 laps on a track before starting to feel a bit off. Plus they work really well from cold compared to the DS3000s.

[Spac]

Crazy Dave, I would suggest the 2500s if you don't left-foot-brake, but the 3000s if you do.

The RX-7 never had a problem with 2500s despite it's extra weigh and speed, but then again, it has larger hardware and I'm not hard on brakes....

[Bede]

Originally Posted by Spac

The RX-7 never had a problem with 2500s despite it's extra weigh and speed, but then again, it has larger hardware and I'm not hard on brakes....

How long were the rear pads lasting again??? Was it one rally before they would glaze over or wear out?? Yep those huge rear calipers on the RX-7 worked a treat.

[Spac]

One and a half rallies before they'd glaze over - a product of my love of rear brake bias, and the schitty little pad area of the S5 rear calipers.
Take 'em out and scrub 'em on the concrete and they're good to go again.

Same set of pads did twelve (?) rallies and still have about 60~70% of the meat left.

Oh, and "larger" is a comparative term...

[robo]

Originally Posted by Spac

Crazy Dave, I would suggest the 2500s if you don't left-foot-brake, but the 3000s if you do.

Yeh that bloody left foot seems to hang around that pedal alot, especially at Taree where the skirt kept putting it down there . Hopefully won't stay there so often but I do drive that way.

Actually used Metal Kings on the old swift and for 95% of the time they where great. I did have a couple of stage ends where sparks and stuff would be spitting out of the wheels when I came into control. But as I said weight is considerably more in the excel so I think (although the wallet doesn't like it) that I have to move up to something a bit better. So about the $230-$240 (DS3000) mark sounds about what I need to spend. But it sound like they should last quite a while.

[gslrallysport]

Originally Posted by robo

Where can you get the Lucas pads from. My local brake place asked his Lucas Distributor and they didn't know what was happening and kept trying to point me towards standard Lucas numbers.

That's cause there's only one Lucas compound now... get it and stop wasting money on expensive stuff that isn't as good...

The only people who bag lucas are people who haven't tried them, and don't beleive for the money they work...

Myself, Global, others, and the majority of QLD top rallying competitors use it, and you'll never go back...

Go out, get them to fade once (650 degrees), then i PROMISE you, you'll never EVER get them to fade again...

My '76 civic last year had pads about the size of a 50c piece, every other pad faded fairly quickly (ferodo, bendix advance and metal), yet the lucas never ever felt like letting go..

For the money try them, you've got nothing to lose... ok... well.. technically $50 i suppose... but hey!

[fro]

Originally Posted by gslrallysport

Go out, get them to fade once (650 degrees), then i PROMISE you, you'll never EVER get them to fade again...

Had them in the front of the Pulsar (my road car). I got them to fade, and warped the discs doing it.

Ask Rowds about how good the pedal felt after that.

I'm sure that they work for you, but I'll steer clear thanks. Similar story with Ultimates.

[Kagan]

I will be able to either confirm or deny rumours of Lucas being good as of next weekend when I run them for the first time (unless of course they were in the car when I bought it )

Speaking of which, I had better call and get them orgainsed.

[AV1611]

Hey Fro

Surely that would indicate how GOOD the Lucas pad is, not how BAD it is? If it kept working to the point where the disk warped, that is a pretty impressive performance. Assume that the warping was from heat. Assume that the heat was from retarding friction. Then you must also assume the pad was still providing some level of retarding friction at what was presumably a pretty extreme temperature.

Solution : If you drive your poor Pulsar like you drive your poor 180B, you need a substantially stronger road car. Pulsars weren't made with people like you in mind! I think a Hummer is more suited to you.

[fro]

Originally Posted by AV1611

Then you must also assume the pad was still providing some level of retarding friction at what was presumably a pretty extreme temperature.

I put it to you that it stopped prviding retardation relatively early in the piece, and I warped the discs despite the lack of retardation... Just cause it gets hot, doesn't mean it keeps working.

As I've said other places, what others find great, some find to be poop. Things like brake pads seem to be a personal preference thing. I continue to have this argument with a gentleman on PF, who despises Ferodo pads (2500/3000's), and continues to say that Ultimates are the answer for everything.

Originally Posted by AV1611

Solution : If you drive your poor Pulsar like you drive your poor 180B, you need a substantially stronger road car. Pulsars weren't made with people like you in mind!

I've not had a problem in 12 months. It's a great little daily, and it gets <7l/100kms on a regular basis. Why change?

And it motorkhanas like nobodies business.

[rowdytoot]

Originally Posted by fro

Ask Rowds about how good the pedal felt after that.

It was kwalitee with a capital K....never felt a pedal that nasty before in anything I've driven and I've driven some "well maintained, high performance, gently driven" equipment in my time. eg. EBC pads up in smoke on my 55 hp road car back in the day;- I used to drive with as much mechanical empathy as fro does now...

I suspect the poor Pulsars discs aren't up to the task of coping with fro - I don't think much in the 'standard automotive' range is (and I mean that in the nicest possible way! )

fro- how dare you diss Ultimates!-they are Gods gift on the ute.

Rowds

PS DS3000's for the win IMHO

[robo]

Originally Posted by fro

I've not had a problem in 12 months. It's a great little daily, and it gets <7l/100kms on a regular basis. Why change?

And it motorkhanas like nobodies business.

Don't change the pulsar, get a cage in it and go front wheel drive at rallies

I guess I will wait and hear how Kagan finds them. Make sure you give them a flogging Kagan and use that good old left foot to its best. Right foot flat to the boards left foot ridin the brakes. Keep that engine on the boil.

[Kagan]

I will do my best Robo, although I think I am reasonable easy on cars, so wont be anything like Fro giving them a work out but I will see how I go!!!

And as for Left Foot Braking, yeah I have to learn that one day