EBC RP-1 AND RP-X track pad review

[tigeo]

EBC...yeah I know...OH MY GOD THEY WILL MELT AND YOU WILL DIE

This post isn't about reds/yellows that are not track pads but seem to be used that way at times with an often predictable result. I realize that yellows were often marketed by third parties as track pads but I'd say they can be used IF you are a 1) n00b 2) lighter car and 3) basic street tires. I also realize EBC did have backing plate issues that they made changes based on (that's a long time ago now...). I like yellows as agressive street pads/autoX pads and have used them on my car as well as my son's car. Insert meme here that goes for any brand (Hawk HPS is another offender):

EBC does have 4 different track pads now...RP-1, RP-X, SR-11, SR-22. RP - "race pad" and SR - "sintered race". The SRs seem to be for more endurance use from what I can discern. I decided to try the RP-1s for the remainder of this year and just used them at Summit Point Shenandoah for Fastivus out of my own curiousity - they were ~$200 with a coupon code at buybrakes.com (normally around $250). So per EBC, these are supposed to have a lower intial bite than the RP-X and aimed at "over-servo'd brakes" or BBKs and they actually call out the MK7. They have a 1400 deg F MOT so similar to many popular track compounds like G-Loc/Carbotech 10s.

https://ebcbrakes.com/race-motorsport-articles/should-i-choose-rp-1-or-rp-x-pads/

My impressions? Very different than the APR Advanced Track Day pads I had with my APR BBK. The APR pads were a 1475 deg F MOT but had a very strong intial bite to the point that sometimes I had trouble modulating them for trail braking as I'm working through learning this skill. The RP-1s required a lot more pedal input but allowed easier release of the brake modulating braking to trail brake into corners. So far so good. No braking issues related to pads at Fastivus and Shenandoah circuit is a brake-intensive track. They wore down a few mms best I can tell measuring. On street they are quiet but of course, dusty. Cold bite is fine to me on street and no noise...I like them for daily use. I'll be interested to see how they go at VIR in a month. I'm inclined to try the RP-X as well just to see how those are (higher bite) and at some point I'll try G-Loc pads (R10s)....fun to try things! I use EBC Bluestuff NDX out back (higher torque version of Bluestuff) b/c for the 272x10mm stock rears (non-PP GTI, GSW, AT) there are few options for a pad that can handle track use. I've used Yellows back there as well, neither has given me issues (beyond higher wear rates on track) and I just leave those on for street as well. I am thinking about seeing if G-Loc will make some R8 rears if I sent them an old pad to copy - I have heard they don't include the small metal springs on either end and that's a deal killer as they will rattle around and I'm not changing them out each event....will see what they say when I contact them. You don't know what you don't know.

Also bedding process....per EBC.....drive to get them mated to rotors, so on street I gave it a week of normal driving (on track per them this is a few laps basically), then I did ~6 ~80 to 20 hard/no ABS slows then drove normally to cool them off....pretty standard for track-focused pads. Their red/yellows have a much more arduous process which of course is also part of the issue with those pads b/c folks don't follow directions.

 

[SierraCarrera]

Good to know! Thanks for the write up, I've been using Blues but I think it's time to move up to the RP* pads. Did you notice any difference in rotor wear?

 

[tigeo]

Good to know! Thanks for the write up, I've been using Blues but I think it's time to move up to the RP* pads. Did you notice any difference in rotor wear?

My rotors are at min thickness (32mm) and look unchanged after the 1 day on track. I'll likely use these rotors for the rest of the year b/c the APR 350x34mm rings are backordered

I can tell you this...the APR track pads destroyed my rotors using them on street for about 2 mos.....before I had slots, after 2 mos. I had blanks! Lesson learned...swap the pads/don't be lazy when I get home.

 

[scrllock]

I think the big issues with EBC are:
a) people running the shitpads on the rear of a Mk7, then defending them as perfectly fine track pads, when we know the rears aren't the problem.
b) the de-lamination/splintering issue that EBC makes a big deal of fixing with the NRS backing plates, then people melt them and find they're still not using those plates on all their pads. there was a post from this february of a failed set without the backing plate changes they claim to have made years ago.
c) taking so many years to change the marketing material on the yellows to make it clear they're not for track use.

so, yes, part of it is due to their customers, but I sure as fuck wouldn't trust them again. brakes are a 1-strike you're out kinda thing.

 

[tigeo]

I think the big issues with EBC are:
a) people running the shitpads on the rear of a Mk7, then defending them as perfectly fine track pads, when we know the rears aren't the problem.
b) the de-lamination/splintering issue that EBC makes a big deal of fixing with the NRS backing plates, then people melt them and find they're still not using those plates on all their pads. there was a post from this february of a failed set without the backing plate changes they claim to have made years ago.
c) taking so many years to change the marketing material on the yellows to make it clear they're not for track use.

so, yes, part of it is due to their customers, but I sure as fuck wouldn't trust them again. brakes are a 1-strike you're out kinda thing.

My use of EBC was mainly due to using their pads on my mountainbike years ago - I always liked them. I did my first track day at VIR with stock brakes on the Sportwagen and the street redstuff...lasted 20 minutes on all seasons. Lost my first day. 100% my fault. Weren't melted, just werne't up to task..."duh". Found some new rotors in town near VIR and the NGP folks set me up with yelllowstuffs...saved my weekend and got the second day in and had fun. I got the APR BBK shortly after b/c the GSW is heavy and the 288/312s simply aren't up to task regardless of brake pad. Adding coolilng etc. etc. and so far, brakes have been rock solid with the variety of pads I've used. You are correct, rear doesn't count, you can basically run a stock/OE pad back there, I bet they never get over 500 deg F...the NGP TCR GTI has 272x10s out back but does run an upgraded caliper. You are also correct that EBC's marketing is partly to blame calling the yellows street/track...they stopped that and moved that to the blues which is correct but unfortunately the vendors are still selling them that way. These newer track compounds work well so far and I've read some good reviews of the sintered ones as being v. good. My understanding with the pad backing plates was that it was only on some models (more aggressive ones)...no idea. Have the folks that found that issue contacted EBC to let them know? What pads were the melted ones from the feb post...yellow? This post is simply a review of a new pad I tried that is quite different from the typical colored ones folks use and have had issues with when pushing beyond their limits.

Edit. Found it over on the VW Racers FB group. 5 sessions at Sebring on yellows and they were done. No surprise. Maybe they were older new stock that didn't have the new plates...wouldn't have mattered, they were cooked from being 900 degree street pads getting the shit beat out of them on track where they were clearly well above that. Stop the madness, yellow = good for street or a Mazda 2 on track with street tires

 

[jay745]

Rear pads play a huge part on a track, not really for stopping power but for managing the cars rotation during trail braking. Trail braking is an advanced skill and hard to learn it correctly. I use carbotech xp12 with a stoptech st40 bbk, I tried xp12s in the rear and hated how unstable it made trail braking. Stepped down to xp10 in the rear and think it's perfect.

 

[tigeo]

Rear pads play a huge part on a track, not really for stopping power but for managing the cars rotation during trail braking. Trail braking is an advanced skill and hard to learn it correctly. I use carbotech xp12 with a stoptech st40 bbk, I tried xp12s in the rear and hated how unstable it made trail braking. Stepped down to xp10 in the rear and think it's perfect.

I agree - it's why I stepped up to a higher torque pad or at least the highest OTS one I could find for my tiny 272s. My car seems to do fine with this setup w/r to trail braking...I'm getting better at it. I always understood to step down a pad "level" in the rear so that's what I've always done. If I did G-Loc I'd do 10 in front and 8s out back for example...similar to your setup.

 

[scrllock]

Rear pads play a huge part on a track, not really for stopping power but for managing the cars rotation during trail braking. Trail braking is an advanced skill and hard to learn it correctly. I use carbotech xp12 with a stoptech st40 bbk, I tried xp12s in the rear and hated how unstable it made trail braking. Stepped down to xp10 in the rear and think it's perfect.

yeah, finding ones that have the right mu curve at the temps rear pads see is the trick.

Edit. Found it over on the VW Racers FB group. 5 sessions at Sebring on yellows and they were done. No surprise. Maybe they were older new stock that didn't have the new plates...wouldn't have mattered, they were cooked from being 900 degree street pads getting the shit beat out of them on track where they were clearly well above that. Stop the madness, yellow = good for street or a Mazda 2 on track with street tires

EBC's press releases in 2021/2022 about the NRS stuff made it seem like they changed all of them back in 2011. Beyond reason to think someone is buying pads for a Mk7 and getting "old stock" from pre-2011. Given they specifically say their yellow and blue pads come with them, only to see that post from early 2023? Highly sus.

I hope that these new track compounds fix their issues, but knowing EBC's history as a marketing first, safety third company, it'll take a lot of convincing. I considered their blue pads back when FCP stocked them for my calipers, they're by far the cheapest option for dual-use pads. Unfortunately brakes aren't the parts to minimize costs on.

 

[tigeo]

they're by far the cheapest option for dual-use pads. Unfortunately brakes aren't the parts to minimize costs on.

Rockauto says hold my beer....they have the Dynamic Friction ones that I think may win the cheapest track-type pad! I know a guy that's run them wihtout too much drama.

The Feb yellowstuff pads didn't look like they were problematic beyond just worn all the way down from being the wrong pad - I didn't see delam in those pics, just thin pads.

 

[scrllock]

Rockauto says hold my beer....they have the Dynamic Friction ones that I think may win the cheapest track-type pad! I know a guy that's run them wihtout too much drama.

The Feb yellowstuff pads didn't look like they were problematic beyond just worn all the way down from being the wrong pad - I didn't see delam in those pics, just thin pads.

I mean if they're track pads, you're probably going to buy more than one set eventually, making bluestuff cheaper since it's on FCP.

 

[tigeo]

I mean if they're track pads, you're probably going to buy more than one set eventually, making bluestuff cheaper since it's on FCP.

100%. Love me some FCP....just sent a box of crap back worth $225 for $21 shipping...deal! FCP unfortunately doesn't carry the 272 rear blue ndxs....bummer.

 

[MonkeyMD]

Rockauto says hold my beer....they have the Dynamic Friction ones that I think may win the cheapest track-type pad! I know a guy that's run them wihtout too much drama.

The Feb yellowstuff pads didn't look like they were problematic beyond just worn all the way down from being the wrong pad - I didn't see delam in those pics, just thin pads.

Have a set in my garage, but my XP12 still at 8.5mm

 

[DerHase]

Stop the madness, yellow = good for street or a Mazda 2 on track with street tires

I don't know man - I faded G-Loc R12s on the front of my Mazda2. And even then I burned through a set at the rate of replacing every 4 days on track

(Partly because the car has almost zero use of the rear DRUMs... I had 173k miles on the car when I put it in a wall at Mid Ohio - The rear shoes were still brand new looking when I changed them out prior to that event, it was only done "just because").

 

[tigeo]

I don't know man - I faded G-Loc R12s on the front of my Mazda2. And even then I burned through a set at the rate of replacing every 4 days on track

(Partly because the car has almost zero use of the rear DRUMs... I had 173k miles on the car when I put it in a wall at Mid Ohio - The rear shoes were still brand new looking when I changed them out prior to that event, it was only done "just because").

WTF!

 

[mrmatto]

FWIW: I have Yellows on the front and RBF660 fluid (non-PP). Normally autocross is the most work my brakes see. But I did morning autocross and afternoon track sprints on Sunday at the FIRM. It’s a track known to be hard on brakes since there aren’t many opportunities for good cooling between hard braking zones. And that was made worse by the fact that we ran one lap at a time, then immediately sat in grid to wait for the next run, just like autocross. Lots of baking. Well, I forgot to turn XDS off of strong and came off of run 4 with my LF brake smoking. But at no point in that run or any of the runs with repeated hard braking and XDS riding the brakes did the Yellows feel any different or have any lack of braking performance. Set XDS to normal and run 5 went great. I went harder and faster every run.

I absolutely would not run them in the front at a track day, but I was pleasantly surprised that they did seemingly hold up to some very hard and hot use at full speed around a brake-intensive track. Going to pull the pads this week and get a detailed look at them.