Brake pads and car prep for mild track use

I recently sold my e46 330i hpde/autox car, and am looking forward to using my GTI for events in the near term. The GTI is completely stock other than some Continental ECS tires. For some background, I have been autocrossing for 12 years, and sporadically doing track days for the last 8. I run in an intermediate HPDE group with my local club.

I'm beginning to prepare the brakes for track use. I will be running a second set of blank front rotors with dedicated track pads, so dual-use is not necessary other than possibly getting to and from the track for the weekend when at local tracks. There is no need to worry about bed-in problems from alternating pad materials. I also will add the RS3 brake air deflectors, and use Motul RBF600 fluid.

I have read through most of the threads in this subforum about pad choices, and see many prefer Pagid RS29 and Carbotech XP10/12. The Pagids seem rather spendy, but might last long enough to make them worth it. Has anyone had any good experience with other compounds, or recommendations for this platform?

Also, is there anything else I should be concerned about or address with the MK7 platform for moderate track use? My previous Focus ST was prone to overuse the front brakes due to the torque vectoring system working hard all the time. I expect the VAQ-equipped MK7 to be much less of an issue in that respect.

I drive in the intermediate group mostly at fairly tight tracks--lots of turns. See sig line for list of major mods.

I have used both the Pagid RS29 and Hawke DTC-60 pads with track-dedicated slotted rotors. I am getting about three-four days of use out of each, with the Pagid having the longer life. The criterion for acceptable wear is that the pad material must be at least as thick as the backing plate. With that criterion (checked and strictly enforced at daily tech inspections), there isn't a lot of life in the pad. I would say that the braking performance is comparable. Before I switched, I used the EBC Blue pads. Junk. Don't go there. Very poor stopping power.

I removed the dust shield to improve cooling.

I've never had any issue with brake fade.

I had Carbotech XP10s for my old GTI and I was pretty happy with their track performance but they do seem to wear pretty fast. The MK7 does have much larger pads so maybe it will not be as bad on this.

I run an APR Stage 1 high torque in the advanced run groups unless I am brand new to a track or there are too many high-closing-speed true race cars in advanced, in which case I run upper intermediate. Car is DSG with no tranny tune.

I am very happy with Ferodo DS2500 pads and, like you, Motul RBF600. Zero fade and long life. I dual use my pads, so you could go more aggressive than me, but I see no need for higher bite and would stick with the Ferodo's if using it for track only. Also, you still need to bed these even if you are not swapping pads. It prevents glazing.

The car has been bulletproof as is. Prior to upgrading to Ferodo/Motul, the brakes were pretty useless towards the end of each run. Only other addition I would recommend, other than the obvious "get great tires" upgrade, is a stiffer rear adjustable sway bar. I will most likely add that next year to improve turn in.

I will second the recommendation for Ferodo DS2500 pads. I do not run a track only setup and use the Ferodos as my only pads. There is quite a lot of info about my car setup and brake experience in this thread I started over on vortex: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?9078617-Mk7-Golf-R-brake-cooling-for-tracked-car

I am an instructor with the California chapters of the Audi club and run in the advanced point by run groups with other organizations (as long as my bank's name is on the title I am avoiding run groups that have open passing).

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm slightly suprised at the very favorable DS2500 recommendations, as they're streetable... but if they work, what the heck. They're a fair bit less expensive, too - ~$190 per set for the fronts, compared to $288 for G-Loc/Carbotech, and $315 for Pagids.

I read your other thread, Cliff - lots of good information there. I'm probably a way off from needing the titanium shims, but they seem superbly effective.

fretburnr said:

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm slightly suprised at the very favorable DS2500 recommendations, as they're streetable... but if they work, what the heck. They're a fair bit less expensive, too - ~$190 per set for the fronts, compared to $288 for G-Loc/Carbotech, and $315 for Pagids.

I read your other thread, Cliff - lots of good information there. I'm probably a way off from needing the titanium shims, but they seem superbly effective.

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I'm a member of the DS2500 club as well. I do 3 HPDE a year at Gingerman. Stock setup didn't cut it once I started late breaking. Changed fluid to RBF600 and the stock pads smeared all over the rotors. Moved to DS2500 last year and they are solid as a rock for my use. After minimal spirited driving over the winter they began to squeak ever so slightly. Went out for a quick bed in run and they are dead silent.

Are you guys running Ferodos front and back or is just the front acceptable?

TrackRat said:

Are you guys running Ferodos front and back or is just the front acceptable?

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I run fronts and back, but a few run just fronts with little issue.

TrackRat said:

Are you guys running Ferodos front and back or is just the front acceptable?

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The rear pads were not available in the US before last September. I ran the front pads with both OEM and Porterfield R4S rear pads. I experienced pad fade with the OEM rear pads, and brake judder due to pad material transfer to the rear rotors with the R4S pads.

I ended up going with the DS2500s for the front on my PP GTI. I also used Motul RBF600 and RS3 deflectors, as mentioned above.

I attended a track day on 8/10 and ran long sessions (25-35 min) at Autobahn Country Club south and full course. I had no fluid fade at all, and great pedal feel the whole day. Coming from past cars experience with ATE200, the RBF600 was a great upgrade.

However, I did manage to smear the living daylights out of those pads all over the front rotors. They never gave up, and continued giving good bite, torque, and feedback, but the vibration from the excess pad material was strong enough to make my instructor uncomfortable. I will need to resurface the rotors to clean them up.

I followed the Ferodo bed-in process as closely as I could on a long, deserted country road a day or two before the event. There was an even transfer layer before the track event.

fretburnr said:

I ended up going with the DS2500s for the front on my PP GTI. I also used Motul RBF600 and RS3 deflectors, as mentioned above.

I attended a track day on 8/10 and ran long sessions (25-35 min) at Autobahn Country Club south and full course. I had no fluid fade at all, and great pedal feel the whole day. Coming from past cars experience with ATE200, the RBF600 was a great upgrade.

However, I did manage to smear the living daylights out of those pads all over the front rotors. They never gave up, and continued giving good bite, torque, and feedback, but the vibration from the excess pad material was strong enough to make my instructor uncomfortable. I will need to resurface the rotors to clean them up.

I followed the Ferodo bed-in process as closely as I could on a long, deserted country road a day or two before the event. There was an even transfer layer before the track event.

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First day I ran the Ferodo's my 2nd session had huge vibration that was shaking the whole car, but brakes still performed fine. I found that a couple of extra hot braking laps burned it all off. Never came back.



I also always do break in according to Ferodo directions.