Competition Brake Pads

[VW&MGman]

Hi Everyone,

Where do you buy your competition, (ie: road racing) brake pads. They are for, 2 pin VW (ATE/VARGA) calipers?

I heard Porterfield are good pads, but I can't seem to source them.

Thanks

[Marc]

Are we talking about the ubiquitous `66-`71 Type III calipers (OEM pad P/N 311 698 151D, AKA D101P?)

I checked with my distributor, they have Meyle, Pagid, Mintex, and Textar semi-met, as well as OP (Chinese) in semi-met or ceramic....but to be honest, you can probably find better prices if you shop around some. The OPs are only $21.15/$23.65 but the others run from $37.50 for Mintex up to $64.50 for the Pagids. USPS Priority Mail small flatrate box postage is $5.80 so I wouldn't think it necessary to pay any more than that for shipping, unless you'd have an objection to opening up a cubical manufacturer's box to make them fit.

Here are the MFG P/Ns:
Pagid 758T0455 ($64.50)
Meyle 735D30PMQ ($40.20)
Textar 20009150 ($37.85)
Mintex MDB1012 ($37.50)
OP(C) 735D30GMA333
OP(SM) 735D30GMA303


I Googled a few and found this screamin' deal on some N.O.S. Pagids at eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-901-352 ... 0726404951
...there are a bunch of cross-reference numbers listed there that may help you in your search.

[VW&MGman]

I'm not sure if they a Type III claipers or the pn for that matter. I believe that they are the late model Ghia calipers '72-'73, with 2 pins.

The pads that you mentioned are they for competition?

[Marc]

I'm not sure if they a Type III claipers or the pn for that matter. I believe that they are the late model Ghia calipers '72-'73, with 2 pins.

The pads that you mentioned are they for competition?

Well, a good place to start would be to find out for sure, but those should be the same as the `66-`71 Type III.
The LATE `71-`73 III pads are the same as early Type IV and are a little bigger; their calipers have a wider bolt-span than `Ghia, so there's no stock Type I spindle that they'll fit - it should be safe to assume that you don't need them.
It depends upon how aggressive a pad you need. None are full-metallic "race" pads; the Pagids are OEM for the rear of Porsche 911, the Mintex are a popular "performance" lining that's rather infamous for squealing but for track use nobody cares. I've never road-raced m'self, for my kind of racing even healthy drum brakes are adequate.

...I heard Porterfield are good pads, but I can't seem to source them...

Hmmm. I wonder if this is why. http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/fo ... tmare.html

If you have the calipers that I think you do, you want Porterfield AP 30 series. http://www.lpiracing.com/Porterfield-R- ... 198431.htm

They offer 4 different compounds: http://www.lpiracing.com/viewcategories ... Model=1502

R-4S also here: http://www.pmbperformance.com/catalog/i ... 993450.htm


Frank, what's a good road-race pad in your experience?

[FJCamper]

Hi Marc,

We run Porterfield carbon-kevlar R4 and R4S pads almost exclusively and have many years of good experience with them. This means both sprint and endurance racing.

FJC

[Marc]

Good to know, thanks. Would you consider them race-only or do they work well enough cold to use on the street? I have 944 discs on the rear and `66-`71 III up front, both with street pads (Bosch/Jurid). My rear tires are considerably larger than my fronts so the stronger rear brakes don't lock up prematurely but I wouldn't mind upgrading the fronts (short of changing calipers) when I put in a bigger engine - the $60 R4-S sound like what I'm after if it their description is to be believed.

[FJCamper]

Hi Marc,

I'd think the R4S pads are the ones to use for the street, but I have to confess I have no street experience with them.

Our R4S's never dusted, never squealed that I could hear, and on autocross were good cold.

My last VW sedan daily driver was parked in the middle 1990's, and was a drum brake car on stock shoes. I could get brake fade in the Mexican mountains, but everyplace else was okay.

But back to R4S's. I think you'll like them. On our 4-wheel VARGA disk Ghias and the increasingly infamous Blitzwagen, we run Porterfields up front, and stock pads in the rear with absolutely no compromise in braking.

FJC

[Marc]

Thank you. They sound like a very good pad for the price. I don't want a full-on competition compound which sacrifices cold functionality for hot performance, I've been known to drive for hours without touching the center pedal...

[whiteboyspooky]

sorry to revive an old thread but im looking for the r4-s pads for my calipers. they're the calipers from the cb disk kits for bj beetles
this kit
http://www.cbperformance.com/ProductDet ... tCode=4190

would they use the ap30 pad?

[ONEBADBUG]

Looks like a Ghia caliper to me.
To respond to the old thread, I have used the Porterfield RS4 on the street, auto-x and endurance racing. Very good and Porterfield is good to work with.
They made custom shoes for my NSU.