Recommended Pads

[Rick Iverson]

Gents;

I am putting ICP LD20s on all four corners, and I have cryo’d drilled rotors. Pad recommendations, please.

[DaveW]

Carbotech XP20 compound. I use it on my F2000 (Alcon calipers) in the slightly smaller D044 size, and I love them.

They are the first and only pad compound out of many that I have used that gives me everything I want in a brake pad:
1. aggressive initial bite
2. consistent high CF from cold to hot
3. excellent pad wear
4. very easy on rotors (same set of rotors for over 2 years now, and they look like new)
5. excellent modulation and release characteristics - brake torque proportional to pedal pressure
6. consistent braking from beginning to end of each braking event
7. consistent braking from beginning to end of session or race
8. consistent braking from new thickness to worn out
9. no "soft-pedal" feeling ever

[Rick Iverson]

Beautiful, Man. Stay safe, Pally!!

Carbotech XP20 compound. I use it on my F2000 (Alcon calipers) in the slightly smaller D044 size, and I love them.

They are the first and only pad compound out of many that I have used that gives me everything I want in a brake pad:
1. aggressive initial bite
2. consistent high CF from cold to hot
3. excellent pad wear
4. very easy on rotors (same set of rotors for over 2 years now, and they look like new)
5. excellent modulation characteristics - brake torque proportional to pedal pressure
6. consistent braking from beginning to end of each braking event
7. consistent braking from beginning to end of session or race
8. consistent braking from new thickness to worn out
9. no "soft-pedal" feeling ever

[mark elder]

I am intrigued. Why the XP20 compound? I currently use the Mintex M1144

Where would I buy these for an LD19 caliper?

Thanks.

[DaveW]

I am intrigued. Why the XP20 compound? I currently use the Mintex M1144

Where would I buy these for an LD19 caliper?

Thanks.

Back in the day with my FF, M1144 was my favorite until it was discontinued.

I like the XP20 compound better than the lower # compounds because the XP 20 has a higher CF and better initial bite, plus (to me) better feel in the pedal because the compound itself is a bit higher modulus and has a less "spongy" pedal feel. I have never tried the next step up, the XP24.

Contact Carbotech directly - they have contact info on their site. ctbrakes.com .

I have usually worked through Mike Puskar, mike@ctbrakes.com , but any of the contacts will respond.

[Dave Welsh]

Is this the part number?

CTLD19-XP20

[DaveW]

Is this the part number?

CTLD19-XP20

That might be the PN for LD19 size pads. If that is correct, then similar LD20's would be CTLD20-XP20. I've not ordered by PN, but on the boxes for my XP20 044-size pads, it says CT44 XP20.

[mark elder]

Thanks Dave

Can I ask about pad life?

With Mintex M144, when my driver was less experienced, he could get 3-4 meetings out of a front set. Now its one meeting for the fronts and 2-3 for the rears (and that is with me swapping them inside to outside after most races to even up the wedge shaped wear). Clearly he uses the brakes more now. The front discs last 2 years. M1144 are cheap at about US$40 for an axle set.

I occasionally hear stories of a pad set lasting all year but they usually come from drivers that don't seem to brake very hard.... Maybe the Endless brand might actually do it but it is hard to know.

But we have made more reduction in lap times with attention to the brakes than anything else. Hence I am keen explore your pads.

Thoughts?

Mark

[DaveW]

Thanks Dave

Can I ask about pad life?

With Mintex M1144, when my driver was less experienced, he could get 3-4 meetings out of a front set. Now its one meeting for the fronts and 2-3 for the rears (and that is with me swapping them inside to outside after most races to even up the wedge shaped wear). Clearly he uses the brakes more now. The front discs last 2 years. M1144 are cheap at about US$40 for an axle set.

I occasionally hear stories of a pad set lasting all year but they usually come from drivers that don't seem to brake very hard.... Maybe the Endless brand might actually do it but it is hard to know.

But we have made more reduction in lap times with attention to the brakes than anything else. Hence I am keen explore your pads.

Thoughts?

Mark

First, a caveat - I use non-drilled/non-slotted rotors. This is for two reasons: 1) I want the maximum heat sink mass for my rotors to maintain as constant rotor temperature as possible over a lap, and 2) I want to minimize the cheese-grater effect and prolong pad life. Gas formation does not seem to be an issue with Carbotechs. Using solid rotors also extends the rotor life to well over 3 years.

Having said that, I get what I consider pretty good pad life with the XP20's. Over a weekend with 3-hours of track time, I have never have used up a new set of pads. I do rotate them similar to you plus from front to rear calipers if needed to minimize taper wear and maximize life. When they get below ~0.30" thick, I pitch them.

When the pads get worn from their new thickness of ~0.56" to ~0.37" I use old pad backing plates (~0.18" thick) to keep the piston extension low and to add extra insulation (the holes in the old plates) to keep the pistons and calipers as cool as possible. Using the old plates with thinner pads also has another advantage - it lowers the leverage of the pad drag that creates taper wear. For test and practice, I always use thinner pads with the old plates behind them.

I have not done a full season of 14 races (7 weekends) in the last 2 years, but even when I did, I never used more than 3 car-sets of pads over the length of the season.

Remember, my experience is with an F2000 and D044 sized pads. An FF would obviously put less wear and stress in the pads. The LD19's are smaller and less thick, so those will obviously get used up faster. They are also likely to have less taper wear issues because they are thinner and the pad drag lever arm is smaller.