Brake pad challenges - cautionary tale

Guys & Gals,

When I first got my F it had stock brakes with standard pads, I thought they were so bad in performance I got frightened braking into corners and in case somebody pulled out in front of me. Now I was used to BMW and Merc braking systems but was sure they couldn't be that bad in comparison. So I changed the hoses for braided, bled the brakes and replaced the standard pads. Now, having read some great articles on this and other forums about improving the brakes, I felt that some serious investment was required to go for a big brake system so didn't want to spend any money on kit that was eventually going to be replaced. So I then replaced the pads for Black Diamond Predator, believing that this upgrade was address the challenges now and pads are consumable so when I had seen the best way to go with Big brakes it was not wasting money.

What a disaster, the brakes were better that before but with no low speed bite, you had to warm the pads to get any level of control, My buddy suggested they might be glazed, so I whipped them out and applied emery cloth and they improved for a while. I did learn to drive the car with this level of control but wasn't ever happy. If I thrashed around the lanes the brakes got hot enough to perform, but a quick trip to the local shops required real care in case somebody decided to pull out. The decision to change was spurred on by a trip with my youngest son when a builders van came down a hill I was climbing with parked cars on both sides forcing me into a gap which resulted in me doing a 150 kg leg press on one leg to stop piling into a parked car.

I changed the pads for EBC green stuff this weekend, and cannot believe the difference, they actually stop the car! bearing in mind they are not fully bedded in and the car has not been used in anger, but the ABS came on when I stopped for a local roundabout. I now feel the stopping distance is about the contact patch of rubber and not my leg strength!

Conclusions: Predator brakes pads may be ok for track days but not normal use on a standard disc set up, they need much heat to be effective, the pad compound is too hard. The standard MGF brake set up is good enough to lock the wheels in normal town driving with good pads. I cannot comment on hard lane driving or track days since the new EBC pads are not bedded in, but believe they will be OK and not fade too much. So if you want to stop safely and are making a pad decision please consider what type of driving you do before you spend any cash.

BTW: I now have a nearly new set of Predator pads for tack day use only

Thank you for a well written and considered review.

This is very helpful information

The MGB has Greenstuff pads, they are brilliant in every way except being Kevlar based they produce a sticky black dust. They replaced some racing pads (DS11s) these were great on track but I found I was driving like a granny on the road for exactly the reason above, when they were cold they didnt noticeably slow the car down. :ohmy:
The TF needed pads and discs all round when it arrived, I went standard and TBH I find them excellent..

The EBC Greenstuff pads have a bedding in compound applied to the face, to aid quick bedding in, they may be a bit harsh at first

Thanks for this T. Well worth knowing. Added your advice to the guides section.

Brake pad challenges - A cautionary tale - Good advice, worth reading.

I run Greenstuff pads with EBC slotted rotors and am very happy with their stopping power on my non-ABS MGF.
I have a set of braided hoses on hand to fit the next time the car is up on stands.

Rich

I cannot say if the Braided hoses make much difference, but they do eliminate the risk of a perished pipe bursting. The front pipes were tricky to fit and I tried a different approach on either side of the car and both ways resulted in a Brake fluid hand-wash while trying to start the unions threading ( the back was much easier).

N

Can you elaborate on why the front pipes are tricky to fit? I too have a set of braided brake hoses that are to be fitted in the near future.

I ONLY USE EBC GREENS ON ANY CAR

You have to thread the new pipe front pipes up through the wing into the union. If you have a helper its not too bad as they can start threading with the other pair of hands holding the pipe in place. I did this on my own and was struggling to hold one end blind and not cross thread the union. Additionally when I finally tightened up you had to be careful not to twist the metal pipe as it could shear at the 90 deg. bend. Worst side is under the ABS unit as there is no room to work. I should have taken pictures but was on my own and had hands covered in Fluid so was just glad to finish. I tried one side with the Banjo joint attached first and then the reverse on the other - my view is start at the union and finish with the Banjo joint.
Best help is have a mate to hold a spanner on the inside of the bonnet! the rear is a doddle in comparison.

T

That's good to know, Thanks! The other rubber under car pipes on my car were in poor shape so I am just changing the brake hoses as a precaution and figured I may as well go for the braided ones.
The plan is to change them when I do my shocks and lowering pins so it will be a big mess anyway.
There's nothing quite like the feeling of brake fluid running down your arms! :sick: I hate that stuff!

Very interesting to read

I find completely the opposite though I'm afraid :lol: Can't stand Greenstuff and the amount of fade when driving hard on the road or on track whereas the Black Diamond pads I have are brilliant from cold and only fade after very hard use on track. I do have bigger 280mm Black Diamond discs though so they may be a fair bit harsher than normal discs which would of course explain why mine work :lol: