Track Weekend Review of RacingBrake 2 piece rotors

[ZL1-V]

Madmaxx18,

How was I showing disrespect? Avalnch has said nothing but you have? He was given the answer to his question by other members on here that also use the rotors IIRC? I even provided a link to answer his question. He has posted in other related brake posts so he's familiar with them. Not trying to be an Adam Henry but the search function on this site has a ton of information. The other fact is going to their site would have given him the exact information he requested. The same info I linked on the thread.

[jeremywes]

I do agree more people should try the search function!

[SSSoon]

Hey guys, need some help here. Can't figure out what is going on.

Bought a set of open slot front rotors from RB, plus a pair of their XT910 "light duty" track pads (in between a track pad and a street pad). Figured this would be an upgrade from OEM.

A month ago I had put in all new Castrol SRF. So when the rotors and pads came last week we put them on (did not open the lines). I went out for a drive and found there wasn't much bite to the pad. Went somewhere and bedded them in (8 runs from 60 down to 20, hard braking) but still found not much bite. Took the car to VIR and did 8 great runs, 20-25 minutes each, including major braking from 140 down to 50 on the back stretch.

Here's the problem: braking was worse than with OEM pads. I was pushing on the brake pedal with all my might and never once could I get the tires to lock up (used to be able to do that much easier with OEM pads). I even think the braking distance was longer than OEM, though hard to say. The pads just didn't seem to "bite" or "grab" at any point. For sure the pucker factor is high when you are standing on the brakes and hurtling towards the curve hoping they slow you down enough. The braking seemed much slower than OEM.

Here is the other strange thing - the slots are filled with brake material. There's nowhere for the off-gasses to go because the slots are plugged. Has anyone had this happen before with XT910s?

I called RB and they were very friendly and they think maybe the XT910 is not enough to haul down the Camaro. Dunno. I have difficulty thinking that their middle of the line pad is actually worse than the OEM Camaro pads.

Thoughts?

Thanks guys

Pete

PS still had a blast at VIR, so this didn't spoil anything. Absolutely SMOKED a bunch of Corvettes in my run group (yellow). Moving up to blue next year. I love my car. Bent a rim on some curbing, but oh well. Will fix.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by SSSoon

Hey guys, need some help here. Can't figure out what is going on.

Bought a set of open slot front rotors from RB, plus a pair of their XT910 "light duty" track pads (in between a track pad and a street pad). Figured this would be an upgrade from OEM.

A month ago I had put in all new Castrol SRF. So when the rotors and pads came last week we put them on (did not open the lines). I went out for a drive and found there wasn't much bite to the pad. Went somewhere and bedded them in (8 runs from 60 down to 20, hard braking) but still found not much bite. Took the car to VIR and did 8 great runs, 20-25 minutes each, including major braking from 140 down to 50 on the back stretch.

Here's the problem: braking was worse than with OEM pads. I was pushing on the brake pedal with all my might and never once could I get the tires to lock up (used to be able to do that much easier with OEM pads). I even think the braking distance was longer than OEM, though hard to say. The pads just didn't seem to "bite" or "grab" at any point. For sure the pucker factor is high when you are standing on the brakes and hurtling towards the curve hoping they slow you down enough. The braking seemed much slower than OEM.

Here is the other strange thing - the slots are filled with brake material. There's nowhere for the off-gasses to go because the slots are plugged. Has anyone had this happen before with XT910s?

I called RB and they were very friendly and they think maybe the XT910 is not enough to haul down the Camaro. Dunno. I have difficulty thinking that their middle of the line pad is actually worse than the OEM Camaro pads.

Thoughts?

Thanks guys

Pete

PS still had a blast at VIR, so this didn't spoil anything. Absolutely SMOKED a bunch of Corvettes in my run group (yellow). Moving up to blue next year. I love my car. Bent a rim on some curbing, but oh well. Will fix.

Pete,

Every brake pad company I've talked to underestimates how fast a 5th generation Camaro can be driven. That leads them to recommend pads that are inadequate for the application. That your slots are clogged and your braking was woeful makes it clear those pads are not up to the task. You need a pad that will operate at a minimum up to 1500 degrees. A 2000 degree max temp is my preference. Next time you talk to Racing Brake, you want a pad in that temperature range. My personal preference are the custom pads we have made at Cobalt friction.

[SSSoon]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Pete,

Every brake pad company I've talked to underestimates how fast a 5th generation Camaro can be driven. That leads them to recommend pads that are inadequate for the application. That your slots are clogged and your braking was woeful makes it clear those pads are not up to the task. You need a pad that will operate at a minimum up to 1500 degrees. A 2000 degree max temp is my preference. Next time you talk to Racing Brake, you want a pad in that temperature range. My personal preference are the custom pads we have made at Cobalt friction.

Thanks for the ideas. I am a lazy SOB and don't like swapping pads and re-bedding them so am trying to find something that would work okay on the street. RB says their higher end pads are not for street use. Should I assume your awesome Cobalt pads are not for street use either?

If the OEM Chevy pads worked better than these RB ones I wonder if they would be fine...

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by SSSoon

Thanks for the ideas. I am a lazy SOB and don't like swapping pads and re-bedding them so am trying to find something that would work okay on the street. RB says their higher end pads are not for street use. Should I assume your awesome Cobalt pads are not for street use either?

If the OEM Chevy pads worked better than these RB ones I wonder if they would be fine...

Do you drive your car in the snow?

[SSSoon]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Do you drive your car in the snow?

I have. It's Virginia, so snows maybe twice a year.

I can deal with poor performance in snow. Heck, I'm not about to do any emergency braking under those circumstances anyways.

I keep wondering if high-temp track pads are not possible on the street or just not optimal.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by SSSoon

I have. It's Virginia, so snows maybe twice a year.

I can deal with poor performance in snow. Heck, I'm not about to do any emergency braking under those circumstances anyways.

I keep wondering if high-temp track pads are not possible on the street or just not optimal.

No optimal - they will squeal like a stuck pig

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by SSSoon

I have. It's Virginia, so snows maybe twice a year.

I can deal with poor performance in snow. Heck, I'm not about to do any emergency braking under those circumstances anyways.

I keep wondering if high-temp track pads are not possible on the street or just not optimal.

Cobalt friction pads are binderless. That means that if you get them soaking wet and there is a hard freeze, the pad will crumble. Dead cold Cobalt friction pads have 85% of their stopping power which is far more stopping power than most pads have hot. The pads are filthy, they sound like real man's brakes, I have daily driven them for years. If you want to use something like Hawk, DTC60's in the front and DTC50's in the rear, they are not affected by freezing cold. They stop well and sound like real man brakes. They're very dirty, but not as dirty as the Cobalt friction pads.

Over the years, I've set up many of my personal cars for optimal performance on a road course just like the Pedders USA Camaro. The brakes are filthy, dirty, and loud. The alignment eats tires. And I always say after the track testing, "I'll dial her back." Guess what? I never dial them back because when I dial them back, they don't feel perfect anymore. I finally realized I'm never going to dial them back. Brakes are no different. Once you drive with really good track pads, nothing else will do.

Originally Posted by The Stig

No optimal - they will squeal like a stuck pig

Big dogs bark. Do you want to run with the big dogs? Learn to love the sound of MAN brakes.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Cobalt friction pads are binderless. That means that if you get them soaking wet and there is a hard freeze, the pad will crumble. Dead cold Cobalt friction pads have 85% of their stopping power which is far more stopping power than most pads have hot. The pads are filthy, they sound like real man's brakes, I have daily driven them for years. If you want to use something like Hawk, DTC60's in the front and DTC50's in the rear, they are not affected by freezing cold. They stop well and sound like real man brakes. They're very dirty, but not as dirty as the Cobalt friction pads.

Over the years, I've set up many of my personal cars for optimal performance on a road course just like the Pedders USA Camaro. The brakes are filthy, dirty, and loud. The alignment eats tires. And I always say after the track testing, "I'll dial her back." Guess what? I never dial them back because when I dial them back, they don't feel perfect anymore. I finally realized I'm never going to dial them back. Brakes are no different. Once you drive with really good track pads, nothing else will do.



Big dogs bark. Do you want to run with the big dogs? Learn to love the sound of MAN brakes.

You don't have to tell me Pete, I know that when I hear a car's brakes squeal it's because it's got serious stopping power.

[SPCBA]

i would love to see where racingbrake has a inbetween pad advertised. i would never advise using a street pad in a track after i melted a set of hp+.

i have used that pad you talked about and it was great on the street or for a lap or two. the heat made by brakes in summer is quite oppressive and pads just dont like it when really pushing your car. i use a different compound fro racingbrake that is not good until it is warmed up. the pad you use is good until it gets hot.

really should at the minimum bleed the brakes after every track day.

[600hp-lpe]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Pete,

Every brake pad company I've talked to underestimates how fast a 5th generation Camaro can be driven. That leads them to recommend pads that are inadequate for the application. That your slots are clogged and your braking was woeful makes it clear those pads are not up to the task. You need a pad that will operate at a minimum up to 1500 degrees. A 2000 degree max temp is my preference. Next time you talk to Racing Brake, you want a pad in that temperature range. My personal preference are the custom pads we have made at Cobalt friction.

I have abused my car with the best of them out there. I have racing brake rotors on all 4 corners. I also ordered MT800 track pads from Racing Brake when I installed the rotors.

Been racing for 2 years now, with lots of abuse. Mt800 Pads from RB are still going strong. I have Blued the rotors on more than 5 occasions from over abusive stopping. Never had brake fade, and the rotors have come back to original steel color after cool down laps to let the brake rotors and pads cool down.

My brakes DO squeal a lot - I am OK with it - it is a cool feature, not a problem with me. They are quiet when stopping or slowing down at speed - only squeal when stopping behind Grandma at a traffic light..

Talk to Racing Brake (Call them) and they will recommend a pad that suits what the intended purpose of your camaro will be.

-or- take Pete's advice and buy the best you can get.

[ZL1-V]

^^^
How ironic you should mention that! I was down there three days ago returning stainless steel brake lines and Alex recommended to try that pad as a replacement over stock for the track! Great rotors and service from Racing Brake.

[JDP Motorsports]

I was running the CTS-V version of the RB rotors along with our Stage 2 CTS-V Conversion with Hawk DTC-30 pads for a few events but I cracked them and ended up going to the ZL1 Brembo 2-piece for the time being. I had originally started with the CTS-V 1-piece factory rotor option and I got a lot of life out of those and they are only 2 lbs heaver than the RB rotors and a 1/4 of the cost.

This package in it's base form is just a touch more than the CTS-V RB rotors..

Originally Posted by JusticePete

I was just introduced to this brand by a ZL1 enthusiast that has used them on his Porsche race cars. Z06 C6 11 ceramic pound rotor.



OE



MovIt



Ya gotta love brake porn.

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Pete,

Every brake pad company I've talked to underestimates how fast a 5th generation Camaro can be driven. That leads them to recommend pads that are inadequate for the application. That your slots are clogged and your braking was woeful makes it clear those pads are not up to the task. You need a pad that will operate at a minimum up to 1500 degrees. A 2000 degree max temp is my preference. Next time you talk to Racing Brake, you want a pad in that temperature range. My personal preference are the custom pads we have made at Cobalt friction.

I've had good luck with the Hawk DTC-30 front HP Plus rear set up with street tires and DTC-70 front DTC-60 rear with R-Comp tires. I know the Cobalt pads are a great option as well.

Kind regards,

Jordan Priestley
888.308.6007