Use stock brake pads on rear of car?

[gran racing]

I've always used street pads on the rear of my car. I know that it would probably be better if I were to use race pads, but just never have. I guess I just never thought it would make that much of a difference. I have never run into an issue overheating the rear brakes, or noticed any other issues because I use them.

Of course the various people I buy pads from recommend that I buy race pads for the rear.

To give you a little more info., I drive a FWD car that has 110 HP (not at the wheels).

How much of an improvement is there using race pads on the rear as well? Do other people race with street pads on the rear of their car - or am I just crazy?

 

[JoelG]

I use street pads on the rear of my car (its bmw e30 325) because there's too much bias to the rear with race pads. ymmv

joel

 

[racer_tim]

Don't waste your $$$'s on rear race pads for a FWD car. I drive a VW Rabbit in LP GP, and am still on a set of pads for 4 years.

If they start to wear, just replace them with decent stock replacements.

Fronts are a different matter. I like Hawk Blue's.



------------------
Tim Linerud
San Francisco Region SCCA
#95 GP Wabbit (Bent)
http://linerud.myvnc.com/racing/index.html

 

[Greg Amy]

Ditto.

 

[moto62]

Here's my take on the whole bit. I did what most said to do, race pads(Hawk blues) on front and stock pads on the rear. Doesn't work. Front pads wore too quickly and rotors didn't last for more than a day before they warped, and the car didn't slow down much. So we tried race pads(hawk black) on the rear as well. World of difference. Stock rear pads for most cars, like your Honda, are made with organic material and very little metal. On a street car they are ok but on a race car, they are useless. A stock pad # classified as a semi-metallic pad(an 'M' at the end of the part #) will work much better but race compounds will work the best. You will also get a much better brake pedal (no mush). As an aside, proper brake ducting is a must also.
With 110HP at the crank, why do you need brakes?

Ray
2g Integra ITA

 

[gran racing]

You are sooo right about not using the brakes! I follow the ITC guys around and watch them and their non-braking points.

What disadvantages are their by using race pads on the rear other than cost?

I realize in Joel's case it is related to brake bias. Really not sure what it would do with my car. Guess there is only one way to find out.

 

[ITANorm]

David,

The only thing that will change noticeably is the coefficient of friction - so, yes, your bias will change. Like the others, when I ran FWD I ran stock SHOES on the rear with no problems.

Norm