New brake pad possibilities

[kmillen]

During the 2006 Targa rally we used a brake pad that was a good track pad but was not very friendly for us on the commuter stages and did not perform well in the morning when cold. In 2008 we returned with the Mintex F6R brake pads which are very similar to the Pagid RS29 for those of you looking to compare pads. They are known as an endurance pad. They work well when cold and have a very high temperature threshold before they start to fade. During the Targa rally Steve noted that their cold performance was slightly off of a street pad however their high temperature race characteristics were extremely good.

These pads are capable of being driven on the street but the driver will need to keep in mind that the first couple of stops he will want to build some heat into them. Other than that, they are very street friendly.

I am bringing this to the forum because Mintex will not make one offs of these pads and I have a couple of customers who are interested in getting these made for their GT's however we need to get a minimum quantity of 20 sets. Which simply means 10 car sets. They are $349.75 per axle (two axles on the Ford GT) and the great thing about the GT is that the front pads and rear pads are identical.

So, if you are looking for a high performance track pad that is suitable to drive on the street to the track, track all day, then drive home again, this would be a great option.

If you are interested in purchasing a set of these pads please let us know and we can begin production.

Thanks!

 

[RALPHIE]

Kyle -

Are you referring to pads for the OEM Brembo's or the AP's that you sell?

 

[kmillen]

Ralphie- These would be for the O.E. Brembos. We do have them available for the AP's already but the brembos would require a special cut.

 

[HHGT]

What is the Brake Dust factor compared to the originals?

 

[kmillen]

These new Mintex pads are on the dustier side. If an owner is looking for a pad that offers minimal dust then these won't be the best option. However, minimal dust and great track performance, do not generally go together. If an owner is comfortable with swapping out pads for the street and pads for the track then these would be a great option as they would still work on the street drive to the track, offer fantastic performance on the track, and be safe to drive home again. One of the great things about the Ford GT is how easy it is to change pads. For those owners who already have a dedicated set of track wheels and tires this would only be another couple of minutes during the wheel/tire swap.

 

[KJRGT]

Kyle, you recommended Mintex pads to me two years ago, I don't know if these are the same ones....but I am VERY pleased with the Mintex pads I run. As you say, excellent street performance and much improved over the OEM pads on the track.

 

[kmillen]

Hi Kevin!

I'm glad to hear you are enjoying your Mintex pads. Those were actually the Mintex Extreme Motorsport pads that we set you up with a couple years ago. We use them quite frequently on our big brake kits as they offer very good street performance and can stand up to some pretty high temperature. However, the Mintex F6R is another couple of steps beyond them.

Unfortunately it does not appear that there is much interest for the F6R's.

 

[Shadowman]

The problem using an aggressive pad with the OEM rotors is they destroy the rotors in short order.

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[KJRGT]

Shadowman, my rotor surfaces are irregular, not uniformly smooth. I assume that is a result of the Mintex pad?

 

[PL510*Jeff]

Shadowman, my rotor surfaces are irregular, not uniformly smooth. I assume that is a result of the Mintex pad?

Kevin, how long have these been on you GT?

Were these pads installed with new rotors?

"wavy" surface or ridges?

Strictly street useage or track time?

I've got a set of Mintex pads, ready to go on my GT next week, and would appreciate a bit more background on your experience.

 

[Shadowman]

Shadowman, my rotor surfaces are irregular, not uniformly smooth. I assume that is a result of the Mintex pad?

Hi KJRGT; I cannot speak to the Mintex pads or specifically the present condition of your rotors however I can share that experience as well as my communication with bremo that the OEM pad is a relatively soft compound which promotes good braking even when cold and they are also very user friendly on the rotors. The rotors are (poor choice of words) soft and also so not take extreme heat cycling very well.

During the course of normal operation the pads will embed material both into and onto the rotor increasing the brake operation and during the same act the pad will work as wipers to keep gross build up from occurring. Simply because your rotors have what appears to be uneven wear does not mean that they need to be replaced. I would encourage using a dial indicator on them and if they are within specification then to complete a brake beak in process which is a series of aggressive brake actions that do “not” bring you to a full stop and then let the rotors air cool while the gal is in motion and not with you sitting and the foot on the pedal; picture a hot iron being left on a shirt rather than moved and what happens; the same with rotors and it is this area that will then become a potential basis for the next brake usage with a shuddering operation.

The other issue is that even if you use a dial indicator and as cold the rotor is within specification this does not mean that once hot they do not become distorted; these because if improper usage (based on the OEM design) and or over aggressive pads are used these act can and often do heat stress the rotor meaning that as cold the rotor may relax however once warm it is drawn back to its sadly distorted condition; this is a significant benefit of floating rotors.

Takes care

Shadowman