Carbone Lorraine pads, which compound?

[MikeB]

The CL pads seem to come highly recommended on here. Looking at the compounds RC5+ and RC6 seem to be the potential options to me, with the latter offering a good increase in the pad friction factor.

It's my '81 based 3.0 Backdate, circa 1050kg, 240ish hp, gets spirited road use and occasional track use

What are your experiences with these pads?

If you've fitted them do you have the parts nrs as the UK website seems to offer a variety of options?

[jwhillracer]

Hello Mike,
I just fitted a new set all round before Harewood at the weekend. RC6 compound, reference 4003 T15 front, and 4004T15 rear.
I run standard 2.4S spec alloy front callipers and standard rears, so I think they ought to be the same for yours.
I run exactly the same on our 914/6. They are bloody noisy, but nothing else I’ve tried stops like them - ask KS!
Cheers
JW

[jwhillracer]

These are the parts -


They bedded in remarkably quickly, and the improvement in braking over the older, but not worn out pads was quite noticeable.

We also experimented with the new lightweight driver, but there are a few dimensional problems to overcome yet ............



JW

[911hillclimber]

Great pads, had mine for years.
Starting to get a bit dusty now, but real stopping power.
Fitted new drilled discs when I did the pads, bit of a squeal sometimes, but all good.

[KS]

Fitted the same as JW to my 914 - for the first time ever I can lock the wheels if I really want to. The difference compared to the EBC greens I had is incredible. They cost more than is worth admitting to, but worth every penny.

[neilbardsley]

Do these pads take any warming up? I guess not if you are hill climbing them

Sent from my M2004J19C using Tapatalk

[911hillclimber]

Nope, just use them no matter what.
On mine, squeals are gone over 20 mph, I think people almost accept this from an old car.
Mine will groan deeply when really leaning on them from, say, 70 mph to a quick stop.
Otherwise they simply work.

[MikeB]

Thanks, Jonathan & Graham, I have a set of DS2500’s in but not getting the bite I used to, so thought I’d give these a go

[Darren65]

I use the RC5+ in both 2.4E with 'S" calipers and in the orange with 930 calipers, made a huge improvement to both cars both on road and track. Love them and have even put a set in the Caterham R400.

I haven't tried the RC6 so can't comment although understand the RC5+ is a little more of an all-rounder with road use in mind too.

[Gary71]

Ask JohnM whatever compound he uses, they stop well but the squeal was loud from my car following him last week!

[911hillclimber]

Like many on here, over the years I've tried different pads, and some have settled on a type that they are happy with.
The worst I tried were Textar, cheap and horrid!
EBC Green? the same.
DS better!
These Carbone pads, just light years ahead of all the rest, and I bought them 8 years ago having been driven in a tarmac rally 911 driven by Roger Moran no less (British hillclimb Champion) at 11/10ths up Loton Park.

I felt the extra friction/heat from the pads could benefit from a set of drilled discs at the same time, so an expensive move but never regretted it.

Maybe the drilled discs ease the noise?
Most of the time the brakes are quiet.

[gridgway]

Not that helpful, but I can't abide noisy pads in a road car. I have pagid blues that work superbly and never utter as much as a single squeak!

[MikeB]

So I had a chat with Paul at CL Brakes and mentioned the noise potential of the RC6 pads, he was very helpful and went through the reasons for squealing occurring, basically it is the pad vibrating and is dependant on the rigidity of the caliper and the softness of the rotor. So he suggested putting a chamfer on the leading edge of each pad, also 3m anti squeal backing pads which you can get for a fiver on Amazon. Apparently cheaper rotors are hard and can cause a squeal, so performance spec discs are softer, and as to the caliper, a rigid fixed one is potentially quieter than a floating example. But for whatever reason there is no set formula to ensure a quiet set-up

He said if you want a set of 5+ pads there is a 3-4 week order period as they don't keep them in stock.

So just thought I'd pass that all on.

Pads arrived today, which seeing how they were only ordered on Tuesday afternoon, is good service to Norn Iron

[911hillclimber]

Forgot about the leading edge chamfer, i did that after talking to Paul years back.
Pads prob worn more than 3 mm now...
My backing plates are the stock porsche ones, did he say to keep them to 'fill' the step in the cylinders?

[jwhillracer]

Have you fitted the pads yet Mike? Interested to know how you get on.
JW