Front Brake Pads

Mattax said
Feel is important. I've had pads and shoes on various vehciles I didn't like because they didn't feel right. One set of pads on my wagon were too grippy on initial application. On my Barrcuda, I felt the Mopar Cyclweld pads required a lot of pedal pressure to bite. Its hard to know until you've tried it. :( Its always worth sifting through feedback freom others and the only other thing we sometimes have is the friction rating in the edge code.

How a lining grips under different temperatures and conditions can vary quite a bit within a material group. I've had semi-metal lined pads and shoes that had very decent grap when cold. I've been cautious jumping on the 'ceramic' bandwagon, but did strongly consider the EBC reds along with Carbotech's bobcat. For my own reasons it made more sense for me to go with Porterfield's for my car.

72blunblu. The EBC Reds are sold as street linings. I suspect you know that but others reading may have inferred that they are a race or track lining.

Totally agree, brake feel is important and is a “personal” aspect of brake performance. Not everyone likes the same brake feel, and different driving styles can use different brake feels successfully.

Yeah, I know the reds are marketed as street pads. And honestly while I’ve used EBC pads I haven’t used reds. The marketing on them alone makes me hesitant, less dust & longer lasting rotors like they advertise is not a recipe for improved braking like they claim.

Back to the original point, I like semi-metallics, and I’m perfectly happy admitting that some of that is just my personal preference.

AJ/FormS said
I am a streeter;my top speed is 100kph/62mph. I will never get a speeding ticket, because up here the law is very harsh on speeders. In fact, on the hiway, you will find me poking along at 50/55, not only because of the cops, but because I like poking along. It only adds a couple of minutes to my 15/20 minute trips. And the dual 3" tailpipes are singing a happy song in overdrive, at 55=1900rpm.
In 1999 when I installed my KH system there were no new rotors available; And I only had one spare set; so yes, long rotor life was a priority.
At that time, my 367 engine had 11.3 compression,measured cylinder pressure over 185psi, and a 4 speed; so when the throttle slammed shut at rpm; well, my wife will no longer ride along with me, one or two times was one time too many. And yes I was trying really hard to show her a good time.
Because of this combination;my front brakes are pretty much along for a free ride, as witnessed by having 125,000 miles on my front pads; whereas the car has burned off 3 sets of rear shoes, for which drums and shoes were and still are available.So yes, I was concerned about rotor life, and still am.
When I do hit the brakes hard, the rears, with 295s back there, do a mighty fine job.
With just 235/60-14s on the front, organics are able to lock the front wheels at speeds as high a 35/40 mph ...... maybe more I just never felt the need to try it. I'm guessing this is because the rear brakes, together with compression braking, are doing such a fine job.I would say outstanding job, but I have no yardstick with which to measure it, because typically, the rear brakes are the ones along for a free ride, doing, they say ~15% of the work, when all 4 tires were the same skinny E70s.
I have over 50 years of driving experience; and in all those years, I have never been in a street-car that stops as well as this one. Careful; I didn't say the best ever; only; the best I have ever been in. And since 1999, and in those 125,000 plus miles, I have not had any close calls. Zero,zip,nada,not even scary, cuz you know why? cuz, when I'm driving, I am just driving, not multi-tasking! No radio/no passengers/ no dicks in the next lane/ and I will never have a cellphone.
When I get the urge to be juvenile, I chose my spots very very carefully; I built the car for my pleasure; not for friends, acquaintances, or Joe-blow in the next lane.
On long trips, when I might have a passenger, I remove the 750DP.

On the street; and IMO;
organics rule, because they;
are easy on my discs and drums,
don't need warming up,
do a MORE than adequate job,
Have great feel (after balancing the M/C and rear w/cs, to the tires),
are easy to modulate,
don't puke sticky brake-dust all over my mags,
and yes; are cheap.
If I had ever needed more, I wouldda installed more. It's just that simple.
So, if my priorities are screwed up; ......I'm ok with that.

I’m glad you haven’t had any close calls, and I’m sure some of that is your skill as a driver. But you also have to consider that you probably see a hell of a lot less traffic than others here, and that also plays a huge role.

As for rotor wear, I’m not changing my opinion. If rotor wear is a major priority for choosing your brake pads instead of braking performance it’s time to do something different. Get rotors that are readily available or admit you’ve got a show car because you’re trying to conserve wearable parts.

The fact that you’re using 3 sets of shoes to one set of pads should really indicate to you something is screwed up in your braking system. I’m sure you’re aware that most disk/drum vehicles go through about 2 sets of front pads for every set of rear shoes. Most of these vehicles should be between 70/30 and 80/20 on brake usage front/rear. Tire size definitely plays a part in that, and I’m sure you’re 295’s our back move some of that brake bias around. Heck if you said you were using one set of pads to one set of shoes I might believe everything was “ok” and that was just a product of your set up. But wider tires out back doesn’t change your static weight balance, and it doesn’t significantly change weight transfer to the front under braking. So if you’re using 3 sets of rear shoes to one set of front pads your front brakes are vastly underperforming. And it’s probably not just the pads.