Brake Pad compounds

[Cuppa]

Following on from TD's brake thread I wonder if anyone can post a list of the commonly available brake pads placed in order from softest compound to hardest compound?

Cuppa

[Cuppa]

Front brakes.
I just went with the impulse buy! :)
A pair of dimpled & slotted RDA rotors & EBC Greenstuff series 6000 pads (#DP61280). Pads were what RDA recommended based on the extra weight of my vehicle. Pads cost more than the rotors! (rotors are available on ebay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/380575652459?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649) for $169.40 at the moment - sale price for next 4 days- part number RDA7652).

If anyone can list the pad compounds from soft to hard it would still be useful.

Cuppa

[Col.T]

G'day Cuppa,
not a bad idea but I reckon with about 1,000 importers bringing in about 200 different units each year from China ,not to mention the rest of the world and Oz., a lifetime wouldn't do it.
Then of course every factory, importer, wholesaler, distributor and retailer would use a different definition of hard, medium and soft, not to mention special use pads with special use spinners.
Mate, you'd get on the web and come off bleeding through the eyes.
Still, I'm too old to have a life so one day I could have a go.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Jeeeeeez I love being a pessimist.
Cheers,
Col

[Cuppa]

Yeah I take your point Col. I did write 'commonly available' pads. Guess I could have put 'popular'.
I wasn't really expecting anyone to have used enough different pads to be able to answer, but was hoping that maybe someone who works in the business might pipe up.

Cuppa

[FNQGU]

Cuppa, your impulse buy is exactly what I am fitting today. The 6000 series are also sometimes called a 'Black' pad and from everything I have read, they should be a good match up for a heavy 4wd, or one that regularly tows and wants a bit of extra bite.

[NP99]

I'm guessing like most auto spares, a few companies manufacture for different brands etc

[zaid-m]

Hi Cuppa,

Just to put my pennies/cents in, it may be easier to think of brake pads in terms of temperature rating and "bite" - rather than degrees of hardness. I've run several cars on different types of pads, and the difference between a quality branded pads of the same temperature rating and bite are very similar, that said I have heard (not experienced) that certain imported pads are both less grippy and have a larger falloff as the temperature increases (fade) - and have unpredictable habits when bedding in (this is critical in braking systems) - my best advice to you would be look on the EBC's website and follow their instructions.

I currently run EBC pads and discs on both my Patrol (GreenStuff) and my 300 BHP Saab Turbo (RedStuff ceramic) - and have no qualms with their quality and customer service - it is excellent here in the UK

[macca]

Interesting thread Cuppa, my last 4B had QFM pads with RDA Cross Drilled rotors. It was a great improvement.

http://qfm.com.au/page/20/Heavy_Duty

Don't remember which compound it was, I think they were soft as they didn't last a really long time but it stopped the car which is what I wanted.

[threedogs]

Ok I've had time to "bed" the pads in, and it now stops on a sixpence. The pads I went with are RDA gold [Extreme]
These come with 18 month, 30,000k warranty, cost was $52 a set or $104 the lot.
My rotors are dimple drilled and slotted all a round.

Noticed watching Bathurst the rotors had fish hook shapes instead of slots

[FNQGU]

It will be interesting to see whether they fill up with mud or are in any way different with regard to mud. Might be able to do a bit of a mythbusters test between us here.

I'm heading up the Tele track again in mid November when I get home from work so will seek out some mud (shouldn't be hard to find) and will get out and have a good look once they've copped a good dose of it. Mine are the dimpled and slotted rotors with the EBC Greenstuff pads.

[threedogs]

@ Ben K as we have same rotors I cant see how they can clog up with mud,
Its not a very deep slot and the counter sunk holes are minimal, Time will tell