Has anyone conducted a study (e.g. temperatures, lap times, etc) for the s2000 and different front/rear brake bias through brake pads?

The reason I ask is because I've consistently read that one should use a stronger compound up front on the s2000, but haven't seen discernible information that speaks to the benefits of such configuration. However, like most of us I've been running stronger pads up front (e.g. Carbotech XP10/8, XP12/10) based on that advice.

Recently, due to circumstances at the track, I've been running with stronger rear bias (XP12/16) and the braking seems a bit more balanced - I think it's harder for me to get into ABS, it seems like my braking distance has compressed, and seemed like I could control the weight transfer better. Additionally, I think I'm getting better brake pad wear, possibly due to shifting braking load/temp to the rear - I also added brake ducting, so this could be a significant contributing factor.

So basically, I've got a bunch of "i think" and "seems like" going on, but don't have data to help me understand what IS actually happening and wondering if anyone has gone through this analysis already, using lap times, braking distance, tire psi, tire wear/greasy-ness, rotor temps, brake pad/rotor life, oversteer/understeer as factual data. Just interested in learning about the dynamics.

I did a search and didn't find anything...

Thanks.

 

This is something I too have thought about, just haven't been driven enough to try out. Maybe next season we can work with Cobalt and see if they'd be on board to allow us to do some testing. We're going to be testing out some new XR1/XR3 pads this weekend at Gingerman, but did not talk to their engineers about pad bias. They said in their testing with Honda, the s2000 seemed to like an XR1/XR3 set up, some drivers preferred an XR1/XR2. I have also known drivers who like to run with the same pads all around.

Might have to try it out. Let us know if you continue to enjoy how it feels on track as the pads wear.

 

The stock brake bias was designed for street driving on street tires. The theory, which seems to be backed up with experience and lap times, is that r-compound tires cause much more weight transfer under braking so the rear of the car is lighter and needs less brake torque. I'm running Carbotech Enduro pads in the front and Cobalt XR3s in the rear and I still get the ABS rear end dance when braking from 130mph unless I'm very smooth on throttle release and brake application.

 

Plus a square tire setup adds more front grip than the stock stagger. Further increasing the need for more front bias on the brakes.

 

I guess stiffer springs would also be a factor in how much weight transfer and how much you're asking the fronts to do.

 

If we say the limit of braking is actually the tires , wouldn't you be able to relieve the bias at the front towards the rear to make it more balanced? The grip available at the front to slow the car is greater (most of the braking force anyways), so the front brakes wouldn't have to do as much on their own?

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but if going from non-staggered to staggered, it would make since that you get get away with less of a pad stagger since the fronts don't have to work as much with the added contact patch.

 

Non-staggered is moot. Anyone running race pads is likely running race camber, which means contact patch is limited to the inner half-ish of the tire anyways.

Just some food for thought

 

So maybe in that case, going with more rear pad could help to slow the car down more, since there is more grip available at the rear vs the front? Just thinking out loud (with my typing) - but it's starting to make a little sense. If people racing have gotten away with the same pads all around, why not try out a little more pad in the rear - when you take into account the pad size....and has anyone been able to confirm that the stock pads are a different compound front/rear anyways?

 

Weight transfer (tire loading) is directly proportional to acceleration. Hence, more rear brake bias is needed for wet track days.

What kind of life are you getting out of the carbotech enduro pads? I'm thinking of going with Raybestos ST-43...

 

Until you brake and the suspension and tire compresses under the weight.