Green Stuff

evensen · Post by **evensen** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 15:07

Hi All,

Does anybody know if EBC Green Stuff pads are available for the Excel SE and where I can buy them?

Cheers,

Roy

Pete Boole · Post by **Pete Boole** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 18:57

Hi Roy

I have a brand new set of EBC sport front discs (grooved and spotted), Green Stuff pads and one reconditioned caliper (offside I think) that I shall not be using. Make me an offer if you're interested.

Pete

colinc · Post by **colinc** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 20:26

Roy,

I've been using green stuff pads + turbo groove discs for some time on my Excel.

For regular road use I'm not convinced. People on other threads claim they may not reach temperature with light use and so tend to glaze over.

All I can say is that they lack initial bite hence they do not inspire confidence. I removed mine a while ao to take a look and they were a bit glazed

Of course its only an opinion but there it is for what its worth. I guess heavy road and or light track work may suit them better.

ColinC.

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 22:41

I'ts time for me to consider new brake pads. (first time)
So what would the recommendation be for a Lotus Excel in daily use, only driven real hard every 3rd day or so.

No track days this year.

For a 2,2 LC from 1985, could i buy normal Toyota pads and if so wich ones?

Steve C · Post by **Steve C** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 23:27

For pure road use, I'd probably get a set of standard AP lockheed pads from a motor factors or EBC black stuff (OEM pad) ...

I found the green stuff to have little bite from cold with standard discs and had a few scarey moments where it almost feels like the brakes had failed. BUT strangely, I find the red stuff perfectly acceptable from cold compared to standard pads with the PNM 285 kit - slightly less bite from cold but fine after the third or fourth use.. The Red Stuff on my Esprit (AP calipers) seems absolutely fine from cold.

One thing to bear in mind is that I tried the Green Stuff pads a few years ago, and the Red Stuff I've used is the new ceramic compound. The Green Stuff compound may have changed ...

mds666 · Post by **mds666** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:40

for road use get the cheapest standard pads you can, cheap usually means soft compound which means great braking from cold, the only thing is the'll ware out sooner...

CapnBob · Post by **CapnBob** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 10:46

My two bobs worth; Green stuff pads are disappointing. On the road they have very poor initial bite. Dead cold they hardly work at all. So much so that when first starting to use the car in the morning I need to keep my left foot on the brake pedal to get some heat into them for the first corner, otherwise the car just doesn't stop or even slow down!
On the track they are no better than a normal pad. They last the same number of laps as a normal pad, then they are completely gone.
Red stuff seem better on the track, last much longer, but even more frightening on the road.
The only good point is that they don't leave black dust on the wheels.
I like the Lucas pads. Work well, but leave black dust on the wheels. A small price to pay to have brakes that actually work.
NB: Grooved rotors, 1" master cylinder, etc., etc.

Steve C · Post by **Steve C** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 11:36

Bob, did you try the ceramic red-stuff or the older compound?

I can live with the ceramic reds on the road with the 285mm discs, whereas I hated the greens on the standard discs. I guess the extra braking torque from the 285 discs help, but the Hawk fast road pads that PNM supplied with the kit were worse than the greens from cold, and I'm not sure I even got them hot enough to work well ...

For road use I still throw the cheap lockheed pads back in - it's simple with the Hispec calipers, pull out two split pins slot pads in ... both sides done in 15 mins.

CapnBob · Post by **CapnBob** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:35

It was a few years back now, so probably the older compound. Not brave enough to ever try another EBC product.
Maybe next time we'll switch to the Toyota 4 pot calipers, maybe.
I've spent a lot of time trying to improve the oriiginal brake set-up and only really had marginal gains. Best upgrades were braided hoses and the 1" master cylinder. Everthing else didn't really do much.
Heat is the main problem. Thus the brakes aren't suitable for anytype of track use, and care must be taken on "sunday morning drives" not to run out of brakes.
Basically, the front rotors get too hot through lack of cooling. What they really need is some air ducts, or perhaps water cooled rotors.

mds666 · Post by **mds666** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:38

i think it gets a little hotter there than here though CapnBob! ambiant air temps etc...

Steve C · Post by **Steve C** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 13:36

I had the same problem with the standard brakes, changed the discs and pads more times than I can remember and still not happy... fade on the 2nd or 3rd lap on a track braking from 115 to 50 ... scarey stuff. On the same track, the launch-demo V8 Esprit was braking from 140 to 50 lap after lap with a firm pedal .. this was on around 300mm discs all round.

I'm currently working on a 325mm front and 322mm rear brake setup .. that should give around 35% more braking torque and much improved heat dissipation. I'm hoping it will be near impossible to cook those without a major power increase! I may even be able to use cheapo road pads on the track ... yeh, it's a cost saving upgrade

I'll document the process should anyone with 17" wheels want to repeat it ... parts aren't too expensive but will need bit of machining ..

texas2201 · Post by **texas2201** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 18:42

I have EBC grooved and dimpled disks with braided hoses - last pads were EBC red ceramic - which i wore to almost the metal at Castle Coombe a couple of weeks ago. I have fitted Mintex racing pads - forgot the number and they seem to be very good. Took out an Elise guy and he was impressed by how well the big car braked and handled

Martin