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Brake Pad Choices for Stoptech Big Brake Kit?

Perpetuus

Data Encryption
Location
In my garage
I have been running the Stoptech ST-40 Big Brake kit for years and quite happy with its stopping performance and pedal modulation.

However, the current pads I use create a ton of brake dust and squeak badly, which cakes up my calipers quickly and prevents the pads from sliding freely. This means they require cleaning every month.

The pads material themselves also cake up my wheels and pretty much bakes themselves into the clear coat. Very hard to clean even with the best wheel cleaner. Basically, the surface of the wheel hit with the brake dust has turned hard and dark black in colour and has an orange peel texture.

The pads are the Endless ME20 brake pads: https://endless-brake.info/products/brake-pads/rally-racing/me-n-series/

Does anyone have a better recommendation of brake pads for this big brake kit? Is there some extra prep I am missing with the Stoptech big brake kit?
 

Carfreak226

Detailer Extraordinaire
Location
92808, CA
Car(s)
2007 GTI MKV
Porterfield R4-S pads. Use them on all my vehicles, track or not, including my Stoptech equipped GTI. :thumbsup:
 

GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
Location
USA
Car(s)
MK 6 GolfR
I have been running the Stoptech ST-40 Big Brake kit for years and quite happy with its stopping performance and pedal modulation.

However, the current pads I use create a ton of brake dust and squeak badly, which cakes up my calipers quickly and prevents the pads from sliding freely. This means they require cleaning every month.

The pads material themselves also cake up my wheels and pretty much bakes themselves into the clear coat. Very hard to clean even with the best wheel cleaner. Basically, the surface of the wheel hit with the brake dust has turned hard and dark black in colour and has an orange peel texture.

The pads are the Endless ME20 brake pads: https://endless-brake.info/products/brake-pads/rally-racing/me-n-series/

Does anyone have a better recommendation of brake pads for this big brake kit? Is there some extra prep I am missing with the Stoptech big brake kit?

ME 20 like most track pads will squeal and provide heavy dust that should be cleaned up frequently as in weekly or more if you are going to drive them on the street. If you are going to stay Endless, I really liked MX-72 compound for street. Still a big improvement over OEM with only slight increase in dust over oem.

I would recommend you get some street pads of some brand, less dust, less noise and enough stopping power. Plus first couple of stops when cold is important and ME20 ha tos reach a higher operating temp before they bite normally which is 300F. Good street pads don't need to warm up much and work fine as soon as they hit 100F/150F. So if your first or second stop of the day is a panic stop, they are there for you.
 
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Perpetuus

Data Encryption
Location
In my garage
Porterfield R4-S pads. Use them on all my vehicles, track or not, including my Stoptech equipped GTI. :thumbsup:

How is the initial bite on these? What about noise and ease of cleaning off brake dust?
 

Perpetuus

Data Encryption
Location
In my garage
ME 20 like most track pads will squeal and provide heavy dust that should be cleaned up frequently as in weekly or more if you are going to drive them on the street. If you are going to stay Endless, I really liked MX-72 compound for street. Still a big improvement over OEM with only slight increase in dust over oem.

I would recommend you get some street pads of some brand, less dust, less noise and enough stopping power. Plus first couple of stops when cold is important and ME20 ha tos reach a higher operating temp before they bite normally which is 300F. Good street pads don't need to warm up much and work fine as soon as they hit 100F/150F. So if your first or second stop of the day is a panic stop, they are there for you.

I contacted Endless about this and they also could not recommed ME 20 for use on the street due to the hard compound. Initially I went with these pads since some users on a Porsche forum were very happy about their lack of noise and great performance, but my experience seems to differ.

Definitely not partial to Endless. Do you have a recommendation for a pad for street use?
 

GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
Location
USA
Car(s)
MK 6 GolfR
I contacted Endless about this and they also could not recommed ME 20 for use on the street due to the hard compound. Initially I went with these pads since some users on a Porsche forum were very happy about their lack of noise and great performance, but my experience seems to differ.

Definitely not partial to Endless. Do you have a recommendation for a pad for street use?

For street use I have used Hawk HPS 5.0 a lot. Not as expensive as Endless, I have used both Endless MX72 and MXRS for street and they are very nice but also very expensive (probably well under 200 for a front set). Right now I have Hawk HPS 5.0 pads all around on my 18z Brembo setup. Only driven the car briefly but they are great. For the track I am going with full race G-LOC pads.

For street, with those nice ST-40 calipers you don't really need track pads.
 
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Perpetuus

Data Encryption
Location
In my garage
For street use I have used Hawk HPS 5.0 a lot. Not as expensive as Endless, I have used both Endless MX72 and MXRS for street and they are very nice but also very expensive (probably well under 200 for a front set). Right now I have Hawk HPS 5.0 pads all around on my 18z Brembo setup. Only driven the car briefly but they are great. For the track I am going with full race G-LOC pads.

For street, with those nice ST-40 calipers you don't really need track pads.

How do the HPS 5.0 compare to HPS Plus? Those are the only Hawk pads I tried before.

I am happy with the performance of the ME20 but it's too bad that they are hard to live with for the noise and dust.
 

GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
Location
USA
Car(s)
MK 6 GolfR
How do the HPS 5.0 compare to HPS Plus? Those are the only Hawk pads I tried before.

I am happy with the performance of the ME20 but it's too bad that they are hard to live with for the noise and dust.

I have run HP+ and they are noisy and dusty, not a good street pad. They have a much higher friction coefficient and were good enough for some casual track work if you are not overly hard on your brakes but not a good street pad. Same issues you are having with the ME20s.
 

Perpetuus

Data Encryption
Location
In my garage
Guys, I just spent another 2 hours trying to clean the caked on/cured brake dust from my Endless ME20 pads again. I am making some progress but it's almost impossible and I have been using Sonax wheel cleaner and that AutoGlym Magma cleaner as well. At this point it's not even dust, it's like a protective coating of brake pad material!

I am going to remove the two front wheels and try to cleaner them off the car.

Going to order a set of HPS 5.0 hoping I don't have to spend this much time cleaning the wheels every few months.



 
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GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
Location
USA
Car(s)
MK 6 GolfR
Guys, I just spent another 2 hours trying to clean the caked on/cured brake dust from my Endless ME20 pads again. I am making some progress but it's almost impossible and I have been using Sonax wheel cleaner and that AutoGlym Magma cleaner as well. At this point it's not even dust, it's like a protective coating of brake pad material!

I am going to remove the two front wheels and try to cleaner them off the car.

Going to order a set of HPS 5.0 hoping I don't have to spend this much time cleaning the wheels every few months.




Try using this, should cut right through it. You can do by hand with rag or get one of those Mothers polishing attachments for your drill.

 

Perpetuus

Data Encryption
Location
In my garage
Try using this, should cut right through it. You can do by hand with rag or get one of those Mothers polishing attachments for your drill.


Thanks, will definitely give it a try!

Looks like the Meguiar's stuff is hard to find here in Canada. Amazon sells it but wants $40 a bottle!

Bought some Turtle wax rubbing compound - hopefully it will work just as well.

 

GIACUser

Master Wallet Mechanic
Location
USA
Car(s)
MK 6 GolfR
Thanks, will definitely give it a try!

Looks like the Meguiar's stuff is hard to find here in Canada. Amazon sells it but wants $40 a bottle!

Bought some Turtle wax rubbing compound - hopefully it will work just as well.


Should work fine
 

Perpetuus

Data Encryption
Location
In my garage
Should work fine

The condition has improved significantly, but not without adding a bunch of surface scratches to the clear coat.

HPS 5.0 have been ordered, so hoping they will work well! Too bad snow will hit soon, so the car will be parked for the winter again.

Still, contemplating upgrades for next year :thumbsup:
 
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