Porterfield Brake Pads

[Race Idiot]

So has anyone ordered a set of pads from these guys yet?
http://porterfield-brakes.com

I just tried to order a set but it wont accept my postcode, even though i've selected united kingdom as a shipping address grrrr.

[ashley]

I had the same issue, emailed them a few times and was totally ignored...got bored waiting and ordered from Whifbitz instead:

http://www.garagewhifbitz.co.uk/

[Race Idiot]

I had the same issue, emailed them a few times and was totally ignored...got bored waiting and ordered from Whifbitz instead:

http://www.garagewhifbitz.co.uk/

Ugh, I was hoping not to speak to them either as they werent that great the last time I bought something off them.

[ashley]

I've been impressed with their services when I ordered very specific parts from the US that i struggled to buy direct...the pads haven't arrived yet, but I'm hoping all will be well!

[Race Idiot]

Ok so I gave them a call and realised that they've opened up another office since I last called and they were fairly helpful. But they said there were two different part numbers for the rear pads, one sided and one non sided.

I honestly cant remember but are the rear pads the same on each side of the caliper? This says they arent.
http://porterfield-brakes.com/product_i ... uctID=2677

[ashley]

Umm....they told me the rears were the same for all revisions when I called, and I just ordered a "pair" of rears off the website:

http://www.garagewhifbitz.co.uk/porterfield-494.html

No mention of "sided"

I went with these for the fronts:

http://www.garagewhifbitz.co.uk/porterfield-499.html

All for my rev3 turbo...hope they fit

[Race Idiot]

I think he may have gotten the fronts mixed up with the rears, but if you look the rear pads arent identical.


I dont need std fronts as I need a willwood type pad for my wms calipers.

Managed to get the right part in the end!

[ashley]

yeah- I knew the inner and outer pads were different, just never mentioned it as an issue when I spoke to them...I assume they just come in matched pairs like all other pads...

What calipers have you got? Front and rear or just front? Been looking at options to replace mine (mainly to save weight), but so many mixed reviews...

[Race Idiot]

I've got the wms calipers which use a fairly common willwood pad, lots of american pads available. Also apparently winmax and carbone lorraine make pads, along with mr2 rear ones.

[jimGTS]

Anyone tried the rs4 on track??

I see there's a .co.uk site for them now.
Should be easier to get hold of.

[Race Idiot]

Anyone tried the rs4 on track??

I see there's a .co.uk site for them now.
Should be easier to get hold of.

The co.uk site is just whifbitz still.

I've got a set of R4-S but debating whether I should try them out on track as I only switched as I got fedup of my XP8's being not very good on the street.

I guess I could give em a go and then switch to the xp8s if they arent up for the job. Just dont fancy doing a pad change if its just me on my own at a trackday.

[Race Idiot]

Just bumping this to say that the R4S was ok on track, however there was some noticeable fade after a while. It would be fine on the big braking zone on the backstraight of bedford, but then the next few corners I would have to use noticeably more pedal effort to slow the car.

I'd assume the R4 would hold up better, I might go for a set once i've worn my xp8s out.

[JLW]

Hi Ashley

Im looking into new discs and pads currently, and wondered about the Porterfield R4s , how have you got along with them ?

I'll be using these nearly exclusively on road as a fast road pad.

Which disks did you couple these with ?

thanks,

J.

[Gullzter]

I've got the rs4 pads with mtec discs, they work really well, nice bite on them, and I love the noise when breaking but I feel they need a fair bit of heat in them for a road car but perfect for spirited driving..
Never tried them on tried and don't intend to but I can imagine they will be very good on track going by the little use I've had of them and the reviews!

[ashley]

I went for Mtec coated discs, dimpled and grooved...with RS4 and freshly refub'd calipers.

My thoughts? They are ok, they take the heat well from continued hard braking- never managed to get them to fade blatting it up and down the Pyrnees. The levels of dust are fantastic compared to Carbotechs, and they are far quieter.

But, to my taste, they don't bite hard enough- they are very very progressive...meaning that you don't get instant stopping power when you press the pedal (even once they are smoking hot), you have to keep pushing harder and harder. Which I guess is good for a road pad, but feels a bit "soft" I guess compared to the Carbotechs.

If I try Porterfiends again I'd probably try the R4s instead- it looks like their coeffecient of friction is a fair bit higher.

Hope that helps!

[SonicSW20]

Do you mean you have the R4S's currently, and you would like to try the R4?

That brake operation sounds ideal to me as long as it's consistent. I prefer a pad that's progressive and needs a fair bit of shove to get maximum breaking over one that'll rip your face off with a slight tickle of the pedal

[Gullzter]

they are very very progressive...meaning that you don't get instant stopping power when you press the pedal (even once they are smoking hot), you have to keep pushing harder and harder. Which I guess is good for a road pad, but feels a bit "soft" I guess compared to the Carbotechs

That's how I feel about them but then I try think of the positive side, this is probably a decent setup for me considering I don't have abs.

[ashley]

Yes- I currently have R4S's and think I'll try R4's next time.

I agree- the progressiveness is great for a road pad, and I don't have ABS either...I just got used to the immense initial bite you get with Carbotechs and miss it

[Gullzter]

Not going to lie, my yellow stuff pads had more bite but the problem was they weren't consistent, they either didn't work or locked up
Don't get me wrong, it annoys me not getting the bite like you say but I think it's a decent compromise when it comes to using them

[JLW]

Thanks Gullzter & Ashley

I've been doing a tonne of re-search into the
Ideal setup for myself and now finally feel that this
Will be the correct setup. By what you are both saying
In regards to the Mtec Discs and R4s pads it sounds perfect
For my mainly fast road based application , especially as I also don't have
ABS and cannot deal with the dust that Carbotech's are
Rumoured to produce.

I just have had so much bad feedback in regards to EBC
And especially since it seems they haven't changed in recent
Years ( Gazza explaining that 2 of his mates have had serious
Issues with them this year ) I can't Ignore the negative feedback.

When your spending close to half a Grand on the setup
You want to make sure your getting the right stuff.

One other question, "Gullzter" when you say you love the
Noise, what type of sound do they produce, is it that kind of
Scraping noise or is it a squeal ?

Thanks again.