Greetings! First post here at NAM... been lurking around since late Jan (when I ordered my PW/B MCS+JCW checkmate) and thanks much for the valuable info received here.

Took delivery of my mini about 3 weeks ago and I've already done two track days. The mini (with stock run-flat tires) was a blast to drive on track. However, I noticed that the brake pads are not quite up to the heat challenge (even with the JCW brake kit). The front pads started depositing pad materials unevenly in the afternoon of the second track day.

Thanks to this forum, i learned that there are quite a few track pads available for the stock front/rear calipers. But does anyone know if I can get Hawk Blue/Black or Ferodo DS3000/DS2500 pads (or similar) for the JCW front caliper (pad part# BMW 34 11 6 770 251)? I've searched the archives and the web but could not find an answer.

Too bad that the JCW package now includes the brake kit (otherwise I would not have ordered the brake kit). Hopefully I don't have to go back to stock front caliper/rotor or BBK due to limited pad choices for the JCW calipers.

 

I dont have a single alternative yet, sorry

Alex

 

I was wondering about this to, I ordered a JCW and was considering a pad and rotor replacement when the car came in.

 

I am considering having Carbotech make up some pads. I did a BMW CCA drivers' school event at Putnam Park in April and did not really feel the need for any more brake than I had. The brakes were really super, no fade, not terribly much wear. However, this was my first school and I would bet that sometime I will want to upgrade. When I hit 50% pad wear, I will order new ones and then consider sending the old ones off for Carbotech to make me some pads. Once someone does that, then Carbotech will have the pattern and should be able to supply pads to anyone

Paul

 

The only pads available for the JCW brake kit at this time are the dealer ones, and the Mintex pads.

Mintex full race, F4R
Med Race M1166 or M1144
Fast road M1155
Fast Competition F2R

The Mintex are available in the UK, but not offered in the US
Hope this helps

Victor

 

Thanks to Victor for the Mintex info. Looks like the only alternative solution is Carbotech at this point.

I've ordered a set of JCW replacement pads and mailed them to Carbotech this morning. Based on their recommendations, I'll likely be using their XP10 compound for the front and XP8 compound for the rear. I have track days coming up in late May and will write a report on my impressions (of the Carbotech pads).

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

Greetings!! Just returned from 3 consecutive track days (1 @ Buttonwillow and 2 @ Reno-Fernley) with my new Carbotech brake pads (XP10 compound for the front and XP8 for the rear), RA-1 tires and 17x7.5 Kosei wheels. Here is the promised review of the Carbotech pads.

In short, they worked well... actually, better than i expected. I could out-break all the street cars at turn 2 at Reno-Fernley. No perceivable fade through out the three track days. As a comparison, the factory pads faded in the afternoon during my trackdays at BW. Please also note that i changed to AP brake fluid and the brake paddle felt quite firm but i just cannot slow down fast enough with the factory pads.

As for the pad wear, i think i used up only about 5-10% of the Carbotech pads during the three trackdays. I did follow their recommendations bedding the pads in using half of a track session and let the pads/rotors cool off for an hour.

The set of Carbotech front pads is about the same price as the factory replacement JCW front pads. I had to order a brand new set of factory replacement JCW pads and sent them to Carbotech because 1) i don't have a set of used pads yet, and 2) Carbotech needs to know the factory pad thickness. Now that Carbotech had the thcikness informtion, we can just send them the used-up pads so they can re-use the backing plates.

I worked with Dan at Carbotech... he was very helpful. The turn-around time including shipping is about 1.5 week. Dan also mentioned that they are working with their backing plate supplier to provide JCW replacement pads in the future.

Disclaimer: no affiliation with Carbotech... just a satisfied customer.

 

Um. wow! Thanks for hooking up the rest of us by being the mule. Really happy it worked out and you got good results..

Im still thinking BBK though... I just dont think the JCW kit is up for it at the end of the day. heavily leaning toward stoptech, but am worried about fitment issues on R99's and Team Dynamic 1.2's

 

To follow-up my own reply above on the Carbotech pads:
1) These pads are intended for track use. I did drive to/from my house and the two tracks with them (around 800 miles total); they worked well on street but with some noise. I just switched them off the Mini and put on the factory pads this morning (about 2-3 hours, front and back).
2) Backing plates are only needed for the front calipers, since no vendor in the US readily makes replacement pads for the JCW brake kit yet; the rear pads i just bought directly from Carbotech.
3) Although i have not suffered from heat fade during the three track days with these pads, YMMV I think i don't brake as much as i used to these days.

katmeho, Thanks! If i could have ordered StopTech with my JCW package, i would have done just that Since Mini forced me to spend money on this JCW "sport" brake kit, i really like to get it to work (and get some return on my investment)

 

I hear you on that!

 

You West guys may also want to save your pad plates and send them to Porterfield Ent who can re line them with R4, R4e and R4s compounds. I'm not 'up' on exactly what they can and cannot do with each pad, nor the turn around time and such but they are worth looking at.

 

I have the JCW brakes on my mini and I just did a street survival teen school this past Sunday (11/18/2007 - BMW CCA). Even after a few hard periods of braking I could feel the difference in the pedal. My instructor and I surmised it had more to do with the fluid than the pads or rotors themselves. Still I was surprised that even a little tough braking caused fade like that.

 

Out-of-the-box the JCW brakes, just as the stock brakes, are not ideal for on-track duty. They will not last after repeated hard applications because fade sets in. And after repeated use knock-back becomes a real problem.
For the past few years we have been using Porterfield's R4 compound (rebadged KFPs), stainless steel lines, and Motul RBF as an upgrade for those who do not want to go with different calipers. Brake ducts also help.

 

Sounds like brembo or stoptech is the way to go for those of us who like to track the car often.

 

If you like to track your car a BBK is the way to go. AP also has a complete kit that I can customize with racing rotors and pads. (Most all kits are made for street/light track duty -- substitutions ought to be made.)

 

Have a 2006 JCW Mini and I have not had much difficulty with fade at the last several schools I have attended (although I tend to brake firmly but for short durations giving brakes plenty of time to cool).

I did however manage to glaze the pads pretty significantly which makes them squeal like a pig. When I used to encounter this on my race car I simply removed the pads, scuffed the face of the pads with fairly course sandpaper (like 60 or 80 grit) and also chanfered the edges slightly to kee the sharp pad edge from vibrating against the groove edge of the rotor.

My problem is I can not find any information on how to remove the front JCW pads.

If anyone has done this and could provide some tips or resourse information It would be great. Everything I have found seems to be about the standard brakes.

Thanks
David

Thanks

 

Anyone know if Carbotech makes pads for the 2009+ JCW Brembos?

 

NM found it on their site. They do.