Team116 #2 cronicle 26th March 2008 - big brakes for bad Mercs

[B13]

My preferred competition pad since the mid 1990s. QFM Comp 3

AB-R 261 (Comp 3)
Temperature Range: 0 - 780 celcius
Cold Friction Coefficient: 0.40
Hot Friction Coefficient: 0.42
Composition: Non asbestos. High metal content. Copper added for high temperature performance.
Application/Characteristics: Designed to meet the extreme temperatures generated in LIGHT RACING applications by heavy and prolonged braking. Low fade and consistent frictional behaviour over wide temperature range. Dust and wear rate on pads and rotors is higher due to the high frictional attributes of the formulation. Good cold effectiveness and pedal feel.

Have never experienced any brake fade on any race car I've ever fitted them to no matter how heavy or fast the car is.

On the left is DB2 (W116 rear) and on the right is DB143 (W116 front):

They ain't pretty to look at either (esp. if you are a brake disc)

I.

 

[Des]

Ian, I've read your description of these pads, what material in the pads makes them more resistant to fading?

Many mechanics and people I have talked to over the years have lamented over the lack of asbestos in brake pads, although I wouldn't fancy being the "mug" that has to come in contact with them.

 

[B13]

Hi Des, Basically its the amount of copper in these ones which lifts their working temperature to up over 500 degrees or so that a road pad might see at its max temp before fading...

QFM make 5 pads, as well as one "Taxi" pad (which is surprisingly long-lasting and most taxi drivers swear by it...)

From a web site:

"QFM provide 5 different models of disc brake pads:



Super X: Standard pads for everyday road cars
K500: Heavy duty road use 4wd and heavy brakers
K750: High performance road use and heavy duty 4WD applications
Comp 3: Racing formula for light track racing with heavy prolonged braking
Comp 15: Racing formula for normal to heavy track racing with heavy prolonged braking

QFM brakes are the only true Australian brakes made in QLD and are of the high quality which automotive performance demands as can be seen in the specifications below.

Super X
Temperature Range: 0 - 430
Cold Friction Coefficient: 0.43
Hot Friction Coefficient: 0.41
Composition: Non asbestos. Low metal. Copper and brass based.
Application/Characteristics: High temperature with equivalent or higher coefficient of original equipment. Very low dust and rotor wear. Long wearing, good cold stopping and pedal feel.

K500
Temperature Range: 0 - 500
Cold Friction Coefficient: 0.41
Hot Friction Coefficient: 0.42
Composition: Non asbestos. Low metal. Polymer modified resin.
Application/Characteristics: Heavy duty applications including 4WD. Higher fade resistance and slightly more dust than the super X. Long pad life, low rotor wear, very good cold effectiveness and pedal feel, similar to Super X.

K750
Temperature Range: 0 - 750
Cold Friction Coefficient: 0.40
Hot Friction Coefficient: 0.48
Composition: Non asbestos. Low metal. Polymer modified resin. Fibrous matrix modified with Kevlar and other synthetic fibres.
Application/Characteristics: Light/Club track work where brakes are only required to work hard for a few laps, heavy duty 4WD applications and aggressive road driving. Designed to meet the extreme temperatures generated by heavy and prolonged braking. Low fade and consistent frictional behaviour over wide temperature range. Increased dust and higher wear rates on pads and rotor due to the high friction attributes of the formulation. Good cold effectiveness and pedal feel.

AB-R 261 (Comp 3)
Temperature Range: 0 - 780
Cold Friction Coefficient: 0.40
Hot Friction Coefficient: 0.42
Composition: Non asbestos. High metal content. Copper added for high temperature performance.
Application/Characteristics: Designed to meet the extreme temperatures generated in LIGHT RACING applications by heavy and prolonged braking. Low fade and consistent frictional behaviour over wide temperature range. Dust and wear rate on pads and rotors is higher due to the high frictional attributes of the formulation. Good cold effectiveness and pedal feel.

AB-R867 (Comp 15)
Temperature Range: 0 - 800
Cold Friction Coefficient: 0.43
Hot Friction Coefficient: 0.45
Composition: Non asbestos. High metal content. Copper added for high temperature performance.
Application/Characteristics: Designed to meet the extreme temperatures generated in RACING applications by heavy and prolonged braking. Low fade and consistent frictional behaviour over wide temperature range. Dust and wear rate on pads and rotors is higher due to the high friction attributes of the formulation. Good cold effectiveness and pedal feel.

NOTE: Friction coefficients for all formulations based on dynamometer test with constant work input rate of 3364kW/m2 (2.91 HP/in2). For optimum performance ensure a complete bedding in process is completed."

You probably wonder why I don't use the Comp 15? Its a serious material designed to pull a V8 supercar type vehicle up from speed well over 250km/h over and over. It also eats discs at a rate of 3:1 whereas the Comp 3's eat the discs at a rate of 6:1 (six pad changes to one disc replacement).

Interesting translation: "Good cold effectiveness and pedal feel." = "These are pretty ordinary until they warm up to their working temperature." In fact for a road car only the Super-X and K500 would be suitable, the others would be unlikely to get up into their working range or stay there long if reached...

I.

 

[SELfor50]

These look the shiznitch my friend!!

How much did each set cost??


Ironically, i just bought a new set of standard ATE pads from mb spares yesterday and will probably go and get a refund tomoz, and order a set of these instead.

Cam.

 

[B13]

I've had a look at the ATE web site. Methinks that if you have the ATEs which are painted red then you should be OK for limited competition work... fingers crossed anyway.

These ones:

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/com/en/ate/ate/themes/20_products/40_brake_pads/powerpad_en.html

The QFMs cost me $170 front and $170 rear. My brake specialist had the DB2s in stock but the DB143s are a custom pad special order... 2 weeks they took.

We'll see how the ATEs hold up at Winton and then contemplate the next move... ATE seem to think their product is the shizzle under European cars.

 

[SELfor50]

Cool.... those prices are pretty good though - if the extra $100 is worth it then they're a great price.

It'll be interesting to see how much fade i get.

I'm off to go get some Yokohama A048's fitted to silver..