Brake Discs and Pads

[jdas03]

Hi

I know there has been many threads about this before, i have searched through lots of them.
I am doing a track day on 28th nov at brands hatch, my first one! i had my MOT done in July where my back discs and pads were changed and fronts were given an advisory.
I thinking before i use it on a track i better change them...
I have been looking at black diamond discs for the front, my first question is can i leave the back discs standard for now as they are fairly new? or is it best to change all 4 at the same time?
to go with the black diamonds for the front i have been looking at ds2500.
Again can i leave the back pads how they are or do i need to change the whole lot?
Also im not sure where to source these pads from? i cant seem to find them too easily... any ideas?
finally once they are fitted the brake fluid needs changing as it must be quite old! i hav been told to go for ATE blue or Castrol race fluid, any advice here? i know ATE blue is cheaper.
My final question is regarding insurance, my company are not mod friendly at all, is a change of discs and pads considered a mod? everyone has to do it but i know how insurance companies like to wiggle out of things!

Any other advice is welcome

Many thanks

Jonny

 

[Sean_S3]

Black Diamond grooved discs and the Ferodo DS2500 pads are generally considered the best upgrade for standard front calipers on an S3. Im doing the same upgrade to mine shortly and i priced them up at about £320 ish from europerformance online website.

Most people leave the rear brakes as they as its the front brakes that do most of the work.

 

[<tuffty/>]

as above... use with Motul RBF 660 brake fluid

Black Diamond or EBC Ultimax discs... Bill at Badger 5 can supply fluid and pads plus EBC discs...

<tuffty/>

 

[badger5]

combine with DS2500 fronts, pagids rears work well

 

[Westy]

Bill how much do you charge for those discs with pads and fluid, all in?

 

[jdas03]

Yer how much would fronts be with fluid? Don't want to do rears as they have been done and so many say there isn't any point on an s3 due to weight balance.
I definetly want to buy asap as I know ill need to bed them in before my track day!
One other question is insurance, what's the thoughts? Are they seen as mods you have to declare? I'd have thought as consumable items you can change as you want? But I'm very worried about little things invalidating insurance!

 

[emery1990]

I havnent said anything about my mods. i will once its up for renewal though, just dv and panel filter easy to take out. I find it hard to belive they are mods, they help out! But

 

[jdas03]

been looking at europerformance.co.uk and decided i want to go down the route of black diamond discs, as for pads i have seen the ds2500s listed, but for £144.00 and says the come with ATE calipers... is there a cheaper way to do this? 144 for pads is alot lol

 

[jdas03]

What are peoples opinions of the black diamond pads? they are quite a bit cheaper than the ds2500 and the fact of changing the whole caliper with ds2500 confuses me, i dont know whether you have to or if its an option with those.
i have seen these two sets of pads:

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?product=519595

Fast track pads (not sure how suitable these are for the road)

and....

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?product=571871

Fast road pads

I dont know if anyone has used either of these before and how they compare to ds2500's?
I may splash out for ds2500's but im just unsure why you need new calipers?

 

[Sean_S3]

Jdas03 you will not have to change calipers for the DS2500 pads, and they are not sold with calipers. I think the £144 retail price is simply what they cost as they are that good. I think the ( With ATE Calipers) just means they will fit the standard S3 front calipers. If you go to more info, at the bottom of the pages additional notes just says per set.

I cannot comment on the other pads as i cant remember seeing any threads mention them, all i do know is that most people who want better brakes without buying brembos is to get the black diamond / ds2500 combo. I will be doing the same shortly as the standard brakes on mine are pretty poor .

 

[emery1990]

Dont make the same mistake as me !!!!!

 

[jdas03]

Cheers for all the help, think ill go with that set up then

 

[Tooks]

In the last few weeks I changed my standard setup (288mm discs - a3 tdi quattro) to some EBC Ultimax and DS2500 pads, and I'm now wondering why I left it so long!!

Not the cheapest setup, but I haven't had brake fade yet, something I was getting very frequently with the stock setup.

They're a little bit squeaky when hot and your braking gently, but I prefer that to not stopping at a corner or junction!

 

[jdas03]

After looking at this more I've been offered a very good deal on ebc grooved discs and yellow stuff pads. What are the verdict on these? Been offered a very good deal on them and been told they work well on other cars just wondered about how they do on the s3? Much better than standard?

 

[Westy]

After looking at this more I've been offered a very good deal on ebc grooved discs and yellow stuff pads. What are the verdict on these? Been offered a very good deal on them and been told they work well on other cars just wondered about how they do on the s3? Much better than standard?

Feel free to share said "good deal" :icon_thumright:

 

[jdas03]

Well my dad works for volvo and through the company he's managed to get yellow stuff pads for 60quid and ebc discs for 140 so not too bad I think but are they any good? Don't want them if there's not a real difference from standard brakes?! And how do they compare to black diamonds and ds2500s, looking for pros and cons here lol

 

[<tuffty/>]

If the discs are ultimax then they are fine but DS2500's over yellow stuff every day of the week....

<tuffty/>