I’ve been looking through the old posts and seem to be finding conflicting views.
I’m after a set of front pads for my mk1 1.8 Eunos Roadster (1997). I don’t take it on the track, just fast road use.
Preferably a set that doesn’t produce excessive dust.
I always used EBC pads on my bikes and they were brilliant so was thinking of their green stuff pads. However, some people say they are great, others seem to say they need warming up before they work well. Same with dust, some say they produce minimal dust, others say their wheels are covered.
So who is correct?
Also are there other pads that you could recommend and where are they available?
I’ve heard good things about Axxis Ultimates and have a set to fit when I do my brake upgrade. Interesting you should rate the EBC’s on the bike. I found them fine in the dry but quite horrible in the wet…
I know the last couple had EBC HH pads and couldn’t fault them.
(by the way, good choice in bikes. Always liked the VFR, especially liked the “whistling” of the gear driven cams. And had a fondness of Royal Enfields around 1960ish with half chrome and half painted tanks.)
They were ok for normal road use. Then I took them on track and they were poor… But after getting them very hot, really very hot ( a heat cycle) they were brilliant everywhere.
I would think standard pads will be the best for normal road use and the odd spirited drive. Uprated pads can be poor from cold and poor until they have had a good heat cycle. Maybe other people have come across uprated road race pads that work straight out the box.
In the middle of this you tube clip I’m outbraking minnie nascars with my EBC green stuff.
I had the Greenstuffs. They produced vast amounts of dust when new (first 200 miles or so) but then settled down.
I never totally trusted them after the numerous tales of EBC pad material de-bonding from the backing plate, although mine never failed. A quick google:
This is not unknown on motorbikes and on bicycles with EBC pads.
I was very happy with the Textar pads and discs I fitted to my old BMW but Textar don’t seem to do anything for the MX-5. A friend who (until recently) worked for Euro Car Parts recommended Textar over the more expensive Pagid kit (which is available for the MX-5) as he said Pagid quality isn’t what it used to be.
One advantage of going for Mazda originals is that you get the shims and (where Mazda still considers it necessary!) anti-rattle clips.
When you brake, either pads wear or discs wear. If you want a pad that produces minimal dust then it will wear the disc rather than the pad.
Pads that give instant bite tend to be the tyre that were the pad and they tend to be the soft ones.
There are scare stories about EBC, but equally there are about other pads too. I have used yellow stuff for years without an issue at all. They don’t need to be warmed. They are a bit inert to start with on the smaller 1.6 brakes, but on the 1.8 there are no real issues. A set of Green Stuff ronts will cost you around £45 and Yellow Stuff around £50