[ShermanM]

I have been intending to post this for some time. However, due to four letter word called "work" I have been away.

I fitted a set of Feredo DS2500 end of last month at Race Brakes at 44-68 Racecourse Road North Melbourne 3051 Tel03) 9326-6088.
After talking to them, they said they will give us discount on any brake work on our MINIs. Just tell them we are in a Mini club or mini2.

In the end they only charged $30 labor to fit a set of pads. That is cheap.
The bulk of the cost came from the pads. However, the Feredo DS 2500 is worth it. Before, this I had a set of EBC Green, they are no where near terms of performance.
The only draw back is the noise.

Sherman

 

[new skool]

hey sherman, this interests me as i have green stuff at the moment and i think they are crap! how much were the pads?..im also interested in rotors any advice?

 

[CanberraCooperS]

NewSkool, the DS2500's are great... ive had them in for the last 2 track days and they are a Quantum leap over the EBC's.
I got mine through http://www.bsmsport.com.au
shop around but i think the guys i got them from are the sole importer of Ferodo Racing compound brake pads.

If you fit the DS2500's with new rotors they are not noisy.. put them on older glazed discs or ones with a few grooves in them and the squeal like a B#$CH

if your after a pad thats not to expensive and has excellent feel and heat life then yeah they are good.

 

[CanberraCooperS]

Oh rotors.. DBA542KP slotted's are the go.. I believe RDA brakes do a similar one as well.

EBC discs are how would you say... not worth the effort.

 

[2bob]

Oh rotors.. DBA542KP slotted's are the go.. I believe RDA brakes do a similar one as well.

EBC discs are how would you say... not worth the effort.

Thank god i didnt go the EBC way. Can you please tell me the maker of the rotors so i can organise to have them done in Sydney.

 

[CanberraCooperS]

DBA are DISC BRAKES AUSTRALIA www.dba.com.au
RDA are there junior competitor.. but not many people sell the RDA you can get RDA through www.autospeed.com.au then click on the speedshop send them an email and they can get you a quote
Just make sure you get the Kargaroo Paw/Vane rotors from DBA as they are super Strong and have excellent heat Discipation qualities.

 

[ShermanM]

hey sherman, this interests me as i have green stuff at the moment and i think they are crap! how much were the pads?..im also interested in rotors any advice?

I agree with Canberra Cooper that you should have the rotors changed as well.
I have used both the EBC rotors and the DBA rotors on the track. Both have its good points.
However, the pads its clear the DS is a lot better then the EBC. Never fit EBC's to VW/Audi cars.
The pads worked out to be $280 before GST.

If budget allows got for the Lockheed up grade. Its about 3.2K in Australia. I drove a friends Cooper S in UK with it. It stop as good if not better than a 911 of 2003.

 

[CanberraCooperS]

BSMSPORT sell them for $269 gst inc and $251 for the rears

 

[2bob]

DBA are DISC BRAKES AUSTRALIA www.dba.com.au
RDA are there junior competitor.. but not many people sell the RDA you can get RDA through www.autospeed.com.au then click on the speedshop send them an email and they can get you a quote
Just make sure you get the Kargaroo Paw/Vane rotors from DBA as they are super Strong and have excellent heat Discipation qualities.

Thanks for the info-will follow up tomorrow with them. Thinking of the next Burrows day at eastern creek on December -would be great with decent brakes.

 

[FLiPSiDE]

just a note on DBA rotors.. i had a pair fitted on the front a coupla months back.. seems ones warped as i have a bit of wheel shudder under breaking at high speed mostly and weird squeeks now and then when starting from a complete stop.. i just havent been bothered to take them back to get it checked out.. just lazy.. i guess i should to see what really is the cause.. but thats what it seems like.. i guess i'll get off my bum and get to it next week

make of it what u will im happy with the product and i believe the have a life time warranty so its not biggie

 

[swamos]

just a note on DBA rotors.. i had a pair fitted on the front a coupla months back.. seems ones warped as i have a bit of wheel shudder under breaking at high speed mostly and weird squeeks now and then when starting from a complete stop.. i just havent been bothered to take them back to get it checked out.. just lazy.. i guess i should to see what really is the cause.. but thats what it seems like.. i guess i'll get off my bum and get to it next week

make of it what u will im happy with the product and i believe the have a life time warranty so its not biggie

What pads are you using?I'll be interested to know what the lifetime warranty convers. If they just machine them for free then you're still buggered..

Since I put EBC's on, they warped my factory disks twice!! Afte two machinings, I'm now virtually on the minimum, so I'll have to replace them soon.

I put the factory pads back on, and they haven't warped since I was going to go for the EBC rotors, but if you're having warping problems I might just go back to standard.... I can't afford new rotors every 30k, and multiple trips to have them machined....

 

[IML337]

Since I put EBC's on, they warped my factory disks twice!! Afte two machinings, I'm now virtually on the minimum, so I'll have to replace them soon.

I put the factory pads back on, and they haven't warped since

And you're surprised?!

I still can't grasp why people don't understand that if you put a harder/more agressive pad on a factory rotor, that something is going to give

just my 2 cents

 

[CanberraCooperS]

Its not how hard the pad is... its ability to deal with the heat is the issue.. ive raced on standard discs with ds2500's and yeah the discs get some heat spots, but nothing compared to what the EBC's did... they are destroyers

 

[Todd!]

So what is the DBA front brake disc upgrade worth?

Have you done rears also Giles?

Todd

 

[Todd!]

just a note on DBA rotors.. i had a pair fitted on the front a coupla months back..

...Its all standard bro I swear!

Todd

 

[CanberraCooperS]

The DBA discs are about $140 each and I have still got my EBC spotties on the rear as they dont get hammered like the front.

If you leave the back standard (disc wise) you will find the rears with good pads might warp easily. Depends on how much left foot braking your doing on the track. If i dont LFB i seem to use less pad.(odd) but yes a gooved rear disc is a benefit

 

[FLiPSiDE]

meh got the car booked in on wednesday for rear DBA slotted rotors 2 ($120 or something i think it was off hand for any1 interested) now while i get the front ones checked/fixed haha why i bother i dont know.. but meh.. it' looks cool man! haha

 

[swamos]

And you're surprised?!

I still can't grasp why people don't understand that if you put a harder/more agressive pad on a factory rotor, that something is going to give

just my 2 cents

I am 100% with you now. However, at the time I went for them they were saying that the kevlar forulation was actually lighter on rotors than the factory formulation. We knew they generated less dust, and this was enough for me to give them a try. Nowhere did anyone mention that they would warp or damage disks. This page here is typical of what they say about them.

However, my experiences after 25k of use are somewhat different. Keep in mind that my car doesn't get tracked, and most of my hard driving is done with other MINI's, and I am usually gentler on brakes than they are. I have found...

1. Inferior retardation. Pedal pressure is higher, and you always feel as though the car is braking from the rear. When going around corners this is particularly noticeable.
2. Increased brake fade. Before I fitted them I could drive down our hill without fade - I can't now. None of the other mini's have problems.
3. Constantly warp factory discs. I didn't warp them with factory pads, and I'm not aware of anyone else that has.
4. slightly less dust than factory pads.

In summary, I feel as though I've been had. I'm enjoying driving on the factory pads again as the car stops with less pedal pessure, and the F-R balance is better

 

[IML337]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

oh my gosh apexactive?! You listened to them? I wish I could have warned you... I'm sorry. I'm gonna keep my mouth shut on this one, but you can probably tell what I'm thinking...

btw I have stuck with the factory pads - they aren't FANTASTIC but they do work and I've had no problems in 50000km of hard road use yet

 

[ShermanM]

A lot people have said you only use EBC once and never again. Having said that,they are generally cheaper than most performance pads. I have never had problems with EBC greens their own rotors.
The EBC reds and Greens are fine with the factory disc on my Lotus (used only on track) but had a lot of problems with my Audi and VW.
The DS 2500 seems to be fine with what ever set up of rotors.