My PFC01/DTC-60/Carbotech XP8 review

[Mach1]

For a non abs-2500lb car on street tires the initial bite was way to high and the modulation sucked IMO. I had to "gently" roll on the brakes which cost me time by not having my foot on the gas, if I jumped the brakes hard they would lock instantly, I had to back off the braking zones by ~25/50 ft.
I just paid $300 for PFC01's for the CMC car, may yank em and buy some carbotechs(I love how these feel). The communication with the PFCs was very poor, DTC 60's were better IMO but they also had too much bite, but I like the DTC modulation better.

I felt like I was speaking English and the PFC's were speaking Spanish. A friend of mine that runs Grand-Am is a Carbotech fanboy and I think I am too at this point. When I was running DTC-60's in my car I remember getting in Baron's lemons car with Carbotechs and thinking, ahhh there is that awesome braking performance again. Same feeling when I moved back to Carbotechs from the DTC-60's in my own car.

[Baron Von Crowder]

Good to know. We were talking about looking at a different compound to try, this may seal that deal and we keep running RP2's.

The only pad Ive ever tried was a set of EBC blue's when we first put the Mustang together after we bought it. I wont say I noticed a huge difference, but we had a ton of issues with the car that race too.

[Mach1]

Good to know. We were talking about looking at a different compound to try, this may seal that deal and we keep running RP2's.

The only pad Ive ever tried was a set of EBC blue's when we first put the Mustang together after we bought it. I wont say I noticed a huge difference, but we had a ton of issues with the car that race too.

My RP2's felt great but I burned them up FAST at ECR, that was before brake ducts which made a huge difference on my car, I would stick with em if you like them, if you don't, get something that is not very aggressive or you will have lots of ruined tires in your future. I had great control with the XP8's but they required a bit too much pedal IMO, I didn't mind it but my calipers did, based on my wear they were flexing because of how much pressure was required to brake deep, I will prob go XP10 next in the front, XP8 in the rear is fantastic, they also lasted forever.

[Baron Von Crowder]

My RP2's felt great but I burned them up FAST at ECR, that was before brake ducts which made a huge difference on my car, I would stick with em if you like them, if you don't, get something that is not very aggressive or you will have lots of ruined tires in your future. I had great control with the XP8's but they required a bit too much pedal IMO, I didn't mind it but my calipers did, based on my wear they were flexing because of how much pressure was required to brake deep, I will prob go XP10 next in the front, XP8 in the rear is fantastic, they also lasted forever.

Interesting on the RP2 not lasting as long as the xp10s. We have had nearly the opposite.

At RA, we put xp8's all the way around, and the rears were really easy to lock up when you were on the brakes. At the end of saturday, we had blown through a bit over half of the front pads, and since Sunday was a longer day, we didnt want to have an issue, so we put the old RP2's back on the front. They were great, didnt have any rear lockup issues, and they didnt wear out.

We ran the xp10/xp8 combo until they came out with the rp2's.

[Mach1]

Interesting on the RP2 not lasting as long as the xp10s. We have had nearly the opposite.

At RA, we put xp8's all the way around, and the rears were really easy to lock up when you were on the brakes. At the end of saturday, we had blown through a bit over half of the front pads, and since Sunday was a longer day, we didnt want to have an issue, so we put the old RP2's back on the front. They were great, didnt have any rear lockup issues, and they didnt wear out.

We ran the xp10/xp8 combo until they came out with the rp2's.

I overheated the RP2's w/o the cooling ducts and that's what killed em. Sounds like XP8's in the front for you killed your bias, I had no issues but I have a valve. I'm guessing the heat killed your XP8's, my understanding of the RP2's is XP8 life (normal temps), XP10 temps, XP12 bite.

I may try the RP2's again now that I have ducts, one big PITA with carbo's is the transfer layer/break in, they are a real bitch to bed on the street, I've had no luck on the street but they are easy to bed at the track.

[aggie97]

You are probably the only person I have ever heard of that didn't like the PFC 01. Seriously. Your review is about spot on with regard to feel, however, I think you may have been limited by the Miata factory brake package for serious feel.

If you have 01's for the stoptechs, let me know if you want to get rid of them. We could use them on the wife's Camaro. I also know that Donovan Racing has some carbotechs for the stoptechs you could get for a good price, just give him a call and say Matt sent you his way. He has 3 sets of XP12's and one set of XP10's. I already spoke to him about them and the price quoted to me was STUPID cheap for the 4 sets of pads. I think he is just clearing out inventory and may stop selling to public end of this year.

PFC01's (now the 11's as the 01's are being updated) are some of the best pads on the planet for those of us that late brake like a BOSS. In heavier cars that transfer weight forward, the 01's shine! Honestly, the Miata would be better with a 97 compound or the 06. Little less initial bite and can modulate with pedal pressure.

I have used a lot of different pads over the years. Galpher, Stop Tech, Hawk DTC 60/70, EBC, Carbotech, Pagid, and PFC. I know the price is a pain with the PFC but that is what I prefer. I am trying DTC60's on our STi right now and they are ok, but I can overheat them pretty quick. PFC 01's just take the abuse and ask for more. I fade fluid before the pad gives up and since I am running SRF...that is saying something.

Anyway, good info on the lighter cars. I know our Neon with a tiny "street" tire is over braked with DTC 60's. When you have big sticky rubber....you can use more brake pad. You guys will be running TOYO RR's next year and they are sticky!

[Mach1]

You are probably the only person I have ever heard of that didn't like the PFC 01. Seriously. Your review is about spot on with regard to feel, however, I think you may have been limited by the Miata factory brake package for serious feel.

If you have 01's for the stoptechs, let me know if you want to get rid of them. We could use them on the wife's Camaro. I also know that Donovan Racing has some carbotechs for the stoptechs you could get for a good price, just give him a call and say Matt sent you his way. He has 3 sets of XP12's and one set of XP10's. I already spoke to him about them and the price quoted to me was STUPID cheap for the 4 sets of pads. I think he is just clearing out inventory and may stop selling to public end of this year.

PFC01's (now the 11's as the 01's are being updated) are some of the best pads on the planet for those of us that late brake like a BOSS. In heavier cars that transfer weight forward, the 01's shine! Honestly, the Miata would be better with a 97 compound or the 06. Little less initial bite and can modulate with pedal pressure.

I have used a lot of different pads over the years. Galpher, Stop Tech, Hawk DTC 60/70, EBC, Carbotech, Pagid, and PFC. I know the price is a pain with the PFC but that is what I prefer. I am trying DTC60's on our STi right now and they are ok, but I can overheat them pretty quick. PFC 01's just take the abuse and ask for more. I fade fluid before the pad gives up and since I am running SRF...that is saying something.

Anyway, good info on the lighter cars. I know our Neon with a tiny "street" tire is over braked with DTC 60's. When you have big sticky rubber....you can use more brake pad. You guys will be running TOYO RR's next year and they are sticky!

Yeah I have really been wondering how they will do with 3100lbs and the RR's, the PFC's are dirt cheap for my wilwoods on my miata, $60 a set, the Carbos are $150 so I really want to love the PFC's but I didn't have much luck with them on that car. Decisions decisions. I will give Donovan a ring and see what he wants for those carbotechs. Thanks for the heads up!

[Murph Tang]

My two pennies...

We run the Porterfield Raybestos ST43 on our chump car. They have been a great pad. Little fading and couple of turns when hot and back to full pedal. Also wears wonderful and I always feel confident running deep into a turn with them.

[aggie97]

My two pennies...

We run the Porterfield Raybestos ST43 on our chump car. They have been a great pad. Little fading and couple of turns when hot and back to full pedal. Also wears wonderful and I always feel confident running deep into a turn with them.

Murph, my philosophy is if the pad fades at all...then it's the wrong pad. You may just need all that braking power while you are cooling down and it gets frustrating when you out brake someone only to have no confidence in the brakes to hold off a counter move.

for reference, we tried DTC-60's on the wife's 2010 STi this weekend...faded them after 3 hard laps. Going to 70's or dropping the coin for the 01's. The 60's are coming off the car....I just wish the stoptechs on our WRX fit the STi and I would get rid of those damn brembos....and may still so we have 3 cars with the same pad plate! Maybe the STi brembos will go on the neon?! LOL!

[Mach1]

Murph, my philosophy is if the pad fades at all...then it's the wrong pad. You may just need all that braking power while you are cooling down and it gets frustrating when you out brake someone only to have no confidence in the brakes to hold off a counter move.

for reference, we tried DTC-60's on the wife's 2010 STi this weekend...faded them after 3 hard laps. Going to 70's or dropping the coin for the 01's. The 60's are coming off the car....I just wish the stoptechs on our WRX fit the STi and I would get rid of those damn brembos....and may still so we have 3 cars with the same pad plate! Maybe the STi brembos will go on the neon?! LOL!

When I started this game it was all about heat handling for me, I kept throwing money at my Miata until it could handle ECR, now that I have the biggest rotors I can fit and cooling ducts I can run damn near anything w/o overheating it, good to know PFC's can take the heat.

I ordered Carbotechs for my mustang, I couldn't get ahold of Donovan racing so I just got em from safe racer, let me know if you are interested in my ST40 PFC01's.

[Baron Von Crowder]

why not buy straight from Carbotech? Ive got Mike Jr's email, and he has my card info on file. I shoot him an email with what I want, and they show up a few days later.

[jw33]

My two pennies...

We run the Porterfield Raybestos ST43 on our chump car. They have been a great pad. Little fading and couple of turns when hot and back to full pedal. Also wears wonderful and I always feel confident running deep into a turn with them.

We have also found the ST43's to be the best pad we have tried so far. Not a ton to compare them to, but we will be sticking with them. The set on our car has about 42+ hrs. of track time and I would estimate we could get another 10-12hrs out of them. The rotors still look fine and have no ridges or serious wear. A little loud when cold (like if matters) and they have never been hot enough to fade on our car.

OEM 13" Cobra rotors with 3" cooling ducts
solid rear rotors with autozone pads
4-cyl booster and manual proportioning valve.

[Mach1]

why not buy straight from Carbotech? Ive got Mike Jr's email, and he has my card info on file. I shoot him an email with what I want, and they show up a few days later.

free shipping and 10% off

[Baron Von Crowder]

I dont know how that compares to buying direct from the manufacturer. Saferacer doesnt list the RP2's that we are using.

[aggie97]

safe racer, let me know if you are interested in my ST40 PFC01's.

Safe racer has a spec Miata discount code too...

and yes, PM me a price on the 01's..wife's Camaro needs a spare set.