Below are excepts relating to a test of Performance Friction Brakes (amongst others), featured in the April 2007 edition of the Mitsubishi Lancer Register (www.lancerregister.com) quarterly magazine, reproduced with permission.
The test was carried out on a White Evo 9 GT at the Bruntingthorpe.
First impressions count, and PF have well and truly embraced this point. Full marks for the superb packaging, it not only protects the contents but looks first class too. I accept that these boxes will go straight to the bin in most cases, but it does demonstrate PF’s approach to the overall package. They are clearly pitching their kit as a premium product.
Premium without the premium cost that is when you consider the retail price of £704.89 incl Vat based on their .11 pad compound. As with the AP strap drive kit, it’s a significant saving over a big brake kit. We’re talking half the cost, so you have to take these options seriously.
Performance Friction is an American company with a European office based in Brackley, Northamptonshire. The American influence is evident; there is a genuine belief that they have the best product, and a real determination to prove that belief. The confidence stems from a kit designed to work together, a PF pad to work with a PF rotor. This compatibility is something that PF rely on to achieve the total performance they strive for. Out and out braking performance is all well and good, but if that results in unacceptable wear or failure of another component it can’t be hailed as a success.
This package proves the importance of compatibility between the pad and rotor, no signs of pad cracking, rotor grooving or violent ABS actuation. The most impressive feature of the PF package was the consistency, run after run. This was evident with both their .11 pad and high performance 01 pad. Not only were the stopping distances and times close all day, but the rotor temperatures also revealed a very narrow temperature band, 540-565 degrees C across each session. Whilst the .11 pad didn’t provide the same initial bite as the DS3000, it did exhibit a very linear torque curve, partly as a result of reduced ABS actuation. This ultimately depends on the friction curve of the pad and how it is affected by a rise in temperature.
The .11 PF pad gives good initial bite, but then excels with a controlled linear torque curve as the temperature in the brakes rises. This translates in less ABS actuation and more effective braking as the threshold of tyre grip is reached. It must be remembered that tyre grip and the braking event are not an ‘on/off switch’. Therefore, although there is a theoretical maximum stopping capability of the car based on the tyre grip available, as with pad compounds, there is no magical single value for the coefficient of friction. Where stopping distances can be reduced is in the way that the brakes interact with the behaviour of the tyre and this is a very fine balancing act.
The .11 pad is PF’s fast road and track day pad. It has replaced the now obsolete .10 pad which came in for criticism and praise alike. Some people felt that the .10 pad was unsuitable for road car use. Dusting issues resulting in permanent damage to wheels and bodywork was a real concern. Others were happy to take this risk as they pushed for performance. PF’s flagship pad, namely their 01 compound is real high end material. You’ll not find this pad as standard fit in any production road car (it’s not type approved), but it’s quite at home in the World Touring Car paddock. Although PF don’t recommend this pad for road use, there are people using it.
This pad really does have the ability to improve rather than diminish with performance. Despite improved braking distance over their own .11 pad, the PF 01 pad resulted in lower rotor temps than the AP/DS3000 combination. This suggests that the PF rotor is able to shed temperature more efficiently. Throughout the test, we didn’t suffer from any permanent dusting issues, with any rotor/pad combination. However, PF can’t guarantee this won’t happen with a competition based pad such as 01.
Final Surprise
We were seeing some impressive results on the day. It’s hard not to keep one eye on the data as the day unfolds. Both AP Racing and Performance Friction were putting in some very quick stopping distances. To the point where we started to question the data we were seeing. Unfortunately Dave G confirmed our suspicions, we can’t rely on the data as a whole and therefore it isn’t fair to print results while the accuracy is in question.
Disappointed yes, but we’ve seen plenty to encourage us to complete this test and establish whether big is better or if you need look no further than AP and PF for their Brembo based performance solutions. We are already planning the final showdown. With technical issues addressed, we hope to test two cars back to back. One car with an AP Racing 355mm 6 pot performance brake kit and the other with a Performance Friction brake kit.
A massive thanks to Barry Elliot, Pete Collen at AP Racing, Chris Witter and Dan Norton at Performance Friction, Darin Frow, Dave Griffiths, Jason Ellis and Philip Glew.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Register (MLR) is an independent organisation dedicated to the owners and enthusiasts of Mitsubishi Lancer performance models. The Register is run by volunteers who organise events including discounted track days & driver tuition, static shows, rally days and regional meets. Members also receive 4 semi-colour quarterly magazines. Members can benefit from an MLR insurance scheme, parts discounts with well known suppliers, and full access to an informative and friendly Internet Forum.
You can buy Performance Friction Evo brake pads and discs from our online shop, PartBox. With good stock levels and free delivery within the UK and Europe (terms and conditions apply).
