James Adlington

Are these really suitable for road use (UK winter driving)? Lots of you seem to use them, but the Mintex web site says they're for track use only.

My last question on brakes, honest!

Bob Rawle

I have them front and rear coupled with group N discs front, standard early STi rear and I think they are great. Good stopping with relatively light pedal pressure. Squeak a bit under v light braking and "grumble" a bit when its damp but seriously, I wouldn't go back to standard pads now. V good IMHO.

Bob

MarkF

James, I made the mistake of putting M1144 mintex pads in my WRX. I soon found out that if you push on a liitle bit, they soon get too hot and the dreaded brake fade occurs. I'll soon have M1155's and drilled discs all round.

alistair

The 1155's are the pads that Prodrive recommend and are fine for road use. The 1144's are not up to the job and the 1166's need heat to be useful.

The only problem with them is that they do create a lot of dust.

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

Well I've never had any problems with them on my car, and I'm now on my 2nd set. No problems stopping even in temps of minus 10 degrees (or lower)

Apart from producing prodigious amounts of brake dust, the only problems are that they can squeal a bit under light braking (which can be an advantage under some circumstances!)

James Adlington

Thanks all. My first shopping list of 2000 is now complete - Brake bar, braided hoses, DOT5 fluid & a set of 1155's. Bye-bye mushy brakes!

MorayMackenzie

Hi John,

Brake Squeel advantageous? Oh, of course, you can give that cute WPC an excuse to pull you over and inspect your car!

Seriously though, when is it an advantage where use of the horn (or engine) wouldn't be better?

Moray
(Curious)

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

How can brake squeal be advantageous ?

Several reasons:

Firstly I work in the city centre, right off a busy dual carriageway. To get into the underground car park I turn across a break in the pavement which is normally filled with pedestrians walking to work. 90% don't even look before walking across the entrance to the car park, and wouldn't hear a car approaching at 5mph over the background traffic noise, and blindly walk out in front of any car turning in! Having a car with brakes that squeal a little bit just before turning in, means that anyone who is about to cross the road without looking, stops and looks first

Second reason: A lot of the dual carriageways here are plagued by people sitting in the outside lane doing 10mph under the speed limit (perfectly legal I know) , but wqith nothing on the inside lane. Reason - they will be making a right turn at some point, very often in several miles, through half a dozen roundabouts, 4 sets of lights and about 10 possibilites to turn right. They don't wish to stay in the inside lane, for fear of not getting out in time to turn right if they leave it until the last minute. Most are oblivious to any cars following them as they never look in the rear view mirror to see the huge line of cars building up behind them, and probably don't even notice the few cars which get fed up and undertake them illegally on the inside lane. Flashing your lights will have no effect, and sounding your horn would normally result in a rude hand signal from them, and a steely determination from them never to let anyone past!

However, since having brakes which squeal on very light pressures, I've found that coming up behind them, extended press on the brakes (virtually no pressure) to get a nice long squeal, seems to have the desired effect. They look in their mirrors, see a line of cars following and quickly move over to the inside lane letting everyone past!

Don't ask me why this happens (fear of mad braking lunatics behind them about to crash into them ?), it just does! Doesn't work in all cases, but enough to make a difference, and for you (and your passengers) to notice!

[This message has been edited by JohnS (edited 06-01-2000).]

Pete Croney

Hi John

Air horns do the same job, but even more effectively

Happy New Year M8

Pete