Yellow Stuff

[nicowalker1]

Just though I’d pop on a quick review.
I have standard callipers that get regreased and cleaned every spring. Previously had ferodo pads (same as Pinky I believe).
After a few minutes of spirited driving I was getting a terrible amount of brake fade and judder.
After bedding in the yellow stuff pads I’ve found I have ‘great’ (as good as can be expected) brakes regardless of how hard I am driving. I’d read reviews about squeal, dust and poor cold braking. So far, no squeal, I’ve not noticed any increase in dust and I’ve not noticed any decrease in performance when cold. Side note as tyres also play a part, I’m using AD08’s.

It’s a thumbs up from me!

[Rambo]

I've always found that EBC yellow stuff pads work for me too. But the main thing with the brakes is to ensure that whatever calipers you have fitted are working efficiently

[theelanman]

Nick
you should have not had any experience like that with the DS2500.......
if so you should have sent it back........
where did you get them?......there is quite a lot of foreign stuff being put....erm...in the wrong box......
cheers
G

[nicowalker1]

Nick
you should have not had any experience like that with the DS2500.......
if so you should have sent it back........
where did you get them?......there is quite a lot of foreign stuff being put....erm...in the wrong box......
cheers
G

I purchased them from Ebay, the same supplier as Mr Pink has used. I wasn’t actually meaning the ferodos were at fault as it could well have been the discs. More a case of sharing that I am impressed by the YellowStuff pads.

[rip]

Uprated pads work better because they are more effective at turning kinetic energy into heat. In other wordes they heat up the discs more quickly.
The main weakness with the Elan's brakes are that they are poor at dissipating heat.
So prepare to change your warped brake discs more often.

[nicowalker1]

Uprated pads work better because they are more effective at turning kinetic energy into heat. In other wordes they heat up the discs more quickly.
The main weakness with the Elan's brakes are that they are poor at dissipating heat.
So prepare to change your warped brake discs more often.

A pair of discs is still cheaper than replacing a warped front end due to inadequate conversion of kinetic energy to heat...

[Giniw]

I have yellow stuff at the four corners and I am quite happy about them too.
A bit dusty indeed, but I don't really care.

[steve411]

Hi, i am considering the front ebc yelloy pads and ebc disks(not the vented), for my s2 and refresh my front calipers....My mechanik (official lotus dealer), insist that unless i am doing track days those pads are worst than the basics.He says the most important is the good condition of the calipers, change fluid frequently etc.. .Are those fast road pads (like ferodo ds2500, mintex1144 etc) make the difference in overall feeling of the brakes? i mean daily and sometimes fast driving? I am not thinking at the moment a brake upgrade(pnm)....

Thanks in advance,
Stavros Greece

[Saltire]

I changed from standard Lotus discs and pad a couple of years ago on my S2. I don’t track the car.

After a lot of research, I settled on Mintex discs and pads all round as being the best compromise for reasonably brisk road driving coupled with value for money. I’ve never had a problem with the brakes, but I do grease the sliders regularly, change the fluid every two years, and bleed carefully afterwards. The car passes the handbrake section of the UK MoT (roadworthiness) test just fine too.

[dapinky]

Hi Stavros,

Your mechanic is correct in that the callipers & sliders need to be in great condition - easy to keep on top of at home with a little bit of time (I can do all 4 corners of my car in less than an hour, once a year).

Unless you are doing serious track days, then grooved and/or drilled discs are not necessary, and can actually make things worse. They will offer slightly less contact between the disc and pad material, due to the grooves and/or holes - but they will allow for better cooling, and that is important when the breaks are working hard, as there will be a small quantity of super-heated air between the pad and the disc which acts as a bit of a sponge to prevent the 2 surfaces touching..... the grooves and holes help this gas to escape, so allow better braking under heavy conditions.

I use DS2500 pads at the front, on plain discs (not branded, just eBay versions of Apec DSK518) which get changed regularly. I don't track it very often these days, but when I did, they were fine (even when they got a bit hot).

[rip]

Hi, i am considering the front ebc yelloy pads and ebc disks(not the vented), for my s2 and refresh my front calipers....My mechanik (official lotus dealer), insist that unless i am doing track days those pads are worst than the basics.He says the most important is the good condition of the calipers, change fluid frequently etc.. .Are those fast road pads (like ferodo ds2500, mintex1144 etc) make the difference in overall feeling of the brakes? i mean daily and sometimes fast driving? I am not thinking at the moment a brake upgrade(pnm)....

Thanks in advance,
Stavros Greece

EBC seem to have a habit of updating their compound without making any changes to packaging. I have heard this & it is also the only way to explain the "works well - rubbish from cold - works well" variation in reviews for their greenstuff.
One would hope that by now, they have found out what constituent chemical doesn't work & will not use it again, but chemicals which are good at doing things can often be unpleasant & get banned.