# Which pads for GTI MKIV?



## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

Looking for better pads for spirited street use, with stock pads I get brake fade after spirited driving. I want to find a pad that dusts as much as stock (or less), does not fade in hard street driving, doesn't eat my rotor like crazy, and would wear decently. 
Thanx http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Racer_X (Jul 14, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

Of the ones you listed, the DS2500's will be the most fade resistant and the "stickiest". They are also very dusty, probably dustier than stock though it's been so long since I used any stock pads that I'm not sure about that. They are also probably the most fade resistant pad you have listed. You can get the rotors glowing a bright orange and the Ferodos still grip strong. 
I've heard good things about the Porterfields, but I've also heard that they aren't as good as the DS2500's cold. I'm not sure about that. One of the things on my list is to get a set of Porterfields and try them soon.
I've got DS2500's on my Jetta (diesel, cough, cough), and I've got Hawk HPS on our Miata (mine on rainy days, hers on sunny days).
The Hawks are good, but don't seem quite as sticky as the Ferodos. Fade is non-existant with the Hawks in spirited driving on twisty hilly (mountain?) roads around here. I would bet that the Hawks (the HPS) will fade earlier than the Ferodos, but I don't know that it matters much, except on a race track. The Hawks don't seem to be dusty at all. It's hard for me to judge dust because I live at the end of a dirt road with a 1/3 mile dirt and gravel driveway, so road dust and brake dust get mixed up and it's hard to tell the difference. The Miata wheels generally have an orange/red tinge to them (like the dirt here in north Georgia), the Jetta wheels are usually a lot blacker if that's any indication for you. 
If you had Hawk HPS or HP+ on your list, I would vote for the Hawks. If you hadn't mentioned dust, I would vote for the DS2500's.


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## jamesb (Mar 14, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (Racer_X)*

I have not run the 2500's in a long time, but I am on the porterfields now. They are much less dusty, very fade resistant (no fade running hard at VIR.) And are great on the street. Cold they seem to be a little bit like redbox, but that goes away by the end of the driveway.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (Racer_X)*

Thanks. I care about dust, so probably not DS2500s. I did not list Hawks since I read they are too hard on rotors and not good while cold, but I trust you since you are very experienced with brakes. Have you ever tried Pagid? I hear great things about them.
Here's a web site with more info about each Pagid pad, their cold and hot coefficient. The interesting thing I see is that the pad that is said to be good for street and give the best cold bite (RS4-2-1 Black), has the least coefficient cold! Does this mean that the other ones (like Pagid Orange) are better in cold since their coefficient is better in cold?! 
http://www.part-box.co.uk/SearchCatalogue.asp?GroupID=1013


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (jamesb)*

quote:[HR][/HR]Cold they seem to be a little bit like redbox, but that goes away by the end of the driveway.[HR][/HR]​Very good description. I'm also running the R4-S (ran Ferodo's previously ... too "grabby" cold for my liking), and they don't need tons of heat to really begin to perform. One stop, and they are ready to go. Additionally, panic stops from high speeds are pretty interesting ... stomp on the pedal, relatively normal braking performance, and then it's like you dropped anchor ... steep, but smooth increase in Cf. Amazing pads when up to temperature.
Less dust than Ferodo, and they appear to be wearing quite well.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Where did u buy them from and how much?


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

Shine Racing - http://www.srsvw.com - $119 for the pads, fronts only.
Can also get them directly from http://www.porterfield-brakes.com


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## ECS Tuning-Tom (Oct 2, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Mintex for OEM type performance but with low dust & noise
Hawk HPS for higher performance pad than OEM but with a little more dust/noise than the mintex
Hawk HP+ for even greater performance than the HPS but with noise & dust
Here is more info
http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd...olkswagen&model=Golf IV&submodel=&engine=1.8T


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (ECS Tuning-Tom)*

quote:[HR][/HR]Mintex for OEM type performance but with low dust & noise
Hawk HPS for higher performance pad than OEM but with a little more dust/noise than the mintex
Hawk HP+ for even greater performance than the HPS but with noise & dust
Here is more info
http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd...olkswagen&model=Golf IV&submodel=&engine=1.8T [HR][/HR]​How do the Hawks compare to Mintex c-tech 1144?


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## kgirlbug2k (Oct 8, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

bump, but with a related question...
i plan on towing a light (around 900 lbs) trailer with my beetle, what would be the best pads for that?


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## bxr140 (Jul 18, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

quote:[HR][/HR] I'm also running the R4-S (ran Ferodo's previously ... too "grabby" cold for my liking), and they don't need tons of heat to rea lly begin to perform. One stop, and they are ready to go. Additionally, panic stops from high speeds are pretty interesting ... stomp on the pedal, relatively normal braking performance, and then it's like you dropped anchor ...[HR][/HR]​i'll third the porterfields and echo the cold performance comments. for normal driving, 50 feet of even fairly light braking pressure is all they need. i've also never had a problem after a long highway cruise in cold temps or rainy weather like i have with other pads. 
now that you mentioned it, there is a bit of a delay between "normal" and "holy crap" braking (like .25-.5 seconds) if you immediately go from 0% to 50-75% braking after a period of normal driving. under normal driving circumstances, i usually "roll" onto the brakes which negates this phenomenon.
stomping, at least in my C, (0% to 80%+) leads to immediate brake lock at any speed...or at least to about 80. don't know about speeds higher than that cause i've never tried it. thats with potenza SO3's, FYI. as with anything, you get the feel for the limit and don't usually exceed it unless you make a concious effort. 
i'm sure this is the case for everyone here, but i've really notived that getting heat into my tires is really the limiting factor. i'll do 2-3 HARD 60-20 decel's on the approach to the "fun road", fighting the ABS each time...and each time i do it, there is a noticible increase in stopping G's. thats with 195/50/15 tires too!
under "race" conditions (read: backroad flogging or better) braking is very linear and predictable. 
all that said, i'm actually considering getting the DS2500's so I can do a real back to back comparison of the two. well...as close to a real comparison as possible, at least. i'll be going from worn out powerdisks (PO installed them) to standard brambo rotors...*


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## david equitz (Dec 7, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*


_Quote, originally posted by *alexb75* »_Looking for better pads for spirited street use, with stock pads I get brake fade after spirited driving. I want to find a pad that dusts as much as stock (or less), does not fade in hard street driving, doesn't eat my rotor like crazy, and would wear decently. 
Thanx http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 

Bump, and how about including Hawk HPS and APR SureGrip (Level II)? http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## jamesb (Mar 14, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (bxr140)*

I never noticed that even after a few hours on the highway. It was just cold morning, heading downt he block applied the brakes and noticed that. After that first stop in mid winter temps it was no problem, like an anchor every time.
As for wear, these spent 2 days at VIR and lots of traffic and dont even look touched (though I did have a transmission issue and its been down for a month.) I plan to put the same pads on the rear soon, that should last a few years.


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## nsingh9 (Jun 24, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (david equitz)*

Just ordered a set of Hawk HPS pads from ECS Tuning... Hopefully i'll get them installed tomorrow, i'll post up my reviews.


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## david equitz (Dec 7, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (nsingh9)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## nsingh9 (Jun 24, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (david equitz)*

my bad... got them with the ecs tuning slotted cadimium coated rotors and installed them about 2 weeks ago. HUUUGE difference over stock! I can actually stop alot better. I don't do auto-x or anything, just needed some extra bite for the street, and these helped out! No squeal, and reduced brake dust. I love them.


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## keycom (Sep 27, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (nsingh9)*

Were these larger rotors, or just stock in size?


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## nsingh9 (Jun 24, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (keycom)*

They were the stock sized rotors just slotted and plated. I couldn't afford the big brake kit so i went with the next best thing. The slotted rotors/ hawk pad combo works great though!


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## AZGolf (Jun 6, 2000)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

I loved my Porterfields, but I only feel they helped back when I did open track events with my car. They deal with fade WAY better than stock pads, but dust about 20x more. Once the Porterfields wore out I went back to (gasp) my original stock pads, and after a week or two to get them to seat well with the now-worn rotors, they felt about the same, and put off much less dust. I never had any problem with my Porterfields squeeling though, except right after track events. ??? Go figure.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (AZGolf)*

Were you running the R4 compound? If so, your conclusions make sense to me - this is a TRACK only pad. If you liked the Porterfield R4 try the R4*S* compound. I find this pad to be great on the street, quite fade resistant, and less dusty that OE pads - I only _have_ to clean my wheels every other week instead of every week. Performance level is like that of the Ferodo Fast Road Pad but without the classic Ferodo DUST.


_Modified by f1forkvr6 at 7:20 AM 6-10-2003_


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## AZGolf (Jun 6, 2000)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*


_Quote, originally posted by *f1forkvr6* »_Were you running the R4 compound? If so, your conclusions make sense to me - this is a TRACK only pad. If you liked the Porterfield R4 try the R4*S* compound.

No, I ran the R4S. For a while all my autocross friends were running R4S pads because they worked great for pretty much all conditions. None of us minded paying $130/set at the time. Like I said, they worked awesome for pretty much everything, and never squeeled except after track events, but always, always put off tons of dust regardless of if they were on a VW, Honda, or RX7. Still really good pads if you keep your car clean. Go 3 or 4 weeks without washing and your wheels will be black.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (AZGolf)*


_Quote, originally posted by *AZGolf* »_Go 3 or 4 weeks without washing and your wheels will be black.

Of course -- but coming from Ferodos this is GREAT







Go three or 4 _days_ with Ferodo and your wheels will be black


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## rcdub (Nov 14, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

After 109,000 miles on my original front brakes, I'm due for a new set. Between Porterfields and Ferodos which one wears better? Will I be able to get 100,000 miles out of either of these (assuming no track







)?


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## RABIDRABBIT1983 (May 13, 2003)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (rcdub)*

I think your 109,000 miles on a set of front pads might be guiness book material ....i say go for another stock set if you did so well with them 1st time around. I know as for myself im very heavy on the brakes, and thats the reason i seek aftermarket pads.....so i doubt any1 in here is as frugal with brake applications as yourself


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (rcdub)*

I got decent mileage from Ferodo's, and the Porterfield's seem to be wearing even better. Givent the better feel of the Porterfields, and the better wear characteristics, I'd go with the P before the F.


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## 3wheelinWolf (Mar 25, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Do the Ps come for rear brakes as well? My front pads have tons of meat left on them, but my rears a mms away from being to the wear sensor. I've been reading up on brakes for a while now, and I feel no better about my choices than I did the first day. I might just mintex the rear, since they are a cheaper solution compared to most pads, and supposedly grip/fade better than oem.


_Modified by 3wheelinWolf at 1:18 PM 7-24-2003_


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (3wheelinWolf)*

From http://www.porterfield-brakes.com:
Pad Type	Make	Model	Year	Front Part Number	Front Price	Rear Part Number	Rear Price	Pad MFG
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Corrado	89-91	AP227T	$99.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Beetle	1998	AP768	$0.00 AP340T	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf w/R/Disc	8/92-96	AP227	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf	8/91-98	AP227	$79.00 SHOE662	$79.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf Gti 8 Valve	8/89-6/92	AP280	$79.00 SHOE495	$79.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf Gti 16 Valve	8/89-6/92	AP280	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf Gti	5/92-6/94	AP227	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf Gti 2.0L	4/94-97	AP227	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf VR6	4/94-7/95	AP227	$79.00 AP340T	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf VR6	8/95-98	AP687	$119.00 AP340T	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Golf 2.0L	97-98	AP227	$79.00 AP340T	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Passat	90-91	AP227	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Jetta, GL, GLS	90-7/92	AP280	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Jetta, GL, GLS	5/92-96	AP227	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Jetta	97-98	AP227	$79.00 AP340T	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Jetta GLX VR6	96-98	AP547	$169.00 AP340T	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Jetta Gli	87-9/88	AP280	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Jetta GLi	10/88-94	AP227	$79.00 AP340	$69.00 PORT
R4S	VOLKSWAGEN	Jetta GLX VR6	94-95	AP227	$79.00 AP340T	$69.00 PORT
Give them a call because more than likely these pads can be used on newer/older versions of the models listed.


_Modified by f1forkvr6 at 1:41 PM 7-24-2003_


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*


_Quote, originally posted by *f1forkvr6* »_I got decent mileage from Ferodo's, and the Porterfield's seem to be wearing even better. Givent the better feel of the Porterfields, and the better wear characteristics, I'd go with the P before the F.

What do u mean by decent milage exactly? What about dust?


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

I replaced my Ferodo's with 75k street miles. Pretty decent








Porterfield R4S dust a lot less than the Ferodo's and slightly less than stock.


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## 3wheelinWolf (Mar 25, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Whew..the porterfields are quite a pricey option to fit the front and back. I have 27K on my car, and the rear pads are shot. I haven't tracked the car once, just alot of Jersey driving. I hope the Porterfields wear ALOT better than the oem's if I'm gonna pay that much.
(like your sig btw)
Edit: I revise my statement about costs.
I was looking at the wrong pad compound.
For those who are curious the partnumbers and costs for the Porterfield RS4s are:
AP768 front $89.00
AP340 rear $69.00
This is for a 1.8T with wear sensors. VR6s are different numbers.



_Modified by 3wheelinWolf at 4:40 PM 7-24-2003_


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (3wheelinWolf)*

I was told before (by Racer_X) to use Mintex of OEM for rear and better pads for front. This supposedly helps the rear brake biased on our cars. So, you may wanna go that route and save some $$ too.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif I agree. I'm running OEM pads in the rear.


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## 3wheelinWolf (Mar 25, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Yeah, about that...
If our cars tend to use a little more rear than most, why would you still keep oem pasd? My whole problem is that my rear pads a worn out, and my fronts look untouched. Wouldn't it be advantageous to use a better pad in the back? 
As far as brake feel is concerned, what are the concerns with having a slightly stronger rear braking system for a street driven car?


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## a2gtinut (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (3wheelinWolf)*

I just ordered set of R4S pads ($67) for my GTI 16v. I should get these next week and will let you all know how they work.


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## 3wheelinWolf (Mar 25, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (a2gtinut)*

Thanks, I appreciate any follow up http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif .


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## MTLVR6 (Apr 18, 2003)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

Hawk HPS or HP+.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (MTLVR6)*

Care to share you reasons why? I've never tried these pads ... how are they with regard to fade resistance, cold Cf, Cf consistency, dust, modulation, rotor wear, etc ....


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## Doug Brekke (Jan 28, 2000)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Excellent topic. The OEM pads are horrible during high performance driving. I cracked my stock pads in one 10 lap track day session. I tried EBC Greenstuff, which were silent and low dust, but didn't meet my expectations. I could get them to fade easily during canyon runs. 
Now I have Hawks, which have awesome bite and are worlds away in braking force, and held up great at Buttonwillow Raceway at Dubwars '03, offering fade-free performance in 100 plus degree weather, lap after lap. The problem is the horrid squealing around town. I have people looking in their rear-view mirrors in horror as I approach under braking, thinking I'm about to slam into them from the harsh noise. This is with brand new slotted rotors and "anti-squeal" paste, in addition to the squeal reducing backplates that come on the pads. Perhaps the Porterfields will allow me to keep my powerful braking without the noise? The noise is really embarrassing - it sounds like I'm driving an old hooptie.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (a2gtinut)*


_Quote, originally posted by *a2gtinut* »_I just ordered set of R4S pads ($67) for my GTI 16v. I should get these next week and will let you all know how they work.

Where did u order them from for that price?


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

You can get them for $69 right from Porterfield - http://www.porterfield-brakes.com.
Price is for REAR pads, for a MKII.


_Modified by f1forkvr6 at 1:00 PM 8-4-2003_


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (Doug Brekke)*

The R4S Porterfields are pretty quiet. Only the occasional squeal and only under very light braking. Less dust than oe and Ferodo.


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## a2gtinut (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

My R4S pads should arrive on Friday.
Anybody using R4S with ATE Power Disks???
There is only few bucks diff. between Power disks and regular?
My problem is I don't drive my car much and maybe the grooves can help clean pads.
But when I drive, I am hard on brakes and makes my wife little bit


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (a2gtinut)*

R4S & Powerdiscs are my current setup. I've never had a problem warping Powerdiscs and they are quite cheap. Probably not much performance difference, but they do seem to keep a fresh, clean surface on the pads.


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## a2gtinut (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

cool,
How many miles on this setup?
How is the wear?


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## a2gtinut (Dec 2, 1999)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (a2gtinut)*

by the way, I paid for front set only $67








I might cadmium plate new rotors.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (a2gtinut)*

I've probably got close to 10-15k miles on the R4S pads & Powerdiscs. The Porterfields appear to be much more rotor friendly than Ferodo (Fast Road Compound), yet the pads seem to be wearing _better_ than Ferodo. Best of both worlds??


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## 20v18t (Apr 9, 2002)

Im probably going to be getting the Porterfields Street compound. One quick question...Is this a quiet pad? Thanks -Ry


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## bxr140 (Jul 18, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (20v18t)*


_Quote, originally posted by *20v18t* »_Im probably going to be getting the Porterfields Street compound. One quick question...Is this a quiet pad? Thanks -Ry

mine have recently started squeeking, but thats cause they're old, and the ATE powrdisks (installed by the PO) have 30% of their slots worn completely through. 
in general, its a quiet pad under normal braking, and makes a cool, decending "BBBBRRRRRR" under hard braking.


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## sector7g (Apr 29, 2003)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (bxr140)*

what ever you do, dont run redboxes on the track, front or rear. last month at watkins glen my brother(2001 A4 1.8t) ran through a set of redboxes in less than 150 track miles and they were fading fast. he replaced them with c-techs on the back and was much happier. he has had c-techs in the front and those have lasted 3 driving events and still have over half life in them.
another friend with an a4 has the boxster setup on the front running porterfields with stock brakes on the back is looking to switch to c-techs for wear reasons.
i had c-techs on the front of my 337 and the oem lucas pads on the rear and had no fading at all. all 3 cars were running motul rbf600 fluid also.
i didnt get a chance to switch out my pads for a few days after the track so i got to drive on them a bit on the street. the c-techs were definetly louder than stock and quite grabby. if i were sure that they were not going to eat through my rotors i may have left them on but i switched back to the pagid 566 that came on the front and am happy with them. the c-techs dested quite abit more than the pagids also. and the pagids dust a fair amount.
to wrap it up the c-techs are a great pad for the track...probably not a good choice for the street.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (sector7g)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sector7g* »_ i didnt get a chance to switch out my pads for a few days after the track so i got to drive on them a bit on the street. the c-techs were definetly louder than stock and quite grabby. if i were sure that they were not going to eat through my rotors i may have left them on but i switched back to the pagid 566 that came on the front and am happy with them. the c-techs dested quite abit more than the pagids also. and the pagids dust a fair amount.


Where can I get Pagid 566 and what is the other name for it (Dark-blue, blue, etc...).


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## sector7g (Apr 29, 2003)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

i am not sure if they have a color designation, they were supposed to be OEM on the 337s. some 337s got them some didnt. there are some part numbers for them in the 337 forum in the huge bbs wheel issue thread. i think the post were somewhere in the page 50s area. you might also try going to the dealership to see what their computer pulls up. there has been speculation that they switched part numbers out though. let me know if you need any more info.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (sector7g)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sector7g* »_i am not sure if they have a color designation, they were supposed to be OEM on the 337s. some 337s got them some didnt. there are some part numbers for them in the 337 forum in the huge bbs wheel issue thread. i think the post were somewhere in the page 50s area. you might also try going to the dealership to see what their computer pulls up. there has been speculation that they switched part numbers out though. let me know if you need any more info.

The one at the dealer is ridicolusly expensive and not too sure if it's the 556 one. Would like to find that out since been looking for a pad to keep up on the street without being harsh on rotors, less dust and have good cold bite. Most probably will do Porterfield R4S on fronts, but for the rear may wanna get something else.


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## Mencius01 (Aug 27, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

Am I blind or does Porterfield NOT sell brake pads for MkIVs?








Where can I get the Ferodo DS2500s for a good (low) price?
Thanks!


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (Mencius01)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Mencius01* »_Am I blind or does Porterfield NOT sell brake pads for MkIVs?









Call them. They don't list all of their fitments online http://www.porterfield-brakes.com . I'm sure the'll have something that fits.


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## Doug Brekke (Jan 28, 2000)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Porterfield does make an R4-S application for the MKIV. I bought mine from http://www.supremepowerparts.com, and they had them in stock and shipped same day. They've been on the car a week, and I love them. Awesome stopping power, though with a bit less bite than my Hawks, but absolutely no noise. I highly recommend them. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Mencius01 (Aug 27, 2001)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*


_Quote, originally posted by *f1forkvr6* »_
Call them. They don't list all of their fitments online http://www.porterfield-brakes.com . I'm sure the'll have something that fits.

Ok I'll try calling them - it's true they didn't have the MkIV applications listed on the website ...
Supreme Power Parts eh? cool I'll try them too


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (3wheelinWolf)*

Any updates with tested pads?


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

Have u guys seen this thread:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1089654
What do u think about "scolen2" claims?! I heard something similar in another post as well. I was just about to get Porterfields, but now I am kind of holding back!


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

I believe that it happened to Steve, but his is the only report of this that I've heard of. I've been using Porterfield R4S pads in front for nearly 38,000 miles - combination of spirited road use, and every day commuting and absolutely love them. I like them better than the Ferodo Fast Road compound (and much better than Mintex RedBox/OEM pads). No problems, performance wise or quality wise. They are a solid choice, are easy on rotors, and appear to be wearing quite well.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*


_Quote, originally posted by *f1forkvr6* »_I believe that it happened to Steve, but his is the only report of this that I've heard of. I've been using Porterfield R4S pads in front for nearly 38,000 miles - combination of spirited road use, and every day commuting and absolutely love them. I like them better than the Ferodo Fast Road compound (and much better than Mintex RedBox/OEM pads). No problems, performance wise or quality wise. They are a solid choice, are easy on rotors, and appear to be wearing quite well.

So, it has lasted 38K, that's not bad. Any events, Auto-X, etc... on these? Cold-byte is ok too, right (compared to OEM)?


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

My post from a thread in Oct. 2003:
"OEM (organic compound) has very good cold bite. Ferodo Fast Road Compound (carbon metallic compound) had very grabby cold bite (these were either on or off when cold), R4S (carbon Kevlar compound) for me has perfect cold bite ... very linear. When hot, the Ferodos and the Porterfields both had very good modulation ... but personally I'd give the nod to Porterfield in this area.
I've never tracked any of these pads, but I have had OE pads fade (hard pedal) when driven agressively. I've never experienced pad fade with Ferodo or Porterfield on the street.
Dust? OE=dusty ... Ferodo=dustydustydustydusty!!! Porterfield R4S has less dust than OE, and far less dust than Ferodo.
As far as wear is concerned (in a street environment), Ferodo wear much better than OE, and it seems that the Porterfield compound wears better than Ferodo - nicer to rotors as well.
Another point of view, Eli at Shine Racing (so he says) uses the R4S compound for all of his street/auto-x cars.
Now, if you are starting to track your car a lot, it makes sense to have a separate set of race rotors/pads (like Hawk Blue). Most folks I know who race change rotors/pads the same way I change from summer tires to winter tires."


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Thanks. I guess gotto try to see for myself. 
On another note, Racer_x has pointed a few times that our cars brakes are pretty rear-biased and recommended grabby pads front and not as grabby in rear. If I get Porterfields for front, what would be a good pad for rear to give it a nice balance? I was thinking of Pagid semi-metallic. Seems better than OEM and Mintex Red box, but not as aggressive as Porterfields.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

Honestly? I'd suggest saving your $$$ for frequent fluid flushes and just using OE pads/rotors for the rear. You really don't need anything more unless you are doing some serious track time, or high-speed endurance events.


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (f1forkvr6)*

Well, those Pagid pads are not that much more expensive then OEM and are withing 5$.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

Then it's a toss-up. I've never used the Pagid's, so I cannot comment on them. Get the one's you feel will work best for you.


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## MikekiM (Aug 21, 2001)

Again, I'd repeat, go with Carbotech pads.
They come with rivets, so you'll NEVER have delamination problems. They're designed for the track.
Bobcat on the street, Panther plus for the short track, XP for the full track.


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## f1forkvr6 (Jun 10, 2002)

Mike, does Pure Motorsports sell Porterfield pads? The only ones I see listed on your company's websit are Mintex, EBC, and _Carbotech_ .....


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## SkyCriesVW (Nov 29, 2000)

*Re: (f1forkvr6)*

VW dealer wanted to replace my rear pads on my 2000' gti vr6 for $175 so i told them i would do it myself.
Since i don't have the tool handy i was thinking of just having midas or someone else do it for cheaper.
I think mintex redbox would be a good fit but the VW dealer told me i should go with OEM because aftermarket pads squeek? Was this just BS or do mintex pads really squeek on MKIV golf/gti's ???


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: (SkyCriesVW)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SkyCriesVW* »_VW dealer wanted to replace my rear pads on my 2000' gti vr6 for $175 so i told them i would do it myself.
Since i don't have the tool handy i was thinking of just having midas or someone else do it for cheaper.
I think mintex redbox would be a good fit but the VW dealer told me i should go with OEM because aftermarket pads squeek? Was this just BS or do mintex pads really squeek on MKIV golf/gti's ???









They are BSing you. They could be right that some cheap aftermarket knockoffs are gonna squeek, but Mintex Redbox is a great product and has been used by soooo many people and is reportedly much less dust and squeek. The Audi OEM pads were prone to squeek! 
Also, if you really want OEM, you can still buy the OEM pads from an online dealer, get it installed by a good mechanic and save yourself money: http://www.vwparts.com, germanautoparts.com , http://parts4vw.com .


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## SkyCriesVW (Nov 29, 2000)

*Re: (alexb75)*

Thanks, since both the VW dealer and local brake shops want around the same price i think maybe i should just try and not drive often till i can order mintex pads and find someone local who'd put them on for me.
Got 10% left in my rear pads still.


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## Angina (Oct 21, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

nice


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## Pure VDuBBin (Apr 10, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (Angina)*

For those using Port. R4S in the front, are any of you using them with Cross or Slotted Zimmermann's or Brembo's????







http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
If so, what is your opinion on the setup?


_Modified by Pure VDuBBin at 1:17 PM 8-30-2004_


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## alexb75 (Dec 29, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (Pure VDuBBin)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Pure VDuBBin* »_For those using Port. R4S in the front, are any of you using them with Cross or Slotted Zimmermann's or Brembo's????







http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
If so, what is your opinion on the setup?


I know the pads are supposed to be really good. Check out my post (last one) here http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1554235&postid=15523830#15523830 you really don't have to get drilled/slotted rotors to get amazing braking.


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## Pimpovic (Jan 2, 2002)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

I just got a set of Pagid pads for all four corners with a set of Cross Drilled and slotted Brembo rotors. I am going from Mintex redbox with Zimmerman drilled rotors. I'll post up on how I like the Pagid pads after I install them Sunday and have a chance to drive on them for a bit. 
My opinion in the Red box pads is that they are a short step up from stock with less dust. I don't think that they are as good as people make them out to be. I will say that they never squeeled or had any hint of noise. They just don't grab very well. The performance is better than stock, but the feeling of the brakes wouldn't inicate that. It feels like they want to push through your initial braking efforts and respond to stronger brake pressure only. I had them fade on me only once, but I don't run my car very hard any more since the mileage is climbing. I ran an Evo and after 4 consecutive stops from 120 to around 60 the brakes faded hard and when I pulled over the smoke was pouring out from the wheel wells. They do create a loud hum when breaking hard from highway speeds, which I didn't like. Overall, they last reasonably long and and create less dust than stock but with less stopping power than I personally want and I feel I could get better performance out of the Pagid's I'll be running now.
My opinion on the Zimmerman rotors is that I will never buy them again. Not so much for the performance because they did their job reasonably well, but because they rusted terribly after the 2nd day on the car and now after 50k miles are flaking rust chips off of the outer rim of the rotor and look absolutely terrible. I bought the rotors on a recommendation of the shop employee who sold them to me because he said the brembo's were out of stock and the Zimmerman's are the same thing. Little did I know the would rust right away. Also, the drill patterns are not specific for either the R or L side of the car and are facing different directions when veiwing my car from the drivers side as compared to the passenger side. I just don't like that. The new Brembo's I have are side specific and are Zinc plated which should keep the rotots silver and rust free. I won't ever buy Zimmermans again.
All in all this new setup is what I wish my original upgrade would have been. I will report on the performance soon.
The pads a from Performance Cafe and are what they call their Pagid Blue Box pads, which are different than Pagid's "Blue" pads. Either way the have a high temp rating of 600 C. I don't know if that's the top of the operating efficiency or the max rating but Nonetheless I expect them to be better than the Mintex. 
New Setup: Pagid Blue Box Pads, Stock Size Brembo Drilled and Slotted Rotors, Precise Stainless Lines, and OE VW Dot 4 Brake fluid.


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## seesquared (May 4, 2004)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (alexb75)*

I'm looking for the exact same thing - less dust, no fade during spirited driving (whatever that really is), preferably something that makes no more noise than stock (or no noise at all), and definitely a pad that has a good coefficient of friction when cold.
After reading through all the posts in this thread, I spoke with an autocross buddy at work. He recommended that I NOT get any of the pads mentioned in this thread (he has tried all of them) and that I go with a carbon ceramic pad.
I purchased some Carbotech Bobcat's and recently had them installed. So far I can say that when cold, they feel like a stock pad with a good bite right off the bat, and I have not experienced any brake fade whatsoever. I should also mention that there are no wear sensors.
Here's a link to the various compounds that Carbotech offers:
http://www.carbotecheng.com/prod-ct-compounds.htm
The true test will be taking them on the road (downhill twisties) that caused brake fade (and smoke) so badly that it felt like I had no brakes at all. The smoke coming off the brakes was particularly impressive in a very bad way. Luckily I was able to engine brake down to the bottom of the hill so that the brakes could cool off a bit.
I plan to test them on my problem road in the next two weeks, and I'll report back my findings


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## bobbyboo123 (Mar 11, 2004)

*Re: Which pads for GTI MKIV? (RABIDRABBIT1983)*

same here 100929 mile and light just came on for front brakes


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