I recently installed a set of Carbotech 1521 Bobcat street pads on my '04 Cobra, primarily due to good reviews read on SVTP. (Thanks alot, a-holes! :lol: ) I wore out my stock pads with about 23K on them during a track day in the Spring, and I'd put on a set of semi-metallic pads I picked up at O'Reilly Auto Parts (I forget the brand) so I could get back on the track. The Bobcats are the replacement for those temporary pads.
I had my rotors cut before installing the Bobcats, and I followed the break-in procedure as recommended by Carbotech, even going so far as to email them to clarify a few details about the break-in. I also replaced the brake fluid with some of the expensive stuff (again, I forget which brand) sold by Carbotech.
My complaints with the Bobcats are three-fold. First, the initial bite is unimpressive--less bite than either the stockers or the pads from O'Reilly. Second, while overall stopping power is good, it requires a firm push on the pedal. Third, while they dust less than the O'Reilly pads for sure (which were pretty dusty) and somewhat less than the stockers (not great but not terrible), they are still relatively dusty pads. After a couple hundred miles of street driving with occasional aggressive stops, the wheels have a noticeable coating of brake dust.
(There is also occasional moaning from the pads under light braking when the brakes are cold, but that doesn't bother me.)
Now the brake dust I could live with if the initial bite was better and the pedal effort lower, but given that these pads feel like their performance is inferior to the stockers and a set of $60 auto parts store pads, I am ready to take them off.
I traded emails with Mike at Carbotech. He is a knowledgeable, helpful guy and an asset to the company. Unfortunately, he confirmed that what I'm experiencing is how the pads are designed to work. He stated that, in Carbotech's experience, drivers don't want an aggressive pad for street use. He said that the AX6 compound would provide the bite and pedal feel that I wanted, albeit with the potential for considerably more noise and dust.
Here is Carbotech's description of their various compounds: Carbotech Performance Brakes The description for the Bobcat compound does list excellent initial bite, despite that apparently not being the case.
I am debating between two different compounds: the Disc Italia titanium kevlar and the Xbrakes carbon. Performance Brakes - Brake Pads, Brake Rotors and Brake Kits I'm going to call up Brake World to get their opinion of them. At this point, I've sworn off ceramic pads altogether.
Anyway, I know some of you guys like the Carbotech 1521 Bobcat pads. I can't really justify replacing a set of pads that only have a couple hundred miles on them, so if anybody is interested, I'll sell them for $50 shipped to anywhere in the US. (Those of you who have used these pads know that they sell for about $130 shipped, so hopefully $50 shipped is a good enough deal that someone who really likes them will want them.)
Anyone who has positive experiences with other pads on our Cobras, feel free to speak up and share your opinions. Thanks!
I had my rotors cut before installing the Bobcats, and I followed the break-in procedure as recommended by Carbotech, even going so far as to email them to clarify a few details about the break-in. I also replaced the brake fluid with some of the expensive stuff (again, I forget which brand) sold by Carbotech.
My complaints with the Bobcats are three-fold. First, the initial bite is unimpressive--less bite than either the stockers or the pads from O'Reilly. Second, while overall stopping power is good, it requires a firm push on the pedal. Third, while they dust less than the O'Reilly pads for sure (which were pretty dusty) and somewhat less than the stockers (not great but not terrible), they are still relatively dusty pads. After a couple hundred miles of street driving with occasional aggressive stops, the wheels have a noticeable coating of brake dust.
(There is also occasional moaning from the pads under light braking when the brakes are cold, but that doesn't bother me.)
Now the brake dust I could live with if the initial bite was better and the pedal effort lower, but given that these pads feel like their performance is inferior to the stockers and a set of $60 auto parts store pads, I am ready to take them off.
I traded emails with Mike at Carbotech. He is a knowledgeable, helpful guy and an asset to the company. Unfortunately, he confirmed that what I'm experiencing is how the pads are designed to work. He stated that, in Carbotech's experience, drivers don't want an aggressive pad for street use. He said that the AX6 compound would provide the bite and pedal feel that I wanted, albeit with the potential for considerably more noise and dust.
Here is Carbotech's description of their various compounds: Carbotech Performance Brakes The description for the Bobcat compound does list excellent initial bite, despite that apparently not being the case.
I am debating between two different compounds: the Disc Italia titanium kevlar and the Xbrakes carbon. Performance Brakes - Brake Pads, Brake Rotors and Brake Kits I'm going to call up Brake World to get their opinion of them. At this point, I've sworn off ceramic pads altogether.
Anyway, I know some of you guys like the Carbotech 1521 Bobcat pads. I can't really justify replacing a set of pads that only have a couple hundred miles on them, so if anybody is interested, I'll sell them for $50 shipped to anywhere in the US. (Those of you who have used these pads know that they sell for about $130 shipped, so hopefully $50 shipped is a good enough deal that someone who really likes them will want them.)
Anyone who has positive experiences with other pads on our Cobras, feel free to speak up and share your opinions. Thanks!