As you may have read in Tuesday’s Roundel Weekly digest, Satch Carlson has a new project: swapping pads and rotors on two cars at the same time. Of course, by the time he gets around to actually doing the work, we may all be traveling via ionic transporters instead of cars, but at least his intentions are good.
Building on the success of their popular S/T (for Street/Track) brake pads, Cool Carbon has launched the S/T Plus for BMWs—a pad that offers even better performance on the track while doubling as a well-mannered street pad. You do not want racing pads on the street, as Satch learned in Alaska when he tried to stop on cold Ferodo DS11s—or so he keeps telling me!
Cool Carbon developed the S/T Plus pads to fill the gap between entry-level performance pads and competition pads, so that motorsports enthusiasts could drive from the street to the track without having to “stop and swap” their brake pads. As easy as that job is on most BMWs, anything that keeps you from having to jack up all four wheels in the morning gloom so you can change pads and still make the mandatory drivers meeting is a good thing. Of course, you could just take to the track on your stock OEM pads—as long as you don’t want to brake as well as the other drivers and don’t mind putting on new ones when you get home—if you get home.
Car parts may be improved in a couple of ways—better materials and better manufacturing. According to Cool Carbon, both are in play with these new pads. The S/T Plus contain a new formula using Twaron aramid to improve durability and thermal stability. The goal here is to reduce performance extremes between cold and hot pads for more consistent and predictable braking, and not having to change pads as often.
The S/T Plus pads are made in a dedicated manufacturing facility. Cool Carbon uses proprietary processes, such as triple-scorching for faster bedding.
Like the original S/T pads, which Satch boasts that he actually succeeded in installing in his M roadster—although he did not say how long it took—S/T Plus pads are positive-molded instead of flash-molded, which Cool Carbon says provides better performance with excellent heat-fade resistance. The new materials and proceeses are all supposed to provide more friction over a greater temperature range, better torque and bite, more stability, and oh by the way, they should last longer.
Having sworn up and down that we’re going to see a write-up of his brake-changing prowess in Roundel magazine soon, Satch has now redoubled his efforts to git, as they say, ’er done. But since he started this adventure something like two years ago, you might want to go ahead and change your own pads now instead of waiting for Satch to show you how.
Cool Carbon S/T Plus pads are available in front sets for many BMW’s. At the moment, they’re available only at Bavarian Autosport.—Scott Blazey
[Photo courtesy of Bavarian Autosport.]
