Brake pad options for Alcon equipped XKRs
 

I've found a number of brake pad threads in the forum archives but they tend to fizzle when someone asks about the Alcon application. So, I thought I'd post what I've found regarding non-OEM replacement pad options for my '08 Portfolio with the Alcon brake package.

Feel free to offer up any advice or experience regarding these or other options. I'm leaning toward the Porterfields. My priorities are low dust, low noise, rotor friendly, followed by performance. I don't have any plans to track the car.

Carbotech (1521) front CT1355 $173, rear CT1356 $151

Porterfield (R4s) front AP1355 $190, rear AP1356 $120

e-mail response from EBC:

"For your vehicle we make our Yellowstuff street/track pad."
Front- DP42111R Rear- DP42112R

e-mail response from Akebono:

"Sorry to say to do not make the pads for the front and rear Jag with the Alcon brake package. The volume is just too low unfortunately."

e-mail response from Hawk Performance:

"Thank you for your interest in our products. Unfortunately we do not offer any pads for your vehicle. Please keep us in mind for any of your other vehicles."

I thought Porterfields are known to be quite dusty.

How much are the OEM pads?

I'm simply going by what the manufacturer claims. Do you have experience with the R4-S pad to the contrary?

I'm not interested in OEM pads.

Link

R4-S High Performance Street and Autocross
For high performance and heavy-duty street conditions. Perfect for prolonged everyday street use while also being capable of tolerating the most severe street use without any fade. Rotor friendly of course. The R4-S friction level will give you an impressive increase in stopping ability with very minimum pedal effort. R4-S compound has the absolute lowest noise and dust levels, far below OEM equipment or any other high performance brake material. Good for autocrossing, some drivers schools, solo events, and rally’s. The R4-S compound is available for virtually any vehicle sold in the US. We also offer the R4-S in pad sizes for competition type calipers that are used under street driven conditions.

I've gone through several R4's (not the R4-S) in my early track and autocross days. They are dusty, but my goodness the power they offer is stunning and controllable regardless of how hot your rotors get.
I vote you give them a try and let us know if you agree...

Vince

I've never used them personally, but they have been a popular upgrade for guys doing motorsports that needed more stopping power and fade resistance with street cars and OEM brakes. In your case you've got massive brakes, and don't need additional brake performance, and this pad might address your priorities in the reverse order. I thought I heard of a brake pad source that would use any of their pad materials on any brake backer plate...anybody heard of that?

Bruce

AC;

I got the same response from Akebono for the Brembo pads...

The front rotors with the Brembo's are 355mm.

How big are the Alcon's and what year is your XKR??

cheers,

jj

Its a 2008. 400mm 6 piston front and 350mm 4 piston out back.

Yeah, I know, what a waste for a guy who isn't going to spend any track time. I didn't actually go looking for this specific car (Portfolio), but as you know, if you've shopped for XKRs, there are not a whole lot of them to choose from on the gently used pre-owned market. This one had all the options I was looking for plus a few that I wasn't so I snatched it up.

AirCav,
I found this old thread and wanted to follow up, if you're still here. Did you go with the Porterfield pads? If so, what do you think? How much dust?
Thanks,
Stuart

Hey Stuart, sorry for the delay. I don't check in here as much these days. (maybe that's a good sign, everything sorted)

The timing of your question is interesting because I just finally ordered a set a couple weeks ago. I don't put a lot of miles on the car and had decided to keep the factory pads until they were due for replacement rather than switching early. During the last service, they advised me that with the fronts at 4mm, it was time. (just under 50K miles)

Did some shopping online and ordered the front/back Porterfield pads from Topbrakes for $279 shipped. Haven't installed them yet but when I get some miles on them, I'll make a point to revisit this thread and report what I find.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...87250779b1.jpg

Please follow up after you have put some time on them. For the fronts I have Pagid RS29 and the rears are new Alcon factory pads. Impressively smooth, quiet and quick to grab with little effort but tons of dust all over the wheels after just a few miles.

In case anyone needs a new set of Alcon rotors, jahummer found them at a bargain price (while they last): https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-cheap-171582/

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...56be106c54.jpg

Thanks, AirCav for posting the information in the Porterfield pads.

I have made a note and printed your post on the Porterfield Brake pads for future consideration.

..

Any other comments about pads for the Alcon cars?

At the moment i'm tossing up between;

OEM from Jaguar

EBC Yellowstuff (because I have them on the XJR & have been happy with them)

Or maybe if I decide to stick with OEM, then why not the Centric OE Formula pads for half the price of the Jag ones???

I'm not going to track this car, and if I do it won't be at 10/10ths so i'm not really fussed about a high-end performance pad like Pagids or Porterfields...

I am sooo sick of the brake dust from the OEM pads, and presume that the Centric OE Formula pads would produce the same amount of dust. I know that back in 2014 you said the EBC Yellowstuff pads on your XKR produced virtually no dust. Is that still the case? How have the rotors held up?_

There is a little bit of dust from the Yellowstuff, but nowhere near as much as OEM pads, and since I have rotors with full slots on the XJR, that probably contributes to the dust more than a plain rotor.

The rotors themselves (R1 Concepts "Premier" i.e. the Centric "High Carbon") show very little wear after nearly 25'000kms / 15'000miles, i.e. not much of a lip forming on the outer edge, but you can see the surfaces of the rotors get a bit of a workout.

I'm just a bit concerned about putting a hard pad on a standard Alcon rotor, I got the Stoptech-sourced ones that jahummer found.

I'd rather put up with a bit more dust than have to replace these rotors again sometime down the track. This XKR is still on it's 2nd set of rotors at 149'000kms / 92'000miles, and they are basically on the minimum thickness now... but heaps of dust doesn't thrill me either, something in the middle would be good, I think that compromise might be the Yellowstuff, but i'm not entirely sure how the rotors will wear with them.

Attachment 142115

Both the Pagid front pads and the Jaguar/Alcon rears (I think they are made by Ferodo) produce more dust than I have ever seen on any car I've owned. After about 20 miles, the wheels and calipers are covered. The positive side is they grab well and are smooth and quiet. As Cambo noted the slots in the rotors probably contribute a fair amount to the dust.

EDIT: by the way when searching for new handbrake pads, I came across several store brand replacement pads for the front and rear Alcons including Carquest Wearever Gold semi metallic for $35, Napa premium for $60, etc

Rock Auto has the handbrake pads for $10, Centric ones (I figure this must be a mistake, but surely they wouldn't sell the pads individually, it must be a set)

Attachment 142119

It's hard for me to not go for these, that's the same price delivered for a set of front, rear and handbrake pads, as just the fronts in Yellowstuff...

But if they are gonna be dusty as hell, then i'll probably go the Yellowstuff again...

Several sites has the centric handbrake pads for under $10 but postage was more than the cost of the pads! I lucked out and found TRW pads on Amazon for $24 shipped. I also saw the centric front and rear pads but have no experience with them. If performance was not a priority, I would then be concerned about noise, for me squealing brakes are worse than dust.

Found more front and rears

Carquest Wearever Gold Semi-Metallic Brake Pads - Front (4-Pad Set) GMKD1355: Advance Auto Parts

http://m.autozone.com/brakes-and-tra...location=Front

http://m.autozone.com/brakes-and-tra...?location=Rear

Are you going down the Alcon route too?
I've gone for yellow stuff on the front and I'm pretty impressed. To echo the other sentiments the oem pads. Which I had on for 7k road miles had about 1.5 - 2mm left and were the dustiest things in the world, the yellow stuffs produce what I would call a normal amount of dust that you'd expect from a normal car. I haven't really had a chance to test them fully but in combination with the Pirelli corsas the braking is very good indeed.

as an aside the discs. ( oem) were a little over halfway between new and min thickness when I was replacing the pads so replaced the discs also.
Also availble as oem equivalent pads are apex. No personal experiences and Euro car parts have Bosch pads on their website listed for alcon calipers.