Gransport Pads - my thoughts after first race.

BudMan · Post by **BudMan** » April 10th, 2006, 8:40 am

First, let me say Thank You to Carl (bbqman) at TRACRACING.com for allowing me to try the Gransport pads on my newly built SCCA - ITE club race car.

I will be posting my experience and comparison for these over this current race year. In addition, those of you who will be at the expo can check them out on my car and ask me any questions.

**I don't think they are available just yet in the U.S. Damn Canucks got'em first (this statement was for you Molsen drinkers out there

)

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What I have experience on Track with in the Type R:
Hawk HPS
Hawk HP+
Hawk Blues

Cobalt GTs
Cobalt SpecVRs

Acura Stock pads

GRANSPORT pads (1st event)
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Packaging:
Hawks: butt ugly

Cobalt: Nice packaging, vacuum packed in a box - nothing fancy

GRANSPORT: Great looking black box, vacuum packed inside. These are ready to display for anyone! Does it make them stop better...NO. However, I think it shows the level of detail this company is going to for you!
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Installation:
Hawks: Always have those stupid backing plates --- TEAR THEM OFF. I've had nearly every set breakloose after install & dig into the rotor hat. They are POINTLESS!!

Cobalt: Great job. No problems at all.

GRANSPORT: Great job. No problems at all.
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How they hold up on the track:

Hawk HPS -- Better than stock / light dust
Hawk HP+ -- Nice street-track combo pad / heavy dust - not for any show car!
Hawk Blues -- AWESOME brute breaking force. / HEAVY dust -- MUST CLEAN IMMEDIATELY or they will permenantly cake on your wheels.

Cobalt GTs -- Equivelant to Hawk HP+ / less dust than HP+ & wash off easily
Cobalt SpecVRs -- Better modulation than the brute force of Hawk Blues butt doesn't feel quite as solid (no noticable lap time difference) / washes off easily after heavy dusting

Acura Stock pads -- PLEASE don't waste your money on a track event with these. 1 weekend = 1 set of pads. They will give out after 5-6 hot laps.

GRANSPORT pads -- First event - not much dusting & the stopping feel was as follows:
---initial bite similar to the Hawk Blues
---pad modulation during braking like Cobalt specVRs
---dusting like Cobalt GTs (I was suprised how UNmessy my wheels were)
---**After a 20 minute stint in a REAL race (SCCA ITE) they felt like the pads were starting to fade a little. However, my lap times got consistantly faster - finishing the last lap nearly 1 second faster than any other!

Overall impression so far = Cobalt specVRs & GRANSPORT are very close. I prefer a harder initial bite like the GRANSPORT pads. We'll see how they run at EXPO 6 & my other races this year.

We'll keep you posted.

Dave_B · Post by **Dave_B** » April 10th, 2006, 10:58 am

We need more pics.

Bbasso · Post by **Bbasso** » April 10th, 2006, 12:36 pm

Hrmmm...
You noticed what seems like fade from the pads?

I'd be tempted to try those but I can almost fade the VRs (can get them soft and mushy, but no loss in distance) when I had the splash shields in place. But now that the shields are off I don't encounter any problems with heat.

Have you ever used the Spec B pads from cobaltfriction? I used them at the WTDRExpo and was shocked to see that they held up.The Rotors, well... I did not get a complete session in (motor failure) to see if they would hold up to the heat.
How is the pricing compared to VRs?

You have a good review! I Look foward to reading more of your race career.

BudMan · Post by **BudMan** » April 10th, 2006, 12:39 pm

Go figure. Jim, Kevin, my mom & her husband were aaaaallllllll out there.

I got 2 pics. I wasn't even smart enough to take pictures of anything but Kevin coming in.

BudMan · Post by **BudMan** » April 10th, 2006, 12:54 pm

Bbasso wrote:Hrmmm...
You noticed what seems like fade from the pads?

I'd be tempted to try those but I can almost fade the VRs (can get them soft and mushy, but no loss in distance) when I had the splash shields in place. But now that the shields are off I don't encounter any problems with heat.

Have you ever used the Spec B pads from cobaltfriction? I used them at the WTDRExpo and was shocked to see that they held up.The Rotors, well... I did not get a complete session in (motor failure) to see if they would hold up to the heat.
How is the pricing compared to VRs?

You have a good review! I Look foward to reading more of your race career.

Thanks Rob.

Andie told me the specVR was his recommendation since I was already using Hawk Blues.

Heartland Park can be pretty hard on brakes. I was redlining 4th (stock gearing ~125mph) on front straight which ends on a downhill, between 7-8 about 110mph & after chicane ~110mph.

No elevation is visible with this picture, but there is definatly some there now.

We ran the 2.1 mile course. There is a link to a test video by the track owner on this page (click) He's taking it VERY easy.

The SCCA Runoffs will be held here in Topeka for the next 3 years

The carousel is a beautiful thing!!