Still under construction, though we've made a good start:

1. What is the best brake pad?

2. I think I've warped my rotors.  How do I know?  Is that normal?

3. I'm new to track driving.  Do I need race pads?

4. What about pads to fit Wilwood and Brembo calipers?

5. How can alignment affect braking?

7. Can I leave the racing brake pads in all the time?

8. I want a pad that I can drive daily and also take to the racetrack.

9. Will racing pads wear out my rotors?

11. I only do Autocross.  Will racing brake pads help my lap times?

12. What is WMS's privacy policy?

The Fine Print about Returns, Warranty, Disclaimers and Racing Can Be Dangerous 

1. What is the best brake pad?

We've learned over the years that some cars will typically work better with a particular brand of pad or a specific compound, but there are no hard rules.  It's MOST important to match the driver's braking style and driving characteristics, then to consider the specific vehicle.  We represent all the major race pad manufacturers so we can fit you with the best pad for your driving and your car.

2. My mechanic said that I had warped my rotors.  What does that mean and how did he know?  Why does this happen every time I go to a Drivers' Ed track event?

A number of factors can cause the feeling of a warped brake rotor.  In some cases, the rotor really has changed shape and is no longer true.  This is the classic "warped rotor" and can be confirmed by driving at a slow speed with a very light brake pedal application.  If the brakes tend to grab and release as the wheels rotate. . .in other words, as the high and low areas of the rotor come around each time. . .that's the feeling of a warped rotor.  Sometimes the problem occurs only when the rotor is very hot, like toward the end of a run session on the track.  At high speeds, the pulsing can shake the steering wheel dramatically.  Turning the rotors instead of replacing them is a waste of time, especially if the car will be driven on the track.  Rotors warp because of too much heat and turning them reduces the capacity further for the rotor to handle the heat.  They will simply warp again at an even lower temperature threshold than before.

At other times, that pulsing sensation is caused by an uneven "smearing" of brake pad material onto the rotor surface.  The root cause is too much heat or an impatient bed-in process for the pads.  The fix is to install some more aggressive pad compound, such as the Hawk 9012 (Blue) compound, and drive a couple of track sessions to clean off the overheated pad material that has built up on the rotor.

3. I'm new to track driving.  Do I need better brake pads?

It's not a requirement, but you can benefit by changing to pads designed for the track.  The OEM and street compound brake pads on Porsche and BMW will generally tolerate a first event or two without much of a problem.  They will wear more quickly at a track event and we often see "glazing" of the pad surface or "smearing" of pad material onto the rotor from the heat generated by track driving.  Using a pad designed for the track will generally avoid those problems and provide a higher level of performance on the track.

4. What about pads to fit Wilwood and Brembo calipers?

We stock many of these fitments commonly used on Porsche, BMW, Mustang and Corvette.  We can generally order pads to fit all the popular race calipers.

5. How can alignment affect braking?

The most significant factor is front camber setting.  Extreme camber (more than 2.5 degrees negative) reduces the "footprint" and makes it harder for the front tires to transfer the braking force to the pavement.  Camber settings to maximize the cornering characteristics of the car may translate to higher cornering speeds and lower lap times, but the trade-off with braking efficiency should be considered.

Aggressive tow settings that improve the turn-in may make the car harder to control under threshold braking, especially on uneven or inconsistent pavement.

Spring rates and shock valving are important for the management of weight transfer.  They should be coordinated with rear brake bias settings to ensure that the rear brakes do their fair share of the work while avoiding premature rear wheel lockup. 

6. What about brake cooling?

7. Can I leave the racing brake pads in all the time?

Modern race pads work well enough when "cold" that they can be driven on the street.  Some race compounds are "streetable" enough for occasional use; however race pads in general are not designed to be quiet or low-dust.  Most drivers find it is better to swap the pads to race pads for the racetrack driving event and then put a compatible street pad in for daily use.

8. I want a pad that I can drive daily and also take to the racetrack.

No one has yet invented a magic brake pad that is quiet and low dust for daily use but will tolerate the heat and remain efficient at high temperatures of racetrack use.  Ads that might claim otherwise are just ads.  We have tested them all.

9. Will racing pads wear out my rotors?

Rotors are a wear item, just as the pad material is.  Some brake pad compounds are quite aggressive and will wear the rotor as they do their work.  The racers who use these pads feel the improved performance is worth the trade-off. 

10. How long will my rotors last?

11. I only do Autocross.  Will racing brake pads help my lap times?

Yes.  Pads with higher brake torque and aggressive "bite" can shave tenths from autocross run times.  The limit of braking in an autocross is the lower grip pavement and avoiding lock-up with the tires.

12. What is WMS's privacy policy?

Our policy is simple: we do not share or sell our customer list and we do not spam.  Everything you share with us is confidential, and we maintain a secure database.

Fine Print: Returns, Warranty, Racing Can Be Dangerous

If you have other questions, please contact us.