Long time I’ve been looking how to reprogram Bosch ABS control unit and ESP in ECU. Electronic assistants give people illusion of safety. I recall old cars as my first car Skoda 130L – most important part of car was the seat. It was easier than I thought…it stopped working itself…be careful what you wish for ROFL

Summary

• Poor man brake system = ATE Powerdisc + Ferodo DS2500 pads.

• ATE Powerdisc are high carbon steel brake disc with capability withstand temperatures over 700°C. ATE is German manufacturer, OEM for VAG. They are involved in motorsport and that’s good enough for me to even bother with testing their products.

• My first thought was Brembo Sport brake discs but they cost more and are just marginally better. Brembo has no brake pads for brake barbecue on family cars.

• ATE Ceramic pads are good for tuners…dust free, high temps resistant and high friction coefficient…well at least that’s what ATE claims. Reality is, if it ain’t dust and eat discs, it doesn’t brake. But, still better than deadly OEM pads. They last 15k km in my case
  

• Ferodo DS2500 popular among circuit monkeys and most likely the only manufacturer for poor drivers as me, who still use inefficient OEM floating calipers. They can take Alpine Brake Barbecue. Great at around 500°C, starting to fade at 700°C.

If you brake hard, floating calipers are sub-optimal but it is just family car 

Ferodo DS2500 is choice number one for Hajes Racing. Sadly, also the limit of factory floating calipers. Factory calipers have too small active braking area to break effectively…once insurance companies start to pay real costs of cars once they get stolen…I’m going to upgrade for Brembo four piston fix caliper brake system.

I’ve been swapping front winter tires for rear ones (8800km is limit even on premium sport tires) and found out there is no friction material left. During the suspension/chassis rebuild of Hilda HR I…there was unplanned brake swap. ATE Powerdisc was already used on Fabia HR II and I had big overheating problems in Alps.

Of course Hilda HR I is even more unbalanced car that Fabia HR II. Heavy, two-litre FWD TDi with small rear brakes and floating calipers. I really have big “problem” with rear discs overheating. Front brakes optimal 500°C but rear, small discs 700°C…not good.

Not much has changed since first test…only difference, Ferodo DS2500 + ATE Powerdisc have no problems with >700°C 

Brake power is about seat (driver), balance, brake piston area, heat transfer and disc size. Small disc with eight-piston calipers brake more than large discs with floating caliper brakes.

Rear disc and Ferodo DS2500 pads were sure shot replacement but I wanted to test difference between ATE so called ceramic pads and real race pads. Difference, is noticable…it finally breaks, even at 500-700°C where ATE Ceramic pads fade. Boy, I can’t wait for brake barbecue (brake grilling) on Glocknerstrasse.

Don’t get me wrong ATE still brakes better than most OEM/replacement brake pads but they have one small problem…they transfer more heat to brake fluid. It wasn’t problem for big ass Hilda HR I but  Fabia HR II suffered regular brake fluid boiling. Instead of playing with racing brake fluid…I bought more suitable car. 

Hilda HR I surprisingly still have no problems with brake fluid boiling despite regular high temperatures of brake system. And I’m still using fresh OEM brake fluid or so called Motul Premium DOT 4. 

Monday shift in Ferodo factory…looks like great weekend party…seller told me, it is standard feature of Ferodo…to have one pad, from four, missing five millimetres of friction material ROFL