1st Gen R53 Cooper S Front brakes

I'll assume you're at a beginning group level on the track, or else you would already be aware street pads aren't appropriate. Of the aftermarket pads mentioned, Stop Tech Street Performance pads can handle the transition from street to blue group skill level with an instructor, but once you're at solo skill level, a dedicated track pad is what you'll want.

I have a couple other street favorites in R53 caliper fitments, but what you said here "maintain a reasonable budget" doesn't apply, and neither does low dusting. More bite (when hot) and less fade, can't be had with less dust. If you need a hard brake (not talking about air in the system), you will want a hard brake very badly, and you won't give a hoot about dust.

 

R53 vs. R56 makes a big difference here.
The R56 front calipers & pads have almost twice the braking surface area of the OEM R53 front calipers. The R56 front calipers are equivalent to the 1st gen JCW calipers.

I've seen a friend set his R53 front pads ON FIRE at the dragon.
I could never find R53 front pads that would stand up to my dragon runs. Once I changed to R56 calipers, problem solved.

 

Yes they will fit. But you have to use half-height stick on weights.
A good tire shop will know how to do that for you.

Hope this helps...

 

R84 wheels over R56 calipers and R56 sized rotors:






This conversion blows your "maintain a reasonable budget". Try aggressive pads, plain new rotors, fresh fluid, and proper bed-in first. Tony Nuzzo raced door-to-door on R53 calipers and rotors with some success.

 

I run EBC REDS all year round and I have no bite issues in cold weather. I am in the burbs of Philly and it gets cold here in the winter.

 

I've recently replaced all my rotors and pads. I went with the slotted and dimpled rotors from Brake Performance.com They come with a lifetime warranty against warping. I went with the cermik pads from EBC. I bought the red stuff ones. Claims lowest dust with great stopping ability for street use. Red stuff claims about 1,000 miles for best break-in time. My first 1,000 miles, IMO, brake dust was not as miminal as they say. However, now that I'm barely over 1,000 miles on 'em, it does seem to be getting better. I don't have any squeal either. We'll see how it goes. Good luck!!

 

EBC puts a coating on their pads to help them bed into the rotors. I think that may be the source of that early dusting until they have bedded in completely.

 

Seriously.....check out the Cool Carbon pads.

 

^ Do you get paid commission? :smilewinkgrin:

 

:biggrin5:

If I did it hasn't paid off......I am just really ,really impressed with them so far. Best pad I have ever had.