E36 M3 Stoptech ST 40 Pad Question

[91M5]

I have some Stoptechs 332mm on the way and was wondering if I should just run the same track pad I have been running on my stock set up -- PFC011. I will be running stock brakes in the rear with the PFC's. Given the additional heat capacity of the Stoptechs can I run a less aggressive pad? Advanced driver running MCS SA and NT01's. Thanks in advance for any tips or experience.

[aeronaut]

It's a big, it depends. If the PFC011s were working well with the stock setup, they'll probably work fine with the 332 rotors. It all depends on how much heat you get into the rotors and the piston sizes in the new setup (f/r bias). Assuming new stoptech calipers?

[91M5]

Yep, brand new. I purchased them from Tire Rack a few months ago on sale and they were back ordered. Should be getting them in the next few weeks. The PFC11s work pretty good even a bit cold so they should be good.

[aeronaut]

FYI, for some reason sellers of brake "kits" sometimes change the front/rear bias in ways that don't make sense. A boosted system with ABS hides that pretty well, but if you start getting a lot of ABS activation that you weren't before, it can be bias is off. You can try moving bias by changing pad compound. Far from ideal, but it can help a little.

[pbonsalb]

StopTech ST40 kit for E36 has been around for a long time and the front/rear piston sizes are known. Changing one or both specs could alter bias. This is something a buyer could look at. An unscrupulous seller could put together a kit that fits but has calipers from some other application that the seller could source more cheaply.

I bought a front/rear ST40 set from Turner pretty cheap when it was clearing out it’s inventory as it the company was being sold directly but indirectly to the venture capital company that bought ECS and Pelican and probably others. Turn 14 might be associated with that group. I found all the specs since I was not sure whether I wanted front only or to be able to add the rear later or to buy both then and needed to make sure there would be no issues.