Descriptions and Recommendations
14
14 Compound has lower friction and slightly less bite than other PFC racing compounds. Torque is consistent across a wide temperature range, making it ideal for low grip applications such as street tires or groomed dirt tracks. Available for a limited selection of racing calipers only.
13
13 Compound has ultra-high bite and very high friction for sprint racing on high grip tracks or with very high downforce cars. Excellent release characteristics for smooth braking with exceptional control and modulation. Very high fade resistance at high temperatures. Pad wear is similar to 01 Compound, with superior disc conditioning. Lowest taper wear of any high-bite, high-torque pads on the market when used in properly designed race calipers. Recommended for fast cars with high downforce that can take advantage of increased bite in the first 1/3 of the stop.
12
12 Compound was developed to have even longer wear than the 08 endurance racing compound. This compound won overall on its debut at the 2013 Daytona 24 Hours. It was designed to have excellent bite, modulation, and release characteristics. Virtually zero taper wear in proper racing calipers, with superior disc conditioning. Wear is optimized when disc temperature paints show 450-500° C (750-925° F), but it will still operate well at higher temperatures if required (see 08 Compound if temperatures get too high). With 24 hour durability in its DNA, it is the ultimate in wear.
11
11 Compound was developed from the popular 01 Compound for sprint and medium-distance racing. This compound was designed with improved bite, modulation, and release characteristics. The result is ultra-smooth braking with reduced wheel locking at the end of a stop. 11 can be used in a large spectrum of temperature ranges. Pad wear is on par with 01 Compound, with superior disc conditioning. Virtually zero taper wear when raced in a properly designed race caliper. It is ideal for use in medium- or low-grip situations such as hard spec tires or light cars with no downforce.
08
08 Compound gained immediate favor in Endurance Sportscar and GT racing due to its performance in applications where smooth initial bite is a must. It has a slight friction rise with temperature, with excellent release and modulation characteristics. Very low abraded disc wear with a fine grey slate like disc finish, similar to 01 Compound. Despite its considerable performance, 08 is one of the longest-wearing of all PFC compounds. It easily matches the wear of other brands, but with much higher bite. If temperatures are below about 950°F, 08 can be replaced with PFC 12 Compound for even longer wear.
01
01 Compound has become the standard by which all brake pads are judged. Braking starts with a high initial bite and continues with consistent, high torque that rises very little with temperature for excellent predictability. Bite and torque are slightly higher than 83 Compound for the first 2/3 of the stop. 01 finishes with excellent release, with less torque scatter at the end of the stop than the competition for improved modulation. Wear is low (similar to 83), with good disc conditioning properties. All-purpose pad for a variety of racing applications. 01 will be replaced by 11 Compound in many applications. If higher friction is desired, see 13 Compound.
07
07 Compound has higher initial bite and higher average torque than 05 compound. Friction rises slightly with temperature for the most severe applications. This compound demands the most from the vehicle setup and is designed to handle the most severe applications. 07 will be replaced with 13 Compound in most applications.
06
06 Compound is an endurance racing compound, but with very high bite and torque (within 4% of 01 Compound). It offers much higher performance than other brands of endurance compounds. Excellent release and control with very low wear. Depending on temperature demand, 06 can be replaced with either 08 Compound (above 950°F) or 12 Compound (below 950°F).
05
05 Compound has a very smooth initial bite, virtually no friction rise with temperature, and excellent release and modulation characteristics. Its bite gained immediate favor in NASCAR due to its performance in coil-bind type front setups, where front lockup is difficult to manage. This compound demands the most from the vehicle setup and is designed to handle the most severe applications. 05 will be replaced with 13 Compound.
03
03 Compound has higher initial bite and higher overall torque than 01 Compound. Torque rises slightly with temperature to handle severe braking conditions. Recommended for high grip, high downforce applications. Requires finesse so as not to over-slow or overwhelm the set-up of the car. Replaced by 13 Compound.
99
99 Compound has slightly higher bite and higher torque than 97 Compound, but not as high as 93 Compound. It has excellent release and improved modulation throughout its range. The torque curve is very flat compared with 83 Compound. 99 Compound has been a favorite for street circuits where the track conditions are at their worst, and lock up is a problem. It has been replaced by 01 Compound or 13 Compound.
97
97 Compound was developed as an endurance compound for IndyCars, but it quickly became a favorite of sportscar endurance racing. It has less initial bite and average torque than 01 Compound, but higher bite and torque than 90 Compound. The very flat torque curve and enhanced release characteristics allow great modulation. It is recommended as a rear pad in applications that tend to lock the rear brakes. 97 can be replaced by either 11 Compound (sprint racing) or 12 Compound (endurance racing).
93
93 Compound has higher average friction than 99 Compound. Developed to have higher initial bite and better release characteristics than 83 Compound for improved trail braking and easier modulation. Requires finesse to prevent over-slowing the car. Replaced by 13 Compound.
90
90 Compound was developed at the same time as 93 Compound, with lower friction. Used by several race driving schools including Bob Bondurant, Derek Daly, and Jim Russell because of its forgiving nature and long life. Replaced by 11 Compound for most applications.
83
83 Compound was the original super-high torque compound. The torque curve rises with heat to handle the most extreme applications. Requires finesse and control. Replaced by 13 Compound.
80
80 Compound was the first Carbon Metallic® race material from Performance Friction. Lower torque than the 83 Compound made it a favorite for many applications where pedal modulation is difficult, and brake balance or chassis set-up requires a more forgiving pad. Replaced by 11 and 14 Compounds, depending on application.
Z
Z Compound is the high-performance street compound. Some racers have found that it also performs well under track conditions, but it is still suitable for everyday street use.