Mini Cooper Carbotech™ Brake Pad Application Guide

From street use to the higher performance demands of track days,Carbotech™Brake Pads can help you achieve better brake modulation, torque and fade resistance. High-tech construction means better stopping power and a higher level of driver confidence every time you get behind the wheel.

Upgrading Brake Pads can be the first step in improving braking performance. Brake Rotors and Brake Fluid can be upgraded in conjunction with pads for additional performance improvements.  The alternative is to install a Front Big Brake Kit.

Carbotech Brake Pads deliver longer brake pad and rotor life - up to four times longer than competitive brakes. Carbotech uses custom compounds to match specific cars, driving styles and applications.  Take your performance experience to the next level with Carbotech performance brakes. You'll really feel the difference.

Scroll down to see the Application Guide.

BRAKE PAD COMPOUNDS

Carbotech™ 1521™ Street Performance Pads
The Carbotech™ 1521™ is our high performance street compound. The 1521™ compound is known for its release and modulation, along with unmatched rotor friendliness. 1521™ is also a very low dusting and low noise compound with an excellent initial bite. This compound's excellent linear torque production provides incredible braking force without ABS intervention. Carbotech™ 1521™ operating range starts out at ambient and goes up to 800°F (426°C+). 1521™ is suitable for ALL street cars, perfect for your tow vehicle or fleet vehicle. Carbotech™ 1521™ is NOT recommended for ANY track use.

Carbotech™ AX6™ Autocross Pads
The AX6™ is specifically engineered for Autocross applications. A high torque brake compound delivering reliable and consistent performance over a very wide operating temperature range of 50°F to 1000°F + (10°C to 537°C+). The advanced compound matrix provides an excellent initial bite, high coefficient of friction at lower temperatures along with very progressive brake modulation and release characteristics. Many drivers use the AX6™ for street driving as well, even though Carbotech™ doesn't recommend street driving with AX6™ due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise. AX6™ is NOT recommended as a race compound in most applications.

Carbotech™ XP8™ Light Track Pads
A high torque brake compound with a wide operating temperature range of 200°F-1250°F+ (93°C to 676°C+). Carbotech™ XP8™ is the first of our racing compounds. Good initial bite at race temperatures, high coefficient of friction, excellent modulation and release characteristics. Extremely high fade resistance and very rotor friendly. Perfect for track day use with any tire and can still be driven safely to and from the track. Carbotech™ does NOT recommended XP8™ as a daily driven street pad due to elevated levels of dust and noise. Carbotech™ XP8™ is a great compound on the front & rear of most open wheel and sports racers.

Carbotech™ XP10™ Medium Track Pads
When Carbotech™ unleashed the XP10™ to the general public it immediately gathered multiple regional, divisional, and national championships. The XP10™ has a very strong initial bite with a coefficient of friction and rotor friendliness unmatched in the industry. Fade resistance is in excess of 1475°F (801°C). XP10™ still maintains the highly praised release, excellent modulation and rotor friendliness that have made all Carbotech™ compounds so successful. Carbotech™ XP10™ is not recommended as a daily-driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.

Carbotech™ XP12™ Competition Track Pads

 Another highly successful XP™ series compound with an excellent initial bite, torque and fade resistance over and above the XP10™ compound. XP12™ has temperature range of 250°F to 1850°F+ (121°C to 1010°C+). The XP12™ has that excellent Carbotech™ release and modulation that has made all other Carbotech™ compounds so successful. The XP12™ is more rotor aggressive than XP10™, but compared to the competition the XP12™ is still very rotor friendly. XP12™ is NOT recommended for use as a daily driven street pad due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise.

NOTE:  Carbotech XP Numbering
As you go up in 'XP' numbers the initial bite gets much stronger, higher fade resistance, higher torque, better wear rate, and an increase in the temperature range. On that same note, as you go up in our compound numbers you will get more aggressive on the rotors. That being said, all of our compounds are more rotor friendly than our competition.

Brake Fluids

For High Performance Brake Fluids, see the following:

• Ate Performance Brake Fluid  - Very Good
• Motul Racing Brake Fluid  - Better
• Castrol SRF Racing Brake Fluid  - Best

For standard replacement DOT4 Brake Fluid, see Mini Cooper Brake Fluid Pentosin DOT4. 

 
CARBOTECH BRAKE PAD APPLICATION GUIDE

 

See Mini Cooper Performance Parts - an Upgrade Guide for your MINI.

See Mini Cooper Brake Pads - OEM Application Guide.

See Mini Cooper Brake Rotor Factory Original Application Guide.

See Mini Cooper EBC Brake Pad Application Guide

See Mini Cooper Brake Rotor Upgrade and Replacement Guide.


CARBOTECH™ BRAKE PADS

Equip your Mini with track-savvy, rotor-friendly brakes

When you want more performance from your street car, you need to consider Carbotech performance brakes. Carbotech's unique Ceramic and Metallic formulation provides positive, sure-footed stopping power.  And since Carbotech brake pads don't use conventional carbon and iron construction, there's less wear and tear on the rotors-which can save you big bucks down the road. Our line of performance brake pads are so durable, Carbotech has been selected as the Official Brake of the United States Endurance Racing Association.

Track Days

If you like to take your high-performance car out to the track for a "Track Day" event, Carbotech brakes will easily handle the additional stress of racing. In fact, more and more professional racers are specifying our brakes by name, because they've discovered the difference Carbotech makes on the track, where it counts.  Also, more and more tuners are selecting Carbotech brakes for their domestic street rockets, to make sure they have the positive stopping power and cornering control they require.  Carbotech brakes offer superior performance, are rotor-friendly, and last longer than any other performance brake pads on the market. That's a combination that's tough to beat.

Carbotech Brakes... Innovations in Braking Technology

Carbotech brakes give you:

• Assured stopping power
• Increased overall performance and handling
• Excellent modulation and release characteristics
• Better control entering the corners
• Longer brake pad and rotor life—up to four times longer than the competition!
• Longer rotor life
• Non-corrosive dust

Carbotech is proud to have been selected as the Official Brake Pad of the United States Endurance Racing Association.

Carbotech uses advanced friction technology to perfect all of our compounds for the street & track. Research & Development (R&D) is not just a company philosophy; it’s a way of life for Carbotech. In fact, R&D at Carbotech is a 365 days a year job. Continuous improvement is a cornerstone in Carbotech’s solid foundation we have built because because great compounds are not engineered overnight.

Carbotech's race compounds start with the letters "XP™" then they are followed by a number. The first number is 8 (XP8™), and as you go up in numbers the initial bite gets much stronger, higher fade resistance, higher torque, better wear rate, and an increase in the temperature range. On that same note, as you go up in our compound numbers you will get more aggressive on the rotors. That being said, all of our compounds are more rotor friendly than our competition.

With all Carbotech compounds you will have to apply a little bit more pedal pressure to get the maximum amount of bite from the brake pads. That's because you have the ability to modulate your pedal with our ceramic/kevlar compounds. That's a huge advantage to any driver, especially a driver who has a good feel for their car. The more you can modulate your brakes the more car control you have under braking. The more control a driver has under braking gives the driver an edge in the braking zone and the first part of a corner. Control which in the end helps you attain faster and more consistent lap times. Go Deep™