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Carbotech XP-10 Pad Review

Submitted by shredjesse on Wed, 02/14/2024 - 07:52

Carbotech XP-10 Brake Pads - 1001 Series for C5 Corvette Caddillac Brembo Brakes

So I managed to get 9 track days on a set of these brake pads and I've got a fairly good clue about how they work now. I'll start by saying, YES that's a lot of track days on a set of brake pads. Others might change their brake pads sooner than I did, but I changed my brake pads out right about the point where the pad material remaining roughly equaled the thickness of the backing plate. Still, even at 7 track days that's a lot on a pair of pads. The other brake pads I have tested, the Powerstop Track Day Pads only lasted me 3 track days, and caused massive rotor wear.

Overall Verdict:

I endorse these brake pads as a great street/ / track option! They REALLY lasted for me and treated me quite well. On the street they were fine and did not cause excessive rotor wear nor intense amounts of brake dust. They did squeal just a little bit at slow stops on the street, but of all the compromises you could make for so much longevity on the track these are truly hard to beat!

Things I liked about these brake pads:

  • Exceptional durability!
  • Low rotor wear.
  • Modest brake dust
  • Good braking power that rarely faded

Issues I had with these brake pads:

  • Initial bite isn't as strong as some other brands and some folks may prefer pads that bite harder. I do know having less bite required adjusting my heel toeing to compensate for the additional pedal travel.
  • I did have notable heat issues several times out on the track, namely Laguna Seca for whatever reason. The pads did not fade however and it appear air had intruded into my lines, although I cannot find a leak for the life of me.

A note on Pad wear with these and the KNS blank rotors:

Above you can see the OUTSIDE of the two Carbotech XP10 brake pads as removed from my C5 Corvette with Caddillac Brembos after 9 track days. Pad wear is slightly uneven top to bottom (left to right as pictured) and there is notable pad overhang on the top of the pad. The pad overhang however did not cause any issues.

Above you can see the INSIDE of the two Carbotech XP10 brake pads as removed from my C5 Corvette with Caddillac Brembos after 9 track days. You can see a top bit of pad overhang has also formed here as you would expect, but it is worth noting there is a significant pad overhang on the bottom of the pads as well. This did not seem to cause any problems on the track, but it did however make for a bit of difficulty removing the pad.