Bluestuff Intermediate grade Trackday pads or Bluestuff NDX is a high friction sport and race material that can be used for aggressive street driving and certain types of track use. The material has had much success on the track with quality aftermarket calipers (Multi piston systems with better release and cooling and larger rotors) and limited success with street based calipers where pad size and caliper drag can challenge any brake material. The biggest advantage of EBC Bluestuff intermediate grade trackday pads or Bluestuff NDXis their bite from cold and progressive brake feel and the ability to bring a car to a complete stop. This has led to the ECE R90 brake safety regulation approval of R90 which is now completed and certificates are being obtained (during July 2011). There are certain older street based caliper systems where even the new Bluestuff Intermediate grade Trackday pads will have trouble handling the caliper and slider draginherent in the systems but this scenario is exactly the same for our competitors. There is NO material that will be PERFECT on the track in all older street based caliper systems.
For longer race uses see the new range of EBC Orangestuff grade full race pads which deliver faster bed in and higher temperature thresholds. As with all brake pads selection involves a trade off with life and disc/rotor wear and EBC have chosen with both the Bluestuff and Orange grade race pads to offer a pad that is the replaceable item rather than the disc or rotor. You will find that the EBC product is far kinder to to your brake discs than comparable granite like semi metallics which may last longer but take your rotors with them.
The NDX pad material is bonded to the steel backing plates using multiple high strength interlock holes and a unique chemical interlayer which raises shear and bond strength by a factor of five and prevents pad to plate separation. The pads are then baked and ground and feature high volume Vee grooves to catch the inevitable large amount of debris from track use.
Target use is all types of fast and heavier cars in performance and race driving with much enhanced lifetime over our previous Yellowstuff grade pads.
The EBC chemical interlayer system is used on Bluestuff NDX range pads which being a harder material and for heavy duty race applications require that extra security of bond strength. The effect of the interlayer is to triple shear strength of a common organic brake pad over non interlayer versions.
R and D Manager Steve Payne checks out the first batch of the new Bluestuff NDX material made with a revolutionary new process to produce the highly acclaimed new EBC Bluestuff NDX Race Pads. The new process involves 5 steps never before used in friction materials and sets EBC Brakes firmly in the lead as a provider of brake friction.
