Where to buy [WA]: Carbotech pads; sway bar

[pepejesus]

I'm looking for Carbotech XP10s front and rear for an SE (NB8B 'Sport' brakes).

And a front sway, tubular 1.125" - .188 wall. Racing Beat sell this as part #54103.

I don't care about the brand of sway bar; anything in that spec will do.

Before I go and spend a bazillion on shipping from 949 Racing in the States, is there anywhere locally that people can suggest to source this stuff?

I'm in Perth.

Cheers
Sam

[StillIC]

I was half way through your post thinking "just get them from 949Racing", which is where I bought my Carbotech pads and Racing Beat sway bar. I haven't found a cheaper way, although I haven't looked in the last year at comparative prices and freight costs. I think the Aussie dollar has headed in the wrong direction since I last purchased from the states, but when I was purchasing, no other combination of supplier and freight cost could beat 949Racing for these items. Although I am on the east coast...might be different for Perth.

I note one of our forum's sponsors, Deckspeed, sell both brands you are interested in.

BTW, you should care about the brand of bar. Get the hollow RB, it saves a bunch of weight right at the nose of the car. A fat solid steel bar is surprisingly heavy, and most of it is doing nothing.

[greenMachine]

Unless you go for the uber-expensive blade-type bar, RB is the only supplier that I know of that makes a hollow bar. Last time I was there Deckspeed had a fair amount of RB stock, a bit less after my visit .

I am also running Carbotechs, both in the race car and the GM (when it hits the circuit). In both cases I am running a racier compound on the front, compared to the rear - 12/10 and 10/8 I think they are. This was decided in discussion with Daniel, it might be worth talking to him about what would best suit your needs.

[pepejesus]

Cheers guys, I will get in touch with Deckspeed and see if it works out cheaper than 949.

There sure seem to be a lot of poorly thought out sway bar "upgrades" available off the shelf here - 16mm rear bar? Seriously?

greenMachine, re: the Carbotechs, I've got an SE so an ABS equipped car and was following 949s recommendation to fit the same compound pads front and rear. They do recommend your combo for non-ABS equipped cars however.

[Luke]

I'm running 12/10 on an SE. No ABS problems at all.
You will kill 10's on the front if you drive like me.
12/12 won't work either as you will not get the rears hot enough to work properly.

Deckspeed is the only Aussie retailer for either, and being in Perth shipping from Sydney may hurt you.
Only way you will find out is getting a quote for your self.

[pepejesus]

What sort of power are you making, Luke?

I'm going to be running mainly sprints out at Barbagallo Raceway on the short track which is generally 3 timed laps, and not a huge amount of braking, plus some autotests and sprints on a tight, twisty track.

With the power my SE is making (intake + 9psi boost) my concern would be getting heat into the XP12s at the front.

I've got in touch with Deckspeed for a quote and I'll let you know if it is cheaper than 949. Shipping is always a killer to Perth but surely it shouldn't be more than from the US.

[greenMachine]

The racecar runs ABS - I do sprints mainly, sounds similar to you. Getting the heat into them is not a problem for me to the point that I have just installed brake ducting using the Singular fittings to deal with that heat.

[zossy1]

My RB sway came from 949.

I run Hawk DTC60 fronts and Hawk Blue rears. I usually buy from eBay from whoever is cheapest +shipping, unless I'm in a hurry, in which case I buy from Race Brakes Sydney.

XP10s will be too much pad if you're only doing 3 laps at a time, especially for the rear. Something like a Hawk Blue might be better (not sure of the Carbotech compound at that level).

[Magpie]

Any reason for Carbotech's? Have you considered other brands?

Also that size tubular sway equates to about a 24mm solid (0.955"), why so large?

[pepejesus]

I've also considered QFM A1RM and had EBC Green Stuff on my old NA6, but wanted to go up to something more track oriented for the SE with its increase in power and weight.

Any other pads that you'd recommend?

Re: the sway bar - I've got a 14mm rear bar and will be running 10/6kg springs (currrently 8/6kg) riding on 15x8 225/45 NT-01s. The big front bar gives me a 63ish% FRC which should translate into slight understeer on the track which is my preference.

[pepejesus]

That RB hollow bar is actually significantly stiffer than a 24mm solid bar, something like 1.5x stiffer.

edit: it's more like a 27mm solid bar.

[StillIC]

Also that size tubular sway equates to about a 24mm solid (0.955"), why so large?

I run a front RB hollow bar and no rear bar. My car is almost neutral, but I would like to feel understeer on the track at least once.

[zossy1]

Talking about sway bars and balance without talking about spring rates, damping and ride height/rake (among other things) is not particularly useful. Sway bars are only one small part of the puzzle.

[StillIC]

Talking about sway bars and balance without talking about spring rates, damping and ride height/rake (among other things) is not particularly useful. Sway bars are only one small part of the puzzle.

Tick of approval.

But I am giving the example that with the setup I have, I need a bar that fat just to get the car to be close to neutral and not an oversteering drift pig, thus answering the question above. The OP may be in the same boat.