Lude Generation

A friend just sent me this off another forum;

"Using Ferodo DS2500 pads on a vehicle which is on the public highways is now totally ILLEGAL im afraid and has been since 1999 - they are classed as a true track pad !

Here's some more info for you;

ECE Regulation 90 (R90)
European legislation came into effect September 1999 titled ECE R90 that stipulates that all brake pads sold for use on vehicles manufactured after this date must be tested and comply to R90 standards.

This test which involves taking each homologated vehicle used on the public roads within Europe and comparing the front and rear brake performance with the original parts to those of aftermarket offerings, has closed the door to cheap and nasty imported brake pads. The test includes cold and hot brake friction analysis, and if a part has been approved to R90, it can be safely assumed that the product is equal to or better than original equipment product. The brake pads are then marked with an R90 code number and a country code in a circle such as E1 for Germany or E11 for UK which signifies where the testing has been done.
EBC Brakes does all of its testing at the VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency) test facilities at MIRA in the UK. 'MIRA' is the Motor Industries Research Association who have a high speed test track for conducting these tests, which EBC Brakes uses on a regular basis.

Factory approval is part of the R90 process which involves engineers inspecting and accrediting the factory manufacturing the product before approval is given.

Ferodo technical actually told me today the following;

""The use of Ferodo DS 2500 pads on ANY car ( apart form a certain Aston Martin, whos use of this pad got homologation, due to the stopping power required and so therefore became the OE part! ) is totally illegal for road use and apparently there was a famous case not so so long ago where Devonshire Police asked Ferodo to identify the pads fitted in a highly tuned Corsa involved in an RTA where a woman died. The driver of the Corsa was prosecuted for using these pads !""

Its not worth the risk !

They recommend you use instead the Ferodo DS Performance Fast Road pad ref: FDS 1259 available from most good Ferodo Stockists throughout the UK"

Hmm if right that's very interesting. I wonder whether this is the same for hawk hp+ pads as they are very similar!?

I have always passed with Hawk pads. Does the MOT guy check the brand of your pads? I reccon only the most asshatish of MOT guys would fail you.

Merlin wrote:I have always passed with Hawk pads. Does the MOT guy check the brand of your pads? I reccon only the most asshatish of MOT guys would fail you.

Was about to say that, in all my years, the pads have never been checked....just your brakes to see if they work.
Might be true, but who's going to know.

The writing gets burnt off on track so how would they know?

I stick the OEM shims on my Hawks anyway. They only way you can tell that they are not OEM pads is due to the light squeel when cold.

I thought using anything not E marked on your car was illegal. Isn't it in the construction and use regs or something??

Supposedly yeah. My headlights and JDM fog lights are not E marked but pass MOT no problem.

^ yeah, I think it gets largely ignored for being very pedantic and basically saying you can't change your car from it's stock set up, bar using certified reproduction parts or whatever. Basically legislation to make our lives miserable but, it does mean that lots of stuff is technically illegal

Another bit or red tape and beurocracy thrown our way then,,, and no I aren't taking the ds,s out of my cars, whatever next,,,,, oem windscreen wipers? Of course they could try prosecuting the people with no t&t, licence etc,,,,,glad to see theyre spending money where it counts,,,,, I wonder how many potholes have caused accidents and/or injury????