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This
two letter edge code mandated by the DOT, and painted on all
street legal brake pads, will give you some indication of their
ability to resist fade. But only if you know how to read them.
However, because of the wide range involved in each letter,
it is only a rough indication.
Explanation
of D.O.T. Edge Codes Located on all Brake Pads
| Official
D.O.T. Edge Code |
Coefficient
of Friction (C.F.)
@ 250 F and @ 600 F |
Comments |
| EE |
0.25
to 0.35 both temps |
0-25%
fade at 600 F possible |
| FE |
0.25
to 0.35 @ 250 F
0.35 to 0.45 @ 600 F |
2%
to 44% fade at 600 F possible |
| FF |
0.35
to 0.45 both temps |
0-22%
fade at 600 F possible |
| GG |
0.45
to 0.55 |
Very
Rare |
| HH |
0.55
to 0.65 |
Carbon/Carbon
only.
O.K. up to 3000 F where it glows |
Notes:
These edge codes are located on the edge of the
friction material of every brake pad by government regulation,
along with some other codes. The first letter is a grading of
the C.F. at 250 F and the second letter is a grading of the
material at 600 F. Each letter grade can actually have quite
a range of C.F. But a difference in the letter grade from medium
to hot temperature could be an indicator of fade. The letters
can be in any order. Therefore FE pads fade when hot, and EF
pads would not grab when cold.. Also, you should know that Steel
on Steel has a C.F. of 0.25!! So EE pads have only marginally
more torque than no pads at all! Therefore FF pads are usually
considered the minimum for a high-performance pad.
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