taws6

iTrader: (2)

Hi,

I've read ceramic brake pads are good, low dust and lightweight.
I've not herd why Ferro-Carbon are better, but most here seem to prefer Hawks HPS pads over their HP pads.

Dust, noise, weight and heat are all considerations, I just wonder why the Ferro-Carbon seem to be the more prefered?

Thanks for the advise.......

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

They are not any lighter weight... They are more about being cleaner than carbon based pads. I've run both (in fact have a set of each on both my cars right now). I like the HPS better than the Ceramics. Better feel, better initial bite. About the same outright power, and HPS's aren't in any way flithy dirty.

Brakemotive

iTrader: (73)

Basically what Sam said, the Carbon based pads will bite harder and dissipate heat better so they are more resistant to brake fade so you will get more consistent stopping power, yes you will get a little dust compared to ceramic, but when it comes to brake pads it is a trade off. You will never get a really high performance pad that generates zero dust.

taws6

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the replys.
That is exactly the type of answers I was looking for, appreciate it.

Cap'n Pete

iTrader: (2)

I can't stand brake dust or squealing, and I don't have the time to stay on top of keeping the wheels clean, so it's ceramics for me . You just have to push a little harder, but they still grab hard when you stand on them .

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I have HPS's on my Camaro. I have Ceramics on my daily driver Mustang (yeah, yeah shoot me....). My Ceramics are just as dirty, and I get an occassional squeal that I never got on multiple sets of HPS's. Add in a bit better bite and that's why I prefer the HPS's.

I know the squeal is a fluke, but even taking it out the pads aren't any cleaner to speak of (and far from flithy).

taws6

iTrader: (2)

I read that one of the main benefits of ceramic discs are that they are good and 'lightweight' (compaired to normal pads).
Since the Ferro-Carbon weigh about the same (as the HPS) , and are slightly better bite, then it's got to be HPS for me.
It sounds like the ceramics dust a tiny bit less, but I keep my car fairly clean, so it should be no big deal.

Thanks again for the advise.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I've been running my Hawk HPS pads from Sam for a few months now, and I'm still waiting for the massive amounts of brake dust and squealing to appear that the internetz foretold. I'll be sure to update you when they do.

Cap'n Pete

iTrader: (2)

Obviously everybody has different experience. From mine, I pretty much hated the HPS from day one. The difference in dust level was noticeable right away, and they would squeal like mad when they got hot. Maybe I didn't bed the pads properly or something (it's not worth trying to figure out why mine were so "bad") but the fact is, I've had way better luck with ceramics. I'm not typing just to be part of this thread .

Are ceramics perfect? No. But I prefer the trade-offs they offer.

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

I thought you had used a different type of ceramic brakepad though and not the Hawk version

JamRWS6

These guys are talking about ceramic pads and a ceramic rotor is a completely different animal. You may have meant pads when you said discs.

taws6

iTrader: (2)

My bad, you're right, I ment pads, not discs

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Carbon-ceramic brakes like are options on Porsche's, Ferrari's, Bentley's, and come on the new ZR1 are not in any way like ceramic brake pads.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

You clearly had a different experience than I did - I had read many, many complaints about dusting/sqealing from HPS pads, but I decided to give them a shot based on Sam's recommendation. For me, it turned out to be yet another case of the vocal minority that gets a lot of air time on the internet. People that are happy with products, like me, often don't say a word.

Cap'n Pete

iTrader: (2)

That's right. They're not Hawk ceramics. They're (brand name?) Satisfied. Not sure who the manufacturer is.

Quite true . Again, maybe I got a bad set, or didn't break them in properly?! Or maybe it's because I ran slotted rotors? (even though that doesn't seem to have a negative effect on my ceramics).

As long as the HPS pads work for people, that's great. In the meantime, I'm satisfied with my Satisfied's .

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

I'd doubt it was the slotted rotors since I run the Ate rotors with mine, but at least you found something that did work. It is always good to have options.