DREAMZ28

iTrader: (1)

I have some ceramic pads, but after moderately braking from 110-45 twice after some street racing in Mexico, I had to stand on the brakes just to come to a stop at a stop light from 45.


So I just wanted to know, what are some good pads to run on the street on stock brakes? I hear hawks are pretty good, but I don't know much about pads.

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

hawks.......nuff sed

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Fade is the result of heat and the thermal envelope of the pads. Also, you could have been boiling your fluid if it was shitty fluid.

So you want pads that can take a lot of heat but still function when cold since most street driving is actually on a cold pad. And you also want good fluid. At least ATE Superblue or equivalent.

For the pads, I'd look at the following:

EBC Yellowstuff has better anti-fade characteristics than Hawk HPS or even HP Plus. But they don't bite quite as well cold. They do have great bite and a very wide temp range. I think they are rated to 1200 or 1300 degrees? They are expensive though and can squeal but don't dust terribly.

HP Plus are wheel destroyers with their dust and fade around 900 degrees. Squeal horribly when cold. They have a higher initial bite than the HPS and can last a little longer before fading.

HPS fade pretty quick tho if you stand on the brakes 2-3 times in a row. I think they are rated to about 750 degrees. They dust but not bad and aren't noisy. A good true street pad with good initial bite and modulation.

Stoptech has less bite than any of the others but the temperature range is great. They don't start fading until around 1400 degrees. They dust and squeal a little. They are also dirt cheap. Like $106 for all four wheels on Amazon.

So, I'd probably look at StopTech and HPS pads first. They are true street pads. HPS will stop harder with better modulation and less noise first couple of stops. Then the StopTech will work better.

EBC Yellowstuff are a light duty race pad that can work in the cold. Initial bite when cold is less than the others, but once warmed up, grab better and fade less. They are expensive though.

brigade24

the HPS is a good pad for the street but, if you're interested in winning you can look at the HP+ or even the DTC-30...may need to be heat up the 30's a bit.

You could also look at Carbotech Bobcats or even AX6s. I run the ax6s for autox and they bite, not as hard as the HP+. there's hasn't been any noise and the amount of dust is no more than stock...and the range is pretty good 150F - 1250F...

i've used hawk HT-10s when lapping and i can say that the difference between hawk and carbotech is that hawks tend to be aim toward specific type of driving/racing. Carbotech's are more flexible and general less aggressive than Hawk.

On the other hand, the bed-in procedure for Hawks are easy which is not the case with the Carbotechs...Carbotechs also cost more.

FWIW, once my Carbos are done, i'll be going back to Hawk...black wheels are cool and everyone wears headphones nowadays so I have no problem with dirty wheels and noisy brakes.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Carbotech are a Ceramic pad? And very expensive.

The DTC-30s are a dirt track pad. They modulate like the HPS but bite like the HP Plus... they also squeal and dust pretty good. But they are a great pad with lots of temperature range.

I'm going to be running the EBC Yellowstuff next go around. HPS are a good pad, but wanted to step up and see what EBC offered since I didn't want to go HP Plus.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I think a set of HPS would be fine, but the trouble is we don't know much about the "ceramic" pads you have. BTW, ceramic is the new buzzword and has *nothing* to do with the level of performance or fade resistance.

brigade24

yea sorta. the carbotechs are a mix of ceramic and metallic materials...and you're right, they are expensive. def not as aggressive as the respective hawk products.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Porterfield Racing, street HP pads for me...for the last 10 years.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

I autocross with my ceramic pads, I love them.........no dust. They are the O'reilly "Brake Best" pads.

ANY type of performance pad will dust to hell and back.


I would pull the pads and sand them on a table with 80 grit sandpaper, sand the rotors also and see what it does......may surprise you.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

Auto parts store ceramic pads are not great for stopping. They are good at being quiet, and eliminating excessive dust. They aren't what you pick when you actually want to stop. I buy only semi-metallic now. For the Camaro I went with Hawk HPS and they kick *** for my type of driving. Pulling back to back runs at the strip does not produce fade. They DO however dust like a MF. With chrome wheels (that I like to stay shiny) it does kind of irritate me. But I deal with it.

DREAMZ28

iTrader: (1)

I have no clue what kind of ceramic pads they are, just some random ceramic that were already on the car. The brake fluid looks fine but I guess switing to a good brand listed above couldn't hurt anything. I'll look into those pads too, thanks yall

Midnight02

iTrader: (8)

My $.02:

If it's a street car and/or you're simply trying to find an upgraded pad that will slow you down quickly after runs at the drag strip (without fade), the Hawks HPS would be a great choice. Yes, they're dusty however that's the only knock I have one them. Simply put, they're a versatile upgrade to the stock pads.

I prefer to run the Hawk DTC-30 in front because they're a great track pad (very fade resistant) and have "good" manners on the street. "Good" = they are a bit loud when cold and produce a lot of dust, however they don't chew up rotors with simple street use. Not ideal if you're sensitive to the squealing and dust, however they stop great on the track.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

Take the pads off and put copper high temp anti seize on them wherever they touch the bracket and caliper.

No more squeaky

Midnight02

iTrader: (8)

Great idea -- thanks! Will have to give that a shot.

I love how everybody who hears them squealing always comments "probably time to get those brakes fixed".

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

It works, you will have to re do it after a track days because it melts off.

Otherwise it works great.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Question, to me, is whether this has to do with the
pads or with maybe boiling water out of the brake
fluid at the calipers. I'd say a flush hurts nothing
and is the cheapest diagnostic "cut" at the problem.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

First, you shouldn't use Anti-seize, there is specific brake pad and caliper grease. Copper is better if you insist, but it's not designed for that kind of heat.

Second you should always lube the ears of the pads with grease, Hawk pads come with brake grease in a little packet in the box....

wrd1972

iTrader: (12)

Be glad you don't have 10" LT1 brake fade which will make you shat your pants when driving spirited. I remember standing on mine and they were 90% useless. I then converted to LS1 12" brakes and fade was gone for spirited country driving.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

Boiling brake fluid will have a soft dropping pedal.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

Sam I have been doing this trick for years, for everyday and autocross driving it will stay on and not hurt a thing, a HPDE will take it off and will require it to be redone. I learned this trick as a Honda Dealership tech.

What I am recommending is to stop the brake squeak harmonic, won't hurt a thing but it will stop the squeak on even the cheapest of brake pads and race pads.

Put it on the back of the pad where the pistons touch and on the outboard pad where the caliper touches it. I also dab it on where the pad sits in the bracket and slides.

Use caliper slide grease on the pins, DO NOT use anti seize on the slide pins.