Hawk HPS v Porterfiel R4-S vs Carbotech Bobcat vs Stoptech Street
01-28-2014, 11:02 PM
#1
Hawk HPS v Porterfiel R4-S vs Carbotech Bobcat vs Stoptech Street HPS pads seem okay to me, but was wondering if anyone has used any of the others?
Almost every other car site in the world likes StopTech more than Hawk HPS and the Vette guys like the Carbotechs. And in the Mustang and Bimmer universe, they like the Porterfields.
StopTechs are cheapest... followed by Hawk. Then the Carbotechs and Porterfields are very expensive.
Basically, I don't autocross my car. I drive it on the street. I want something with good cold bite, good modulation, something that doesn't eat rotors, and something that is pretty quiet and doesn't dust like crazy. HPS fit that bit pretty well, but was wondering how the others compared?
Almost every other car site in the world likes StopTech more than Hawk HPS and the Vette guys like the Carbotechs. And in the Mustang and Bimmer universe, they like the Porterfields.
StopTechs are cheapest... followed by Hawk. Then the Carbotechs and Porterfields are very expensive.
Basically, I don't autocross my car. I drive it on the street. I want something with good cold bite, good modulation, something that doesn't eat rotors, and something that is pretty quiet and doesn't dust like crazy. HPS fit that bit pretty well, but was wondering how the others compared?
01-30-2014, 11:05 AM
#4
Well, I got some information from a dealer who supports the Vette guys...
Hawk HP Plus or Carbotech AX6 would be better for what I'm looking for - increase in brake performance over the stock AC Delco pads. HPS, Stoptech, etc are not really a step up. They create less brake dust, but don't really offer more "performance." They have slightly better max operating temp (MOT) and Coefficient of Friction (CoF) over stock, but not much.
The AX6 dust less and can get really grabby when hot. Not unlike the HP Plus. But the MOT is much higher for both of these in the 1000F range with CoF approaching 0.50-0.52. Both higher than HPS.
So, I know the HP Plus dust like crazy and make nasty brake dust, but the AX6s seem to dust less. They are expensive, but I might give them a shot due to the brake dust issue.
Hawk HP Plus or Carbotech AX6 would be better for what I'm looking for - increase in brake performance over the stock AC Delco pads. HPS, Stoptech, etc are not really a step up. They create less brake dust, but don't really offer more "performance." They have slightly better max operating temp (MOT) and Coefficient of Friction (CoF) over stock, but not much.
The AX6 dust less and can get really grabby when hot. Not unlike the HP Plus. But the MOT is much higher for both of these in the 1000F range with CoF approaching 0.50-0.52. Both higher than HPS.
So, I know the HP Plus dust like crazy and make nasty brake dust, but the AX6s seem to dust less. They are expensive, but I might give them a shot due to the brake dust issue.
01-30-2014, 12:12 PM
#7
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Carbotech AX6s are decent, although personally I preferred the older compound which was the Panther+.
Hawks are nothing super-special, and neither are the StopTechs.
I've never tried Porterfields.
I forget who made them, but years ago the compound that Bear used for their street setups was fairly decent - good bite, good feel/modulation, quiet and lower dusting.
EDIT: Baer used to supply SBS Pro-Touring pads, which are popular in Europe.
Might also want to see if Pagid sells anything to your liking.
Hawks are nothing super-special, and neither are the StopTechs.
I've never tried Porterfields.
I forget who made them, but years ago the compound that Bear used for their street setups was fairly decent - good bite, good feel/modulation, quiet and lower dusting.
EDIT: Baer used to supply SBS Pro-Touring pads, which are popular in Europe.
Might also want to see if Pagid sells anything to your liking.
Last edited by xtrkestrel; 01-30-2014 at 12:25 PM.
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01-30-2014, 12:22 PM
#8
Yeah. The AX6s seem to be fickle about the bed-in. As I've searched around the web, some people seem to think they dust a lot and/or have corrosive dust. Others don't. The general consensus is that it has a good deal of bite and modulation. Though others claim Carbotech don't have much bite. Some of that may be related to the car/brake system in play.
I don't mind dust. I just don't want corrosive dust. I want something I can clean off (I have uncoated billet aluminum wheels).
I wonder how the EBC Yellow Stuff work. They have a new formulation on it. And it's a Kevlar type material.
I don't mind dust. I just don't want corrosive dust. I want something I can clean off (I have uncoated billet aluminum wheels).
I wonder how the EBC Yellow Stuff work. They have a new formulation on it. And it's a Kevlar type material.
01-30-2014, 12:29 PM
#9
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The dust from most "street" pads is not too bad, unless you leave it caked on your wheels for a month.
Track pads are a different story (like a Hawk Blue or similar); you have to clean that dust off as soon as possible.
I never tried EBC Yellows, but I remember not being at all impressed with either Greens or Reds (I never owned them; I had friends that tried them and quickly threw them out.)
Track pads are a different story (like a Hawk Blue or similar); you have to clean that dust off as soon as possible.
I never tried EBC Yellows, but I remember not being at all impressed with either Greens or Reds (I never owned them; I had friends that tried them and quickly threw them out.)
01-30-2014, 01:32 PM
#11
Launching!
i use AX6s for autox right now and they are good but on a hot day, can be overwhelmed...good street pad though, no noise and the dust is reasonable...i hear yah on the bedding in, i didn't do it for the AX6s and yes the price is retarded...i used XP12s this summer for lapping which i did bed-in to test carbotech's idea of not having to switch rotors if using the carbotech pads and i went all summer on the same front rotors (14-15 autox events and 7 lapping events)...i thought that was pretty good but not sure if it was worth the price. i can get 2 more seasons out of the AX6s and my xp12s only lasted the summer.
i had hps's on the car...even when they were hot, they didn't stop the car to my liking.
although i've never used them...i hear good things about performance friction.
i had hps's on the car...even when they were hot, they didn't stop the car to my liking.
although i've never used them...i hear good things about performance friction.
01-30-2014, 02:36 PM
#12
I'm leaning to AX6s.
Heard back from a couple of other vendors. The R4S are basically the Bobcat/HPS level. Stepping to a R4 is like stepping to the AX6/HP Plus. But the AX6 have much better modulation vs the HP Plus on/off switch.
Heard back from a couple of other vendors. The R4S are basically the Bobcat/HPS level. Stepping to a R4 is like stepping to the AX6/HP Plus. But the AX6 have much better modulation vs the HP Plus on/off switch.
01-31-2014, 01:28 PM
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I installed EBC rotors with Hawk Ceramic brake pads in the front, the rear I still use OEM.
Cold they act like heat soaked pads. The hotter they get, the harder they bite, and they really bite hard. A very big improvement from OEM.
They are a bit noisy but then again the rotors are slotted and can only be heard with the windows down and the stereo off.
Brake dust is something I really don't care about, and I only wash my car when it gets very dirty so I can say how much dust they produce.
Good luck with your decision.
Cold they act like heat soaked pads. The hotter they get, the harder they bite, and they really bite hard. A very big improvement from OEM.
They are a bit noisy but then again the rotors are slotted and can only be heard with the windows down and the stereo off.
Brake dust is something I really don't care about, and I only wash my car when it gets very dirty so I can say how much dust they produce.
Good luck with your decision.
