CALL911

iTrader: (17)

I think I have narrowed down to two possible brake pads I will be going with. It's either going to be the Hawk HP Plus pads, or the PBR/Axxis Ultimates (a supposed one step up from the Metal Masters).

Does anyone have experience with either of these? Or any other possible pads I should consider? Also, are there any bad things I should know about ceramic pads?

mturco

iTrader: (5)

As an import guy I say axxis ultimates. They are a little louder and dust but they are a better pad from my experience.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

So, you are saying you've had experience with the Hawk HP Plus as well? And, that the Ultimates stop better?

Or are you saying that the Ultimates are good, but you haven't personally experienced teh HP Pluses?

mturco

iTrader: (5)

I have tried both pads on the same car that wasnt mine. The axxis we better but were louder and dusted more. It wasnt astronomically better but better. I think they resisted fade a little better on the track from what i hear. I usually find the axxis are cheaper too.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

I ended up getting the HP Plusses. Thanks for the info!

mycamaroSS

iTrader: (4)

go with the hawks man

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

I just got the Hawk HP Plus pads in the mail yesterday. It will be a few months until they are on my Z (it's still in its winter hibernation). Once they are on, I'll post how they are.

SS1875

iTrader: (34)

Good choice Ben, I like mine so far.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

Darren, how bad do they dust?

2000BLKSupersport

I went with PBR in the front and hawks in the rear couldnt be happier no squeal at all got em from Strano

'02 WS6

iTrader: (73)

hawks.....clean and quiet IMHO

Torqued

Stay away from the Axxis pads. They dusted very heavily and wore out a new set of Brembo rotors in about 30000 miles of primarily highway driving. I'm glad to be rid of them.

gun5l1ng3r

How do the Hawk HPS Plus compare to the Hawk HPS?

Is the HPS Plus eramic and the HPS Semi-metallic?

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

I believe you meant to say HP Plus vs the HPS pads. Neither are ceramic. HP plus are more agressive (and therefore grab better) than the HPS pads. They also cost a lot more, and will dust more, and wear more on the rotors.

gun5l1ng3r

Are HP Plus even worse in regards to warm-up than the HPS?

I would guess the HPS means HP Street, whereas the HP Plus is more for Autocross.
And I thought my HPS's were tough on the rotors.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

As far as the "warm up period", if you are talking about the break in time, then it's minor. Just getting them warm and then setting them in. If you are talking about how they perform cold, then they probably don't perform as well as some of thier cheeper contenders. But honestly, by the time I really need to slam on the brakes at 150 MPH plus, they are probably already warm. I bought them to perform better at high speeds rather than 30 MPH speeds anyway.

Wear on rotors is all relative. Someone who has stock pads could realistically do more damage to their rotors than I do with HP Plus pads depending on their braking habits. Given the exact same braking habits, I don't think the difference is huge in rotor wear, although at HPS and HP Plus level, I reccomend going with an aftermarket thicker in mass rotor.

I just got a new set of rotors for my car from Baer. After I got them from Baer, I had them cryogenically frozen as well to help in the longavity of the rotors, and to help in stopping performance.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

HP Plus work extremely well when stone-cold.

HPS are cleaner, quieter and less aggressive.
HP Plus are dirtier, can squeal a little, and are very powerful. Frankly about the most powerful, truly streetable pad there is.

CALL911

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for the input Sam.

gun5l1ng3r

And the stock pads would be even quiter/cleaner/less aggressive than the HPS?

Here I thought the HPS's had bad dusting and squeeling, yet you say the HP Plus are worse, but streetable(which is all I care about).

Thanks for the info Sam!

PS-Did they stop making the Brembo blanks for our cars(I heard a rumor awhile back)? And do you still have some in stock?

SGMZ28

I'm pretty sure they didn't stop making the Brembo blanks. It was I who posted that the rep at Tire Rack had told me they no longer carried them, when in fact Brembo had changed the part number and the rep I had didn't know that. Either way, I ordered them from Sam (who had them in stock) vs. Tire Rack telling me they didn't have them anymore and had been backordered for quite some time before then.