Hawk vs Stoptech vs others

[BimmerRob08]

Fella's,

I'm looking for something better than OEM street pads. I track maybe twice a year if I ever can get out to Deming Speedway and mainly will take advantage of some mountian switch backs so I'm looking for pads that will have most of the initial bite and quietness of OEM street but that can handle light track use.

I'm not too worried about dust. Dust is dust but I don't want pads that are squeeling like crazy.

Hawk Performance looks like it has a good selection compared to others but I'd like some feedback on what your experiances are.

Cheers,
RB

[My Schnell]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

Fella's,

I'm looking for something better than OEM street pads. I track maybe twice a year if I ever can get out to Deming Speedway and mainly will take advantage of some mountain switch backs so I'm looking for pads that will have most of the initial bite and quietness of OEM street but that can handle light track use.

I'm not too worried about dust. Dust is dust but I don't want pads that are squealing like crazy.

Hawk Performance looks like it has a good selection compared to others but I'd like some feedback on what your experiences are.

Cheers,
RB

I have gone through two sets of Stop Tech pads. Their initial bite is not as good as stock until they get some heat into them. They also wear down quickly with heavy tracking. I went through 1/2 of Stop Tech pads in two 20 min sessions at the Nurburgring GP circuit. In comparison, I went through just less than 1/3 pad material w/Pagid RS-19s in 4 20 min sessions at Spa Francorchamps. Spa is much harder on brakes than the Nurburgring GP circuit. Also, Pagid makes a street performance pad ... They're on the way to me. Can't wait to try them.

I, now, switch to track pads when I go to a track day with more than 40 mins of drive time.

obtw, So glad I opened your thread!! I am moving to NM and was getting depressed because of leaving Germany and all the great tracks around here. I just discovered that the track you mentioned is about 2 hours from where I'll live ...

[1MOREMOD]

depends what you mean by light track use. only going twice a year but being super fast still demands a track pad. if you are in fact only going that often seems like it would be easy to just switch to a track pad couple times a year. it will squeal on you but will also not create pad deposits and huge shudder problem like most street pads especially oem. if your a beginner the the stoptech st pad should work but intermediate or above you will smoke those as well. i liked the ferodo ds2500 but it is pretty noisy but easy on the rotors and i just left them in all the time.

[Slapshot9]

Simply put, if you go to the track you need track pads. Pick one. Hawk HP+ are the closest dual purpose pad, but they are quite noisy.

[jason561]

Originally Posted by Slapshot9

Simply put, if you go to the track you need track pads. Pick one. Hawk HP+ are the closest dual purpose pad, but they are quite noisy.

Not to highjack the tread but the hawk HP+ pads havent worked well for me, first track day they were fine but the second track day they left high amounts of pad deposits. Now im looking into what I need next, and the hawks still have 75%...

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by My Schnell

I have gone through two sets of Stop Tech pads. Their initial bite is not as good as stock until they get some heat into them. They also wear down quickly with heavy tracking. I went through 1/2 of Stop Tech pads in two 20 min sessions at the Nurburgring GP circuit. In comparison, I went through just less than 1/3 pad material w/Pagid RS-19s in 4 20 min sessions at Spa Francorchamps. Spa is much harder on brakes than the Nurburgring GP circuit. Also, Pagid makes a street performance pad ... They're on the way to me. Can't wait to try them.

I, now, switch to track pads when I go to a track day with more than 40 mins of drive time.

obtw, So glad I opened your thread!! I am moving to NM and was getting depressed because of leaving Germany and all the great tracks around here. I just discovered that the track you mentioned is about 2 hours from where I'll live ...

I know what you mean about Europe. I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath and spent six weeks at Ramstein TDY and hit up the Ring almost every weekend. I tracked at Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Snetterton. You will be undoubtadly and terribly dissapointed with NM and the South West in general. BUT, me and some co-workers do do some fun weekend road trips up through the NM mountains when the weather is good, mainly Spring and Summer. Get a hold of me when you show up. There are a few more M3's I hook up with. Good points on your pad experiances too.

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

depends what you mean by light track use. only going twice a year but being super fast still demands a track pad. if you are in fact only going that often seems like it would be easy to just switch to a track pad couple times a year. it will squeal on you but will also not create pad deposits and huge shudder problem like most street pads especially oem. if your a beginner the the stoptech st pad should work but intermediate or above you will smoke those as well. i liked the ferodo ds2500 but it is pretty noisy but easy on the rotors and i just left them in all the time.

We'll I'm not an expert but I've kept up with some "pro" drivers in the area and I will put the brakes through plenty of stress at my level of driving when I do track. I just don't have hundreds of laps of experiance. It sounds like the StopTech pads are not the way for me to go though. I think maybe Hawk, Pagid or ferodo as desribed above.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

We'll I'm not an expert but I've kept up with some "pro" drivers in the area and I will put the brakes through plenty of stress at my level of driving when I do track. I just don't have hundreds of laps of experiance. It sounds like the StopTech pads are not the way for me to go though. I think maybe Hawk, Pagid or ferodo as desribed above.

I wil agree with the last part and call bs on the first. If you don't have 100s of laps of experience your not keeping up with pros unless you mean keeping up on the straight-away when they are in a miata. Just for reference I've driven 100 laps in a single day numerous times. I've driven 1000s of laps and only pros I would say I'm faster than are in lesser cars, ie they are still far better than me.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

I wil agree with the last part and call bs on the first. If you don't have 100s of laps of experience your not keeping up with pros unless you mean keeping up on the straight-away when they are in a miata. Just for reference I've driven 100 laps in a single day numerous times. I've driven 1000s of laps and only pros I would say I'm faster than are in lesser cars, ie they are still far better than me.

LOL! yeah that isn't what I ment at all...wrong choice of words, but I do ok on the track against the Miata club. But I did get some respect from a couple of instructor drivers at a few Track Events in England when I was stationed in Europe. But by no means can I push the M3 like a pro.

What I ment is I would like to run with pads that'll hold up better than the OEM pads. I've experianced the OEM pads on tracks, especially Nurburngring where there it was very evident of the pad material melting onto the disc face and there was a good deal of fade and "griddy" vibration for a few hundred Km until the pad material wears off with normal street driving. I currently have an APracing BBK installed and experianced AP's capability on the track too, which is more than enough for me. But I will have to go back to OEM brakes for a while (testing purposes) so I'd like pads that can hold up better than OEM is what I'm after.

Hope that clears that up.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

Ok dude, wrong choice of words perhaps. But I have gotten some respect by a few instructors at a few Track events back in England where I've tracked the car plenty when I was stationed there. So what I mean is I can push my M3 hard enough on a track to where I need something better than OEM pads. Currently I'm running with an APracing BBK and have experianced AP's capability, which is awesome. But I will be going back to OEM for a while (testing purposes...long story). And thinking off going with pads a step above OEM that would be more appropriate.

IOW, I'm looking for pads that would be a good step above OEM pads for what I will be doing mainly, not competing at events.

Cheers,

good to hear. AP are top of the heap if you ask me. one hell of a set up. good luck with picking something, often its trial and error until you find what you like then your priorities change and the search starts again!

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

good to hear. AP are top of the heap if you ask me. one hell of a set up. good luck with picking something, often its trial and error until you find what you like then your priorities change and the search starts again!

Yeah it's all about what you feel comfortable with. OEM pads are for the most part good enough but I did not feel very confident pushing on the track with 100% OEM. But anyway, I got a buddy that's got HAWK street pads on his Mustang and says he's very happy with their performance so might go that route.

I hope though, after I'm done with some work on my M3, I can go back to my AP's. Those brakes are amazing.

Cheers,

[aus]

What Hawk pads were you looking at OP?

HPS SUCK balls for the track. You can die from them on the track.
HP+ are not too great on the street. Loud and lots of sticky dust.
.

[bigjae1976]

I would recommend just changing pads.

The most popular pads are Pagid yellows, Performance Friction PF01s or 08s, and a couple of others. Which one is the best? My opinion is people tend to like and recommend the first track pad (or similar characteristics) they started on.

My first track pad were PF01s. Love them. Don't like Pagid Yellows. Others love the Yellows and don't like the PF01s.

I do KNOW the Hawk Performance Ceramics are terrible. Tore through a new set during my first DE ever.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

I would recommend just changing pads.

The most popular pads are Pagid yellows, Performance Friction PF01s or 08s, and a couple of others. Which one is the best? My opinion is people tend to like and recommend the first track pad (or similar characteristics) they started on.

My first track pad were PF01s. Love them. Don't like Pagid Yellows. Others love the Yellows and don't like the PF01s.

I do KNOW the Hawk Performance Ceramics are terrible. Tore through a new set during my first DE ever.

I was thinking of either the Hawk Street Performance yellow or blue pads. But sounds like their not all great from what you experianced. So not sure what to get.

[bigjae1976]

There are a lot of different hawk pads available...not sure which ones are better for track use.

[Malek@MRF]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

There are a lot of different hawk pads available...not sure which ones are better for track use.

Hawk DTC-70 pads.

[mid-corner fun]

Originally Posted by Malek@MRF

Hawk DTC-70 pads.

+1 for heavy track use, DTC60 may be better for the OP's couple of events per year, preserving rotors etc.

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

There are a lot of different hawk pads available...not sure which ones are better for track use.

I'd need them more for more agressive road use and pads I don't need to swop out. When I put my AP BBK kit back on, that'll be optimal but not going to track it for a long time.

Cheers,
RB

[BimmerRob08]

Originally Posted by mid-corner fun

+1 for heavy track use, DTC60 may be better for the OP's couple of events per year, preserving rotors etc.

I'll have to check into those more. Thanks,

[KmndntKlink]

OP, what do you think you'll end up doing?

I'm in the same boat, I don't want to swap (mostly cuz im lazy & not that mechanically inclined) for the 2-3 track days I'll do/year. But I think the OEM suck on the track, I had to cut the day short because they basically stopped working. I think it was a combination of heat and material build up on the rotors, idk.

Anyway, I'd like a pad that will survive a track day. less dust would be nice, but I'd prioritize good cold bite & no noise for a performance street pad. Is there really no good compromise? I was 80% convinced on the stoptech pads, but apparently they're no good?

FYI I have heard from many people on the boards here and experts @ shops & people at the track that the hawk's suck ass. Definitely NOT the way to go. I've heard universally good things about pagids, but its a track pad and they're $$$.

[Z K]

I'm running Cool Carbon brake pads for street. I swap the fronts out for Project Mu pads but I leave the Cool Carbons in back. Seems to hold up well and it's quiet on street.

[dparm]

OEM pads are pretty good....where have you experienced them being inadequate?

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by dparm

OEM pads are pretty good....where have you experienced them being inadequate?

Uh no. They leave horrible pad deposits even with a new driver at the track.