Ceramic Brake Pad Recs?

[eddiek]

I'm very interested in getting new brake pads which hopefully would significantly decrease all of the brake dust on the wheels. I don't track the car but I'd like to have similar performance to the OEMs, being smooth modulated stopping power that is quiet. I've read about the Hawk and Stoptech products but there doesn't seem to be any consensus as to what people like the best. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[Chris__B]

Originally Posted by eddiek

I'm very interested in getting new brake pads which hopefully would significantly decrease all of the brake dust on the wheels. I don't track the car but I'd like to have similar performance to the OEMs, being smooth modulated stopping power that is quiet. I've read about the Hawk and Stoptech products but there doesn't seem to be any consensus as to what people like the best. Any thoughts? Thanks.

You will be happiest with the Hawk Performance Ceramic compound, but keep in mind almost all "ceramic" pads will not perform as well as the better semi-metallic compounds. They are smooth and quiet, though.

Chris

[elh0102]

I've had good luck with the Centric Posi Quiet Ceramic pads. Very little dust, no noise, good street performance.

[Legion5]

I've looked into every cermaic brake pad there is including tracking down back to back comparisons, which was amazingly hard and Akebono cermaic pads (they only make 1 kind for these cars) were the best.

[eddiek]

Thanks for the help. Have you had a hard time finding a brake shop to replace the pads? I've called a couple of random shops who have said that they didn't want to do it because the sensor and a couple of other things would have to be replaced.

[signes]

Iron disks and ceramic pads? Just curious for those who run them how they do on the street. Also seems like they would not provide as good performance as a more aggressive track pad for lapping days.

[Chris__B]

Originally Posted by signes

Steel disks and ceramic pads? Just curious for those who run them how they do on the street. Also seems like they would not provide as good performance as a more aggressive track pad for lapping days.

"Ceramic" pads are essentially low-metallic content semi-met pads that have at least 7% of ceramic content. For the cheaper pads, this is usually beach sand. Running on iron discs (no cars have steel discs), a "ceramic" pad usually has less grip and a lower MOT (maximum operating temperature), so they are not suitable at all for track use. The main benefit of ceramic pads is less dust and (often, but not always) less noise. Track enthusiasts will not be happy with any ceramic pad currently on the market.

Chris

[Technic]

Originally Posted by eddiek

I'm very interested in getting new brake pads which hopefully would significantly decrease all of the brake dust on the wheels. I don't track the car but I'd like to have similar performance to the OEMs, being smooth modulated stopping power that is quiet. I've read about the Hawk and Stoptech products but there doesn't seem to be any consensus as to what people like the best. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Hawk HPS is what you want, IMO... that's what I used to have (2008 E90 M3, steel brake lines as well) and they were much better than OEM pads in everything: feel and confidence in normal and hard stops -on and off track- and extremelly low dust.

I will get the same brake setup again in my new 2012 E92 M3.

[geneatals]

hawk hps pads on my car....almost no brake dust and very similar bite to stock. I have no plans on tracking my car so the hps pads are a no brainer for me. I got them from vendor/member acuteperformance, his price was the best I found..service and fast shopping with him is A+++ as well...

[signes]

Originally Posted by Chris__B

"Ceramic" pads are essentially low-metallic content semi-met pads that have at least 7% of ceramic content. For the cheaper pads, this is usually beach sand. Running on iron discs (no cars have steel discs), a "ceramic" pad usually has less grip and a lower MOT (maximum operating temperature), so they are not suitable at all for track use. The main benefit of ceramic pads is less dust and (often, but not always) less noise. Track enthusiasts will not be happy with any ceramic pad currently on the market.

Chris

Thanks (meant iron, short handing "metal" with steel.) So verifies my assumption about less grip. Seems like a bad trade for less dust IMO.

[swifty]

Now that it's 2014, is Hawk HPS still what you guys would recommend for better street performance and less brake dust than OEM?

Will this brake pad cause any issues in winter?

Will appreciate any feedback cuz I'm starting to hate all the brake dust accumulating right after a wash.

[Technic]

I have a set of Hawk HPS pads in my Brembo BBK for more than 2 years... still a much better set of pads than OEM. The Brembo pads included in the BBK are great, much more bite than the HPS obviously (I think that they cost about 3 times the cost of the HPS pads), great for light track duty. However they dust like crazy and worse, the dust becomes a sticky paste when wet.

That was too much for normal driving to me, so the decision was easy: Hawk HPS pads again.

Originally Posted by swifty

Now that it's 2014, is Hawk HPS still what you guys would recommend for better street performance and less brake dust than OEM?

Will this brake pad cause any issues in winter?

Will appreciate any feedback cuz I'm starting to hate all the brake dust accumulating right after a wash.

[G80indy]

I like the Cool Carbon pads on mine

[swifty]

^ You drive yours in winter? Any issues when it's cold out? How is the noise?

[swifty]

Originally Posted by Technic

I have a set of Hawk HPS pads in my Brembo BBK for more than 2 years... still a much better set of pads than OEM. The Brembo pads included in the BBK are great, much more bite than the HPS obviously (I think that they cost about 3 times the cost of the HPS pads), great for light track duty. However they dust like crazy and worse, the dust becomes a sticky paste when wet.

That was too much for normal driving to me, so the decision was easy: Hawk HPS pads again.

I'm guessing the performance of these pads such as initial bite, noise etc is different when used with BBK and OEM.

[Trip3's]

I have Akebono Euro Ceramic pads and there is no dust whatsoever after a week, where with OEM they were dirty in a day. IMO they have similar bite to stock. From what I read I would definitely no take them on the track. The cool thing is you don't have to bed them in either!

[G80indy]

Originally Posted by swifty

^ You drive yours in winter? Any issues when it's cold out? How is the noise?

A rare squeak here and there.
No driving in winter but yes on cool mornings.
Great bite and no appreciable dust

[Sleeper519]

Originally Posted by Chris__B

"Ceramic" pads are essentially low-metallic content semi-met pads that have at least 7% of ceramic content. For the cheaper pads, this is usually beach sand. Running on iron discs (no cars have steel discs), a "ceramic" pad usually has less grip and a lower MOT (maximum operating temperature), so they are not suitable at all for track use. The main benefit of ceramic pads is less dust and (often, but not always) less noise. Track enthusiasts will not be happy with any ceramic pad currently on the market.

Chris

Really? How about Carbotech, Cobalt Friction, and others, they claim to be "ceramic" material, and are pretty widely accepted race pads.