Last minute upgrades

[shakedown067]

Just picked up new front rotors and hawk pads for the vette and today she's at the alignment shop getting a bit of camber and toe out hooked up. Hopefully brooksville won't eat the hell out of the edge of my front tires this go around. Even found non-chinese rotors locally at Vette Brakes. Whooo hooo. Just had to share my excitement.

[Loren]

What grade of Hawk pad did you get? You know brakes usually don't get hot enough for full race pads to work properly on an autocross course (or on the street). As a result, if you did get race pads, they're likely to chew the hell out of your rotors in a hurry.

If you got an upgraded street pad or a dual-purpose pad, you should be good to go!

[shakedown067]

Yep. I just got the HAWK HPS. It's their street pad. I did notice all of the race compounds were 200-2500 degrees where as a street pad is usually 50-1250ish. When I upgrade to the C5 calipers and rotors I'll be going with the Carbotech AX6 pads which are designed for autoxing.

[shakedown067]

Well so much for the alignment today. Their machine went down and their service people won't get back to them. Hopefully I can squeeze it in next week.

[Jeremy]

I just got some HPS. I don't like them. No improvement over stock. Wish I would have got HP+ or something.

[shakedown067]

Lovely. Well my rotors are shot so I needed new pads anyway. I think I only paid like $15 more for the hawks over Autozone/Advance prices and $30 less than GM so I think I'll be happy with them. Check out the carbotech line of pads. The vette guys really like the AX6. I really wanted to go with those, but I wanted new rotors for brooksville and this sunday is the only time I'll have to install them. I waited too long to make up my mind on when to replace my glazing rotors.

[snookwheel]

I've heard read good things about the Carbotech pads. Of course, it was Internet stuff...must be true. Post how you like them. I am close to ordering some Hawk HP+ pads. Wish we could play next weekend

Scott

[shakedown067]

Got everything painted, cleaned up, and installed. Just need to give the whole car a bath and watch my coolant. I've had a little overflow, but I think there was just some air in the system. Bled the system and all is looking good.

[impalanut]

I run the HPS+ and really like them. I have used Carbotech in the past with good results.

[Native]

My Axxis Ultimates are about done. This is a good thread.
HP+, (not HPS), Carbotech AX6,

anybody have any experience with EBC Reds? (the green seem more like a street pad). What about Porterfield R4S?



Eric, nice paint job. Looks good!

[Jamie]

HP Plus don't grab well cold, though -- I was reading something lately about drivers running them on the back of Miatas dragging the parking brake on the way to the starting line to heat the pads up to operating temperature. Works OK for a dedicated autocross car, but probably not a great idea on the Veteran's Expressway on an early winter morning.

[Loren]

Steve, for your purposes, the EBC Yellow would probably be a better choice. Jeff had them on his Sentra for One Lap. They will squeal a little bit when REALLY cold (like when you first start driving) especially with light application, but still work okay when cool. But, they have a heat range that will serve you well on the track, so you'd not need to change pads.

I've run full-race pads (Cobalt Spec Miata pads) on the street for short periods (day or two before heading to a track day), they tend to work more than adequately after the first stop. The VERY first stop when they're flat out cold is a little iffy. Their pitfall is that until they reach operating temp (which is pretty high), they aren't working in the typical "ablative" brake pad mode, but instead work in "abrasive" mode. In other words, race pads will eat your rotors rapidly when used on the street because they never get up to operating temp. It's cool in the dark, though... they shoot sparks!

[shakedown067]

Steve, for your purposes, the EBC Yellow would probably be a better choice. Jeff had them on his Sentra for One Lap. They will squeal a little bit when REALLY cold (like when you first start driving) especially with light application, but still work okay when cool. But, they have a heat range that will serve you well on the track, so you'd not need to change pads.

I was originally looking at the EBC yellow stuff pads and the autocross/roadracing guys on the corvette forum said for the money, they just weren't worth it. Of course these are heavier cars, but of the few that tried EBC yellows didn't like them at all. Most said just hawk HPS pads worked better that those and the Carbotech line of pads came highly recommended. I got in a hurry and couldn't get the carbotech's in time without paying a fortune in shipping, which at this time isn't worth it for me.

[nc4me]

I think every car is different. Guys on the miata forums say the hawk hps pads aren't an upgrade since the stock pads are actually pretty good. It's probably the same with the S2000's. I used to own a 1998 Trans Am and I ran the hawk HPS pads when I did a C5 brake upgrade and there was a difference. If the guys on the vette forums said the HPS pads are an upgrade for your particular car, than they probably are. I know at the f-body auto-x and road race forums they recommended the hawk hp+ pads and carbotechs. I have heard bad things about ebc's, but like I said I'm sure there probably a good choice for certain cars. Next time you order, make sure you shop more in advance, so you can find the pads that people with experience recommend most for your car at the right price.

[Charles]

HP Plus don't grab well cold, though --

True story, I've been running those for awhile now on my tinytot ~ 10.0" rotors to have any kind of stopping power at all, but they don't work nearly as well when cold.

They are usually fine after 1 run though.

[shakedown067]

HP Plus don't grab well cold, though --

True story, I've been running those for awhile now on my tinytot ~ 10.0" rotors to have any kind of stopping power at all, but they don't work nearly as well when cold.

They are usually fine after 1 run though.

Yeah, mines a daily driver so those weren't an option. 10" rotors...ouch!

[Tim_M]

10 inches!? I will up you one with a state of the art 7.5 inch rotor on my 'other' car...this is/was high performance!

[img]http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c4/nogo/0 ... se_low.jpg[/img]

Note twin piston fixed caliper? This 1972 offering is more advanced than our 96 sliding pin brakes Chevy provides...

Another option for pads when price is a major issue is set of Performance Friction Z rated pads from Autozone. Free replacements means free pads until the sun don't shine. Tell me how I know...

[shakedown067]

Well she's back at the alignment shop today. Last week the alignment machine broke at the place I took it to. I took it as a sign I should take it to my usual guy and just get the four wheel mega alignment done. It'll cost an arm and a leg and maybe a toe, but I'll know it's done to perfection. The Bay Area Auto Doc has really done the best alignment on this car than anyone before. They do a lot of vettes so I certainly know it'll be done right.

[shakedown067]

She's all done and ready to roll. Went from +.5 degree camber on the front to -1. She should be ubber grippy this weekend.

[snookwheel]

Went from +.5 degree camber on the front to -1.

You should feel that change! Better bring your rains


Sorry 'bout the 'rains' comment...just pissed we can't be there. Yellow_Colorz_PDT_13