I have an 04 Coupe (6-speed) with Brembo brakes. I ordered Brembo slotted rotors with Hawk HPS brake pads to replace my OEM Brembo rotors and pads.

The front Hawk HPS pads don't fit my OEM shim kit and can't be installed. The rear pads installed quite easily with no problems. After a preliminary check, the part # HB181F590 is what's listed for front Hawk HPS brake pads for 03-04 G35 with factory Brembo brake package.

I ordered the parts through Import Replacement Parts (IRP) and I'm wondering if they have the part # incorrect.

Can anybody help with any information on Hawk HPS (front) part #, or with anything else that may help my situation ?

Right now, I have the old front rotors/pads with the new rear rotors/pads and I don't want to stay like this for long (the rotors seem to be fine).

 

Has anybody heard about "built-in" shim kit for the Hawk HPS pads ?

Following up with my issue of now being able to install the front Hawk HPS (with my Brembo system), I found out from the manufacturer (Hawk) that the Hawk HPS pads come with a built-in shim kit.

Is this possible, is it true ????

 

Yes it is true.

 

So, what part number works or has the built-in shims? Do the origional Hawk pads you bought work now?

 

I just got off the phone with the manufacturer and I was told that the shim kit is already on the pads: very thin, black to match the pads, etc. So, I'll go look at the pads again and see if I can take it to the dealer to put them on the way they are (with the built-in shims) without putting my original shim kit on top of that.

The big questions remain:

1. why everybody else on this forum was able to put them in with the original shim kit and I can't ?
2. why did my rear pads work with the original shim kit (shouldn't have I run into the same problem ?)? If the original shim kit works for the rear why doesn't it work for the front ???

PLEASE HELP with any info or data !

I specified the part number for the front Hawk HPS pads in my previous comments within this thread (part # HB181F590 ).

 

I have bought a front non-brembo HPS set before and they already came with the thin built in shim already. I also have bought a rear non-brembo HPS set and those pads did not come witt built in shims. I believe the built in shims were not always present and was an added feature somewhere in the lifecycle.