So I'm in the midst of deciding on my new front brake setup since my nearly 3-year-old PowerSlot Cryo / Hawk HPS combo is warped to sh*t. I already know that I'm going to run the same Powerslot Cryo rotors again since the ones I'm currently running lasted me far longer than any other OE-sized rotor I've ever used so my decision now really comes down to pad choice.

Choice 1: Hawk HPS ($79) - the same pad I'm currently running. Their ferro-carbon compound bites reasonably well under normal street conditions and grip far better when minimally heated up. Dust really isn't an issue in comparison to other performance pads I've run in the past (Axxis Ultimate & Stoptech Street Performance) but the HPS does tend to leave uneven film pad transfer on rotors when they're significantly overheated (10+ panic stops or the lightest type of track duty). Pad life with these is incredibly good, though; I still have well over 50% material left after their 3 years of use. I've run these pads on 4 different cars and yes, I do like them, but I really want to know if anyone's found a better pad.

Choice 2: Porterfield R4-S ($117) - I ran them on my '01 Eclipse with a Baer Track Kit and they feature virtually the same characteristics as the Hawk HPS with the exception of a bit more dust, a longer warm-up period, minimally more grip at higher temperatures but they're much less prone to leaving uneven pad film deposits on the rotors. A potentially serious flaw with these pads, although I never experienced it, is the tendency for the outer pad shape to be machined improperly and for the pads to rattle in the caliper anchor bracket. About half of the 2G and 3G Eclipse owners on those forums reported this defect. Is this an issue with the X's R4-S's?

Choice 3: Stoptech Street Performance ($70) - I'm not a fan of these. They came with the Stoptech BBK for my TSX and are advertised as a pad with "far better characteristics in all categories compared to the Axxis Ultimate's". The only thing they're better at is dust production. Crazy levels of film pad transfer that's not as easily removed as that of the Hawk HPS, stupidly long warm-up periods, and very short life; I got 7,500 miles out of them on my TSX with the 328x28 Stoptech ST-40 BBK.

I have no experience with, and little-to-no knowledge of the following pad's characteristics: Hawk Performance Ceramic ($80), Akebono ProACT Ceramic Pads ($71), Centric Posi Quiet Ceramic Pads ($53), Ferodo DS2500 ($153), SP Street Plus ($76), and Powerstop Z-16 Ceramic ($56).

Although they're expensive, I'm very willing to experiment with the Ferodo DS2500's since I've only ever heard great things about Ferodo. Does anyone know if these are overly aggressive on rotors? With the HPS's I'm running now, I still have more than enough rotor thickness to have them machined so I'd like to know if the DS2500's will kill my new rotors before I have a chance to re-surface them should I not like the pads.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, opinions, etc. etc..

Phil

 

i can only comment on posi-quiet ceramic pads since those are the ones i use and they are great pads with a nice bite, little to no brake dust and are not harsh on the rotors.

 

^ what he said....