Hey all! I've been done a number of HPDEs and AutoXes in my Integra. I have to say the Hawk HPS+ pads have been the best $80 I've spent on my car thus far, but I'm not sure it's enough. Let me explain.

A couple of weeks ago I ran at Lime Rock for the first time. The Hawks took all the abuse without complaint, but I felt like I was running out of front grip braking for turn one (Big Bend). My car has Azenis RT-615s.

I have plain old AutoZone semi-metallic pads on the rear brakes. It seems like most of what I've read is that you don't need much in the rears, but would a more aggressive pad in the back help drag the car down faster by distributing the braking force more evenly, or would it just make the car twitchy under braking? (I found out how light the *** of a FWD car gets at speed at LRP ).

My car, if it's at all helpful:

98 Integra RS
stock brake lines, HPS+ up front, semi-metallic street pad in the rear. Wilwood 570 brake fluid.
AEM CAI, Apex'i WSII
Benen front tower brace
Azenis RT-615s
crappy short shifter

I think that's all the pertinent information. Thanks!

EDIT: w00t, four year anniversary

 

You need a more aggressive front pad, I really like the Carbotech XP8's. Now, you can use different rear pads to change the bias and how the car feels, but it wont really stop the car any faster - I like running the XP8's in the rear also, and currently running XP10's on the front.

http://www.carbotecheng.com/main.htm

 

Do you really think so? The brakes bit more than hard enough; I kept out of them to keep from locking my front wheels.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Regular Series &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do you really think so? The brakes bit more than hard enough; I kept out of them to keep from locking my front wheels.</TD></TR></TABLE>

But if..

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Regular Series &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I felt like I was running out of front grip braking for turn one </TD></TR></TABLE>

Then the pads are fading You'll need a pad with more resistance to heat. Removing the dust sheilds behind the rotors helps, as well as any sort of ducting you can come up with.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Then the pads are fading You'll need a pad with more resistance to heat. Removing the dust sheilds behind the rotors helps, as well as any sort of ducting you can come up with.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nononono....the tires felt like they were getting close to locking. The brakes bit the rotors mercilessly all weekend.

I found downshifting to third helped A LOT.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Regular Series &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Nononono....the tires felt like they were getting close to locking. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Well carry on then.

The tires stop the car, and thats going to determine how short your stopping distances are.