ok, I did a search and read for like 2 hr, I got different stories on all the pads, so I figured the only fair way to do this is a poll. Now this is for performance street pads, not all out autoX. thanx for your input. Sorry if I dont know the specifics, just posting brand names, maybe you guys could tell me which line of products from that brand and maybe the price.

 

hawk gets my vote !

 

I run the Hawk HP-Plus for street/auto-x and find that they stop extremely well for both applications.
Only thing is, on the street they do tend to need a little warming up before they bite down hard. Nothing to the point of where it scared me, but I do try to modulate them a bit right after I begin driving to make sure they are warmed.

 

This is from http://www.grmotorsports.com/brakes.html

Some brake pad suggestions based on end-use:

High-performance Street/Autocross
Hawk HP Plus, Black
PFC Street Pads, Z-Rated, 80 Compound
Porterfield R4, R4S
Carbotech Kelated-Metallic

Track Events
Hawk Black, Y5, Blue
PFC 80, 83, 93, 93 Compounds
Porterfield R4, R4E

Road Race
Hawk Black, Blue, HT9
PFC 80, 83, 93, 93 Compounds
Porterfield R4, R4E
Raybestos Polymatrix
Wilwood Polymatrix

 

Don't forget Axxis Ultimates as a street/auto-x pad.


Supposedly better than Hawk HPS and just below Porterfield R4S for bite, w/ less dusting & noise, at least according to Carbotech.

 

Pick one: Porterfield R4-S, Axxis ultimate, Hawk HP+.

They are all good, you can't go wrong with any of them.

Avoid EBC.

 

has anyone tired the ultimates? i want to hear what someone who has them thinks about them.
-Scary

 

^^^

 

EBC pad were "good" for 3K miles and a set of new rotors.

 

Here's a repost from a fellow member:

I have been told that Axxis Ultimates would be the best for a high-performance street pad and Auto-X pad. Friendlier on the rotors and less brake dust.


[Modified by Dozed, 4:47 PM 3/28/2002]

 

You can't get Ultimates for the rear brakes, last I looked, for Integras. R4S would be a good choice for the rears in such a case.

 

I was going over your post and the price of some of the pads recommended. For the price, Axxis Metal Masters or some Hawk HPS would do perfectly well for what you want.

 

I agree that Axxis Metal Masters are good a pad for day to day "driving quickly". They work well when cold, don't eat rotors, and are fairly inexpensive. I'm only stopping 2000 lbs though, and don't like using the brakes much.

 

Just to add a different company, the KVR's I recently installed in the GSR work nicely also. Same initial bite as the stockers when cold, but once they're warmed up they're very good.

I had them in my CRX, but didn't break them in properly so they were horrible unless they were heated up real good. But after they were heated up, I couldn't get them to fade.

 

Still, axxis ultimates are going to be a better pad. Many don't care for the MMs. Never tried them, but at $60 or so for a set of Ultimates up front, that's cheap enough for me not to try the metal masters.


[Modified by bps2799, 10:32 AM 3/29/2002]

 

The Metal Masters will bite hard enough for what he wants. And at $40 for the fronts, why would he want to pay more for what he does not need?

I feel wrong for telling him to get pads that are not as strong as the Ultimates, but for what he wants, I believe they will be just fine. They bite noticeably harder than stock (I've had experience with them) and they're at a great price of $40 at http://www.optauto.com (just fronts). Of course, it is up to him on whether or not he'll shell out the extra $20 for the Ultimates. And if he does, more power to him.

 

All true, but I don't believe in cheaping out when it's only $20, esp. on something like brakes, that are so important. $20 more is a small price to pay for enhanced performance.

 

porterfield's getting the most votes, could someone share experience with these pads, what make them good. ALso which pads will last the longest? Even longer than stock??

 

I have Ultimates and they have some nice bite compared to stock. I only did fronts, but Im almost positive you can get rears from Carbotech. On autox track the cars nose dives a little more now because of the stronger front stopping power. I may do the rears soon. Dont forget to change your fluid (Valvoline sysnpower) and get new rotors or yours turned.

 

I like my Wilwood PolyMatrix D pads.

Then again, maybe it's just cuz I have a 4-pot Wilwood caliper to go with my Wilwood Pads...

 

I installed them last week, but they are going through "brake-in" right now.

I paid $55 for Ultimates (fronts) at carbotecheng.com, and there is a pad for the 90-91 G2 Integra. The guy I spoke with claimed that the positioning notch on the backing plate of the rear Axxis Ultimate pad could be cut off to fit 92-93 Integras. Also, I'm pretty sure that G3 have a rear application (I could be wrong).

As of now, my brake pedal is still weak (new Goodridge lines need to break-in), but it's improving everyday. The pads do not squeal at all, and there has not been any dusting as of yet. I have AEMs in the rear.

 

I like my Porterfields, but they squeak at A) very slow speeds, like in a drive-thru or B) after a lot of braking, such as going through the twistys, when they heat up. Goes away quickly, for the most part, but brake hard again and it comes back.

Bite is a tad weak cold, but still better than stock, I'd imagine (since there was no side-by-side comparo). A little heat and things stop much quicker. They cool quickly, so you never quite know how they'll bite.

At their worst, no worse and probably better than stock. At their best, quite a bit better than stock pads.

Get better tires to take advantage of any brake up grades you do, else it's a waste if running on crappy OEM type rubber.