I am contiplating either to use Hawk Blue or upgrading my brake to ITR spec on my EG hybrid. I am currently using GSR front brakes but the last couple times i was at the track, ths bloody brakes overheated and ruined all my fun!! Now, i am on the saerch for a better brake setup. I know that hawk blue is probaly the best pads i can get (for the money) but i know it is very rotor NOT friendly. The question is...how unfriendly are they? How many track days will a set of rotors last? Will it be a better solution to move up to ITR spec size rotor (made by fast brakes) and use pads like HP+?

 

I use about 2 sets of Hawk Blues for 1 set of rotors. ITR combo with HP+ won't be as good as running the Blues. Not by a longshot.

Warren

 

They are only unfriendly to cold rotors (like Porterfield R4 pads). Once they are at operating temperature they are kinder to rotors. But the coefficient of friction is still really high compared to stock pads. This is why they are really best for track use only.

 

Yeah...i am going have set of rotor and pads (hawk blues) just for the track if i were to go with this setup....i will swap back to regular pads back on for everyday driving.

 

So the HP+'s pretty harsh as well? I got brake pads out my *** and don't know what I want to use for street and what to use for strip.

Someone give me advice...
I've got Axxis MM's F/R right now... I have a full unused set of Hawk HPS's, but I heard these are just street pads.

I'd like a dedicated set of track pads, thinking about HP+ and Blues.
Both of these tear up the rotors?

How oftern do you road racers resurface your rotors? Should I be doing it every track event?

 

HP+ is a good street compound. Quite rotor friendly, though the dust tends to be dark.

Blues are definately a track only compound. It's aggressive enough to tear up the rotors in a major hurry if they are cold.

Warren

 

Is this really a concern for just track use only. Assuming with a warm-up lap you'll have them hot enough not to do any damage when running them hard, right?

 

yes.

a lot of guys will run the warm up left foot braking. That warms em up real good.

 

Warren:

SO do you drive with you blues on the street? Also, how long did 1 set of blues last you?

 

No, track only. Re: how long they last in days. Well... That's highly dependant on how much track time per day I'm getting and also depends on the track itself. Sorry, I don't really have a good answer here.

Warren

 

I've run Hawk blues on the street.. The longest a set has lasted me was 3 weekends (about 2-3 hours track time each weekend) and 7,500 or so street miles. I'm currently on my third set of rotors, first set (originals) replaced because I cracked one pretty nicely, 2nd set replaced cause I was stupid enough to listen to the slotted rotor hype (big fuggen mistake), now back to brembo blanks

Currently, I run OEM pads on the street so I don't have to clean my car as much.. not that I did before anyways

 

By the looks of it, i think i am going to go with Hawk Blues......thanks for the great info.

Now i have another question, since these pads are used mostly for the track, is there a break in period required for them? If so...how?

 

You have to bed them in, I just do some progressively higher speed stops.. dunno works for me.. Carbotech used to include some directions I think.....

 

By CarbotechAndie:

Regarding dust levels...Panther Plus has moderate dust levels.
Since you bedded in the brakes on the street, you really didn't bring them up to temperature. We enclose street-bedding instructions because they are a good way to prepare the pad for track use. However, we have found that the Panther line of materials require a moderate, shortened (15 minutes max) track session to properly temper the pad. When you take it to the track, go out and start easy on the pads to heat them up, then do 4-6 laps with moderate brake applications - you will be braking earlier than normal. Then for 2 laps, get on the brakes hard (but still brake early to give yourself margin for error) and try to fade them. Lastly, take 1 or 2 good cool-down laps without using the brakes...just coast around the track (and yes, let all the hot-heads pass you...you're not racing afterall, and there is no prize money <grin>. Then bring the car into the pits and let it rest for the remainder of the session. After the on-track bedding, your pads will be properly tempered, which will ensure maximum braking performance AND pad longevity. If you only drive the Panther Plus on the street, then you will have to find a very wide-open stretch of road to properly bed them in...to get them up to tempering temperatures. You will notice on the track that after your first shortened session (as described aboe), that a high level of dust will be generated. However, after the pads are tempered, the dust level will fall dramatically and become quite light. You can gauge this by wiping your wheels off with a towel (it should wipe right off without any elbow grease) and keeping an eye on the wheels for the remainder of the sessions for the day. There is a short note in our bedding instructions stating that cars greater than 2800lb should use a moderate track session to ensure proper bedding...we should really change that to vehicles above 2500lb, frankly...so we will update it shortly. IMPORTANT: IF YOU DO NOT DO ONE MODERATE SHORTENED SESSION AT THE TRACK TO START YOUR DAY, YOU WILL WEAR THE PANTHER PLUS COMPOUND AT A FASTER THAN NORMAL RATE. Aside: On my NSX, I have gotten 8,000 street miles and 3-4 track events on a set of properly tempered Panther Plus pads. Likewise, we tested a set on my NSX where I did not temper them, and we wore 50% away in one day at the track...not good, but it makes a point. In all fairness, I'm not a big user of brakes...I prefer to get on the throttle before I reach the apex, and use the throttle to steer the car through the turns...so, while I don't scrub pads, I go through tires like pencil erasers. Keep in mind that when it comes to brakes, something has to wear...either the pad OR the rotor. A pad that does not dust is not working...sounds like a bullshit response, but it's true...rotors and pads, just like tires, are wear items. For example, take a set of all-season highway tires with a wear guarantee of 50,000 miles...and compare those to something on the lines of a Yokohama AVS Sport for which you can probably expect 12,000 spirited street miles, which has very tenacious grip and excellent handling for a street tire. One will be as hard as a brick relative to the other one, which will be, on a relative basis, as soft as a pencil eraser. I'll leave it to you guys to figure out which one is which.
HTH...
Andie

 

what you are about to see is hawk blue pad break in. basically, cold rotors and cold pads going from 85mph to 40mph.....

 

pollo diablo's car scraped off quite a bit of rotor material just driving to and from the track; not rotor friendly.

 

any more pics
cool

 

yep, not quite as dramatic, however:

ps: i almost got carsick by hanging out pollo's window trying to take this pictures! ah, the sacrifices i make for you guys.

 

lol i can't even tell what that is...it just looks like someone is holding one of those sparklers that kids walk around with on the 4th of july

 

haha, it's the right front wheel. super hot dust from the pads and/or rotors is shooting out through the spokes of the wheel.