Brake Pad and Rotor Suggestions

[jeff4880]

I'm looking into changeing my pads and rotors, just wondering what a good combo is? I don't do any sort of competitive racing with my car but I do like to drive aggresivly on the street some times so I would like some improved stoping power. I'm also sick of cleaning the huge amounts of brake dust off the wheels avery week so I would like something with low dust.
Any suggestions?

 

[supersuckers]

You'll probably get a fair number of recommendations for the Hawk HPS pads. I think their HP Plus is the next step up. Check their website for the gory details.

I've been running the Carbotech 1521's for a while without incident and like them very much. They have a fantastic initial bite and great modualtion. For track use I run their XP8's, but they are too noisy for the street.

I suspect that you will find that increased pad performance typically comes with increased dust and noise. I don't think there's any way around it. Perhaps some good wheel cleaner.

There's no reason to ditch the stock rotors unless they have been compromised. Drilled or slotted rotors will not provide any addtional performance. So unless you "like the look" you're just wasting money. I've run the stock rotors at several track events and they perform flawlessly.

Good luck!

 

[Design]

OEM rotors are 130 a pair. HP+ and other track grade pads can produce noise and eat through rotors a bit more agressively than street pads such as Hawk HPS, EBC Ultimax/Greenstuff & OEM Ferodos.

Many like HPS because of their linear behavior. Personally I don't like them because of the increased braking effort.

 

[BigDaddyMS3]

My pads are at 20% and at Spring Break, I'm going to try EBC Yellow Stuff pads as installed in the Grassroots Motorsports Magazine MS3 project car. My rotors are fine at 27K.

 

[STRICK-]

Im running EBC red stuff pads currently. They have been great thus far.

 

[Rotus]

I'm running Hawk Performance Ceramic and have had no complaints. There is visibly less dust. Pedal feel is nice, not grabby, but smooth and quiet with good stopping power.

 

[SPEED305]

i personally love the performance of the stock brakes.(breakn)

 

[gabe755]

i personally love the performance of the stock brakes.(breakn)

yea the brakes are byfar the best ive driven. Are the stock pads ceramic?

 

[Rotus]

yea the brakes are byfar the best ive driven. Are the stock pads ceramic?

Nope, the stockers turned my wheels black after a couple hours of driving. BTW, you can not get replacement pads at your local parts store. Don't even waste your time, they will give you the pad for the regular 3 every time. If the part number for the pads they give you have 1044 in them at all, they are the wrong pads and will be too small for your rotors.

 

[khoney]

I installed Hawk HPS on my son's Mazda 3 with Centric premium rotors. I didn't care for the Hawks at all. It was like they really had to be heated up before they had any stopping power. I couldn't even get the ABS to come on from a hard stop until the car slowed to about 10MPH. Went back to stock and braking is much better.

 

[Speed3Rookie]

I installed Hawk HPS on my son's Mazda 3 with Centric premium rotors. I didn't care for the Hawks at all. It was like they really had to be heated up before they had any stopping power. I couldn't even get the ABS to come on from a hard stop until the car slowed to about 10MPH. Went back to stock and braking is much better.

where did you get the stockers and for how much $ ?

 

[Dirt_Nasty]

I use racing brake et800's on my 8 and absolutely love them price is fair. The dust isn't terrible for the performance level, they are rated for regular braking from 120 mph so if you track your car no need to swap the pads.

 

[gabe755]

Nope, the stockers turned my wheels black after a couple hours of driving. BTW, you can not get replacement pads at your local parts store. Don't even waste your time, they will give you the pad for the regular 3 every time. If the part number for the pads they give you have 1044 in them at all, they are the wrong pads and will be too small for your rotors.

ahh i didn't know that, so ill have to purchase the pads through PG or SU?

 

[gabe755]

Are the Yellow Stuff any good:? they were going to be my next buy

 

[Design]

yea the brakes are byfar the best ive driven. Are the stock pads ceramic?

No they are a Ferodo compound (organic?) I'm at 45K and my stock front pads are now at 15%. For $300 it's tough to beat the all around performance of OEM brakes/rotors IMHO.

 

[meicalnissyen]

ahh i didn't know that, so ill have to purchase the pads through PG or SU?

nah, lots of online places have them, just make sure you check the PN, and if the price is very cheep, its proly for the reg 3, rears are the same, we use a different front

 

[Rotus]

ahh i didn't know that, so ill have to purchase the pads through PG or SU?

As was stated, many online places have them. I chose to go with one of our forum sponsors because they, well, sponsor our forum and I trust they have the right part. As for cheap, I think I got my front Hawk HP Ceramic for less than the cost of regular 3 ceramic pads from the local parts store. I think it was under $90 shipped.

The EBC equivalent would be the Red Stuff pads. I had those on my old Audi TT and liked them. The Yellow Stuff is a street and track pad with very high levels of dust and will probably wear your rotors pretty good as well, but if this is what you are planning on doing with the car, they are a good choice as are the Hawk HP plus.

The stock fronts are made by Ate, the same people that make our calipers and they are a semi-metallic compound. I got a little over 55k miles out of my stocks.

As far as performance of the ceramics, I am not going to track the car and they give me very good performance with little dust and zero noise. Break in was a few hundred miles.

 

[Design]

The stock fronts are made by Ate, the same people that make our calipers and they are a semi-metallic compound. I got a little over 55k miles out of my stocks.

Point of clarity - the pad compound is Ferodo. Ate makes the caliper and backing plate.

As per several users the OEM packaging should state, "Lining maker Ferodo, Lining Type 4209."

 

[Rotus]

I see. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[speed3 britz]

Im thinking of going with Centec premium vented rotors with EBC red stuff pads front and rear