Brake pad suggestions?

I've been using hawk HP+ pads on my '89 accord which sees 40k miles/year DD use, and the occasional spirited weekend drive...

I'd like to step-up to a more aggressive brake pad, I don't mind excessive dust or noise at all, but I'd want a pad that's fairly durable, and doesn't eat up rotors (e.g. I got 40k out of the HP+'s, the rotors were installed new w/ the pads & were aprox. 1/2 worn @ the 40k mark).

Any suggestions?...

aggressive brake pads will eat rotors by definition, they bite more and get hotter

try these guys for guidance

www.topbrakes.com

Cool Carbon's, Porterfield's, come to mind. Porterfields have been off my radar for a while. I should google them and see what they have if they still exist.

I have them on the S10 Challenger from above link

carbotech

Thanks for the link guys!

Seems like carbotech doesn't make a pad for my generation accord, but porterfield R4's seem like a suitable (although very pricy) replacement/upgrade...

it'll be pricey but carbotech will probably be willing to make a custom set... (they have in the past)... you have to send them the old and I imagine some dimensions ... call em and see what they have to say

What do you guys think about Axxis Ultimates? I've been happy with mine for a daily-driver pad (is it necessary to spend $100+ per axle on dd pads?) My ever-accurate butt-dyno tells me they're better than the EBC greenstuff I used before and they've lasted 3 years of fairly aggressive dd and occasional autox use (they're getting near the squealers now).

Matt B wrote: What do you guys think about Axxis Ultimates? I've been happy with mine for a daily-driver pad (is it necessary to spend $100+ per axle on dd pads?) My ever-accurate butt-dyno tells me they're better than the EBC greenstuff I used before and they've lasted 3 years of fairly aggressive dd and occasional autox use (they're getting near the squealers now).

I've run them in the past, i like them. Currently running them on the MX6 as well. I liked the EBC Greens that i previously had on the Celica better, though.

But that said, i think the braking system on the Celica in general is superior to the MX6 in the first place, so that's not really a fair comparison.

wbjones wrote: carbotech

I'm not happy with my Carbotechs. I went with the street version and I'm regretting it. Debating whether trying the autox version or going with the Porterfield R4-S for almost half the price...

what use do you plan on... if it's to be a track car get (at least ) the XP 8 they work fine for a-x and ok for track use ( I'm going to spring for the XP 10 next time)

nothing wrong with the Hawk Pads you have now... why do you want to try something different?

In reply to Matt B:

+1 I have Axxis Ultimates on my '02 Si. Love 'em.

Carbotechs, IMO, aren't worth the money unless you are going at least XP8 compound. They feel different too; you have to squeeze them harder but once you get used to that the modulation is out-of-this-world!

Your current Hawks are an excellent pad. Once a year isn't so bad for brakes

I had XP10 Carbotechs on my Contour SVT and they were the bomb for track days. That car would stand on it's nose deep into the corners with zero fade all weekend.

That said, they were not my regular driving pads (or rotors).

For decent street stuff I use Carbon Friction Metallics from Autozone. Otherwise I like Mintex pads for autocross and daily driven cars.

paul wrote: I'd like to step-up to a more aggressive brake pad...I'd want a pad that's fairly durable, and doesn't eat up rotors I got 40k out of the HP+'s...the rotors...werwe aprox 1/2 worn.

More aggressive and durable are mutually exclusive of each other. 40k and a half eaten rotor is actually pretty darn good for a moderately agressive set of pads like the HP+.

So decide if you really want a more aggressive pad, or longer life. Since you said this is a street car, and you're upset about the 40k and worn rotors, I suspect you'd be happier with a longer lived pad.

HP+ pads are pretty darn good for a good autoX pad that still sees street time. I have them on the front of my BMW and HPS on the rear. That thing stops hard. As mentioned before, if you go any more aggressive your rotors are going to suffer.

Why do you need something more for "occasional spirited" use on the street?? It kinda seems like having a 1000HP car for the street. Great, but are you capable of even using 80% of that potential? I just don't see a need for crazy stopping power on the street...just me.

miatame2 wrote: I just don't see a need for crazy stopping power on the street...just me.

You must not live anywhere where there's deer... or bad drivers.

I'm a Porterfield fiend. I run them on everything I own that they make pads for. Their customer service has always done me right, too - the only issue I ever had was them forgetting to put the anti-rattle clips in with my Cobra front pads, when I realized what had happened, I called them up and had new clips in my hand in < 48 hours.

The only downside to Porterfields is they are a little spendy, and you can pretty much only get them direct.

EBC (GRM Advertiser, HINT HINT) Yellowstuff. I put them on the Esprit and they are well worth it. EOM (Toyota) pads: 3-4 stops from 100 MPH, then NOTHING AT ALL. Yellowstuff, still haven't been able to get any fade from them. Not noisy, but more dust than the OEM ones.

Dr. Hess wrote: EBC (GRM Advertiser, HINT HINT) Yellowstuff. I put them on the Esprit and they are well worth it. EOM (Toyota) pads: 3-4 stops from 100 MPH, then NOTHING AT ALL. Yellowstuff, still haven't been able to get any fade from them. Not noisy, but more dust than the OEM ones.

Yep. That's what's on the Celica.

The first cold stop of the day can be a bit sphincter-tightening, but from there on they're great.

I have R4S on my street car and R4E on my rallycar and won't use anything else. Far as I'm concerned the answer to brakepad Q's is "porterfield"

oooh yeah I vote Porterfield now. They make brake shoes with the R4S compound on them!

ReverendDexter wrote:

miatame2 wrote: I just don't see a need for crazy stopping power on the street...just me.

You must not live anywhere where there's deer... or bad drivers.

You only need one panic stop with deer (two if you are unlucky) and how often have you soaked your brakes around bad drivers?

mad_machine wrote: You only need one panic stop with deer (two if you are unlucky) and how often have you soaked your brakes around bad drivers?

Soaked, not ever. But the R4S compunds drop my initial stopping distance, and that alone is worth it for street driving.

Better braking is better braking. It's never a BAD thing.