First off, getting some brembo blanks
Second, I do know initial bite is given up for performance.

Having said that, I'm looking for a brake recommendations for 99% street driving but that can handle some AutoX and a little but of light track work. By light track I mean a few hard laps without rujining the pad. Honestly, I'm willing to buy seperate pads for the track if it means getting a much better suited street pad.

Anybody have experience with the Hawk HPS and/or the Stoptech Performance Street pads? Those are my contenders I'm considering right now.

 

What brakes do you have, I am using EBC red stuff and I love them, don't think I've ever heard one complaint about them actually. I'd get some slotted rotors instead of blanks too.

 

Not a big fan of Hawk. Performance is ok, noise and dusting not so much.

Personal fav: Carbotech Bobcat 1521. No noise, little to no dust, great modulation and overall stopping power.

YMMV. This is based on standard brakes, NOT Brembo.

 

I have used stoptech on standard 03-05 brakes, and am using Hawk HPS 5.0 on the brembo calipers
The stoptechs had great performance, but only when in the proper heat range. When cold, they had mediocre bite and performance. Get a little heat into them and the stopping power and feel increased dramatically. Overheat them, and the performance died off immediately. Could only get 3-4 solid back-to-back braking in before they needed to cool off. Also, by FAR the most dusty pad I have ever had or seen. Coated my wheels in dark black dust within a day or two of regular driving.
I love and recommend the Hawks I am using now, they have better intial bite, and the braking power is consistent throughout cold and heated ranges, and the performance does not falloff nearly as quickly even when they get super hot. I actually questioned my bedding method since I wasn't feeling the fade like I thought I should. They are not nearly as dusty and the dust is a lighter grey so less noticeable. Very noisy, especially when they warm up.

Out of the two, I recommend the Hawks and will not go back to the stoptechs, but I've been considering carbotech next and Mic's recommendation only reinforces that.

 

+1

I also run EBC reds on EBC slotted rotors. Made a noticeable difference.

 

street driving. stick to ceramic pads.
lowest dust. good bite.

nice motul 600 fluid will be just find for some light rare track duty.

 

My suggestion is to keep a separate set of track pads for autoX and track days. Never found a set of pads that could do both street and track well after years of experimenting.

 

Another vote for Carbotech / G-loc street pads. They are good on the street will handle autocross but I wouldn't try them on the track. Good thing is their pads are compatible so you can swap to track compounds while keeping the same rotors. Biggest down side to Carbotech / G-loc is the cost and if you significantly overheat them, like running street pads on a track, they will deposit.

What ever street pad you get just get a dedicated track pad. Track pads will destroy rotors on the street but provide significantly more stopping power at temp then any street pad. My friend in a S2K liked his power stop track day pads but they last only about a one day ~3-4 sessions. They would be a good option if you want to try track driving more than a few laps and not spend much.

I didn't like my Hawk HPS pads. Lots of peddle pressure and not much control. Ive never tried EBC so no comment on those.

 

+1 for separate sets.
Street
Endless - SSM 0.30-0.40u (low dust, low noise)Heat level 0-530 degree C
Endless - SSS 0.38-0.45u (low dust, excellent initial bite) Heat level 0-480 degree C

Track:
Project Mu - Type HC+0.43-0.58u 0-800 degree C (excellent for track)

 

+! for EBC redstuff...I used them on powerstop slotted rotors and now on regular rotors.

For city/street these are great...I don't track so can't tell if they are good there.

For the life of me I can't find anyone in Sarasota that will turn the slotted rotors, is there somebody in Tampa that will? I hate to throw them out.

 

Ok, good feedback. I'm now leaning towards the red stuff pads. I suppose it's worth the extra $$$ for no brake fade, good street manners, and jot dirtying my nice new wheels.

Has anybody tried the akebono performance ceramics? Akebono was the tried and true choice of the euro crowd I used to get 90% of my information from. The akebono are like half the price of the EBCs

 

Well, not exactly a banana for banana comparison but yes, Akebono seems to be a favorite of the Benz crowd. I have them on my SL55 inside of the big calipers (four pads per caliper) and have no complaints. And, Akebono is the mfgr of the Z34 Sport/Nismo big brakes so can't imagine they'd be terrible. They don't dust quite as bad as other pads but still put a coating on my wheels pretty quickly. But performance-only considered, again, no complaints. Once again, not a true equivalence given the application but they have a decent reputation.

Forty years ago, we ran Ferodo pads with great success on early Zs, 510s, etc. I see that they still make pads for Z cars and if they are the same formulation (doubt it with all the new materials available) or at least perform as they use to, these would get my vote to try out. But.... they're also in the "upper price category", ~$125/axle.

Other "budget" pad sets that seem to get an OK review on are the Centric Posi Quiets (semi-metallic). I put a set on another Z before I sold it and they were OK but I sold the car shortly after bed-in so no real world opinion. But since Centric is such a big mfgr with a good rep, might be a good option as well.

I don't think I ever said Hawks were "garbage" (just noisy and dusty) but there are other options I prefer on the Z car.

 

how many posts are you going to make about the same thing OP?

https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-n...-any-good.html

 

I didn't think that thread actually posted lol. I got no email about responses and I couldn't find it when I searched for it in the main thread page. Doesn't seem like anyone else saw it either considering the amount of responses this thread received and the lack thereof of the former.

But thanks for the responses guys. I found the EBC Red stuff pads on sale so I'll pick those up. I'm still going with brembo blanks. I've heard too many horror stories about any type of cheaper rotor. For $44 for a coated brembo blank inon rockauto.....cant go wrong IMO

 

Up in the top right next to your username is a small arrow. Click that and hit "my recent posts" or "new posts". It will show if your thread has had any responses.