seabiscuit

Which one would be better for Drilled/Slotted Rotorpros rotors? I would say Ceramic but HPS are more expensive what suggest opposite.

conv_stang

I really like my Hawk Pads on my 98 cobra. but i still have the stock rotors.

nonsensez9

I think the HPS have better stopping power, but I can't verify that. I have the HPS + powerslots and they're a noticible upgrade over the stock rotors and pads. I was considering ceramic, too, but decided to go with hps. I don't really notice the brakedust unless I'm driving hard for extended periods and it's no big deal to wash off anyway. Though if you have wheels without clearcoat it might be different. I'll go with the HP Plus next time around.

travelers

HPS is the way to go

Stoenr

After running stock, HPS, HP+, and Napa ADO ceramics on rotorpros, my choice is the ADO ceramics for daily driving. I cant tell any difference in the stopping power between the pads on daily driving, other than the HP+ need a little warming up 1st. I hate brake dust, the ceramic was the best for me.
On the track its HP+ or better and stock rotors.
I also do have SS brake hoses on all 4 and better fluid.

metroplex

I haven't seen anything that addresses the Hawk Ceramic pads for use on the street AND a road course. I understand that a carbon-metallic or semi-metallic is preferred for track use, but what happens if you use the Hawk Ceramics? Would they fade after say, 2 laps at Nordschleife? I despise brake dust and brake noise, but I want excellent fade resistance, great cold weather performance, and long pad and rotor life.

rony1976

There is another thread where I asked the question on which one I should buy. Lots of replies... it's a poll too, because I found a website where the price difference is really minimal...

seabiscuit

Can you post a link to that thread?

uberPony

Go HPS

metroplex

How is the brake dust and noise with the HPS?

uberPony

I have had zero noise and less brake dust with my HPS pads.
The best part is they stop the car when the brakes are hot - unlike the OEM pads.

Stoenr

No dust with hps? bs

sam strano

I use HPS, don't recommend HP Plus unless outright power is what the person is after **** everything else.

HPS's are not all that dirty, but they do dust. Hawk also makes a Performance Ceramic too (many don't know that).

If you run track events, you need track pads. Trying to run a street pad on a track at any sort of speed if the track acutally uses brakes will leave you at best unhappy due to fade, and at worst scared because you can't stop.

Ceramics and HPS's are STREET pads. HP Plus some can use and get away with on tracks that don't eat brakes, and/or when the driver is new and not going very fast. I've cooked HP Pluses on some cars (with ducts) in as little as 7.5 miles (5 laps on a 1.5 mile track). Others claim they can go many events and never fade or wear them. And indeed I've run HP Pluses on some tracks where they lasted all day and never did fade--and those tracks were not hard on brakes. That's they only reason I got away with it, and learned my lesson the next week on another track that is actually a slower average speed track, but ate the pads.

metroplex

Sam, it's great to hear someone chime in with experience on tracks. What is your opinion of the Hawk Ceramic pads? I've been trying to find more info and comparisons on these with OEM and other performance pads. How well does the Hawk Ceramic handle high temperatures compared to the OEM pads? Do they fade sooner or later when pushed to the limits? I intend to use it for the street but I've actually run into situations where OEM pads on my Crown Vic started to fade after lots of hard stops in an urban driving environment.

sam strano

Ceramics are more about being clean than power. Hawk Cermaic's actually have a sticker on the box that says "luxury automobile/SUV". They are geared more toward those that freak out over any brake dust. They stop well enough, but not as strong as HPS's IMHO. I've been quite happy with HPS's as an overall street/autox pad and haven't had reason to try the Ceramics on my own car.

Having said that, I have a set of Ceramics to try on my GT daily-driver just to see what's what on an S197. But I've been 100% happy with the HPS's and recommend them by far the most often and if you drive harder than not, and clean isn't the goal I think they are the better choice.

The Ford pads stop pretty well and similar to HPS's when new. But they glaze easily and we've cracked them from autox use (and we can turn the rotors a nice shade of blue). The HPS's don't glaze, and hold up to heat much better both in fade and durability terms. Because of the market the Ceramics are geared toward I don't think they are right for most of this crowd.

metroplex

Interesting! I wanted Ceramics primarily for low-noise and low-dust characteristics because nothing sounds worse than a car with squeeling brakes. My Crown Vic has AC Delco Durastop pads in the front that were designed for police use and they have a difficult time scraping off the rust that builds up on the rotor. They squeel and produce moderate dust.

How bad is the noise with the HPS semi-metallic pads? My dad's 03 E-250 may need new brake pads soon and I was originally going to look for ceramics.

Do all of the Hawk pads use the NRS "hooks" to grip the friction material? What about the stock S197 pads?

sam strano

I get no noise on HPS's at all. I have them on my Mustang, my Camaro, and the Shelby we autox. I more HPS's way more than anything else, and pretty much everyone really likes them. Dust is not an issue. They do dust, but wipes of easily, isn't terrible in the amount of it. And what's more is it's dust, not metal scraped from the rotor which gets bedded in the wheels and paint and rusts.

That's not dust that's a really aggressive brake pad chewing rotors up.

metroplex

Thanks Sam. I guess I have some shopping to do!