Chris Edwards

Hey guys, do I need the matching HP+ rear pads as well, or can I leave the stock pads? Car in question is an 01 Z06.

lefrog

Short answer: yes
Long answer: If you have more aggressive pads in the front, you are likely to accentuate your brake bias to the front and have an even stronger nose dive on braking. Now the HP+ is not that aggressive of a pad compared to stock so it won't be that dramatic.

kimmer

Always use the same type square unless it's for street then doesn't matter.

UstaB-GS549

Just make sure your rear pads are not more aggressive than the fronts. If you do, it will want to try to swap ends under hard braking. I think your car has dynamic brake bias and will compensate a bit , but I know someone who ran race pads in back with street in front and had off track experience.

Chris Edwards

Thanks guys, I ordered Hawk HP+ front and rear today. Just to confirm, are you guys using a spare set of rotors? Or are you using the same rotors as long as they look ok, and then swapping the street pads back on after the track?

Scooter70

So much misinformation here. Almost everyone runs one friction level higher brake pad in the front on C5/C6s on the track. (Look at Carbotech's recommendations every time they post.) Yes, your car does have dynamic brake proportioning so the car will automatically adjust brake bias but it can help to boost that with higher mu pads in the front.

As long as your street and track compounds are compatible there's no problem with using one rotor for both. I always bring spares though as these cars are tough on rotors and the cheap ones have a tendency to crack if you put enough heat into them.

Be careful overheating the HP+ pads though. When they get much past their designed temperature range they can fall apart / chunk and wear grooves into your rotors. Your experience and driving style will dictate which pad is best for you. HP+ is a very entry level track pad that you will probably be overdriving within your first few events.

lefrog

That works as long as your pads work in the same temperature operating range. For a more nuanced view on the topic, read the brake pad section of this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html

bdanyluk

Depends what you are doing.

If doing HPDE, I personally recommended just going straight to buying Carbotech XP12 up front and XP10 in rear.

Here's why:
- my 1st HPDE...used stock pads....needed more at end of day
- my 2nd HPDE...used Hawk HP+ pads....needed more at end of day
- my 3rd HPDE...used Carbotech XP10/8....needed more at end of day
- my 4th HPDE...used Carbotech XP12/10....perfect!

See....so just go ahead and spend the money for the right pads in the first place and save you from wasting money on lesser pads that you will outgrow in 1 day.

My 2 cents.

Chris Edwards

Where is the best place to get carbotech stuff? Seems harder to find than Hawk...

bdanyluk

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

He's a member on here....supporting vendor....gives 5% discount to Corvette Forum members.

Just send him a PM.

Also, I have always used the same rotors on the track as on the street with no issues at all. Just make sure to bed-in your pads when you put them on, if you have time....if not....just take it easy the first session out on track and then you can push hard the rest of the day.