Brakes, Running diff brands/compounds
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 2
From: puyallup wa
Brakes, Running diff brands/compounds
So I have a track day coming up. I was told a month ago that my fronts are at 50% and after a track day they will def need to be replaced. Well its been a month, and my track day isnt until the end of july and I am getting nervous that i may run out of pad at the track day. So I am trying to decide, do I buy another set of front oem pads for the track day, or do I buy a set of hawk pads for the fronts and run my OEM rear pads which are at 80%? Will that be less than optimal for the track running two diff pads front to rear?
I was thinking the HPS pads and I plan to have these for street driving while I will get a whole new set of pads, rotors that will be dedicated to the track for the future after this first track day.
any feedback will be appreciated since i need to buy these soonish.
I was thinking the HPS pads and I plan to have these for street driving while I will get a whole new set of pads, rotors that will be dedicated to the track for the future after this first track day.
any feedback will be appreciated since i need to buy these soonish.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 2
From: puyallup wa
PS I am low on cash getting ready for the track day, so thats why I am not buying all new brakes pads now and why I dont want to buy new OEM fronts as they are a bit more expensive than the hawks. I have had my car tech'd and the only thing he pointed out was the 50% front pads.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 29
From: Vancouver Washington
Go ahead and stick a set of Hawks in the front. The fronts are doing 90% of the braking and your OEMs aren't going survive a whole session without fading if you're putting down any speed at all.
Lots of people run different compounds front and back. A good example is running Carbotech 10s in front and 8s in back, which a lot of cars do.
Lots of people run different compounds front and back. A good example is running Carbotech 10s in front and 8s in back, which a lot of cars do.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 2
From: puyallup wa
I had heard about the different carbotech compounds but I was worried about running entirely different brand pads. I will likely do as you suggest. Not to discredit Last C5's advice but does anyone else with experience as well have any input? also how do the HPS pads compare to the stock pads, will they perform less than the OEM's?
thanks!
thanks!
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 138
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
Opinions on brake pads are like a-holes, everyone has one and most of them stink. My Z had HPS on it when I bought it and I did not like them. In my opinion the HPS pads are not noticeably better that a stock Z06 pad; they will start to fade after a few high speed stops. For a high speed event I'd recommend Hawk HP+ pads as a minimum. They are noisy when cold and dirty but they stop well and do not require much warming up. BTW what are you calling a track day and what speeds will you be running?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 76
Likes: 2
From: puyallup wa
its an HPDE day and I will be in the intermediate run group. I plan to get a second set of track oriented pads (hp+) and rotors but dont have the funds for all of that for now. I was told the oem pads stop fine for now but mine are around 50% so thats why im looking for something that will get me through a track day. so I narrowed it down to OEM or HPS's. I certainly dont want something that is worse than stock.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 138
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
its an HPDE day and I will be in the intermediate run group. I plan to get a second set of track oriented pads (hp+) and rotors but dont have the funds for all of that for now. I was told the oem pads stop fine for now but mine are around 50% so thats why im looking for something that will get me through a track day. so I narrowed it down to OEM or HPS's. I certainly dont want something that is worse than stock.
The HPS pads or the OEM Z06 pads will work however just be cognizant of when they start to fade. You may have to run some cool down laps during the event to keep them from exceeding their maximum recommended operating temperature and fading away completely. I would not participate in a HPDE with pads that are already worn to the level you describe without planning on performing a mid-event brake inspection and having a spare set of pads with me. Good luck.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 278
Likes: 12
From: Marietta Ga
Go ahead and stick a set of Hawks in the front. The fronts are doing 90% of the braking and your OEMs aren't going survive a whole session without fading if you're putting down any speed at all.
Lots of people run different compounds front and back. A good example is running Carbotech 10s in front and 8s in back, which a lot of cars do.
Lots of people run different compounds front and back. A good example is running Carbotech 10s in front and 8s in back, which a lot of cars do.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 29
From: Vancouver Washington
I run 10s all around also. But, in the past when I have run 8s in the rear there was no noticable difference in the way the car handled in the shut down zones or while trail braking.
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
I have had very good experience with Porterfield Pads. I'm not exactly sure of the total makeup but I am pretty sure it is mostly carbon kevlar based. They do not fade at very high speeds. Instead of fading they become sacrificial. I have taken various vehicles on them for an entire day. Some were heavy cars like SL600 and end of day wear has never been worse than 30% remaining, and some stops were real pad ripping ones. They always hold intact with a hell of a grip. They are worth trying. They make a street version as well. They are on Placentia in Costa Mesa CA.
I don't mean to plug them its just that they are small and might be hard to find.
I don't mean to plug them its just that they are small and might be hard to find.