Which Brake Pads, And Where??
 

Got my SS lines on order, 4 new Napa rotors sitting at the house, gonna grab some fluid, and need some pads...

Was wondering what everyone is using, how you like them, and whats the best (cheapest) source?

Not gonna be tracking the car anytime soon, but would like to feel very confident pushing the car on the street and knowing it'll stop on a dime...

Would like something focused on stoppping power, that doesn't squeal, and keeps dust to a minimum...But obviously I'm open to tradeoffs (more concerned with stopping perf than anything).

I used EBCs on my Z and liked them...but wanna know what the consensus is here....

PS--car details in sig

I have axxis ultimates on the miata now and like them. They dust a fair bit but work well on the street. Plus they were like $80 shipped on ebay for all four corners.

Well $80.00 certainly is music to my ears...And I have heard a few people mention them, but also hear Hawks, Ebc's, and others...

I did search, weird there hasn't been a thread like this bout pads before...at least on here, and YOU people are the one's I wanna here from...

So who else?

Such a newb:
https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/sho...ght=brake+pads

I ate through a set of brand new EBC redstuff in 90 minutes.

Do not get Hawk HP+, they are very awesome, but very loud unless you warm them up, which you will not do street driving. They also dust a shit load, but this does not bother me, I rock em now and will continue to do so.
I used to have EBC green stuff, they were really good for daily driving, stopped pretty good, didn't dust too bad, no noise ever, but they faded in the mountains, not sure they would suit you on the track very well.

Make sure you get really good fluid, i use Ate Super Blue, good stuff!

the louder they are and the more dust they produce the better they are.

cj--:fawk: :giggle: I always forget to try linkign 2 words w/ +....I tried , brake, brakes, pads, and didnt find a good one... Good reading info there thanx

Scott--guessing that was on track at the warp speeds you obtain... I'll prob be seeing 2digits for a while...still need cooling stuff, tires, suspension, etc...
But if this was on the street w/ "spirited" driving, let me know now so I can rule 'em out....

Zabac--nice heads up on the HP's and the EBC green's

Thats what I thought as well, however I'm guessing there's a certain point where this would be overkill, or not work well on the street...

IMO Hawk HP = ballerest street pads
HP+ = too noisy and not so good cold

I typed "brake pads" in the search field.

yes, HP+ are very loud when it's cold, but they warm up fairly quickly with my driving style

don't get it from ebay if you get the Ultimates. Get them from getcoolparts.com They're labeled as PBR but we all know it's the same company as Axis. They are $60 with free shipping from that site.

If you want cheap, stop reading right here.

If you want some kickass street pads get Carbotech Bobcats. They'll run you just a little over $100 per axle. Do some searching, and you won't find a bad word written about them.

You've spent how much turbo charging your car? Brakes pads aren't the place to be thrifty.

http://www.ctbrakes.com/pads/mazda.htm

C

Carbotech xp10 front xp8 rear, you can get them at 949. They squeal alot, but dust is managable and the stopping power is awesome. They are awesome for me, not so great for you.

Just get replacements for the front if you are concerned about money, the rear hardly does any work to warrant expensive pads back there.

so not true on the track

I've got EBC red stuff and have liked them. About 10K of street driving and 3 track days and they are still in good shape. That's all pre-turbo though. We'll see how they hold up to the higher speeds with the turbo. Funny when I was researching pads people either loved the EBC's or said they fell apart immediately. Don't know if EBC had a couple of bad runs or if quality control really sucks.

i actually liked my EBC greenstuff and they held up just fine on the track....as far as the material not eating through to the backing plate. didn't mean they didnt fall apart soon after.

suffice to say ill never buy ebc again.

i also got smart and upgraded to 1.8L brakes, because there's no reason a 1.6L would need 1.8L brakes, cause that extra 10hp from the factory makes a huge difference.

hmmm, so EBC's sound like they are out with the mixed reviews...and Cueball liking them pre-turbo...

those carbotechs seem a little on the steep side, and may be over the top for now...

So for now seems like it's more between the axis/pbr and the hawk HP's...

While I'm not looking to get the cheapest pads out there, it seems something to def consider if the Axis's have a good rep so far...thats IF they are def equal?? Why a diff name/cheaper price for the same product?

Also, gonna have to see about my rear drivers side caliper. It kept locking up on me everytime I pulled the ebrake. I loosened the adjustment screw, and it released...Then tightened (till pad barely touched rotor, then back out 1/4 turn) again, and same thing happened, twice soon as I tugged the ebrake. So now I have that adjustment screw pretty much fully loosened...Although I also haven't touched the ebrake either since doing this...
Caliper might be shot or might just need some lube... The car drove fine about 10months ago for about 1k miles...then it sat in my garage while my turbo saga began...then all of a sudden when I went to take it for a spin, caliper was locked....only the rear drivers side...weird

By the way guys....metal vs ceramic???

Metal

Maybe, I guess if you do a lot of handbrake drifting they may be worth changing.

I used the PBR Ultimates and they stopped very well, they do dust a decent amount, but no noise. As for the name difference, I'm not sure why but it is known that they are the same.
I had the same problem with one of my rear calipers. It turned out the arm that the e-brake cable attatches to on the caliper was very corroded and wouldn't release all the way sometimes. I'm pretty sure it's not a servicable part, but don't quote me on that. I bought a new one to replace it.

Thanks for the insight....I guess I'll try the PBC's and go from there...everyone agree w/ Sam bout Metal vs Ceramic? (sorry but never had much of a reason to worry bout brakes too much...now i have the powa)

I'm gonna address the ebrake issue at the same time the car is up getting the rest of the brake work done...

Something to add to the list of possibilities....now I'm up to:
ebrake adjustment (handle and caliper)
lube
bad caliper (wouldnt it be getting stuck when pedal braking as well, nut just ebrake??)
ebrake attachment arm


Screw it while the thread title should have been more like MY BRAKE SETUP?????,
any real benefit for slotted/drilled rotors?? My thinking is if any it'd only be at the track under the most extreme conditions...From what I read it opinions go from "huge improvement" to "drilled rotors crack/are useless, slotted dont crack but are still useless"...and of course every manufacturer's claim of "heat/gas dissipitation"...

eghh, sorry but also anyone running the 01+ sport rotors??? I ask because since I'm addressing the brakes I was considering bumping up to the slightly larger rotors...however I know (seriously doubt) my stock 14's wont clear them...

I am correct that to use 01+ rotors I'd need 15's??? Also correct that I can use my current brackets and calipers?? Or do I need the 01 brackets as well...

Lastly, any strongly preferred fluid?? I hear most people using ATE or Motuls..again doubt I'll be boiling any but figured I'd ask....

Sorry but figured I'd get it all out there, take all the abuse, but hopefully get some answers

I believe the general consensus is the drilled slotted thing is bling

Just use the napa rotors you have. I wouldnt worry about tryin to upgrade up to the 01+ Sport brakes. Im using the Axxis Ultimates also and have had no trouble with them at all.
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I've bought all the pieces, but haven't installed them yet, so everything I'm tellingyou is based on 'internet knowledge/research', and zero real world experience.

01+ Sport Calipers & Brackets are required to fit the rotors, and you need to run 15" minimum wheels (and don't forget about a 15" spare). The rotors are pricey no matter where you get them.

I bought the calipers, with mounting brackets & proportioning valve for $300 and change from www.partsgroup.com, rotors came from Amazon.com ($10 shipping FTW) for about $150, and Carbotech Bobcats were about $225, so the total in the $700 neighborhood. Luckily I already have ss brake lines, and I'll recoup some money by selling my 1.8l brakes, but like everything else, the shit adds up quick.

C

Well that clearly rules them out for me for now...I hoping all I'd need was rotors and wheels...

Let me know how it goes, as I'll prob go down the same road (upgrade and sell 1.8 stuff) some other time...

Phil, metal as well?

Eghh nm, ultimates are ceramic it looks like "ceramic strengthened formula"

Fuck it I'm just gonna follow the herd, grab some ultimates and try 'em out....sounds like one of those things that varies from person to person anyway...

I got the Axis/PBR back in Sep 07 and I love em. Had a few sudden hard stops that I needed to make quickly and they didn't let me down.

Next pads I'm gonna try are either the Hawk HP+ or Carbotechs

I was in sc'd Miata at a track event running Sumitomo pads (from Rspeed). Don't know what model, but I was VERY impressed with how well they managed the abuse. And minimal noise or dust for street use. I believe they're ~$60 for the fronts.

people who complain about HP+ do not have a penis. Seriously, stop crying. I love that pad. I can drive 10/10 all session long and I get no fade on my stock 1.6.

If you don't track the car, get hps.

I can get all 4 glowing on the track.

I think we probably need a distinction between track type pads and street type pads. IMO, HP+ is not a good street pad. IMO, HP+ is not a good track pad either. :giggle:

+1 My EBC Reds are almost gone after two trackdays. I also liked my EBC Greens. I had to drag the brakes to get them to bite in the mornings.

I've got Carbotech XP8 on the front and AX6 on the back with ATE super blue fluid. I run them on the street and the track. I can fade them on the track so I've got XP12/XP10 on order.

wrong

ordered PBR Ultimates today, if I'm not happy with these then I guess Hawk's will be next try

I have PBR ultimates and like em. They stop pretty good and warm up quickly, but the first time i had to stop quickly I almost locked up when they began to bite hard after a few seconds.

I dunno, I'm with Ben (halfway). I faded the shit out of my HP+s on the track the first time I had them out. As a street pad they are fucking AWESOME. They dust a lot, a little squeaky sometimes, but I have NEVER faded them.

Ben, I have a friend who runs HP+ on an STI and HPS on a '94 Supra Turbo. Loves the HP+s, HATES the HPS, so much that he is going to throw away the 500 mile old HPS and go BBK earlier than he was planning on the Supra. He says the HPS feels like shit compared to the HP+.

I don't know man, proof is in the pudding I suppose. I've never had an issue with my hp+ and I refuse to believe anyone is driving harder than me at Hallett or the 1.3 at MSR. Both of those tracks are severe braking courses and I even have the little 1.6 rotors with no ducting. I'm going to try hp+ with my sport brakes, but I don't think that's going to cut it with the big motor, so I will then go to blues with standard 1.8 brakes and see where I stand. I'd much rather live with the standard rotor and pad prices.

Obviously my superior driving style is more conservative on brakes.

I've never had the HP+ on my car, but I've driven 2 miatas with them. I feel that the HP is a better pad for typical street driving as it bites much harder when it's not hot. The HP+ is a better pad if you can keep heat in it. Neither is appropriate for track, and you'll see that when you're making better power.

Respectfully, it really doesn't matter if HP+ is better than HP on other (very different) street applications.

Whatever you do dont buy hawk blues. They ate my rotors brand spankin new 12" Willwood rotors. I use regular street pads(autozone -20 bucks) now (track use) and havent burned through a set yet... 2 seasons... The next set I am buying are PFC-90's My family has EXCELLENT luck with them and they are supposedly a good race pad.

Sorry i'm late... HP+ from frozenrotors.com... cheapest price around.

Lots of good info guys...Like i said i already ordered Ultimates, but if I'm not happy (or even if I am) I'm gonna try Hp+...

HP+ and ultimates were ok on short tracks before I was turbo.

Blues and blacks are not for street use, they chew the shit out of rotors. I've seen several cars shoot flaming sparks from the wheel wells while braking in blues. I've had blacks last 6 months with mixed street and track use.

On my DD/track beater 300ZX, my first upgraded pad was the Axxis Ultimate, then I switched to Hawk HPS, then BACK to Ultimates. The initial bite is a night/day difference. Ultimates are the best bang for the buck, IMO. I just grab the cheapest set from an eBay vendor.

+1 For the Axxis Ultimates

Love the bite on them, as well as does ever other person that has driven my car regardless to what pad they are using. The dust like a mother but you give some to get some.

i haven't really heard much on this thread about the hawk HPS. i do 95% DD, 5% autox. would you recommend those or the ultimates?

re read man, as far as THIS thread goes HP's seem to be the way to go! I just got my PBC Ultimates today! AND my ss line kit from advanced autosport...