So i was due for some new brake pads and decided to go with Hawk HPS pads for my TT brakes since i heard good things about them on SupraForums. this is just a simple first impression sort of review, no numbers or tests.

I guess i'll just go through the different driving conditions and how they perform.

1. Everyday driving
The pads perform well in decent temperatures, anything above 50 and they feel OEM. Grab very quickly and have this progressive friction feel. You can hold the brake pedal in the same spot but the brake pads as they warm up will start to slow the car down more and more, which i kinda like, feels really safe.

2. Cold conditions
Now in colder conditions below 35ish the pads really need some time to warm up, the first handful of stops will feel a little sketchy and you'll need to press the pedal down pretty hard. Once they're warmed up though, they're great and work just as well as when the air is warmer.

3. Bad conditions/lots of slush, rain, snow
This really scared me, we had some torrential rain here in chicago the past couple days and the brake pads were not working . Since the rotors and pads were almost always wet i had to smash the pedal pretty hard to get any sort of braking out of them. However once they start to rub that progressive friction feel comes back. My Solution was to simply press the brake a little before i start fully braking to dry the rotor and pads so they stick better. Pretty weird feeling as if the rotors were oiled (no i don't have any leaks anymore).

Dust: None, wheels are still clean after a month, pretty awesome.

Overall i think they're great pads for warmer climates, if you're ok with doing some precautionary braking in cold and wet climates then you'll be fine as well. Can't wait to see what they're like in the summer, should be great.

EDIT: my brake setup

Front, TT Calipers
Hawk HPS Pads
DBA 4000 Drilled and dimpled rotors

Rear, TT Calipers
Hawk HPS Pads
DBA 4000 Slotted Rotors

EDIT #2:
I also have Technafit stainless brake lines and ABS delete

 

Good to see an honest review of their pros and cons. I've always understood them to be sketchy for street use, but most people just take others' word for it and don't put them to the real world test.

 

yep, i tend to be a guinea pig a lot lol and just wing it.

 

Thank you very much for this review!

I swore by the Hawk HPS pads on my '00 Honda Prelude with stock calipers, Brembo blank rotors and Goodridge SS lines. On that car, compared to the Honda OEM pads, they were a big difference and improved the braking a lot. Tendency to fade easily was the biggest issue that the Hawk compound cured. However, TT calipers (or LS400 fronts) on a 500lb+ heavier RWD coupe are, by design, night and day superior with any pad. Rotor warp was an incurable issue on the Honda. Stock replacement Brembo non-drilled/slotted rotors helped on that vehicle.

Your impression in snow/slush conditions with the Hawk HPS pads really got my attention. I only drove that Prelude in Florida and southern California weather other than a single cross-country trek. Rain never seemed to be an issue for the Hawks and I can't think of many times it lived in sub-50F temperatures. I never drove it into any snowy or icy roads.

Thank you! I have debated switching to my old favorite Hawk pad for my SC with TT calipers ever since installing them but so far I haven't been dissatisfied with the OEM pads. However, I have yet to track my car and that's probably the tipping point for most owners. The recent sub-50F temperatures out here in L.A. might not be a good match for the HPS's in a daily application after reading your review.

Alternatively, I've read good things on Supraforums about Porterfield pads. At least for split DD/track use. Have you tried those before on any vehicle?

 

no, this is my first car that i've worked on, so the only pads i've ever used were OEM pads on a scion xb, and OEM TT pads which were basically charcoal, there was way too much dust. i'm liking these HPS pads a lot, just the really cold temps are weird for the first 5 minutes of driving, or if i don't brake for a while like when i'm on the highway. otherwise they're really freakin' sticky lol.

 

Your review of Hawk HPS's is basically identical to my experiences with my Axxis SBG semi-mettalic performance pads. Excellent response in the summer. Good in wet summer. Still good in the spring and fall when temps are around 40 and dry. Takes a few pumps when it's wet. Cold and wet rain can take as long as a second to grab.
They do make brake dust tho. Not a lot but not a little either. Blackish brown in color.

My setup:
Supra TT calipers (F & R)
iRotors cross drilled and slotted rotors - directional
Axxis XBG pads
Endless brake lines
Endless DOT4 brake fluid

 

Porterfield R4 pads are great for track use. You'll definitely need to warm them up on the street because they have a loud squealing sound when cold.

 

^^ Thanks for that, Blkexcoupe. That answers my long time curiosity about how Porterfields behave on the street. I'd very much like to try the PF's on a track day.

I'll stick to the OEM TT's or Hawk HPS's for street use. 1997 Soarer, how have you found rotor wear to be with your Axxis SBG's? I found the Hawks to be very acceptable with rotor wear on my previous car.

 

Porterfields are great on the track....not so much on the street.

 

The pads and rotors wear at the same rate. I know, that's RARE for a brake setup. I've got like 35k miles on these brakes and I still won't need changing for another 10k more.

Now I'm sure if I tracked my car for a full season I'd probably have to replace pads and rotors once a year. But that's something people do anyway.

 

Another positive experience for me with the Hawk HPS. I put them on my GS a few years ago with slotted rotors and they are still going strong. I much preferred them over stock and akebonos. The car is still in the family in a cold part of the country now and haven't heard any complaints about the cold.

I also put the Hawk HPS on my SC TT caliper setup about 750 miles ago. I used the toyota oem rotor. I still like the pads alot. Because I changed over from stock calipers/akebono pads to the TT setup it is obviously hard to compare just the pads. But if you've had the pads before you will instantly recognize the things you liked about them. I also installed stainless lines, added a strut tower bar with master cylinder support and upgraded the fluid. It honestly feels like a much lighter, sportier, and safer car.

 

I though i was only one having a problem with Hawk HPS on the cold/wet weather, want to know if the dealer still sell the OEM pads? it is really scary when the brakes are not at working temp..... can anyone recommend pad that have initial bite when step on the brake in cold and wet weather?

my set front brake set up is

Front, TT Calipers
Hawk HPS Pads
DBA 4000 Drilled and dimpled rotors

rear are stock..

 

I went with Wagner ThermoQuiets when I installed the LS400 front brakes, as they're among the more positively reviewed pads by the LS crowd. I liked them enough to put matching pads on the SC rears. Never had any issues with wet/dry or cold/warm conditions, although it's rare that I find myself in an emergency stopping situation.

I don't know off hand if they're available for the TT calipers, however.

 

thanks for reply, i have those pads in my Infiniti G35x work really well , the g35 used to have that issue with wet and cold , but no more, although Wagner pads have really good initial bite but brakes pedal can feel a bit soft...... been looking at at EBC pads green stuff and yellow stuff both have excellence cold bite....

 

I've used the green stuff pads before and they are good pads. I currently have the red stuff pads paired with LS400 calipers on my SC. They have a great initial bite and feel. I can't really comment on how they perform in the cold since it never gets that cold in Southern California. I have driven with them in the rain and the car stops fine, but when driving in the rain the tires are more important.

My biggest complaint with ebc pads is brake dust.