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I need pads and want your opinion. These pads will see about 5k miles per year on the street, plus a couple track days and (hopefully) a couple autocrosses each year. I have a Supercharged 92.
Please, don't vote for a pad if you have never used anything other than it... I am looking for input from the guys that have tried a few different types.
I'm using Hawk HPS pads now... have used stock before. I have the Mintex pads on my Passat and they're dusty as all hell.
I have used OEM and HP+ The HP+ are too much for the street. Loud and dust ALOT! I voted for OEM, since they are very good pads. However, since you have the supercharger, you might step up. The 3 track days I have done have seen my OEM pads never fade. Also through tons of autoX they last a while too. No noise, and little dust. Plus they are cheap.
Another vote for OEM. That's the only pads I have ever used on my Miatae and have no complaints.
Ofcourse if you drive like sammm, these are the only brakes you'll needQuote:
Originally Posted by sammm
http://fusionanomaly.net/fredflintst...thbaldfeet.gif
Only you can decide what's right for you, but I have OEMs on my '96 and Porterfield Sports on my '93.
The Porterfields grip a little harder, but take a moment to warm up -- like the first stop sign you hit on the way to work, etc. I can't really say anything bad about either of them.
The OEMs are cheaper. :)
Chuck
I have the Porterfield sports now, and like them but I don't have a clue what is good or bad. In the last 6 months, I have had 3 different people that have driven my car question my brake performance.Quote:
Originally Posted by ccage
Come drive our '96 and see what you think, they have the HP + which are still my favorite for the street and the track.
Gary
Hmmm actually test the products... what a concept! :clap:Quote:
Originally Posted by shuhart1
Now I remember! Pads are not your problem. You have other issues with your brakes we need to work on before you worry about pads.Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus
Grrrrrr... Care to elaborate?Quote:
Originally Posted by tailchaser
Grrrr???? Pedal feel is soft. It may be as simple as a weak brake line. Surely we'll have a tech day soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus
As in more money.:punchout:Quote:
Originally Posted by tailchaser
Get ya some stainless lines first... then get the different pads.
If you have a line going soft, you don't want to have it blow. It sucks. Had that happen on the wife's Olds Cutlass Supreme years back.
<perk> Tech Day?
I could use new pads and fluid change
I like the HP+ for track days, but I hate them on the street. They dust like a maid on speed, plus they grumble and squeal a lot in city driving. I keep a set in my toolbox for track days, but that's the only time they're on the car.Quote:
Originally Posted by shuhart1
I've been through two sets of HP+ on the Miata, two sets of OEMs, and I'm now on my second set of Axxis Ultimates. They're probably more comparable to the Hawk HPS pads (not quite as aggressive as the HP+), but they don't dust excessively and they're quiet for street use, while offering a much better initial bite than the OEMs, along with good modulation.
I've used Porterfields and EBC Greens on other cars, and the Axxis Ultimates so far have been the best combinaiton of street/light track pad I've found.
BTW Titus - do you still have the OEM 1.6L brakes? Because they suck, in my opinion. Every 1.6L car I've ever instructed in had horrible brakes.
Before I shelled out for a new set of performance pads for the 1.6L brakes, I'd look into buying a used set of OEM 1.8L brakes - they'll be a vast improvement.
This has been stuck in the back of my head for a while, but I have been doing a good job suppressing the $$$ thought. ::Censor:: you for reminding me! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by altiain
Let me chime in.
I would goto a junkyard and get 1.8 brakes, brackets and rotors for about $200. You will probably already have decent pads on them. Save you pennies and only worry about your front brakes for pad changes. The 1.8 brakes are a HUGE improvement in themselves.
Since you are only going to track the car a little bit don't worry about the track. The Miata is VERY light on brakes and the 1.8s perform VERY well.
And I just happen to have a 1.8 set complete for sale. Go figure?
Gary
Ok, I haven't driven the car on the track -- not even autocross -- so take this with a whole shaker of salt:Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus
The Porterfields feel to me like the have a much differently shaped performance "envelope" than the stock pads. Specifically, they feel to me to make higher friction over all, but generally at higher temperatures. It seems to take more pedal pressure to get the same result in braking, but if you keep pushing it feels like you get more overall friction.
At first it bothered me. I thought maybe I hadn't got them bedded in right, even though I followed their guidelines (and their guidelines made sense to me and others). Looking at the rotors showed a good bed-in. Then once I discovered the difference, it's actually kinda nice in that -- because the overall performance envelope is wider -- the lockup threshold area is wider, too, meaning that it's easier to find the threshold and hold it.
OTOH, you have to remember that when you get in it to go to the store first thing Saturday morning after not having driven it for a few days (or worse yet having driven your almost-identical-but-with-stock-pads-Miata all week), you need to allot for the fact that a) you have to push harder on the pedal and b) the brakes aren't gonna work as well 'till they heat up just a little -- which can lead to an oh $%$ moment. Ask me how I know. :)
Hope this helps.
Chuck
This sounds consistent with what I have seen as well as with most of the comments I have gotten, including TCs above. Perhaps there is nothing wrong other than the lack of familiarity with the pads characteristics by those that have made comments. :scratch:Quote:
Originally Posted by ccage
Just for giggles, why don't you PM me your price. :punchout:Quote:
Originally Posted by shuhart1
Hey Gary, for him, you should just go ahead and double it! ::Angel::Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus
And to think, I was going to offer you a deal on my 1.6 powerslot rotors. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Treibenschnell
Actually, I'd been thinking of bumping up to the 1.8 brakes for awhile now...Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus
I like the Hawk Black pads. Especially if you are not going to street the car a whole lot. medium duty race pad/aggressive street pad. I ran them on my project racer and on my street car for the past 2 years and love'd em.
i think ill use the HP+'s you sold me from now on. i love them. yes theyre noisy and dust alot, but hell, once you get used to them, youll be hooked!Quote:
Originally Posted by shuhart1
Well, this is what I finally ended up doing. I bought a box full of stuff that Gary pulled off of a wrecked '99 that included front and rear 1.8 rotors, calipers, caliper brackets, and a set of nearly new HPS front pads. BAM! stopped by tonight and helped me get the fronts on and it was pretty easy. We ended up not needing to use the calipers, as you only need the brackets, rotors, and pads. This saved us having to deal with bleeding the system. Once I get some rear 1.8 pads, I will get them on.Quote:
Originally Posted by altiain
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