Brake Pads For AX/Racing

[f_399]

Just bought a 99 Miata, doing maintenance stuff and getting it ready for autocross and wondering what brake pads y'all recommend for auto cross and racing. A reasonable price would be nice! :)

It will not be street driven

Thanks!

[POS Racing]

I've always had good luck with stock pads on my '99. YMMV

[CosmosMpower]

If it's autocross and you don't street drive it and have ABS, I'd get the Hawk HP+. If you track it you probably need a real dedicated track pad.

[f_399]

no abs and it will be a dedicated track car

any brands or places to buy?

[CraiginTX]

no abs and it will be a dedicated track car

any brands or places to buy?

Support your local speed dealer - LINK

[POS Racing]

no abs and it will be a dedicated track car

any brands or places to buy?

Dedicated Track or Autocross?? Ya may want to consider a set of pads for each. AX doesn't require near as much brake as you would use on the track.

I can get a season out of a set of OEM pads running autocross at least 3 times a month, once again YMMV!

[f_399]

Support your local speed dealer - LINK

so many to choose from, which one do you recommend

[POS Racing]

so many to choose from, which one do you recommend

Ask the supplier he is a track guy has lots of track miles on his Miatas!

http://www.trackdogracing.com/website/brakes/hawk.htm

We recommend the HPS (Street) as a high performance street pad. These pads are also suitable for light track days and autocross events.

The HP Plus is for the serious track and autocross enthusiast but they are still streetable. They're our favorite pad! These pads are more abrasive to rotors and will dust and squeal more than the HPS.

We can also get all the Hawk compounds if you want something more aggressive. Just give us a call

[altiain]

no abs and it will be a dedicated track car

any brands or places to buy?

A dedicated track car or an autorcross and track car? There's a difference.

For autocross use, I'd recommend OEM or something mild, like a Hawk HPS or Axxis Ultimate. For autocross you want something with good bite that works well at ambient temperatures, since you will typically not have a chance to get heat in the brakes before running.

For track use, you want something with a higher working temperature range. Hawk HP+ are okay for mild track use on a Miata, but I'd personally suggest something more aggressive like a Carbotech XP8/XP10. These pads will give you fade-free performance at the elevated brake temps seen during extended track use.

The downside to good track pads is that they don't work well when cold or wet and they tend to be very abrasive on rotors. By contrast, street/autocross friendly pads tend to fade easily and wear very quickly at the elevated temperatures seen during track use. This means that good track pads typically aren't good autocross/street pads, and vice versa.

For the best of both worlds you need a set of street/autox pads and a dedicated set of track pads. If you're already changing wheels and tires at a track event, it doesn't take much longer to swap pads while you're there.

Stay away from pad compounds that claim to be "street/track friendly". Typically what this means is elevated noise, dust, and rotor wear on the street, worse cold and wet performance than OEM, and not enough temperature range to avoid pad fade during hard or extended track use. In other words, pads that are marketed as capable both on the street and the track tend to be the worst of both worlds.

[Ataim]

I've also read some where that stock pads in front and more aggressive autocross pads in back. If I remember correctly it gives better balance for autocross.

[sammm]

I've also read some where that stock pads in front and more aggressive autocross pads in back. If I remember correctly it gives better balance for autocross.

That's what I did. OEM in front, HP+ in back. I haven't been on the track with that combo, but am happy with it for AX.

[CosmosMpower]

I've also read some where that stock pads in front and more aggressive autocross pads in back. If I remember correctly it gives better balance for autocross.

That works well for cars with no ABS, it basically help re-adjust your brake proportioning since you can't change the valve in stock class. However with an ABS car I have HP+ front and stock rear and I can basically slam my foot through the floor board with no lock up

[Darron65]

That works well for cars with no ABS, it basically help re-adjust your brake proportioning since you can't change the valve in stock class. However with an ABS car I have HP+ front and stock rear and I can basically slam my foot through the floor board with no lock up

We hate you.

[jrj512]

We hate you.

Look at it this way -- if he tries that in the Lotus, it will go into ice mode, mow down cones, and break his front spoiler.

[ken o]

Hawk Blues in the front and Blacks in the back for track. You will need new rotors every 2-3 sets pads in the front. But rotors are cheap.

[CosmosMpower]

Look at it this way -- if he tries that in the Lotus, it will go into ice mode, mow down cones, and break his front spoiler.

Yeah but I'll still be faster than you even with the jacked up front aero

[chucka]

hey AJ, glad you found the site ok. listen to these guys, they know what they are talking about. and most of them are cheap bastards so they will know where to get the stuff cheap. good luck with the new car.

[cone-cerned]

Like sammm, I have OEM pads on the front of my NA and Hawk HP+ on the rear. Since the install, I have only run at the Bus Lot. We'll see tomorrow how the new set up works at Mineral Wells.