upgrading brake pads

USNengineman

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I currently have hawk 5.0s all around but im looking for something a bit better at both initial bite and better fade resistance. any ideas on what other pads would be better?
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Chris_19Si

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You should describe how you are using them more for people to offer their ideas. I use EBC Red Stuff pads for the street and autocross, but they don't hold up to the big track. I have also run EBC slotted rotors and OEM rotors and there is no difference on the street. I drive aggressively and use my brakes just the same. I commute a lot, and have a few opportunities each day to dive into a few turns at over a hundred down to about 50 mph without any problems. I only had some fade on the big track where several turns put too much temperature into the brakes.

Again, add some description of how you intend to drive and see if someone comes up with a combination of rotors, pads, fluid, etc. that work for you. It can get expensive pretty quick. Also consider lowering springs and tires to help with the braking if you don't already have those things.
 

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I too run EBC Red Stuff in the front, but with Carquest Platinum pads in the rear and Carquest Platinum rotors. They're great on the street and autocross but there are definitely better setups if you are doing big courses.

Also running Motul 660 fluid and Goodridge Stainless Steel brake lines, both of which I highly recommend.
 

Sport-injected

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I also ran ebc (yellow front, red rear) and were great on the street. No bueno on big track.
 
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USNengineman

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You should describe how you are using them more for people to offer their ideas. I use EBC Red Stuff pads for the street and autocross, but they don't hold up to the big track. I have also run EBC slotted rotors and OEM rotors and there is no difference on the street. I drive aggressively and use my brakes just the same. I commute a lot, and have a few opportunities each day to dive into a few turns at over a hundred down to about 50 mph without any problems. I only had some fade on the big track where several turns put too much temperature into the brakes.

Again, add some description of how you intend to drive and see if someone comes up with a combination of rotors, pads, fluid, etc. that work for you. It can get expensive pretty quick. Also consider lowering springs and tires to help with the braking if you don't already have those things.
yea i guess youre right lol. its my daily so its straight street.
i drive almost every weekend from SD to Vegas and in the summer i see IAT's of upwards 120 so i can only assume my breaks are hot hot going down some of those hills. I also like to drive pretty spirited from time to time around town. I just want a pad that'll hold up fade wise from the desert heat but has a great nasty initial bite! i dont care about noise of dust whatsoever. lol
I have slotted ebc front rotors as of now. I also have some motul break fluid and the steel break lines that i need to put on so i know that'll help as well.
but mostly just lookin for a pad that holds up well when its hot hot and has a snappy bite.
 


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USNengineman

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I too run EBC Red Stuff in the front, but with Carquest Platinum pads in the rear and Carquest Platinum rotors. They're great on the street and autocross but there are definitely better setups if you are doing big courses.

Also running Motul 660 fluid and Goodridge Stainless Steel brake lines, both of which I highly recommend.
Ive had the break lines for like 2 years but ive never put them on lolol. i need to get on that!
 

Sport-injected

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lol why no bueno on big track?
burned through the front pad set in 3 days at Watkins Glen. Couldn't have been luckier though, as I pulled into the paddock after my final session of the weekend, which was by far the fastest, the brakes started grinding and upon inspection pads were falling apart down to the backing pads. If you look somewhere on my build thread I posted pictures. They actually performed great the entire weekend but did not last long at all. Watkins is long track with a couple fast stretches into hard braking, so they may be ok on a smaller low speed track.

After that experience I upgraded to BBK.
 
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USNengineman

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burned through the front pad set in 3 days at Watkins Glen. Couldn't have been luckier though, as I pulled into the paddock after my final session of the weekend, which was by far the fastest, the brakes started grinding and upon inspection pads were falling apart down to the backing pads. If you look somewhere on my build thread I posted pictures. They actually performed great the entire weekend but did not last long at all. Watkins is long track with a couple fast stretches into hard braking, so they may be ok on a smaller low speed track.

After that experience I upgraded to BBK.
damn dude! good thing you caught it when you did!
 

Sport-injected

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yea i guess youre right lol. its my daily so its straight street.
i drive almost every weekend from SD to Vegas and in the summer i see IAT's of upwards 120 so i can only assume my breaks are hot hot going down some of those hills. I also like to drive pretty spirited from time to time around town. I just want a pad that'll hold up fade wise from the desert heat but has a great nasty initial bite! i dont care about noise of dust whatsoever. lol
I have slotted ebc front rotors as of now. I also have some motul break fluid and the steel break lines that i need to put on so i know that'll help as well.
but mostly just lookin for a pad that holds up well when its hot hot and has a snappy bite.
Ebc pads would probably be a good fit for what you are looking for. I ran the reds and yellows on the street and both had good Initial bite, far better than OEM. Very dusty though.
 
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Sport-injected

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I just want a pad that'll hold up fade wise from the desert heat but has a great nasty initial bite! i dont care about noise of dust whatsoever. lol
I have slotted ebc front rotors as of now. I also have some motul break fluid and the steel break lines that i need to put on so i know that'll help as well.
We use ebc bluestuff in our Si. We have yet to see it fade. It's rated up to 550C/1000F. We are using motul rbf700 and it boils before we have any signs of pad fade. You need to be careful though when they are cold, as they don't bite that much before getting into working temperature. After the first braking, it's all good.

I run ebc rp1/rpx on the type R. No fade up to 850C/1550F. That is, no fade ever... Strong bite in all temperatures and very good modulation. A PITA to bed in, though.
 

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We use ebc bluestuff in our Si. We have yet to see it fade. It's rated up to 550C/1000F. We are using motul rbf700 and it boils before we have any signs of pad fade. You need to be careful though when they are cold, as they don't bite that much before getting into working temperature. After the first braking, it's all good.

I run ebc rp1/rpx on the type R. No fade up to 850C/1550F. That is, no fade ever... Strong bite in all temperatures and very good modulation. A PITA to bed in, though.
Ebc does have an extensive bedding procedure, do the blue pads have bed coating or are they uncoated?
 

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They are uncoated. Yeah, I used to not believe in bedding that much before using ebc. These pads really need it, but the results are impressive.
For sure
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