jcsperson

I'm at that point where I need to step up from street pads to a track pad. I'm not a racer and I'm not too concerned about lap times yet. I'm also on a budget. I'm looking for decent wear and stopping power and value for my money.

trapp

Hawk HPS pads are good for both options....they do not make noise during street driving..

Hawk HP Plus are a better track pad then the HPS....then did not make noise during daily driving with my vette but they could.....(Hawk states they could)

Anything above that will drive you crazy during street driving due to the noise they create.

I switch back and forth between rotors/pads due to I run aggressive pads at the track....

Personnally I would just get the HP Plus pads....you will see a good difference in braking then the stock pads...the HPS did not seem to be a "big" improvement..

You can get these pads at TireRack reasonable priced

Trapp

oh1vette

I ran the HP+, as you can imagine with a trackpad very dusty....during street use I'd have to clean the wheels every other day after my 44 mi daily commute...

Legacy Z06

No.

HPS is not much more than an oem replacement. HP Plus **IS NOT A TRACK PAD** by any means. Call Hawk if you doubt this. At best its a street pad that can do light lapping. Expect them to fade as soon as you start to push it.

trapp

I think you just answered his question....He wants a pad that can run at the track......and still run for street use. Yes it not a track pad but you can't run a true track pad on the street...

Legacy Z06

True, just wanted to ensure he didn't think Hp+ was a track pad. Probably a better option is a Ferrodo 2500 as a street / light track duty pad.

wtb-z

I would pick the HP+ over the DS2500. My experience is that the DS2500 will let go a lot when you overheat it, while the HP+ handles overheating much better.

jcsperson

I guess I wasn't as clear as I should've been.

Yes, I want a track pad and I expect to swap out street and track pads as necessary. I'm just looking to get the best pad for the money. I'm not looking to break any track records. I'm not even remotely there yet with my driving.

I went the most economical way to go considering cost, rotor wear, all that stuff.

Sidney004

IMO the Raybestos ST43 fits the bill. Tremendous longevity, easy on rotors, lots of friction, great feel, little expensive to buy though.

383

PFC's seen to be on the cheap side. Everyone thats used then seems to love them. Ill be using them this season. PFC99's front XP 10 rear

johninar

I used HP+ for several years. It is a great track day/ daily driver pad. They do start to chunk when you get down to 1/3rd pad. (lots more heat when they get thin).

Dusty? yep
With NT01 you will run out of tire before you run out of brakes.

I finally got to the point of moving to Wilwoods and I change pads and rotors from street to track. I think the HP+ is a great compromise.
I managed my first 1:29 at Hallet with HP+ and Kumho MXs

sothpaw2

wilwood H offer great stopping power and very low wear. They are hard on rotors but you can get rotors cheap if you find used C5 blanks.

FASTFATBOY

Ferodo DS2500 was by FAR the best double duty pad I had.

I now swap out to Carbotech XP12/XP8 for trackdays and run cheapo ceramic(no dusting) pads for daily and autocross stuff.

You spend money on crap pads and overheat them you trashed a set of rotors and you will find some loose teeth in your head along with whatever screws are loose in the car as they will fall out.

Ferodo Ds2500 in an incredible pad.

jlutherva

Given the engine mods you've got, you may want to consider upgrading your brake system. I had the same questions on my C6Z and upgraded to the Wilwood W6A front brake kit. Pad life increased to 2X any OEM replacement track pad and the calipers are very easy to work on. You should check out the Wilwood caliper options for C5.

Jim

crimlwC6

I've ran several different pads and I really like the Raybestos 43s that were mentioned earlier. They last longer than anything else and I like how they feel. I also liked the Carbotech 12s I ran on my C6. There are a lot of good pads out there and at some point it comes down to how you like the pads to feel (initial bite, modulation, release character).
A huge asset is Carbotech's customer response; email Adam and he'll tell you what pad to run.

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

To the OP, I will be happy to talk with you we have several diffrent options. I need to know if you want to swap pads for track and street or you want to just leave your pads on. I will say that if you dont want to swap I would use the XP8 front and XP8 rear this will have some noise and dust, but our pads are extremely rotor friendly and contain 100% non-corrosive brake dust so, will not harm your wheels or paint. If you are willing to swap than I would use XP10 front and XP8 rear and for street use the 1521. All our compounds are compatiable so all you would need to do is just change pads no bedding no cleaning of rotors just swap pads and go.

dbratten

Very true. I've had excellent results with Carbotech pads whether I leave the race pads in on the street or switch to the 1521s for extended street use. I never have to worry about bedding them between changes or swapping rotors.

jcsperson

Jim, that will be down the road a bit...that nasty "budget" word again.

I'll definitely call you when I'm ready to go.

hellrazr

I second this recommendation. They may be expensive, but because of their durability, they are still the best value.

They aren't mentioned as much on this forum because they don't have a marketing team actively promoting, but they are the best out there from what I've tried, in my opinion.

X25

ST43 lasted me the whole season last year, and they're very rotor friendly. Their bite is incredible, too, even when cold. On EvoX forums, they claim that the ST43s let the rotors last 3x compared to most other pads. Considering all these, it actually becomes one of the cheapest, and they're not too expensive, anyway.

On another note, HPS is not only not a track pad, it SHOULD NEVER BE USED AT THE TRACK. When those pads exceed the service temps, they start fading completely, and you end up risking yourself. In contrast, even though they are not track pads, OEM pads would still hold it just fine at the expense of prematurely wearing itself out.