Automotive

Hawk HPS brake pads, Worst pads every for Daily street driving.

  • Last Updated:
  • Oct 3rd, 2011 8:03 pm
Tags:
None
Deal Guru
User avatar
Dec 2, 2008
12459 posts
2170 upvotes
GTA

Hawk HPS brake pads, Worst pads every for Daily street driving.

So i have hawks hps pads on 1.5 of my cars. all of them are glazed over. Do not buy these pads. many people on the internet have mentioned how they tend to glaze over alot. THEY ARE PRONE TO GLAZING no matter how you drive them. There "max operating temp" is only around 750 degrees f. I think this might be too low for normal cars in traffic as there is not much cooling. stock pads were better.

they were bedded in by manufacture recommended method.

vehicles are nissan quest 2004-2008 front and rear as well as honda accord 2007 v6 rear.

they dont squeal, but they glaze over the rotors and surface.

How do i remove the glaze and keep them from glazing up again??? i already hit them up with some 120 grit on both rotor and pads on one set of axle. only a 8 more surfaces to go.
22 replies
Deal Addict
May 24, 2006
2238 posts
881 upvotes
I have them... they squeal like crazy... pissing the hell out of me..

Don't think I got glazing problems though as I don't have stopping problems. Will get them checked when I go in for service..
Deal Guru
User avatar
Dec 2, 2008
12459 posts
2170 upvotes
GTA
Marx0r wrote: Did you perform a bed-in procedure after installing?

http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

yes they were bedded in properly. one vehicle had them for 3 years ish and the other a couple months
br0pbr0p wrote: I have them... they squeal like crazy... pissing the hell out of me..

Don't think I got glazing problems though as I don't have stopping problems. Will get them checked when I go in for service..

they shouldn't squeal at all. Very quiet pads. they do make a low frequency noise/rumble when dragging the brakes at 0-1kmph, but this could be from the glazed surface as well.
Banned
Sep 22, 2008
8322 posts
548 upvotes
I don't have the glazing problem but i do get a squeal or two in the morning when first applying the brakes.
Afterwards they stop better than the OEM pads which fade much sooner after continuous repeated stop and go.
I will check them in the summer for glazing
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Nov 18, 2002
7041 posts
652 upvotes
BC Interior
HP+ is what you want. Semi-race pad. Squeel a bit unless you get some nice shims but they stop like nobody's business.

HPS is highly overrated and not recommended even as a stock replacement. Save your money and get stock pads.
Banned
Sep 22, 2008
8322 posts
548 upvotes
I remember my PBR metal masters got glazed very badly and couldn't stop well, faded no bite when applying the brakes, but I was on the track braking from 180 to 90 kph.
The smoke from the brakes was unimaginable and after a few laps had to stop.
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jun 11, 2007
1502 posts
60 upvotes
Brampton
i have use 3 pairs of HPS, and love them.

no noise when cold, stop amazing, better than OEM pads. last long as well.

i even brought them to track, no problem at all.

low dust as a bonus.
FS: Continental-Barum Bravuris 2 - 1x 255/35/18
I don't worship lenses, nor do I see the 3 primes as a "trinity"
there is only one Holy Trinity and they certainly aren't lenses
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Sep 2, 2006
6354 posts
1013 upvotes
Toronto, ON
Did you bed them....?

I have the same pads and bedding them was the issue I had. OVerall they are GREAT at providing stopping power.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Dec 2, 2008
12459 posts
2170 upvotes
GTA
m4gician wrote: Did you bed them....?

I have the same pads and bedding them was the issue I had. OVerall they are GREAT at providing stopping power.

yes they are bedded in.

they do make plenty of dust if you use them. stoppping power is great until they get glazed. braking feels always so cold once they glaze
Deal Expert
User avatar
Oct 5, 2008
18182 posts
14183 upvotes
Toronto
mk5gti wrote: i have use 3 pairs of HPS, and love them.

no noise when cold, stop amazing, better than OEM pads. last long as well.

i even brought them to track, no problem at all.

low dust as a bonus.

Ditto.

I liked them on my last car, Mazdaspeed Protege.

Also did some track days with them as well.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Dec 2, 2008
12459 posts
2170 upvotes
GTA
packardbell wrote: post up some pictures.
i had bed them

will post picture, the rotors are completely brown (where the pad touches, it should be normally silver) and the pads are shinny like glass.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Sep 2, 2006
6354 posts
1013 upvotes
Toronto, ON
qaz393 wrote: will post picture, the rotors are completely brown (where the pad touches, it should be normally silver) and the pads are shinny like glass.

Did you grease everything okay?

As a side note, it's hard to find an empty street to properly bed brakes don't you think? You'd need a straight away, free of cops and you'd need to do it at night I'm guessing. speeding up to 100km/h then slamming them.
Member
Sep 16, 2005
348 posts
10 upvotes
Montreal
I replaced my Stock Brakes on my Audi A4 2009 to Zimmerman Discs and HPS Pads, then did a brake flush.

Before doing the proper brake in, the brakes were HORRIBLE! Correct Brake in, is when you look at your brakes and they are smoking!

The OEM pads had a great bite at initial braking but passengers didn't enjoy this much and made the car feel more sporty than luxury. The HPS and OEM after the initial bite would break in about the same distance. I feel the HPS brake the car even quicker than the stock OEM which are very soft and provide amazing braking. Pros and Cons. Pros, virtually no brake dust, Cons, if it's really cold they don't grip as quick. So in winter you have to watch out not to go quick right away, either way your engine is cold, so don't push it.

Brake flush removed the initial air/spungy feeling before the break initially started to bite.
Deal Addict
May 25, 2009
1878 posts
424 upvotes
br0pbr0p wrote: Always wondered, where do you guys find the space to do that bedding properly?

I think I need to bed my Hawk Ceramic pads but I can't think of a good place to do this... suggestions?

Hopefully you can find a large parking lot nearby late in the evening when it is empty. That should work well for bedding the brakes.

I have the Performance Ceramic pads and they have been awesome. I changed out my rotors and pads about 4 months ago and the new set up is so much better when compared with stock.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Dec 2, 2008
12459 posts
2170 upvotes
GTA
br0pbr0p wrote: Always wondered, where do you guys find the space to do that bedding properly?

I think I need to bed my Hawk Ceramic pads but I can't think of a good place to do this... suggestions?
well the instruction says 35mph = 56 and 45mph = 72. i just go to any main road like woodbine and do it there. of course, this is around after 9pm where there is little to no cars. make sure there arent any cars around you while doing this.
m4gician wrote: Did you grease everything okay?

As a side note, it's hard to find an empty street to properly bed brakes don't you think? You'd need a straight away, free of cops and you'd need to do it at night I'm guessing. speeding up to 100km/h then slamming them.
100 is "too fast" according to hawk instruction. but, different size brakes/car will need to be bedded in differently
tilhasbb wrote: I replaced my Stock Brakes on my Audi A4 2009 to Zimmerman Discs and HPS Pads, then did a brake flush.

Before doing the proper brake in, the brakes were HORRIBLE! Correct Brake in, is when you look at your brakes and they are smoking!

The OEM pads had a great bite at initial braking but passengers didn't enjoy this much and made the car feel more sporty than luxury. The HPS and OEM after the initial bite would break in about the same distance. I feel the HPS brake the car even quicker than the stock OEM which are very soft and provide amazing braking. Pros and Cons. Pros, virtually no brake dust, Cons, if it's really cold they don't grip as quick. So in winter you have to watch out not to go quick right away, either way your engine is cold, so don't push it.

Brake flush removed the initial air/spungy feeling before the break initially started to bite.

brakes were broken/bedded in properly to instruction. brakes are now glazed after months of city and highway driving. nothing hard like autocross or track
calgaryhhr wrote: Hopefully you can find a large parking lot nearby late in the evening when it is empty. That should work well for bedding the brakes.

I have the Performance Ceramic pads and they have been awesome. I changed out my rotors and pads about 4 months ago and the new set up is so much better when compared with stock.

parking lot isnt a good idea, you would needd to speed up quickly putting more strain on drive train component. again, the recommended speeds, you can legally do them on larger roads as long as there arent cars behind you
Sr. Member
Apr 22, 2008
500 posts
74 upvotes
Ajax, On
Have HPS on Altima 3.5. I consider myself a spirited driver. Hyway + stop and go 404/401 junction. After 1 year I really love the. Winter, summer, snow rain no problems whatsoever. Great stopping power no dust or noise. Will buy them again!

Top