Brakes Wheels 1st Gen Tires Which Brake pads do you use ?

Discussion in '1st Generation: 2002–06 R50, R53 & 2004–08 R52' started by AliceCooper, Feb 20, 2012.

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  1. AliceCooper

    AliceCooper Club Coordinator

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    Hawk ceramic or Greenstuff ? Tell me what you guys use, looking for pads for aggresive daily driving and maybe occasional track runs, basically just good all around pads. Have had the Hawk and greenstuff recommended to me.
     
  2. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    EBC Reds, FTW

    Hawk = trash IMHO
     
  3. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    :cornut: EBC Redstuff, a VERY noticeable improvement over OEM. The stopping distance greatly decreased. Really, there's no decrease in dust, it just happens to be white dust.:Thumbsup:

    Jason
     
  4. Way Motor Works

    Way Motor Works New Member

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  5. minimark

    minimark Well-Known Member

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    Carbotech.
     
  6. Firebro17

    Firebro17 Dazed, but not Confused
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  7. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I've use Hawk Ceramics & to my mind they are OK. Not a track pad, but better than the oem coal dust pads. I've also used the Green stuffed pads & to my mind they are the equal to the Hawk ceramics. I have Akibono pads on now & while they dust little I liked the Green stuffed pads better. None of these are track pads, but I have tracked with the Hawk Ceramics & lived to tell the tale.

    For track use I think I'd go with Carbotech.... Just my .02 :)
     
  8. BThayer23

    BThayer23 Well-Known Member

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    Hawk HPS on the street because they eventually stop the car, they're cheap, and they're relatively low dust. But mostly 'cause they're cheap and fit my BBK. I use track pads on the track. It's like wearing running shoes when I go running and dress shoes at the office - it just works better that way.
     
  9. Mr. Jim

    Mr. Jim Mudshark
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    +1 on the red, put them on last year to replace the jcw dustmakers which where fine, but the reds seems better and slightly less dust.
     
  10. DneprDave

    DneprDave Well-Known Member
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    I don't track my car and cheap bastard that I am, I run the OEM pads and will until I wear them out. My MINI stops better than any car I've ever had, I see no need to change anything until I have to.

    I'll probably get EBC Greenstuff pads as replacements, when I have to change the brake pads.

    Dave
     
  11. Redbeard

    Redbeard JCW: because fast is fun!
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    I ran EBC reds (Courtesy of WayMotorworks :D ) for street/autox/track use. Track pads (Carbotech track-pads have treated me VERY well) are the best for the track but if you are lazy guy like me the EBC reds offer good braking, won't glaze, and resist fade under regular lapping conditions. On the street they are, in my opinion, no different feeling than the OEM pads until they get a bit warm then they grab a bit harder.

    I've used Hawk pads (HPS) on other vehicles and had poor experience where they were the same or worse than OEM. I know guys they use thier track pads (Hawk blue?) and the HP+ pads have been much happier but I have never used them. I have also been told that running HP+ pads on the street isn't so great either.
     
  12. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Thanks for the heads up on the street use of Red Stuffed pads. Are they very dusty Redbeard?
     
  13. Redbeard

    Redbeard JCW: because fast is fun!
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    Eh, they dust. All brakes do. They don't do it as bad as the OEM. I have black wheels so I don't see it as readily either. I have noticed that it seems easier to clean off though.

    A disclaimer on the EBCs (or ANY brake pad for that matter): Follow the Bed-in procedure provided by the manufacturer. In the case of the EBC Reds if they aren't going to see immediate track use the street bed-in takes a bit (as much as 1000 miles if you don't use the brakes much). Bedding them in on the track is much faster (one session) but you need to be careful and still follow the procedure.
     
  14. agranger

    agranger MINI of the Month June 2009
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    I ran Hawk HPS on all 4 corners when I had the stock calipers. They were much less dusting than stock and performed better. The Porterfields were aweful and I wound up taking 'em off of the car after 5k miles and giving them away (actually... I think that Nathan took 'em as backup track pads for the rears).

    I still run Hawk HPS in the rears for both street and track and use Wilwood pads up front (BP-10 for street, I think... Was using Poly-B for the track but ordered something different last time... a new H-series pad, I think). The Hawks just seem to do the job for me. For track use, I think they have a better, more heat-resistant pad, but I've heard that it can be a bit squeaky for daily driver use.

    I'd also consider the EBC Red pads for that aggressive driver / track hybrid pad (if there is such a thing). If you have the $, you will be much happier having 2 sets of pads... one for daily driving and one for play time. :D
     
  15. Sneedspeed

    Sneedspeed New Member

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  16. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    Don't overlook the Cool Carbon pads from Bavarian Auto. Been running them hard for a few years now and they are head and shoulders above the Hawk HPS/+'s I had before.
     
  17. Way Motor Works

    Way Motor Works New Member

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    The Carbotechs are good pads, but expensive for a street car.
    That's why I keep going back to the Redstuff being the best bang for the buck.
     
  18. Jason Montague

    Jason Montague New Member
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    :cornut: REDSTUFF also makes pads for R55-56-57. Your add only says R50-52-53.:Thumbsup:

    Jason
     
  19. Way Motor Works

    Way Motor Works New Member

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    You are correct, heck we only install redstuff on R55 R56 R57 Cooper S in the shop. I just posted the R53 link cause AliceCooper that started this thread has an R53.

    But here is the R56 link if it helps
    EBC Red Stuff R56/JCW pads - Way Motor Works
     
  20. rum4

    rum4 Club Coordinator
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    What about the EBC yellow stuff?
     

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