[CrookedRacer]

Tire Rack has a 25% off sale plus free shipping on Hawk pads. But they still don't have any for us. :-(

There may be places that will make you some, but expect to pay $200 or more.

Until the big players come out with some mass-produced track pads for us, prices will stay up there.

Anyone have any inside scoop on availability? I suppose I can wait until spring now, but it would be nice to be able to take advantage of sales and promos.

I'm getting frustrated about it. It's been more than a year, folks!

 

[MLKN]

Porterfield R4?

 

[CrookedRacer]

I only see the R4-S on the website. How much are the R4's, and are they available?

 

[RodMoe]

CarboTech
http://carbotechperformance.com/pads.asp?Make=Ford

 

[MLKN]

I'm pretty sure if you call they have the R4 pads. It's listed under 2014 Fiesta, rear disc. They are helpful if you call. The R4S pads are very similar to stock in my experience.

 

[eRic]

Our OE pads are track worthy. Ford Racing school uses OE pads and rotors on the Fiesta STs at ST Octane Academy and they held up fine. Oddly enough I needed my rear pads replaced after 20,000 miles but the front pads were okay ["green"] after doing 19 autocross and an open track event.

 

[MLKN]

If you plan on running lots of track events, while the stock pads will work, they definitely fade in hot conditions, in brake heavy tracks, or longer sessions.

I was skeptical at first about the rears wearing out so quickly but my experience and many others confirms it. I'd advise getting fronts and rears together.

 

[MarkCup]

Our OE pads are track worthy. Ford Racing school uses OE pads and rotors on the Fiesta STs at ST Octane Academy and they held up fine. Oddly enough I needed my rear pads replaced after 20,000 miles but the front pads were okay ["green"] after doing 19 autocross and an open track event.

I find exactly this.

I've only been on track twice so far in my ST but on familiar tracks I know very well, one very fast with some big braking events, one slower speed and far more technical.

On both I had not one hint of fade all day long with a firm solid and consistent pedal position.

Also throw into that the fact that I'm almost on 29,000 miles on the original factory fitted set; what's not to like?!

On both my previous track cars I spent a fortune trying to find the perfect brake setup, lines, fluid, pads, discs, everything was always a compromise.

Then I had a training session on track and the instructor made me realise that I was just braking far too much. Since then I've seen the light. It's simple...

Brake less

 

[TRev]

Hawk has a fitment for the front but it is not yet listed on their website. I was told it should be there Friday but am not seeing it yet.

The part number is HB725R.650

This is Hawk's new Hight Performance Street Race Pads. I was told this is basically their DCT30 pad with some street friendly changes but the compound is the same.

 

[AlanBDahl]

I'd love to hear if anyone has tried any aftermarket pads that measurably decrease stopping distance. IMHO our stock pads are pretty decent and while I might expect some improvement with Porterfields or Carbotechs it probably won't be as dramatic as on other cars I've raced.

 

[CrookedRacer]

You know, I think the OEM pads are awesome, actually. Their performance is excellent, and I can't really complain about the stopping distances. I don't really expect to stop a whole lot faster with aftermarket ones. I would use OEM's on the track if it weren't for the fact that when they get really hot, they wear down in a hurry.

I just took some new pads from full thickness to nothing (actually less than nothing... that's a separate story) in two 20-minute sessions at VIR (which left them with the majority of their material) and then a month later, less than four long-ish (27 minute) sessions at Summit Point Raceway's Main Circuit in West Virginia.

That means that I'd need to start out with a full-material set of OEM pads, plus one or two spare sets of OEM pads to even have a chance of surviving a track weekend at SPR.

I would hope that with some track-day pads, I could go longer on a single set, even if it means going through rotors a little more often.

OEM's are about $50/set. At $200/set for Carbotech, do you think I should expect them to last four times as long?

 

[TRev]

I switched on my FoST out of necessity. My OEM pads started chunking after about five autocross events. I also did not like the modulation of the stock pads. Even with the Hawk HPS pads, there were a few occasions were I was doing test/fun runs, or driving at our local autox where there is minimal wait between cars and had my pads smoking badly. When I ran the Solo Trials after Nats, my pads were smoking so badly that one of the other competitors told me that he thought they were on fire and to start driving immediately to cool them off. Even after driving for almost five minutes, they were still smoking.

I tend to overdrive my cars and most FoST owners have only had their pads chunk during track days. Between the e-diff and my driving style, I am replacing my OEM pads immediately on the FiST in the front. Plus they are free thanks to Hawk's contingency program.

 

[AlanBDahl]

Between the e-diff and my driving style, I am replacing my OEM pads immediately on the FiST in the front. Plus they are free thanks to Hawk's contingency program.

What are the details on the contingency program?

 

[AlanBDahl]

I just took some new pads from full thickness to nothing (actually less than nothing... that's a separate story) in two 20-minute sessions at VIR (which left them with the majority of their material) and then a month later, less than four long-ish (27 minute) sessions at Summit Point Raceway's Main Circuit in West Virginia.

Maybe you are breaking too much or aren't backing off for a lap every now and then to let things cool down? When I do Lemons racing we get a full 10 hour stint out of a set of Hawk pads on our Peugeot 505 and then the only reason we replace them is cracking, not wear.

Also since we're just talking track days perhaps you could rig some cooling ducts with garden drain hoses and zip ties?

 

[TRev]

First was $100, second $50, third $25. You have to buy parts through their site so it is MSRP pricing and was only available at Solo/Math Tours. Hoping they will add availability to the ProSolo program this year.

 

[TRev]

Maybe you are breaking too much or aren't backing off for a lap every now and then to let things cool down? When I do Lemons racing we get a full 10 hour stint out of a set of Hawk pads on our Peugeot 505 and then the only reason we replace them is cracking, not wear.

Also since we're just talking track days perhaps you could rig some cooling ducts with garden drain hoses and zip ties?

I am guessing that I am not backing off the throttle as much as most and it is due to wheel spin/e-diff. I never did a track day and had these issues. The Hawk pads held up fine and the wear has been very good (15,000+ miles and well over 100 runs) other than they smoked to the point that fire was a concern. Hawk didn't sound like it is the first time they heard of similar issues with e-diff equipped cars and recommended the DCT-30 pad for the FoST as they don't make the new Street Race Pads yet. They do make those for the FiST which is what I plan to get. I didn't left foot brake at all ion the FoST so it is not me dragging the brakes or anything like that.

 

[TRev]

Still not on Hawk's site so I called Edwin back and he left a message for Mike their VP of marketing. I will update this once I hear more or see them on the site. Edwin is headed to the PRI trade show this week and said he would try his best to update me.

 

[Mightymango]

Still not on Hawk's site so I called Edwin back and he left a message for Mike their VP of marketing. I will update this once I hear more or see them on the site. Edwin is headed to the PRI trade show this week and said he would try his best to update me.

Thanks for all your help on this Trevor.

 

[TRev]

First I want to thank Edwin at Hawk as he has been VERY helpful. The pads still aren't on their website. That part is out of Edwin's hands and it sounds like "Mike" isn't helping much at this time. I did find them listed on Top Brakes and shows they are available. I also saw them on Amazon but they show out of stock.

Here is the listing on Top Brakes.
https://www.topbrakes.com/c/item/HB725R.650

 

[TRev]

Got the pads but don't have a car yet. Anyone have pics of some OEM's that they can post in comparison please?