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Who here is using Hawk HP+ brake pads? Iv got them in the front of my NB8B and they squeel bad. Not just a normal low but audible squeel these things bloody howl.

Only occurs on light braking applications, cold or warm. I use my mx5 daily and it see's the track every so often. On hard braking they are fine bite nice and hard and pulls you up quickly as they should but, on the street they obviously dont see the same type of temp and pressure as they do on the track.

Do these squeel alot because they produce alot of brake dust or is it the type of material the pad is made out of? While driving in the rain or just after I have washed the car its fine, Iv even tried brake cleaner which works for about a day or 2 but then they squeel extremely loud again until I give the car a wash or clean brakes etc.

I know these are street and track pads so they obviously work best when under higher operating temps etc but is it normal for them to be extremely loud like this on the street?


Can someone recommend another brake pad for street and track that might be better then the Hawk HP+? I like the hawk apart from the squeeling. Iv seen a few brand names for brake pads thrown around the forum recently but can anyone recommend one to me? Only using standard replacement rotors with braided lines, they dont get used to extreme on the street, the odd spirited drive here an there but get used pretty hard on the track.

Thanks in advance.

I've used the Hawk HP+ pads on another performance car and not had any problem with squeal.
The pads are actually produce very little dust so that should not be the problem.

Did you put the grease on the back of the pads? (between the shim and the pad and where the caliper contacts)

I also found they squeal in normal driving on the NB8B
There is also this warning from Hawk
"Warning!
Due to the dramatic friction levels produced by this product to achieve "race-level" braking, rotor wear, noise, dust, and pad life may be affected."

Great pads for the track!

Try a set of QFM A1RM from Brakes Direct/GSL RallySport!
They are a custom order for the NB8B so you might have to wait for them.

Agree on the QFM A1RM pads. That is what I have on my NB8A and they are good on the track and street driving.

x2 with Snowmotion on the Hawks. I've used about 6 sets of HP+ on an NA8 - almost never squealed, not much dust

I have the HP+, no squealing but at least triple the the dust of Bendix Ultimates.

The dustiest pad i've ever used.

Hawk HP+ also apparently make flames and sparks when braking hard during night motorsport.

Wonder why there's such a difference of opinions here?

Okibi wrote:I have the HP+, no squealing but at least triple the the dust of Bendix Ultimates.

The dustiest pad i've ever used.

Hawk HP+ also apparently make flames and sparks when braking hard during night motorsport.

Wonder why there's such a difference of opinions here?

Wow.. surprised by the difference of experience on the Bendix Ultimates... They are my least favorite pad I have used. Dusty and chewed up the rotors so fast.
I was using them on a 1.8 tonne Nissan Stagea but don't see how that changes the experience so much.

I would now pick the QFM pad over the Hawk and Bendix because of , Performance, Price and a an Australian made product. Win on all accounts.

Snowmotion wrote:Wow.. surprised by the difference of experience on the Bendix Ultimates... They are my least favorite pad I have used. Dusty and chewed up the rotors so fast.

I had them too. Incredible amount of very staining dust from them, which I later realised was rotor metal because the rotors were being chewed up so fast. Given what Okibi said maybe they're OK if you have super hard rotors.

I've got the HP+. They squeal pretty loudly at low speed when parking and they're dusty as hell. Great braking performance though.

I used the hawks for my daily. Lasted 5 weeks. Squealing was too much.

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I have the hawks too.

I had very occasional squealing on my na6 brakes but since upgrading to nb8b brakes they squeel like a pig when cold. When hot they are quiet.

manga_blue wrote:Incredible amount of very staining dust from them, which I later realised was rotor metal because the rotors were being chewed up so fast. Given what Okibi said maybe they're OK if you have super hard rotors.

Yes... it was a WTF moment for me when someone showed me the "dirt" on his wheels, then told me to take a closer look and to try to scrape it off. Yikes!

Okibi wrote:Wonder why there's such a difference of opinions here?

perhaps the non-squealers are those with standard rotors, and squealers are with slotted and/or drilled? Theory being that the excess dust reduces friction between surfaces, thus reducing noise, and with slotted/drilled rotors the dust gets wiped away?

Doubt it. The difference in surface area is minimal. Had hawk HP+ on my nb8a/nb8b on both regular and slotted rotors.
They squealed at low speeds/low temps. Fine when hot (at Wakefield).

My Meisters with a polished lip always turn into a dull brown/black rim a couple of days after each wash. They dust like hell.

My impressions on the HP+ were noisy (always squealed on brake release or light braking) , dusty but the strongest initial bite even when dead cold. That was paired with DBA4000's... I also overheated them on the track after 2 laps and gave them away but I was left thinking they'd be a good fast street pad.

Did you machine or replace the rotors at the same time as the pad change? If not this maybe part of the problem.

EBC Yellows dusted more than the HP+ on the NC but were quite on the road. I hated the ongoing cleaning.
I used to just swap out the road pads and slip in track pads but now I just run the HPS pads with DBA T3 rotors on the road (no dust) and swap to solid rotors and CarboTech XP12 pads for track days. It’s a pain in the arse to swap over every time track day comes around but there’s no bedding required.

At Lakeside for Natmeet, running on road tyres, I didn’t bother swapping the HPS out and had no problems with the brakes as Lakeside only has two braking points, which are well apart, so fading wasn’t an issue. At a track like Wakefield, HPS pads will fade away after two or three laps in a near stock MX-5. Slotted rotors will get you another lap but you’re better off tossing in a set of Yellows and bedding them in on the way to the track.