Hawk Blue v Hawk HP+

ja9 · Postby **ja9** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:18 pm

Guys,

Need your opinion on the Blue v HP+. Reason I'm asking is my car is currently running Blues which I'm happy with. On the Hawk website they claim the max temperature for the Blue pads is up around 500 degrees C. A bit low I thought when I first read the specs. The HP+ max temp is up around 800 degrees C. My car is a dedicated race car and has never had brake fade. Am I to assume that my rotors don't reach 500 degrees hence the reason for the lack of fade.

I'd also like to know from people who have used both pads what there preference is. Blues are much more expensive than HP+ and according to the website the HP+ are good for track and street but with a max 800 degree C temp how do they work on the street.

I guess what I really want to know is are the HP+ as good or better than the Blue.

Cheers - John

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:56 pm

Not sure where the 500c came from (as everywhere I read the Blues show 250c-1000c and the HP+ are 100c-800c.) but the blues are a track only pad (useless when cold and eat rotors when cold) whereas the HP+ are a road/track pad. go blues everytime over HP+ for track..

MattR · Postby **MattR** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 10:24 am

Brake pads can be be very subjective and depend on driving style.

I swear by Hawk pads for the value for dollar in my race cars and road cars.

In my Old 240 Z I used Hawk DT70 pads in 4 spot willwood dynalite calipers, never had any problems as I was prepared to replace rotors with every second set of pads.

In my NA6 I use the Hawk HP+ as a road/track pad as I only do the Queensland club track days in the car and the rest of time it is road use. I don't have any problems with the HP+

I have used blues in the zed and they only coped with about 8 laps around Morgan park before overheating which then led to boiling the fluid, which was a good wuality road fluid that I hadn't had problems around QR clubman and sprint circuit or on a few hill climbs.

The Blues are better suited for a track only car, but you may get away with the HP+ being a softer compound, and I was taught by a very smart racing mechanic many years ago to use the softest pad you can get away with, so the HP+ may work for you.

At about $100 a set delivered from http://www.hawkpadsdirect.com it would be worth a shot to see if they are suitable for the track work you do, especially if it is sprints only. Only downside with this site is that delivery can take up to 4 weeks, but I have found them to be the cheapest by far, especially if you get 4-5 sets as then delivery is the same as for 1 set.

ja9 · Postby **ja9** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 1:39 pm

Thanks for the info gents.
Rascal I think the 1000 degrees you're seeing is in Fahrenheit. The only answer I have is maybe they got their scales wrong and the 800 degrees they're quoting for HP+ is actually 800 degrees Fahrenheit not Celsius.

Will stick with the Blues. As I said they work well for me.
MattR I'll order from Hawk direct. Brian from Goodwin Racing is not shipping to Aus anymore.

FYI V-Sport in Aus has them for a good price. I might check them out a little closer and compare the two when shipping is factored into the equation.

Cheers - John

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 2:07 pm

j.a#9 wrote:Brian from Goodwin Racing is not shipping to Aus anymore.

oh no, when did this start happening?

MattR · Postby **MattR** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 2:36 pm

Last time I ordered I got 2x sets front and rear in HP+ to my door with change out of $300, though we were at $1.05US at the time, cheapest price I could find in Aus was $300 for one set.

Only disadvantage is the time, they seem to take a couple of weeks to process the order and then another couple of weeks to actually arrive. So I tend to buy a coupleof sets at atime so I always have a spare set sitting ready to go.

speed freak · Postby **speed freak** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:49 pm

I use the HP+ in my nb8b, its a daily driver and track toy and have absolutely no dramas with them. They work great on the street, Im yet to use them on track where Im sure they will work even better.

Postby **NitroDann** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:09 pm

I love Blues, even on the street, a very nice bitey pad when hot and when cold still better than most pads.

You will go through disks faster than pads (but they are cheaper so who cares?)

Dann

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Tue Sep 24, 2013 6:17 pm

NitroDann wrote:I love Blues, even on the street, a very nice bitey pad when hot and when cold still better than most pads.

You will go through disks faster than pads (but they are cheaper so who cares?)

Dann

You only go through rotors when using them cold. Once up to temp they are quite easy on the rotors.
I got 2 years out of my front rotors (cheap RDA plain rotors and 2 sets of pads) (track use only and 18 track days)
The rears last better, except for one day when I didnt swap the pads out for the 200km drive to work, and it wore a noticeable lip on the rotor from just that one day...

So if you keep them in the intended heat range, then they are gentle on rotors, but use them for daily driving, ie predominantly cold usage then they will eat into the rotors..

mazmad · Postby **mazmad** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:49 am

Carbotechs John (track only obviously) and if you stick with them more disc friendly too.

ja9 · Postby **ja9** » Sun Sep 29, 2013 5:27 pm

Craig, actually rang you know who for a price on Carbotechs. I was told I'd receive a call in 15 minutes. Still waiting.
So how much are a set of Carbotechs.

Cheers - John