Corvette Brake Pads

[Arthur Grant]

I am currently running Akebono cermaic brakes. When I come to my end of season replacement cycle I am considering going to HPS Street brake pads, they are a sponsor, but I have had Stop Tech pads, or even standard Raybestos suggested.
My current brakes don't fade, run pretty clean, and wear well, but I feel I can get better stopping power and that it might help a little. Since I street drive the car frequently I am inclined to take the manufactures recommendation and not use Hawk HP Plus.

Suggestions, thoughts, experience.

[Steve Ekstrand]

As I mentioned to you, Jeff Wong at ProParts set me up with the StopTech pads. I'm very pleased with them. But I don't know if they are available for the C4 or if they work well there. Seems like I remember some of my old Viper buddies using and liking the StopTechs back when I had never heard of the company, so that's a fairly similar application (lot closer than my civie!).

[Arthur Grant]

Hopefully Jeff will chime in on availability.

[Jonathan Lugod]

Hopefully Jeff will chime in on availability.

give him a call in the morning. His lunch is from 1130-1230 so dont call then. although that doesnt seem to be consistent some days

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

I am currently running Akebono cermaic brakes. When I come to my end of season replacement cycle I am considering going to HPS Street brake pads, they are a sponsor, but I have had Stop Tech pads, or even standard Raybestos suggested.
My current brakes don't fade, run pretty clean, and wear well, but I feel I can get better stopping power and that it might help a little. Since I street drive the car frequently I am inclined to take the manufactures recommendation and not use Hawk HP Plus.

Suggestions, thoughts, experience.

If you want that big car to stop you need to get off of the street pads, if you keep compromising on pads, you are going to sacrifice stopping distance. The Carbotech Panther Plus (now AX6) worked great on all of our C4s. They are dusty and noisy, but that is the trade off for a pad that works... If someone is trying to sell you a pad that is "easy on rotors, quiet and clean", you should also buy their race tires that are just as fast as an A6, but will last you all season.

I don't think an HP+ is aggressive enough for the lousy C4 brakes, look at the Blacks or Blues. If you want to continue using "street" pads you need to take advantage of the brake allowance in SP and ditch those calipers for a better set.

[Arthur Grant]

The brakes will eventually get upgraded but at the moment I have 3 sets of 17 inch wheels and am not ready to part with them. The upgrade I would do are C6 Z06 brakes and they require a switch to 18 inch wheels. Most likely when the car gets rebuilt to run in SSM hopefully a long way in the future. Realize the stock brakes aren't that good by modern standards, but until the driver gets a lot better not planning a lot of major mechanical changes. I watched an 89 C4 run BS with a great driver that won BS with times that were competitvie with BSP at the National Tour this weekend.

For a number of reasons I don't want to swap from race pads to street pads for every event and I street drive the car about 5 miles per year, and it's only one of three that are my personal car.

Wear doesn't bother me too much the pads and rotors are going to get changed at least ever season wether they need it or not. Dust doesn't bother me much either. I do prefer a pad with progressive stopping rather than, were are the brakes whoa , followed by the, god what boulder did I hit feeling when they grab.

[Mako Koiwai]

You'll be fine with more aggressive pads driving to events - no need to change them in and out

[Steve Ekstrand]

Jennifer and Jason Isley both did pretty darn well in their C4 corvette back in the early 2000's. If Jason says the AX6 pad works well in that car, I would definitely pick up the phone and order that pad today. Especially, given you don't need to street that car a lot, sounds perfect.

I don't drive on R's, but I would guess that the extra tire grip might overwhelm street pads?

[Tom Dobyns]

I'll ask a question here.

I have been using stock GM pads on my 2002 Z06. I have asked several people, and they said that for autocross, they work great. I used to drive my car on the street occasionally, but now I just seem to autocross it.

Is there a better pad that I should be using? I guess I don't care about dust or noise. I have heard that with the way we race, we are not on the brakes enough to heat up some of the aftermarket pads during only 60 seconds of use.

Opinions? Mr. Isley? Others?

[Mako Koiwai]

It PO'ed me that Josh Sortor only used oem Suby street pads in his years of racing his WRX in STX ... culminating in winning the National Championship. What if everyone did that?! What would that do to the aftermarket parts/brake pad market!

On the other hand, Jeff Barco, said my WRX had the best brakes he ever used in a WRX. Rotoro Big Brakes with Ultimate Axis pads

Our ex-Brian Peter's Vette came with HP+ pads

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

I watched an 89 C4 run BS with a great driver that won BS with times that were competitvie with BSP at the National Tour this weekend.

And knowing Tom and Scott I doubt they were on street pads. ;)

Bigger only means more weight, you need better. There are plenty of good calipers with a reasonably sized two-piece rotor that will fit under a 17" vette wheel.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

I'll ask a question here.

I have been using stock GM pads on my 2002 Z06. I have asked several people, and they said that for autocross, they work great. I used to drive my car on the street occasionally, but now I just seem to autocross it.

Is there a better pad that I should be using? I guess I don't care about dust or noise. I have heard that with the way we race, we are not on the brakes enough to heat up some of the aftermarket pads during only 60 seconds of use.

Opinions? Mr. Isley? Others?

C4 brakes suck, the C5s are much better. The problem with the C5 is if you go too aggressive you kick into ice-mode.

[Bob Pl]

I'll ask a question here.

I have been using stock GM pads on my 2002 Z06. I have asked several people, and they said that for autocross, they work great. I used to drive my car on the street occasionally, but now I just seem to autocross it.

Is there a better pad that I should be using? I guess I don't care about dust or noise. I have heard that with the way we race, we are not on the brakes enough to heat up some of the aftermarket pads during only 60 seconds of use.

Opinions? Mr. Isley? Others?

C4 brakes suck, the C5s are much better. The problem with the C5 is if you go too aggressive you kick into ice-mode.

I have been getting into ice mode lately, but only on certain course (high speed hard braking) designs, not every event. a6's & HP+. But I still favor the HP+ they do not need much heat to work, just drag them up to the line on the first run.

[Arthur Grant]

I'll ask a question here.

IC4 brakes suck, the C5s are much better. The problem with the C5 is if you go too aggressive you kick into ice-mode.

I have been getting into ice mode lately, but only on certain course (high speed hard braking) designs, not every event. a6's & HP+. But I still favor the HP+ they do not need much heat to work, just drag them up to the line on the first run.

How are they for regular street driving. I autocross my street toy, not drive my autocross car on the street to get to competitions. ICE mode is what exactly, don't want to assume I know.

[Arthur Grant]

I watched an 89 C4 run BS with a great driver that won BS with times that were competitvie with BSP at the National Tour this weekend.

And knowing Tom and Scott I doubt they were on street pads. ;)

Bigger only means more weight, you need better. There are plenty of good calipers with a reasonably sized two-piece rotor that will fit under a 17" vette wheel.

But in BS they would have been using stock calipers?

[KJ Christopher]

I watched an 89 C4 run BS with a great driver that won BS with times that were competitvie with BSP at the National Tour this weekend.

And knowing Tom and Scott I doubt they were on street pads. ;)

Bigger only means more weight, you need better. There are plenty of good calipers with a reasonably sized two-piece rotor that will fit under a 17" vette wheel.

But in BS they would have been using stock calipers?

You're confusing two statements. Yes, they were using stock calipers in BS. But they weren't on stock street pads. You, in BSP have options they don't have. Jason is suggesting better calipers and not too much (if any) bigger rotors so you can keep the 17" wheel.

[Bob Pl]

"How are they for regular street driving. I autocross my street toy, not drive my autocross car on the street to get to competitions. ICE mode is what exactly, don't want to assume I know"

They are fine on the street, but dust a lot (if you care).

Here is a thread on ice mode

http://www.z06vette.com/forums/f5/c4c5- ... ode-17684/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Arthur Grant]

You're confusing two statements. Yes, they were using stock calipers in BS. But they weren't on stock street pads. You, in BSP have options they don't have. Jason is suggesting better calipers and not too much (if any) bigger rotors so you can keep the 17" wheel.[/quote][/quote]


Ok, well I have 13 inch rotors in the front, 12 rear as is normal on the Z51 package. I am going to try more agressive pads at this point. Jeff Wong is going to bring me down a set at the PRO. Well see if it helps at the next championship or the divisional depending on time.