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Tech Area => General Buick Tech => Topic started by: Scoobum on March 19 2013, 11:32:24 AM

Title: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 19 2013, 11:32:24 AM
Who sells the best front brake pad for the stock caliper for stopping power?
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 19 2013, 11:53:00 AM
good question...I think there are so many variables...su ch as from what speed, or how many times that it's kinda hard to define. Autocross is different from road racing is different from drag racing is different from highway driving is different from pulling a trailer driving....... .............. .......

I am gonna guess EBC or Hawk...and they both offer a multitude of pad materials.  Wilwood might make a good drag racing pad?
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 19 2013, 12:01:31 PM
I gotta head into work early and pick up some fittings to hook up this electric fuel pressure gauge at the speed shop. I'm gonna ask the gentleman there that runs the shop his opinion as well. i'll check back here late tonite...maybe some of the guys have tried different pads.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 19 2013, 12:05:59 PM
for street/drag  http://www.hawkperformance.com/motorsports/applications/drag.php (http://www.hawkperformance.com/motorsports/applications/drag.php)

looks like the HPplus
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: earlbrown on March 19 2013, 03:00:07 PM
I would imagine the bast pads are enough to shred a set of stock rotors.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 19 2013, 03:12:13 PM
as cooling is very important, I would install a set of slotted rotors if trying to come down from 125 mph
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 19 2013, 11:51:48 PM
I currently have a pair of drilled rotors...but I can grab some slotted. I'm gonna be testing in a couple of weeks for 8 hours at a private track rental...gonna try a couple different sets of pads. Got about 4 different sets of slicks and DR's I'm gonna try as well.I don't think you're far off Steve. I'm guessing 123-124.
 
 
 
 
 
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 20 2013, 09:59:00 AM
the truly drilled rotors sometimes can be problematic on the cheaper units as they may crack when they get hot and cool down.  I like the slotted or the slotted and dimpled.

If you are old enuf, you may remember those pads and shoes that came on like gangbusters when you hit the brake and then, about the time you got down to 70 mph, they went away and it felt like you had no brakes....I remember some heart stopping moments.

These cheap/soft rear shoes that some advocate probably have some tendency to do that
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 20 2013, 01:05:25 PM
The rotors I got from Norbs...not sure of the brand. I've made a gazillion high speed stops with these things...so a new set of slotted rotors would likely be a good idea. Particular brand you recommend?
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 20 2013, 02:20:39 PM
Not really as long it is not an asian rotor because so many of them seem to be warp city after one hard stop

personally, I like the EBC brakes and they make two premium rotors.  One is the 3GD which is slotted and dimpled.  The other is the USR which is slotted and very quite.  Most of their rotors are made in the UK and finished machined in the states.  the 3GD are about $195 a pair from Summit.

Their house brand is about 110 a pair drilled and slotted.

Their PowerStop drilled and slotted are about $145 a pair.

They also have a summit slotted and dimpled for about $165 a pair...

They have a lot of rotors.

Not sure if it is factual, or not, but in the past I have heard that the drilled through could not, or maybe should not, be resurfaced.

Don't know where the Summit offerings come from other than the EBC

I also see summit has Hawk which usually has a very good reputation.  Not sure where they are made, but, they are slotted and expensive...ab out 105 each


Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: daveismissing on March 20 2013, 02:32:14 PM

Not really as long it is not an asian rotor because so many of them seem to be warp city after one hard stop...

Not sure if it is factual, or not, but in the past I have heard that the drilled through could not, or maybe should not, be resurfaced.


Perhaps the the holes should be eased/radiused which no one will ever do?
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Just a Six? on March 20 2013, 03:23:09 PM
I have the Hawk for Drag Racing/City with drilled & slotted rotors. They work well at the track but do squeal some in heavy stop & go city traffic. Not enuf to make me change them but enuf squeal that it can be irritating at times.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 20 2013, 11:58:36 PM
Not really as long it is not an asian rotor because so many of them seem to be warp city after one hard stop

personally, I like the EBC brakes and they make two premium rotors.  One is the 3GD which is slotted and dimpled.  The other is the USR which is slotted and very quite.  Most of their rotors are made in the UK and finished machined in the states.  the 3GD are about $195 a pair from Summit.

Their house brand is about 110 a pair drilled and slotted.

Their PowerStop drilled and slotted are about $145 a pair.

They also have a summit slotted and dimpled for about $165 a pair...

They have a lot of rotors.

Not sure if it is factual, or not, but in the past I have heard that the drilled through could not, or maybe should not, be resurfaced.

Don't know where the Summit offerings come from other than the EBC

I also see summit has Hawk which usually has a very good reputation.  Not sure where they are made, but, they are slotted and expensive...ab out 105 each




Steve, I can get any brand of rotor/pad that Summit sells at pretty much the same price in Canadian funds from my speed shop guy...and he can get the stuff overnite for me. It boils down to this. I need to knock 50-75 feet off my stopping distance bringing it down from 123 MPH. If it were you...which rotor and pad would you go with? If you don't think upgraded rotors and pads can accomplish this...then were gonna have to go with aftermarket bolt on calipers. They have to fit inside a GN rim. I've already added the 3 SS braided brake hoses...S10 wheel cylinders...an d all long pads a couple years back.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Tim Hensley on March 21 2013, 03:26:00 AM
Hawk pad with there quiet slot rotter.
I have not used them on my GN
My 99 Jeep cherokee would not stop with my boat behind it.
They wore like iron were quiet and good peddle fell.
My GN will get these some day
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 21 2013, 09:38:18 AM
I would go with the EBC 3GD rotor and the Hawk pad I mentioned above as they show it for both drag and street. 

Beyond that, I suspect you would have to go to aftermarket dual piston calipers and probably a larger rotor which takes larger rims

Given that the front brakes probably handle at least 70% of the braking, there ain't much bang for the buck on the rears.  The larger rear cylinders are mainly good for launch and trying to kill you if you hit a slick spot when you stand on the brakes.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 21 2013, 09:53:25 AM
I'll stop by the speed shop on the way to work and order the stuff. Thanks for everyones input.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: motorhead on March 21 2013, 06:13:37 PM
I run Hawk HP+ on my Buick... using a stock B-body caliper and they do plenty to haul the car down.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 25 2013, 04:48:35 PM
Set of Hawk HPS pads on the way.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 26 2013, 11:09:13 AM
no new rotors?
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: turbojd on March 27 2013, 04:32:49 PM
I changed over to the 98-05 2wd Blazer dual piston caliper brakes with slotted rotors, premium ceramic pads, and stainless steel brake hoses. This made the car stop much better than the stock brakes.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 27 2013, 04:36:08 PM
no new rotors?

Ordered a pair of Powerslot rotors...they'll be here Tuesday. In the mean time the new optispark arrived...so I'm gonna swap it out this weekend on the Impala. I'll do the brakes on the GN next weekend.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 27 2013, 07:23:12 PM
when my son started college, I told him to park the Buick because it would not last long in a college parking lot.  I got him a '94 LT1 sheriff's car.  That thing was one of the best cars we ever owned...at least until a school bus ran a stop sign following another bus and
t-boned it.
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Steve Wood on March 27 2013, 07:46:04 PM
http://www.minimania.com/images/instructions/NMB1025_NOTES.pdf (http://www.minimania.com/images/instructions/NMB1025_NOTES.pdf)
Title: Re: Best Front Brake Pad?
Post by: Scoobum on March 27 2013, 08:00:01 PM
Thanks for the link. I've got a back road around the corner where I can do the break in procedure. I'll book a day off work and go for a long cruise before I hit the track. I had just had a new dual exhaust installed on the Impala and a K and N cold air kit arrive when the optispark crapped out. I miss driving it.
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