Update Hawk LTS Pads (1 Viewer)

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I wanted to update everyone about the Hawk LTS pads I put on a few months and thousand miles ago.

The LTS pads continue to work well. Pedal feel is much better than stock, with good intial bite and far better bite after braking. Strangely, I have had to make two panic stops since putting the pads in (never had to in the LC before) and both times I was able to get good threshold braking with good feedback through the pedal. I have also done a bit of playing around late braking from freeway speeds and found them to have great bite in that situation.

There are only two issues I can find with these pads compared to the stock pads:

1) They squeal a little under light braking. It isn't bad, but if this is something that will bother you be forwarned.

2) The pads get stronger as they heat up a bit. Imagine a metal pad, except instead of having no brakes when cold, they feel like stock and then get stronger as they heat up. What this leads to is that you have to back off the pedal slightly after the first 20 feet or so of braking. The other side of it is they really work which the stock pads don't.

In my book the tradeoffs are well worth it. I will not go back to the stock pads.
 
Cary-Have you tried the 100 series pads in 80 series applications? The reason I ask, is that they are miles better than stock, and also better than the aftermarket Axxis pads I got from that brake place in Oregon as part of the group buy several years ago. The Axxis pads sound like yours-they get better as they heat up, but I was never crazy about the feel and stopping power.
 
The 100 series pads didn't address my primary concern with the 80 brakes which is lack of heat capacity and failure on long steep downhills. The LTS pads will continue to work at temps when the stock and 100 series pads are simply outgassing and useless.

Concerning the comments about the pads in the rain, they are fine. Unlike metal pads that have little to no bite when cold, these have the same or slightly more bite than the stock pads when cold with the bite increasing from there as they heat up.
 
I gte the same results with the Hawk HPS pads, including a squeal under light braking.
 
Thanks for the update, Cary. I'm looking for some new pads. Did you end up with a different set of pads in the rear?
 
Also Cary, did you use the Hawk part for the 80 or the 100?
 
I used the Hawk LTS for the 80. I have Axxis Ultimate pads for the rear but they haven't made it in yet.
 
Cary,

Thanks for the update. It's sometimes frustrating when people do a mod like this and only give the initial reaction which is almost always positive 'cause they just dropped $$$ and it's human nature. So, nice to have you check back in with your experience with some miles on. If you still have it, I'd be curious if you have a P/N laying around.

Thanks,

DougM
 
I have to track down the PN, I bought them through tire rack. Note that Hawk still doesn't have the PN on their website for the LTS.
 
Cary - Interesting feedback.
I have been wanting to try the 100 series pads from Performance Friction (probably their z-rated pad) on my 80. Autozone used to carry them, but doesn't seem to stock them any longer in my area. Special order only. I wanted to get some measurements from a set before buying to ensure they were the same dimensions as oem 100 series pads. I think CDan posted the rough measurements before when comparing 80 vs. 100 series pads. I may have to research this online to see if measurements are available.

Anyone see any concerns with this if the measurements are close? Like Cary, I feel the oem pads need higher heat capability to stop this big rig. I was looking at PF because they have a good reputation. Hawk generally has a good rep as well. I have varying amounts of brake shudder that I feel is related to pad transfer. I won't argue the pad transfer vs. rotor warp issue again, but mine is worse sometimes than others which points me away from the rotors. I plan on doing all new pads & rotors soon, and am interested in others experience with aftermarket pads vs. oem 100 series. Especially an aftermarket 100 series pad on the 80.

-Tim
 
I believe they were about $65 from Tire Rack.
 
I don’t know folks: I have used hawk pads on my 80 four years and they worked adequately. We’d all agree that now is an appropriate time to replace them. Well I have replaced them and now they have just … what is the word that begins with F? Ah FAILED – to put it politely. My mechanic went for a test drive after installing new calipers, rotors and pads. He turned around after 500 meters and sent me these pictures:
MG_0044.jpg
MG_0050.jpg
MG_0051.jpg
MG_0048.jpg
MG_0046.jpg

Am I missing something? Or Amazon has shipped me defective pads?
 
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That clay-looking stuff clogging rotor’s surfaces came from the pads. Both rotors and pads came sparkling-clean from their packages ~30 minutes prior the test drive. That clay acted like grease: mechanic said that deceleration was unacceptable and aborted the test drive first chance he got.
 
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That clay-looking stuff on rotor’s surfaces came from the pads. Both rotors and pads came brand new from their packages ~30 minutes prior the test drive. That clay acted like grease: mechanic said that deceleration was unacceptable and turned around the first chance he got.

That clay looking stuff looks like paint/clear to me. Where did you buy it from?
 

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