Brake Pad Recommendation

[Scottie-GNZ]

Folks, looking for a recommendation on a bake pad (rear only) that will provide maximum holding power on dead cold brakes. Here is how the brakes will be used and why I need that. I am foot braking the car at line but the current pads (just some old stockers) cannot hold the torque as the boost starts coming up on the stall. I have been using the hand brake in conjunction with the foot brake and that has been working just fine. Now I need that right hand for something else (snicker!) and can no longer use the hand brake. So, I need pads that will give max initial bite and holding power at the line with cold brakes.

 

Whatever is best for that application will do for me for street driving so please, please do not recommend any super hi-po ceramic, supercalifrag.... road racing brakes. Someone recommended EBC Greens but the writeups on that pad does not seem like what I need. I have a feeling that a set of cheaper stock replacements would do it but somehow "lifetime" brakes seem too hard to get the job done.

[2126]

Scottie, Hawk makes a pad they call the Street Performance Pad, which is touted as having really good initial bite when cold. I've actually used these pads and noticed a significant improvement over a stock pad. Just a thought!

[JMortensen]

Have you tried cheapie organic pads? You want something soft, that's about as soft as it gets...

[Wagz]

KVR (http://www.kvrperformance.com) also claim their pads "require no warm up."

 

I'm considering both the KVR and the Hawk HPS pads for a couple of my cars.

[74_5.0L_Z]

Scottie,

 

On my buddy's superstock, we found that the cheap shoes held much better than the more expensive ones on the line. We still sometimes had trouble with the car creeping through the beams.

 

We have since switched to a trans-brake.

 

Didn't you use a trans-brake on the old Z? Nothing beats them for launching the car, but they are hard on parts.

[johnc]

Cheap, soft organic pads as Jon recommended. You might also want to install a lever action bias adjuster (Tilton makes one) and put the bias all the way to the rear, apply the brakes, and then push the lever back to the middle (in case of an "issue" down track).

[Jeff]

I've used both the Hawk HPS and HP+ on the Trans Am and they have great initial cold bite but I'm with Jon & John on the cheapie organic pads. Try them first and if they don't work then step up to a better pad.

[Scottie-GNZ]

Thanks for the replies guys. It seems like a soft soft pad is definitely what I need and there is no concern about wear on my part. Guess I have to be specific about asking or looking for organics.

 

 

Dan,

 

still have the trans brakes but concerned about shocking the OEM CVs with all that torque. FYI, I am running a C4 diff in an otherwise stock RX7 suspension, but we have an adaptor that bolts up the stronger Turbo II CVs to the C4 diff. AFAIK, the TII CVs are even stronger than the 280ZXs but why risk it. I have already cut a 1.51 with the hand brake and 255 MT DRs and I will settle for that. The new shortblock is expected to generate between 630-650 lb/ft torque! if I can ever get it off the engine stand.