Hi... I was wondering what brake pads people run on their cars when they auto-x.

I have a '92 240sx with Iron Z32 brakes upfront and stock rears, SS lines, with a '89 Z BMC. I am running Hawk HPS Pads all around and I have done pretty well with them. I was thinking about using the Hawk HP plus pads in the front for the next event.

What do you guys think?

Any suggestions?

I use HP plus' on mine. squeaky, but well worth the stopping power. Why only the fronts though? I'd think that would throw the bias off even more.

I was wondering if the bias would be thrown off also if I just used HP + in the front. I thought there would be someone who has tried this and can give some insite.

The HPS do stop very well and I haven't heard any sqeaking or anything. If the HPS pads do this well I can imagine what the HP + pads will do.

Has anyone tried the Carbotech pads on their cars?

I have the Carbotech XP8 on my s14. I like them, they don’t squeal too much. Very little, and it does not bother me. I have never autocrossed with them. I only go to open track days (HPDE). They stop well in the cold, and it takes a lot to fade them. I can be out on the track for about 20 min before they fade. I have never tried the HP+ so I can not compare. But I do like the XP8 enough that I will probably try the Carbotech XP10 pad next. Only because I am getting a little bit of fade after 20 min. and I don’t give the car much time to cool down. (I share the car with my brother at the track and we both want to drive)

I know this is late, but I just saw the thread...sorry. I run Hawk blues on the front of my 240SX ITA road race car with either HP+ or HPS pads on the rear, and it will still lock up the rear tires before the front, so I don't think you should worry about throwing the bias off too much by only changing the fronts. I know the speeds aren't as great in an auto-x, but in reality you probably want a little more front bias anyway. The HP+ are great pads for auto-x IMO; I used to use them for track days on the 240 before it became a dedicated track car and they worked fine. I also just started autocrossing my '02 Camaro this year (yeah, I know, I did it kind of backwards starting with road racing and then trying auto-xing), and ran it with the combination you're thinking of - HP+ front, HPS rear - and it did great. Just my $.02

ITA240SX wrote:I know this is late, but I just saw the thread...sorry. I run Hawk blues on the front of my 240SX ITA road race car with either HP+ or HPS pads on the rear, and it will still lock up the rear tires before the front, so I don't think you should worry about throwing the bias off too much by only changing the fronts. I know the speeds aren't as great in an auto-x, but in reality you probably want a little more front bias anyway. The HP+ are great pads for auto-x IMO; I used to use them for track days on the 240 before it became a dedicated track car and they worked fine. I also just started autocrossing my '02 Camaro this year (yeah, I know, I did it kind of backwards starting with road racing and then trying auto-xing), and ran it with the combination you're thinking of - HP+ front, HPS rear - and it did great. Just my $.02

Ferrodo 2500's. Love them.

Also what brake rotors do you guys use with Hawk, Carbotech, or Ferrodo pads? I currently have Rayestos brand rotors from NAPA.

I was looking at getting the DBA 4000 series Z32 rotors in the front and S13 rotors in the rear.

Anyones input greatly apprieciated

Ohio_S13 wrote:Also what brake rotors do you guys use with Hawk, Carbotech, or Ferrodo pads? I currently have Rayestos brand rotors from NAPA.

I was looking at getting the DBA 4000 series Z32 rotors in the front and S13 rotors in the rear.

Anyones input greatly apprieciated

I have stoptech BBK's on all 4 wheels, shich came with their slotted rotors

I have heard bad bad things about slotted rotors and i don't think that i could trust anything but the best quality when it comes to them. But that is just an opinion not a fact.I use Brembo blanks and have not experienced any warping at all even with the hp + and about 15 auto-x's on them so far. You can not go wrong with $30 each at the tirerack.

NismoRacer34 wrote:I have heard bad bad things about slotted rotors and i don't think that i could trust anything but the best quality when it comes to them. But that is just an opinion not a fact.I use Brembo blanks and have not experienced any warping at all even with the hp + and about 15 auto-x's on them so far. You can not go wrong with $30 each at the tirerack.

I think it's the drilled ones that have the bad rumors. I've got a lotta track days on these slotted rotors (using 'em rather hard) and they've been awesome.

Bubba1 wrote:
I think it's the drilled ones that have the bad rumors. I've got a lotta track days on these slotted rotors (using 'em rather hard) and they've been awesome.

Amen - I will not put another drilled rotor on the car for track use. I can't use them on the 240SX anyway (class rules), but I tried a set of Summit Racing's D/S rotors on the Camaro, and during a PDX day at Summit I actually cracked one of the front rotors in several places. The only reason I even had them was because I got the set of four new for next to nothing ($25 IIRC) from a guy I was buying other Camaro parts from. To be fair, they did have around 15k miles of street driving on them before I did the PDX, but IMO that doesn't excuse the cracking.

I think slotted rotors would probably be ok, but even then I would only put a quality slotted rotor on. FWIW, I have to run oem-type rotors on the 240SX, and with the Hawk blues they do fine for the track. Of course, I do only run between 4-6 races on a set (300-500 miles).

Has any had experience with the DBA 4000 series slotted rotors? I know a couple of EVO guys running them that love them.

I currently run:Front Rotors: 300ZX Brembo Slotted and Cross drilled (drilled for 4 lug)Rear Rotors: 240SX Brembo Slotted and Cross drilledPads: Hawk HP+ on all 4 cornersMaster cylinder: 300ZXLines: Stainless Steal Fluid: Wilwood 300XI had to install a brake proportioning valve on my car because I was always locking up my fronts. I too am trying to decide if I am going to cook my pads and rotors at an upcoming track day at Laguna Seca. I have been told by my AutoX friends who run other cars(not 240SX) at open track days that I need to upgrade my pads or I will over cook them.

240sx AutoXer wrote:I currently run:Front Rotors: 300ZX Brembo Slotted and Cross drilled (drilled for 4 lug)Rear Rotors: 240SX Brembo Slotted and Cross drilledPads: Hawk HP+ on all 4 cornersMaster cylinder: 300ZXLines: Stainless Steal Fluid: Wilwood 300XI had to install a brake proportioning valve on my car because I was always locking up my fronts. I too am trying to decide if I am going to cook my pads and rotors at an upcoming track day at Laguna Seca. I have been told by my AutoX friends who run other cars(not 240SX) at open track days that I need to upgrade my pads or I will over cook them.

A 1989 Z31 brake master cylinder (the 15/16" one) would work perfect for a front Z32 brake/rear stock S13 brake setup. They can lock up but you get more pedal modulation so you will not lock up as easy.

The people I have seen with cross drilled rotors always complain about warping or cracking them after heavy use (most people do recommend cross drilled rotors for the track or auto-x). How are these rotors working for you?

The HP+ pads can withstand track use but maybe not very heavy track use. Maybe worth upgrading the front Pads

If you are X-crossing you will not get enough heat in the rotors to hurt them. I run a ITS 240 with carbotech pads front and rear with stock rotors. I run the same manufactors pads so the balance will be right. You should buy a good rotor. No cheap "A" place rotors. I have some premium Wagner and some Nissan rotors and the don't warp. I have ran Road Atlanta, Daytona, Savanna, and Sebring. No fade, no shake.

Bubba1 wrote:
Ferrodo 2500's. Love them.

+1 for the 2500's for autocross/street mixed. Ferodo 3000's for track (front on both, I use OEM or Hawk street pads rear with my B13's braking, that's plenty).

Just be wary of going to a pad that takes time to warm up. The 3000's are in that category, not an issue at track speeds but not a good choice for autox.