Hawk brake pad help.

[rponfick]

I just received new Hawk pads for my 3.1 roadster, complete kit Mustang GT front brakes. I ordered the recommended here, HP + pads, HB274N.610 pads. In trying to install them today, I had an issue with the pins located on the back side of the pad. The little pins do not seem to be in the same place as the stock pads I am taking off, and they interfere with the caliper mounting. What am I doing wrong? Can I just grind these pins off, or do they serve some purpose and need to stay? Or, do I have the wrong pads?
Black pad is Hawk, grey is Ford.

Thanks, Ralph.

[rponfick]

I am an idiot. Disregard my post.

Or, maybe not, as some others may have made the same mistake I did. In taking the other side brake pads off, I see the pins are in different locations. The wide spaced pins need to be on the inner side of the caliper to clear the pistons. The narrow space pins go on the outer side, and fit in the opening in the caliper.

I had installed mine incorrectly and the pins were keeping the pistons from sitting flat on the back of the brake pads. The pistons were riding on the little pins, and, on the other side, the pins were impacting on the caliper outer housing. In both cases, causing the pad to sit at an angle to the rotor. Luckily I only have about 200 miles on the car.

You would think there would be some comment, notice, or other indication that the pads need to mount on specific sides of the rotor.

Anyway, enjoy my stupidity, and maybe check your own pads.

Do you suppose this could account for the volume of complaints about the poor performance of our brakes?

Almost afraid to leave my name, Ralph.

[JoeE]

Originally Posted by rponfick

I am an idiot. Disregard my post.

Do you suppose this could account for the volume of complaints about the poor performance of our brakes?

No your not and yes your recheck will help another. Anyway I think you may have come upon a solution. I have stock pads all around with manual Cobra setup and my car can lock the fronts and stop the car VERY quickly. A passenger needs to hold on so they don't lunge forward into dash/windsheild.

I also find it hard to believe that so many other builders need Hawk pads to stop these cars.

[hotmansweep]

no instructions,they only go on one way,just givin u a hard time,we have all been through the little stuff,if anyone says they have not they are lying!LOL

[Cone Basher]

I run these pads on my Coupe in the rear to improve braking. If you go to the Hawk web site you will find they are not recommended for street use as they wear fast and can be hard on rotors. They do bite like crazy and stop well but they make a lot of dust. If you want clean wheels when you go to a car show be prepared to give them a wipe when you get there.
I like mine:
HTH
CB

[rponfick]

Since my installation mistake, I wonder if I need the Hawk pads. No telling how well the brakes would work if the whole pad was contacting the rotor. I guess I will have to drive a little.

I still am curious as to how may others have made this mistake. I consider myself as fairly mechanical, but I really screwed up this one.

Thanks, Ralph

[Silverstreak02]

Originally Posted by rponfick

Since my installation mistake, I wonder if I need the Hawk pads. No telling how well the brakes would work if the whole pad was contacting the rotor. I guess I will have to drive a little.

I still am curious as to how may others have made this mistake. I consider myself as fairly mechanical, but I really screwed up this one.

Thanks, Ralph

Do you have an update on these pads? How are they working? Is there anything you don't like?

Jeff

[rponfick]

The Hawk pads are working fine. Much improved over previous stock install, but as I said, my original issue may have been operator error.

You need to warm them up a bit upon driving, but then great. Do dust up the wheels a little, but not a big problem.

Would buy them again.

Ralph

[CraigS]

Like Conebasher, I have HP+ in the rear. Yep, they dust, but they also grip like crazy. I originally had HPS front and rear and had to adjust the balance bar all the way rearward so the rear brakes would work. Then I heard about HP+. Put them on the rear and on the 3rd stop locked the rears. I adjusted the balance bar to get the fronts barely locking first and it is now near it's center and the overall brake effort was reduced by maybe 30%. They are fantastic pads!

[snakeboost]

I run HP+s on the WRX as its a fat all wheel drive pig.........But it stops!!!! Boy does it stop

Steve

[cChrisM]

I heard the Non-street version need a lot of heat to work right. And squeak during normal driving? Is this anyone's experience?

[CraigS]

I don't know about a "non street version". here is what I was told by hawk when I called to get info on the HP+. I told the man that I had HPS and they were ok but I needed more grip. I also said that I needed the grip at ambient temps, IE no heating required. He said HP+ is exactly what I want and I agree after a couple of years w/ them.

[Olli]

I just took the HP+ pads off of my HR. On the HR I have the "Cobra" caliper with 13" rotors and the rears have 11.65" rotors. Yes, the HP+ bite hard, but the ridiculous amount of brake dust and the squealing at moderate street temps was terrible. I called Hawk and they told me flat out that they would squeal under normal moderate street braking due to the fact that I wasn't getting them hot enough. They are quiet when cold and when you really stand on the brakes though. I was really hoping that the noise would just go away. But after 300 miles I couldn't take it anymore. The dust isn't just "a little" either. Again, the rep from Hawk told me that everything that I was experiencing was normal for the HP+. Hawk does not consider the HP+ pad a "street" pad. I just switched to the HPS. I just have them bed-in but my initial impression is that they sure don't have that initial bite that the HP+ pads did. The HPS pads are stone quiet and produce almost no dust.

Here is a link from Hawk for the HP+ pads. Note the warning about noise and dust and how they classify the pads.

Hawk Performance Brake Pads: HP Plus Autocross & Track

I loved the way the HP+ pads worked I just couldn't deal with the squealing and the dust.

Olli