KidJai06

I know there are plenty of reviews with StopTech Drilled & Slotted rotors but I didn't see any paired with the Hawk HPS 5.0's and new fluid. These went on the Akebono big brake setup. I changed the brake fluid to Pentosin Super Dot4 a week after rotor/pad install. Partially because I knew I'd need to take the wheels off to check torque on spacers and partially because I wanted to see if I could see differences before/after fluid change w/new brakes. I assume my fluid had never been changed before (its a 2013).

My G had all OEM rotors and pads and since buying it used I had a little over 4k miles on before swapping. Rear pads were getting low so naturally I decided to change everything! I assume my fluid had never been changed before (its a 2013).

I have about 400 miles on the new brakes and here's what I can say about them:

PROS:
1.) Aesthetically they are nice to look at, many have complained about rusting issues. I haven't encountered this yet despite a few rainy days and several car washes. The pad surface and unpainted rotor surface match up pretty well too.

2.) Performance there is definitely a good improvement.
a.) Once heated up these bite hard and stop quickly.
b.) There is no discernible noise from these pads or the rotors. I was quite happy about this as some Hawk pads can be loud. I was sure to use grease in all appropriate areas on corners and shims to help ensure good movement.
c.) Dust is minimal, I had very little dusting with the OEM pads which I always appreciated. I wash my car weekly and have always taken notice to brake dust. I would say these dust ever so slightly more that what I experienced with OEM but you would have to be as OCD as me to take notice.

3.) Fluid Change: Flushing out the old fluid actually looked pretty clean but there was some small air bubbles trapped in there. I bought 2 liters and ran about 1.5 through the system with a Motive Bleeder (If you don't have one, get one!). The Pentosin fluid gave a noticeably firmer peddle and overall my stopping power is impressive. Exactly what the G needed.

Con:
1.) The only slight downside as compared to OEM is that it takes a couple stops to get the pads/rotors up to temp. Upon start-up and the first couple light stops to get out of my neighborhood the grip isn't as tight as I would like. Fortunately it doesn't take long to warm things up. I am interested to see how this reacts in winter.

Final Thoughts:
Overall for a daily driven car I think this is a pretty ideal setup for the money. I was able to get all 4 rotors on sale form AutoAnything for a total of $470 shipped. Hawk HPS 5.0 Pads from Amazon $185 shipped (F-$105, R-$80) and Pentosin Fluid $13.99/Liter - AutoZone. I am a DIY'er and this was an easy swap to make, the longest part of it all is taking time to clean the calipers before putting in new pads. I am really happy with its aesthetics and performance and certainly recommend.

Part Numbers:
Here are the part numbers for those interested (Big brakes F:355mm and R: 350mm)

StopTech Sport Drilled & Slotted
FR -128.42100R
FL - 128.42100L
RR - 128.42101R
RL - 128.42101L

Hawk HPS 5.0

F - HB601B.626
R - HB602B.545

I will try and update as time goes on and/or if there are any dramatic changes.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

Nice upgrade and a good job w/ the review, much appreciated.
Haven't had any Hawk pads, is their bed-in the same as Stoptechs?
The Stoptechs were 15 cycles of 60mph down to 10. I only go 10 cycles though.

KidJai06

Thanks Brad! I wanted to try and give back to the forum since I have gotten so much from everyone here already, in the short time I've had my G.

Hawk's recommended bed-in procedure is approx. 6-8 cycles from 35mph-5mph braking with moderate pressure, then an additional 3-4 cycles from 45mph-10mph, braking hard (just try to make sure abs doesn't kick in). I think its not really an exact science with speeds because trying to pay attention to both speed and the road is tough, not to mention when braking that hard the speedometer has a hard time keeping up with the rapid slow down, just make sure you don't completely stop.

Once done give time for the brakes to cool. I was able to pull this off on a industrial road that loops behind my house so I managed to do the entire bed-in procedure and get home again w/o stopping.

G37xhibeet

iTrader: (1)

I have the HPS5.0s on Brake Performance slotted/drilled rotors and I feel the same way. Bite isn't as much as I would like or expected when just starting out.

kennyz424

iTrader: (147)

I'm absolutely in love with my Stoptech slotted and drilled rotors!

IracknBack

iTrader: (4)

pics on the car? this is about exactly what I'm looking for and good price too!

KidJai06

Hope these pics are helpful. I just came off long vacation that logged about 750 miles both highway and city with an occasional need for abrupt stops. These were perfect.

IracknBack

iTrader: (4)

That looks great. I live in WA where it rains 250 days per year so rust is a major concern because it makes it look like crap IMO.


I really like how those look. and those are 19 inch wheels right? Are those rotors bigger diameter than OEM Sport brakes? I have 20s and feel my stock brakes don't fill up the hole as well as they should so wanted bigger.


Thanks for the review and photos. really considering this.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

No way to run bigger rotors without some serious fabrication. Would need new brackets between the spindle mount and the caliper and not sure if the Akebonos have the span to fit on a larger diameter rotor.

AP racing makes bigger kits but you'd better have a nice credit line, lol.
https://www.stillen.com/ap-racing-in...apradkt05.html

KidJai06

Yep standard 355/350mm size under the OEM Sport 19" wheels. They are a nice look. I continue to watch for rusting and while there is some mild rust-over after direct water contact (as I'm pretty sure its impossible to avoid) the pad surface area and the exposed rotor surface area matches up so once you brake the rust is gone and its clean. Right now even with the insanely high tropical humidity and occasional pop up T-storm my brakes look good.

IracknBack

iTrader: (4)

Thanks Newt. not what I wanted to hear but good to know. OEM size it is. i'll probably get the rotors ceramic coated here before install to hopefully help a bit. it's only a couple hundred extra and did amazing things to my wheels. wind blows the brake dust off so I rarely have to wipe them down anymore and they're powdercoated white.


Advanced Protective Coatings in Woodinville, WA in case anyone is curious.


Thanks for the tips.

infinitig37sx

Awesome review thanks for this im going to most likely go this route

Ape Factory

iTrader: (3)

Still liking the Hawk 5.0's? Do you feel they have more initial torque/bite than the stock OEM Akebono sport brake pads with no fade? How are they now that temperatures have dropped?

AronG37

iTrader: (1)

the rotors look great, thanks for the info on them.

KidJai06

I have about 11,000 miles on them now and they still look and brake great. There were a handful of times over the winter months where I need some hard breaking and I couldn't have asked for anything better out of them. I would continue to recommend them. They suit my needs for both around town daily driving as well as the times when I want to be a little more spirited. I plan to put my summer set of wheels/tires back on in the next week or two so I'll take a closer look at wear.

Thanks!