Two-piece Rotor discussion
This has turned into an interesting discussion on brake pads.
I'm surprised theres not been an updated thread on here on Pads with the Akebonos...(Perhaps a sticky is in order for "What Pads do you use for your Akebonos")....
for what its worth with my Akebonos ....I used to use EBC Yellows and then switched to NDX Blues for daily driving ... I've been very very impressed with both and pleasantly surprised at how well they wear on the rotors for such aggressive pads especially the blues
Also ... not that I don't appreciate the perspective, but when ever someone says braking is "linear" I have never had any idea what they meant ..this thread cleared it up...a little...lol.
I'm surprised theres not been an updated thread on here on Pads with the Akebonos...(Perhaps a sticky is in order for "What Pads do you use for your Akebonos")....
for what its worth with my Akebonos ....I used to use EBC Yellows and then switched to NDX Blues for daily driving ... I've been very very impressed with both and pleasantly surprised at how well they wear on the rotors for such aggressive pads especially the blues
Also ... not that I don't appreciate the perspective, but when ever someone says braking is "linear" I have never had any idea what they meant ..this thread cleared it up...a little...lol.
I have two bottles of Motul 600 but did not use them. I thought about bleeding the brakes but said to myself, why? I didn't remove any fluid from the calipers. I am open to suggestion as to why I should though. Additionally, I had the fluid changed only 12000 miles ago.
I bleed my brakes every other year, but lots of people go 4-5+ years without bleeding the brakes
I think bleeding brakes is more sensitive to the time interval rather than mileage....while lots of people do go 4-5 years without doing it can damage the brake lines...although lots of people wont notice while they have the car.
HPS pad...I've been using it for 24 hours so take it with a grain of salt. Not near as much bite in the beginning, but the rate of braking is extremely linear. The OEM pad was like...like a cottonmouth snake...One big *** bite and then it chokes. The HPS pad is more like an alligator, slow and steady in digestion of the pad. That probably doesn't make any sense but it does in my head 
Noise is non-existent. Dust seems .... on parity with OEM pads I think, maybe 10% worse. NO MORE!
For me I'm slightly disappointed I have to press the brake further, but it is nice how reliably easy it is to use now. I think my brain just has to adapt to how this pad operates.
...................................OEM............ ....Hawk HPS
Breathing on pedal.........Mild.................Nothing
Mild Pressure.................Moderate.........Mild
Moderate Pre.................Maxed out........Moderate
Extreme Pre..................Moderate..........Extreme braking
Does this make sense? The OEM pad drops off significantly after several hard stops (think Tail of the Dragon area in NC) whereas the Hawk is just extremely linear.
Noise is non-existent. Dust seems .... on parity with OEM pads I think, maybe 10% worse. NO MORE!
For me I'm slightly disappointed I have to press the brake further, but it is nice how reliably easy it is to use now. I think my brain just has to adapt to how this pad operates.
...................................OEM............ ....Hawk HPS
Breathing on pedal.........Mild.................Nothing
Mild Pressure.................Moderate.........Mild
Moderate Pre.................Maxed out........Moderate
Extreme Pre..................Moderate..........Extreme braking
Does this make sense? The OEM pad drops off significantly after several hard stops (think Tail of the Dragon area in NC) whereas the Hawk is just extremely linear.
Great review on these pads, Ryan. But I am curious to know if this review is for the original Hawk HPS pads or the Hawk HPS 5.0's? These two pads seems to have quite different street manners. I found the HPS's to require less initial pedal pressure with better "grip" and WAY less brake dust, which is more to my liking. The 5.0's seemed to require a bit more initial pedal pressure and produced quite a bit more break dust. I actually switched back to the original HPS pads after trying the 5.0's.
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If you know any good race shops in your area, they might know how to convert your fixed 2-piece rotor into a full float by changing the hardware and doing some custom machine work on the hats.
But if you're looking for a bolt-on solution, then I think RacingBrake .com offers true floating rotors for the G37's.
Don't forget to spend the dough on some nice brake fluid as well
But if you're looking for a bolt-on solution, then I think RacingBrake .com offers true floating rotors for the G37's.
Don't forget to spend the dough on some nice brake fluid as well
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If you know any good race shops in your area, they might know how to convert your fixed 2-piece rotor into a full float by changing the hardware and doing some custom machine work on the hats.
But if you're looking for a bolt-on solution, then I think RacingBrake .com offers true floating rotors for the G37's.
Don't forget to spend the dough on some nice brake fluid as well
But if you're looking for a bolt-on solution, then I think RacingBrake .com offers true floating rotors for the G37's.
Don't forget to spend the dough on some nice brake fluid as well
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 387
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I only know what i've read online. Supposedly allows for difference in thermal expansion between the rotor and hat, helps with pad knockback, and generally smooths out braking performance. I'm sure its totally overkill for a street car, but worth knowing its an option.
John, I think you are on the right path here if you have your heart set on 2pc. rotors. Just don't expect any very noticeable performance difference on the street.
I had a Subaru WRX that saw a lot of track days that I first upgraded with cast iron 4pot front brakes. I finally bit the bullet and got top notch AP Racing Aluminum calipers with 2pc. floating rotors. Even on track with slicks, any weight savings was not really noticeable- and it was significant. What was noticeable was the braking power and the significantly better cooling.
2pc. rotors are total overkill for the street and only gearheads like us will really notice them. But know that I am looking at the same rotors (but slotted) for my car for track days.
I had a Subaru WRX that saw a lot of track days that I first upgraded with cast iron 4pot front brakes. I finally bit the bullet and got top notch AP Racing Aluminum calipers with 2pc. floating rotors. Even on track with slicks, any weight savings was not really noticeable- and it was significant. What was noticeable was the braking power and the significantly better cooling.
2pc. rotors are total overkill for the street and only gearheads like us will really notice them. But know that I am looking at the same rotors (but slotted) for my car for track days.
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Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Rochester, NY
Not very.More like matching the FI catback to my FI cats, which was an incremental gain. Pleasant and noticeable in the mid-range, but nothing huge. More sound than fury. What I'm not expecting is something like the rear gear swap, which was a game-changer. Been over a month now, and I'm still in awe of this mod.
Anyway... a positive tweak in the car's handling performance, that's all I'm hoping for. And if that doesn't happen, well then there's bragging rights to no one in particular, and peace of mind in making good choices for this hobby.
Last edited by Rochester; Jun 19, 2017 at 11:47 PM.
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From: Capistrano Beach
I like form before function. I found some titanium mufflers, this company says they can save you almost 50 pounds from factory. I figure if you can lose almost 50 lbs and gain 5-10 hp, that is what I will do.
You can save 20 lbs on the front of the car. Add a lithium battery and save another 20 lbs. Possibly replace your spare with fix a flat or AAA with 100 mile towing and you save at least another 30 lbs. Some 18 and 19" wheels are about 5 lbs lighter.
Conceivably, you can get an S slightly lighter than a Journey, with even more style, and more performance.
You can save 20 lbs on the front of the car. Add a lithium battery and save another 20 lbs. Possibly replace your spare with fix a flat or AAA with 100 mile towing and you save at least another 30 lbs. Some 18 and 19" wheels are about 5 lbs lighter.
Conceivably, you can get an S slightly lighter than a Journey, with even more style, and more performance.
I'm not expecting something very noticeable. Just... noticeable. Not very.
More like matching the FI catback to my FI cats, which was an incremental gain. Pleasant and noticeable in the mid-range, but nothing huge. More sound than fury. What I'm not expecting is something like the rear gear swap, which was a game-changer. Been over a month now, and I'm still in awe of this mod.
Anyway... a positive tweak in the car's handling performance, that's all I'm hoping for. And if that doesn't happen, well then there's bragging rights to no one in particular, and peace of mind in making good choices for this hobby.
Not very.More like matching the FI catback to my FI cats, which was an incremental gain. Pleasant and noticeable in the mid-range, but nothing huge. More sound than fury. What I'm not expecting is something like the rear gear swap, which was a game-changer. Been over a month now, and I'm still in awe of this mod.
Anyway... a positive tweak in the car's handling performance, that's all I'm hoping for. And if that doesn't happen, well then there's bragging rights to no one in particular, and peace of mind in making good choices for this hobby.
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