Hawk HPS and dba Series 4000 rotors *Review on Pg. 2*

[WINGSPD]

Columbia, I will need to replace my pads and rotors some time soon as well, and would like to know if this set up worked well for you. These are the same components I was considering using, and want to make sure the combination is compatible. Please keep us updated.

[Colombia28]

Will do for sure! I'll put up a little review once i get them broken in.

[tbot]

well I just ordered new brakes. Went a different rout tho. I got EBC USR7393 slotted rotors:



and Hawk HPS pads. So those will hopefully be here by next Saturday, when I'll be getting new tires then too, so my car will be back to driving safely hehe.

I'll let everyone know how they work out.

[Colombia28]

Columbia, I will need to replace my pads and rotors some time soon as well, and would like to know if this set up worked well for you. These are the same components I was considering using, and want to make sure the combination is compatible. Please keep us updated.

Still haven't forgot to let ya know, i just have not gotten them on yet . My plan is to get them on bright and early Monday.

well I just ordered new brakes. Went a different rout tho. I got EBC USR7393 slotted rotors:



and Hawk HPS pads. So those will hopefully be here by next Saturday, when I'll be getting new tires then too, so my car will be back to driving safely hehe.

I'll let everyone know how they work out.

Those look like they will be great! EBC makes quality parts! Mind me asking what the total was for all 4 and pads?

[tbot]

I just ordered the fronts, and it was $340, free shipping. So not too bad if you ask me. The rear pads are $64 something and the rotors are like $120, but they're OEM comparable, they don't make the USR for the rears. So add another $180...so if I did all 4 it'd be $520ish there abouts.

[Colombia28]

Cheaper than my total cost. Well done!

[tbot]

Well slight update...the rotors I ordered were out of stock...the only thing they had in stock were these:


So a slight upgrade, just not the black which I was kinda hoping for, oh well. I only paid $3 more vs the $35 difference, so I think it worked out in my favor!

[Stealth01]

So how much did you spend total, tbot? And what all did you get?

[tbot]

$343 for the EBC 3GD Sport Dimpled Rotors and Hawk HPS pads for the front.

Rotors:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Mazda/6/EBC/Brake_Disc/2007/Mazdaspeed/4_Cyl_2-dot-3L/E35GD7393.html?loc=Front&tlc=Brakes,+Suspension+%26+Steering

Pads:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Mazda/6/Hawk/Brake_Pad_Set/2007/Mazdaspeed/4_Cyl_2-dot-3L/HFHB549F702.html?loc=Front&tlc=Brakes,+Suspension+%26+Steering

[Colombia28]

Just got mine one today. Will be bedding them in tomorrow night.

[tbot]

Nice!! I'll hopefully have mine on this weekend.

[Colombia28]

Review of the Hawk HPS and dba Series 4000 rotors

Ok, so i have had them on for a little over a month and one track day on them. I'll break this up into two sections; street and track review.

Proper bed in was done the evening pads and rotors were installed.

Street compared to OEM:

• Initial bite is down, and down by a considerable amount. BUT, do not take this as a bad thing because initial bit imo is a sense of false security. As compared to the OEM pads, it takes a bit more pedal travel to get the stopping power you are accustomed to with OE pads. But, once you go that bit further they stop much faster and harder and are so much more linear. I love them.
• Peddle feel is up a million fold once you get into them. At first because of the reduced initial bite the peddle feel will feel worse, but man oh man once you get into them a bit more it's rock solid and stays that way.
• No noticeable fade in them on the street. On occasion with the OE pads i would notice fade on hot days, traffic, light to light, ect. No fade to be spoken of on the street.
• Very little brake dust as compared to OE. Though it's a little hard for me to say as i have dark gray wheels as is.

Track compared to OE:

• Same with street, initial bite is down, but i'm happy about that. The HPS really let you ease into the brakes in the braking zone and if you hop on them they will not unsettle the car as much as the quick jerky grab the OE's gave me if i get antsy.
• Peddle feel is just like on the street but better as you get deeper into them. They stay rock solid.
• Unlike the OE pads, you can much, much better modulate the brakes. This is possible with the help of a much better peddle feel as now with little corrections it actually better translates to the pads.
• They most definitely grab harder and it took me a few hot laps to learn the abs threshold again. It's much sooner than with the OE pads. But on the other hand they bring the car to a halt much faster.
• Fade is the only area i was expecting more. They are much more resistant to fade, but they didn't quite hold up to heat as i hoped. Even with the new slotted and better vented dba rotors i did find them to fade a bit in certain braking zones at the end of sessions. However they did a LOT better than the OE pads which fade quick and often. The HPS pads fade far less often and don't stay hot as long.
• Brake dust does not matter at the track, who cares.

I never mentioned the rotors in there because it's a little harder to review them as it's the pads doing most of the work. What i can say is they are AWESOME! They most definitely dissipate heat much better than OE. After every session on track they were cool to the touch within 30 min, whereas the OE rotors would still be very warm even an hour later. The slots do help in braking i think, again hard to say, and the heat index paint is neat. I love them and will be buying them again.

Hope this helps! Now get to the track!


Update with part numbers:
Correct HPS Part Numbers
Front: HB549F.702
Rear: HB478F.605

For the rear pads, HB571F.605 is NOT correct. It has the wrong retention clip.

Correct dba Series 4000 Part Numbers
Front Left: 42962SL
Front Right: 42962SR
Rear Left: 42957SL
Rear Right: 42957SR

[tbot]

I'm not surprised at all by your review Andrew. And to be honest I expected the fade on the HPS pads, as they are market as more a street pad w/ track capabilities. I bet with the HP+ pads, you wouldn't notice fade at all (or at least very minimal) as they are a track pad w/ street capabilities.

Also, do you get the "playing card in spokes" sound when you step on the brakes because of the slotted rotors like i do?

[Colombia28]

I'm not surprised at all by your review Andrew. And to be honest I expected the fade on the HPS pads, as they are market as more a street pad w/ track capabilities. I bet with the HP+ pads, you wouldn't notice fade at all (or at least very minimal) as they are a track pad w/ street capabilities.

Also, do you get the "playing card in spokes" sound when you step on the brakes because of the slotted rotors like i do?

Next up will be the HP+ pads, but only for the track i think. I don't want to live with constant squeak like many with HP+ report. The HPS pads are silent on the street.

And yep! I get the tik, tik, tik, tik, from the rotors too. Worried me at first, but once i did a little more research i found out it was normal and was really relieved. I kind of like it now. Haha.

[MazdaTom]

That's awesome that you're getting out to the track Andrew. It's so much fun- kind of expensive though. I hope to get back into it someday. I know I will, it just might be awhile.

Track only pads and tires are a fantastic way to go- expensive though. The braking power with those will absolutely blow your mind. Just be careful not to rear end the guy in front of you on the way to the grid because they don't work for squat when they are cold.