13/02/2021
When it comes to upgrading your vehicle's braking system, the choice of brake pads is paramount. For many discerning drivers across the UK, the name Hawk Performance often comes up, particularly their renowned HPS (High Performance Street) line. These aren't just any replacement pads; they're engineered to significantly enhance your driving experience, delivering a blend of performance, safety, and quality specifically tailored for street use. But what exactly makes Hawk Performance HPS brake pads stand out in a crowded market, and how do they fare against other popular brands like EBC?
Understanding Hawk Performance HPS Brake Pads
Hawk Performance HPS brake pads are meticulously designed to elevate the braking capabilities of street-legal vehicles. At their core lies a special HPS compound, a formulation crafted to provide advanced braking characteristics. This isn't just about raw stopping power; it's about a holistic improvement that integrates the safety and quality principles of aerospace design with the cutting-edge braking technology derived from motorsports.
For the everyday driver, this translates into a series of tangible benefits:
- Extremely Low Dust: A common grievance with performance pads is excessive brake dust staining expensive alloy wheels. Hawk HPS pads are formulated to produce minimal dust, keeping your wheels cleaner for longer and reducing the need for frequent, arduous cleaning. This also lessens the abrasive wear on your wheel finishes.
- High Friction/Torque, Hot or Cold: One of the most critical aspects of a high-performance brake pad is consistent friction. Hawk HPS pads deliver exceptional friction and torque output whether they're cold from a morning start or hot after spirited driving. This ensures reliable and predictable stopping power across a wide range of operating temperatures, giving you confidence in diverse driving conditions.
- Gentle on the Rotor: While designed for superior stopping, these pads are surprisingly gentle on your brake discs. This characteristic is vital for extending the lifespan of your rotors, reducing overall maintenance costs, and ensuring a balanced wear pattern across your braking system.
- Virtually Noise-Free: No one appreciates squealing brakes. Hawk HPS pads are engineered to be quiet, providing a smooth and virtually noise-free braking experience. This enhances driving comfort and eliminates the irritating sounds often associated with some performance pads.
- Greatly Improved Braking Over OE: This is where the HPS pads truly shine. Compared to standard Original Equipment (OE) brake pads, Hawk HPS can provide a significant increase in stopping power, typically in the range of 20-40% more. This translates directly to shorter stopping distances and an enhanced safety margin, particularly in emergency situations.
- Extended Pad Life: Despite their performance orientation, Hawk HPS pads are designed for durability, offering an extended pad life. This means fewer replacements over time, offering both convenience and cost savings.
- Higher Resistance to Brake Fade: Brake fade occurs when brake components overheat, leading to a reduction in braking effectiveness. Hawk HPS pads offer superior resistance to fade, ensuring consistent pedal feel and reliable performance even during prolonged or aggressive braking.
In essence, choosing Hawk Performance HPS brake pads means opting for a noticeable upgrade in your vehicle's braking capabilities, blending everyday usability with genuine performance benefits.
Do Hawk Brake Pads Work with Ceramic Rotors?
The information provided specifically highlights Hawk Performance HPS as "High Performance Street disc brake pads" designed for street-legal vehicles. The context implicitly refers to traditional cast iron brake discs, which are standard on the vast majority of street cars. While Hawk Performance does offer a wide range of compounds, the HPS line is primarily formulated to optimise performance with conventional metallic rotors. The provided details do not explicitly state compatibility with ceramic or carbon-ceramic rotors. Vehicles fitted with ceramic rotors typically require very specific pad compounds designed to operate within their unique thermal and friction characteristics. Therefore, if your vehicle is equipped with ceramic rotors, it is crucial to consult Hawk Performance's official product guides or a specialist brake technician to ensure compatibility before fitting HPS pads.
Do Hawk HPS Brakes Come with Sensors?
The provided text includes a user's question about changing brake fluid when replacing pads and rotors, but it does not contain any information regarding whether Hawk HPS brake pads come equipped with wear sensors. Many modern vehicles utilise electronic brake wear sensors that alert the driver when pads are nearing the end of their life. Some aftermarket pads include these sensors, while others require you to transfer the existing sensors or purchase new ones separately. To determine if Hawk HPS pads for your specific make and model include sensors, it's best to check the product description from the retailer or directly with Hawk Performance.
Hawk Performance HPS vs. EBC Brake Pads: A Detailed Comparison
The UK market offers a plethora of high-quality brake pad manufacturers, and EBC Brakes stands as a prominent home-grown competitor with a strong reputation. When considering a brake upgrade, it's natural to compare Hawk Performance with EBC. Both brands are giants in the automotive braking industry, known for their commitment to quality and performance.
Brand Philosophies and Manufacturing
Both EBC and Hawk deliver exceptionally well-made products, utilising top-notch machinery and investing heavily in research and development facilities. However, their core philosophies and product portfolios exhibit some differences:
- EBC Brakes: An independently owned and managed UK-based company with over 35 years of experience. EBC prides itself on manufacturing 100% of its products in its own factories in the UK, Italy, and the US. This vertical integration allows them to maintain stringent quality controls from start to finish. EBC has a highly diversified product portfolio, catering to nearly everything imaginable, from passenger cars and motorcycles to trucks, buses, and even wind turbines. Their product lines are often identified by a colour-based system (e.g., Greenstuff, Redstuff, Yellowstuff).
- Hawk Performance: While the provided text doesn't detail Hawk's manufacturing process as extensively, it positions Hawk as a brand primarily focused on high-performance products. This specialisation suggests a deep dive into specific friction materials and designs optimised for aggressive driving scenarios, whether on the street or the track.
Performance Characteristics: Hawk vs. EBC
From the perspective of many professional racers and supercar owners, Hawk brake pads often offer a slight edge in raw performance and a marginally shorter stopping distance compared to EBC's offerings. However, this often comes with a trade-off: Hawk pads can be typically noisier than a comparable EBC pad. This distinction highlights Hawk's strong focus on maximum performance, sometimes at the expense of absolute quietness.
Hawk HPS vs. EBC Yellowstuff: Street vs. Track Focus
A direct comparison between Hawk HPS and EBC Yellowstuff is particularly insightful, as it highlights their distinct intended uses:
| Feature | Hawk Performance HPS | EBC Yellowstuff |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Design Focus | Street Performance | Light Track Usage, High-Performance Street |
| Stopping Power | Unparalleled in street conditions (20-40% over OE) | Incredible, especially at higher temperatures |
| Brake Fade Resistance | High resistance for spirited street driving | Low fade even under demanding conditions (track) |
| Dust Production | Extremely low dust | Ultra-high friction material with low dust |
| Noise Levels | Virtually noise-free | Low noise (for a track-oriented pad) |
| Cold Bite | High friction hot or cold | Good, but optimal performance requires temperature |
| Track Suitability | Not capable of withstanding track stresses | Designed for light track usage |
| Urban Drivability | Excels, consistent performance in traffic | Can be problematic due to temperature requirements |
This comparison highlights a crucial distinction: Hawk HPS pads are the undisputed champions for street performance. They deliver exceptional stopping power and consistent pedal feel in typical road conditions, including city traffic, motorway cruising, and spirited drives, without the need for significant heat build-up. Their low dust and quiet operation make them ideal for daily drivers who want a significant upgrade without compromise.
EBC Yellowstuff, conversely, leans more towards light track usage. While they can be used on the street, they truly show their full potential once they reach a certain operating temperature, which might not always be achievable in everyday urban driving. This makes them less ideal for stop-and-go traffic where they might not get hot enough to perform optimally.
Other EBC Offerings (For Context)
While Hawk HPS focuses on its niche, EBC offers a broader spectrum of pads for various needs:
- EBC Redstuff Ceramic: Designed for performance vehicles over 200bhp, offering extremely low dust and up to 25% more braking power than OE. Great for spirited street driving and occasional track use.
- EBC Ultimax 2: An excellent, eco-friendly alternative to OE pads, known for exceptionally good pad life and reasonable pricing. Ideal for daily driving.
- EBC Greenstuff (2000 & 6000 Series): Entry-level performance upgrades. 2000 series for compact cars/small sedans, 6000 series for light SUVs/trucks, offering improved bite and fade resistance over OE.
- EBC Bluestuff NDX: Designed for light race use on street-legal performance cars.
- EBC Orangestuff: True race pads, not street legal.
This extensive range from EBC shows their commitment to providing a tailored solution for almost every vehicle and driving style, while Hawk, with its HPS line, zeroes in on optimising the street performance segment.
Why Choose Hawk Performance HPS?
For UK drivers seeking a significant and noticeable improvement in their vehicle's braking performance without venturing into full-blown track setups, Hawk Performance HPS brake pads present a compelling choice. They offer:
- Enhanced Safety: Shorter stopping distances mean more reaction time and potentially avoiding accidents.
- Increased Confidence: Predictable and consistent braking performance in all street conditions.
- Improved Driving Experience: Reduced noise and dust contribute to a more pleasant and enjoyable drive.
- Durability: Extended pad life and gentleness on rotors offer long-term value.
These pads are an ideal upgrade for enthusiasts who demand more from their vehicle's brakes but primarily operate on public roads.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What makes Hawk HPS pads stand out from standard OE pads?
Hawk HPS pads utilise a unique HPS compound that provides a higher coefficient of friction than standard OE pads. This translates to 20-40% more stopping power, higher resistance to brake fade, and a more consistent pedal feel. Additionally, they produce extremely low dust and are virtually noise-free, offering a superior driving experience.
Are Hawk HPS pads suitable for track use or racing?
No, Hawk Performance HPS brake pads are specifically designed for high-performance street use. While they offer significantly improved stopping power over OE, they are not engineered to withstand the extreme temperatures and prolonged stresses encountered during track days or competitive racing. For such applications, Hawk Performance offers dedicated track-specific compounds.
Do Hawk HPS pads require a break-in period?
Like most performance brake pads, Hawk HPS pads will benefit from a proper bedding-in procedure. This process typically involves a series of moderate and aggressive stops to transfer a thin layer of friction material onto the rotor surface, optimising performance and reducing the likelihood of noise. Always follow the manufacturer's recommended bedding-in instructions.
How do Hawk HPS pads compare in terms of cost with OE replacements?
Hawk HPS pads are generally priced higher than standard OE replacement pads due to their advanced friction materials and performance benefits. However, their extended pad life and superior performance often justify the initial investment for drivers seeking an upgrade in safety and driving dynamics.
Can I use Hawk HPS pads with my existing brake discs?
Yes, Hawk HPS pads are designed to be gentle on rotors and are compatible with most standard cast iron brake discs. For optimal performance, it's often recommended to pair new pads with new or freshly machined rotors to ensure a clean mating surface and even pad wear. However, their 'gentle on rotor' characteristic means they are less likely to cause premature wear on existing discs compared to more aggressive compounds.
Conclusion
Hawk Performance HPS brake pads represent an outstanding choice for UK drivers looking to significantly upgrade their vehicle's braking system for street use. Their unique HPS compound delivers a potent combination of increased stopping power, superior fade resistance, and a refined driving experience characterised by low dust and minimal noise. While other brands like EBC offer diverse ranges, Hawk HPS distinguishes itself by focusing keenly on optimising performance for the road. If you prioritise enhanced safety, confident braking, and a cleaner, quieter ride, the Hawk Performance HPS line is undoubtedly a top contender worth considering for your vehicle.
If you want to read more articles similar to Hawk Performance HPS Brake Pads: The Street King?, you can visit the Brakes category.