Hawk brake pads - worth it?

[rmchrgr]

In reality the cast iron calipers are only about 10 pounds, so the real weight saving is only about 5 pounds per caliper. In return, you have all the problems that aluminum brings with it. Ask Corvette owners. What rotors are you running?

Rotors are stock replacement, 11" x .81".

Perhaps caliper vs. caliper you don't save a ton but everything else that surrounds the brakes is larger too. Those integral rotors are super heavy, larger ball joints, UCAs etc. It all adds up.

What problems do aluminum calipers cause?

 

[66fs]

Rotors are stock replacement, 11" x .81". Perhaps caliper vs. caliper you don't save a ton but everything else that surrounds the brakes is larger too. Those integral rotors are super heavy, larger ball joints, UCAs etc. It all adds up. What problems do aluminum calipers cause?

Do you mean BBP brakes? Back in the day Corvettes had K-H or similar made of aluminum and had serious corrosion issues and stuck pistons. Are you using aftermarket hubs? Ball joints and UCA are the same as what you have? All I'm trying to say is, maybe OEM is not as heavy as you think.

 

[nm9stheham]

I actually just spoke with SSBC and they suggested using Hawk pads, #D-43.

D43 is just a caliper type with a certain pad size. Look here and you will get the pad size info: https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=HB204

You can then take this pad size to get whatever pad material you want that is available from anybody like Hawk or Porterfield. Look here on the Hawk site for their pad material application descriptions. I notice that the DR97 is specifically for drag racing and lists the parameter that you need to improve: static coefficient of friction. http://www.hawkperformance.com/motorsports/compounds

When you grasp the idea that once you can get your pad size defined and then get a pad of that size in all sorts of different materials, then a whole new world of 'tuning your brake pads' to what you need them to do opens up for you. Let us know how it works out.

 

[rmchrgr]

Do you mean BBP brakes? Back in the day Corvettes had K-H or similar made of aluminum and had serious corrosion issues and stuck pistons. Are you using aftermarket hubs? Ball joints and UCA are the same as what you have? All I'm trying to say is, maybe OEM is not as heavy as you think.

Factory hubs. Small ball joints and UCAs.

These calipers are powder coated. I can see corrosion happening in an every day driver/all weather situation but I can't imagine it would be an issue for me. This is a nice day driver that spends 85% of the time in a well-insulated garage. Maybe down the road but hopefully not any time soon.

About two years ago I sold and shipped a whole '73-up disc brake set up and it 100 lbs for all the parts, not including rotors which were at least 25lbs each. I never actually weighed the SSBC stuff on a scale but just by handling it, the small stuff doesn't weigh anywhere near that.

 

[rmchrgr]

D43 is just a caliper type with a certain pad size. Look here and you will get the pad size info: https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=HB204

You can then take this pad size to get whatever pad material you want that is available from anybody like Hawk or Porterfield. Look here on the Hawk site for their pad material application descriptions. I notice that the DR97 is specifically for drag racing and lists the parameter that you need to improve: static coefficient of friction. http://www.hawkperformance.com/motorsports/compounds

When you grasp the idea that once you can get your pad size defined and then get a pad of that size in all sorts of different materials, then a whole new world of 'tuning your brake pads' to what you need them to do opens up for you. Let us know how it works out.

Cool, thanks for the info.

Here are the Hawk pads I was looking at;

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hwk-hb471f-510/overview/year/1971/make/plymouth/model/duster

I spoke with Aerospace Components tonight as well. Guy on the phone said the SSBC caliper pistons sounded OK and should be able to hold the car against my converter. He suggested Hawk pads as well unless there was a problem in the brake system.

Could there be air in the system? I doubt it but maybe. Easy enough to check. Did I say I hate brake fluid?

He also thought I should have a 10lb residual pressure valve in the rear line to preload the rear wheel cylinders.

Just found that Art Morrison offers a 7/8 bore MC for $110. Might have to look into it. Honestly though, I really hate the idea of having to go back and deal with brake fluid and lines and such but I may have to if the pads don't work out.

 

[nm9stheham]

Well, yeah to the air in the system; it is kinda up to you to work that out. If you hate brake fluid, have someone else re-bleed it for you to be sure.

For whatever reason, I thought you had discs front and rear....my mistake. The residual valve in a drum brake line is normal, to keep excess fluid from being pushed back out of the wheel cylinders by the spring set, and then having to pump a whole lot back into them at the next brake application. So, what shoes do you have on the rear?

The pad you link to is for a stock front.....see the FMSI spec of D11? That is not the same pad at all as the D43 you reference previously. Is this linked reference for the pad material only or what ?

 

[66fs]

Factory hubs. Small ball joints and UCAs. These calipers are powder coated. I can see corrosion happening in an every day driver/all weather situation but I can't imagine it would be an issue for me. This is a nice day driver that spends 85% of the time in a well-insulated garage. Maybe down the road but hopefully not any time soon. About two years ago I sold and shipped a whole '73-up disc brake set up and it 100 lbs for all the parts, not including rotors which were at least 25lbs each. I never actually weighed the SSBC stuff on a scale but just by handling it, the small stuff doesn't weigh anywhere near that.

Sorry, All along I was thinking Kelsey-Hays and you were talking about the 73 up Big Bolt Pattern discs as being too heavy. I was thinking if the SSBC calipers were the problem, maybe try the OEM K-H cast iron calipers and go back to stock.