Hawk HPS 5.0 brake pad review
05-23-2016, 11:23 PM
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Location: Jacksonville, FL Duval County
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Hawk HPS 5.0 brake pad review
My 2004 Cayenne TT had the original PAGID pads and, while the replacement warning light had not yet come on, they were beginning to wear through the sensors. The front rotors likewise were worn.
I replaced my front rotors with OEM-style solid rotors, ATE coated. They aren't clearly labeled left or right, but they are different and have different parts numbers. Pay attention to the vanes when you put them on. No complaints about the rotors; the coating looks nice and has resisted corrosion so far. Pelican Parts delivered everything on time at a good price, but my receipt didn't delineate which part number was for left and right on the rotors.
My opinion of the original Pagid pads is that the initial bite was a just a tad harsh and the stopping power was good. The brake dust was ridiculously bad, almost as bad as Hawk DTC track pads, and way worse than Ferodo DS2500 clubsport pads (my favorite pad). As bad as the dust was, the squeaking was truly awful, especially at low speeds. I have driven my last two cars with the Ferodos, which squeak a bit, but I don't even notice it. The CTT was embarrassing me constantly pulling up to stoplights.
Pros of the Hawk HPS 5.0:
Extremely low brake dust. I honestly feel like I have more time in my life now. The wheels hardly ever get dirty.
Extremely quiet. I have not heard a single squeak, stopping hard or just barely brushing them.
Excellent fit and function. They fit the calipers perfectly and they fit the sensors perfectly.
Cons of the Hawk HPS 5.0:
Initial bite is very poor. I think 90% of drivers would find this to be a pro, as it makes brake modulation very easy. Accidentally throwing your passengers in the floorboard simply will not happen with these pads. You have to really lay into the pedal, which leads me to item 2:
Stopping power is not enough for serious driving. I haven't towed or done any high-speed stops yet, but I have managed to find the pedal stop for the brake pedal. I even went so far as to bleed my brakes early to make sure it wasn't just trapped air. I never had this problem with the worn out pagids, yet I find myself really leaning in to the HAWKs and not getting the stopping power I want. I am kind of afraid to see how they perform with a trailer.
Consensus: These are great pads for 90% of cayenne drivers. But, if you have a GTS or turbo, do serious towing, track your cayenne, etc, then you might feel safer with a more aggressive pad. I think a good compromise (if you don't mind changing pads, which is easy on our Brembos) would be to throw in a set of Ferodos for long towing trips or track days, and then use these as super-quiet, super-clean DD pads.
I replaced my front rotors with OEM-style solid rotors, ATE coated. They aren't clearly labeled left or right, but they are different and have different parts numbers. Pay attention to the vanes when you put them on. No complaints about the rotors; the coating looks nice and has resisted corrosion so far. Pelican Parts delivered everything on time at a good price, but my receipt didn't delineate which part number was for left and right on the rotors.
My opinion of the original Pagid pads is that the initial bite was a just a tad harsh and the stopping power was good. The brake dust was ridiculously bad, almost as bad as Hawk DTC track pads, and way worse than Ferodo DS2500 clubsport pads (my favorite pad). As bad as the dust was, the squeaking was truly awful, especially at low speeds. I have driven my last two cars with the Ferodos, which squeak a bit, but I don't even notice it. The CTT was embarrassing me constantly pulling up to stoplights.
Pros of the Hawk HPS 5.0:
Extremely low brake dust. I honestly feel like I have more time in my life now. The wheels hardly ever get dirty.
Extremely quiet. I have not heard a single squeak, stopping hard or just barely brushing them.
Excellent fit and function. They fit the calipers perfectly and they fit the sensors perfectly.
Cons of the Hawk HPS 5.0:
Initial bite is very poor. I think 90% of drivers would find this to be a pro, as it makes brake modulation very easy. Accidentally throwing your passengers in the floorboard simply will not happen with these pads. You have to really lay into the pedal, which leads me to item 2:
Stopping power is not enough for serious driving. I haven't towed or done any high-speed stops yet, but I have managed to find the pedal stop for the brake pedal. I even went so far as to bleed my brakes early to make sure it wasn't just trapped air. I never had this problem with the worn out pagids, yet I find myself really leaning in to the HAWKs and not getting the stopping power I want. I am kind of afraid to see how they perform with a trailer.
Consensus: These are great pads for 90% of cayenne drivers. But, if you have a GTS or turbo, do serious towing, track your cayenne, etc, then you might feel safer with a more aggressive pad. I think a good compromise (if you don't mind changing pads, which is easy on our Brembos) would be to throw in a set of Ferodos for long towing trips or track days, and then use these as super-quiet, super-clean DD pads.
