THSCC Forums

I knew that, but I didn't think about the low fluid level being an early indicator of brake pad nearing it's life. I don't feel smart at all right now - AB

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'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

That's only true if you happen to somehow find a pad that doesn't have an early warning indicating tab built-in. Do they even make pads without those anymore?

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In need of car.

I haven't seen a pad without one, thus that's what I've always used, plus, when you pull the wheels on your cars as often as we do, brake inspections happen all the time.

I just find it interesting, considering places like Jiffy Lube will "top all the fluids" with each oil change. - AB

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'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

None of my cars or my family's cars have the wear tabs.

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George Bright Member # 141
One of the youngest of the old farts.
Yes I voted against you joining the club.

Hawk Blacks are NOT the same thing as HPS.

Brake rotors do NOT physically warp. They are cast iron, which is quite brittle. Throw the thermal stress to it and it will crack, not deform.

There is no comparison what-so-ever between the metallurgy and physical properties of an aluminum alloy cylinder head and a cast iron rotor.

Now, as for which pad is better (ha!), I know which pads I'm NOT going to buy again: Hawk HPS. I am thoroughly unimpressed with them on the wife's Escape. The OE Textars were much better. HPS has less dust, but they also have less torque and feel. Autozone Wearevers are just as good, and a good bit cheaper.

I've got no complains about the HPS pads, I like them so far. They are easier to modulate than the stock pads, with just as much bite when you actually get on them hard. I've found trail braking to be a little easier to control.

Why were you putting HPS's on an escape anyways?

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2012 MX-5 Sport SUV

The same reason why you put crossdrilled rotors on an Altima -- to be a boulevard pimp.

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Has no responsibility whatsoever.

I see what you did there.

I'll throw it right back at you and say "Why wouldn't I?" They are, allegedly, all that and a bag of chips.

I got them for a fair price from Essex (right down the road from me), so...why not?

As it turned out the friction code on the OE pads was 'FF'. That means the friction at 200F was a level 'F', and the friction at 500-600F is also 'F'. BTW, did I mention the higher the letter, the higher the friction? D<E<F<G, and so on...

Anywho, the code on HPS is 'FE'. They do not have as good friction at the higher temps as the OE pads. And I can tell after about 2-3 stops.

Glad they're working well for you. That tells me whatever was on there previously was complete junk....

Aaron, your find may explain a little "ism" that we had with Mom's Escape not long ago. Every now and again, the brake warning light would come on, and I'd look, and think, "they seem okay to me." I guess the fluid was sloshing in the master cylinder, and tripping the sensor.

She eventually just took it to Oscar and had them replaced. The rears (drums) had started to make the squealing noise, and sure enough, were near gone.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)