I've been cursing google looking for an answer to what brake pads to get next and I have some criteria that have loosely been addressed but I think it will help a large chunk of Evo owners to sum it up in one post so here goes:

Like many Evo X owners, I have the dreaded squeal from the driver side front wheel. I have stock everything on the car including stock rotors and stock brake pads. The car is an 08 Evo X MR and has 28,500 miles on it.

I use the car as a DD, it has never been to the track and I don't intend to get into any kind of racing on a consistent basis. I often drive spiritedly on the freeways and back roads.

What I also do a lot of is snowboard in the winter and I love keeping the car looking clean in the summer so here is my criteria from most to least important:

-NO SQUEAL..especially on soft braking (i.e. pulling up to stop signs, traffic lights). If they squeal slightly at high speeds/temps when I am running the car hard on the freeway or backroads, fine but brakes must be silent on soft braking. After paying $35,000 for a car, I shouldn't be embarrassed every time I pull up to the security gate at my work

-Good stopping power in warm and cold temperatures (90F - 0F) and when I am pushing the car hard on freeway/back roads

-Average to low brake dust

I've narrowed it down to the following 3 pads based on reviews and forums:
-Stop Tech Street Performance Pads
-EBC BlueStuff NDX pads
-RB ET500 pads

Money is not so much of a concern. Doesn't mean I'll buy diamond covered break pads for $50K but I am willing to spend an extra $50 to get a superior set of pads that will be excellent in all my criteria.

So, if you have knowledge on the 3 pads listed in regards to the criteria I mention, please share your thoughts. I want the damn squeal gone! And yes, I will turn all my rotors when I get the new pads put on so I can start in a like-new state.

Thanks in advance.

 

I've used the blue stuff before and it's okay on noise and dust. There was a very slight squeal at light breaking, and overall breaking power was decent. It's not my favorite performance pad, but I think it fits your criteria. There are better stopping power ones, but massive dust and squeal follow.

That being said you have to break these in properly. A few of my friends also got these at one point and only one of us had bad squeal. That person didn't do the proper bed-in process.

 

ET500's are very good for what you want and dont want. DO NOT TRACK THEM.

 

yea i can vouch for the et500s also.. good initial bite and stronger than stock and my wheels actually looked clean for more than a day after a wash. im def going to get them again on my new evo x when the pads wear out, or maybe get the maperformance package which includes the girodisc magic pads, ss brake lines, fluid, and front and rear slotted rotors.

 

Certainly not planning on tracking them. Just plan to beatthem up on the streets once in a while.

 

StopTech or ET500s.

BlueStuff is a racing compound. I run it as my DD/AX car. But its not really meant for DD.

 

So what happens if you track the ET-500's, do they fail miserably like the StopTechs?

 

They're not designed for track use; brake torque and operating temps.

 

Well after your monstrously fast evo catches the pud knockers on the track you will absorb their brake points to keep from running over them. Which instead of braking hard at your marks, you will be braking based on their lack of skill. Which will overheat your brakes. After about a 20 minute session you should still have a nice pedal, but no real stopping will be taking place, because your brakes are basically melted blocks of metal and no longer high friction stopping devices.

The et500's were not made to withstand multiple stops from north of 110 mph. I called them when the above happened to me.

But again for autox and daily driver the RB ET500's are an excellent brake lining.

Et800's are a much better track pad and can be carefully driven to the track.

Cheers

 

Good info, thank you.

What about EBC Red Stuff, do they fall into the same category?

 

I've run both brands and prefer the Stoptechs over the ET500s because they have more initial bite than the 500s. Initial bite is more confidence inspiring when stopping such a heavy car especially at highway speeds. They also respond better when modulating brake pedal pressure. The ET500s required more heavy application of the brake pedal. Their only advantage is they dust much less than the Stoptechs. The dust isn't too bad on the Stoptechs.

 

Good information to know when I start to look for pads. Ive used Stoptech street performance on past cars. Great DD pad with no real noise problems.

 

OP? which ones did you end up getting?

Question are the stock pads better than any of these for light track use?

I am looking to replace pads. Bad thing about stock are Dust & Squeel noise?

What is a good upgrade?

 

I personally run Stoptechs in the car.... they do their job and no squealing here.

I've done a few hard Canyon Runs and they can take abuse.... They also work great when you max out 5th and need to stop lol.