Favorite street and track BRAKE PADS? Between Hawk or Porterfield - which model?

[Craig 930 RS]

Porterfield:
Street R4-S
Track use R-4

Performance Friction:
Street Z Rated
Track use 97 or 01

Which do you use and why?

[Jeff]

I use the Porterfield R-4. Great track pads, stop great and take heat well. A little sqeaky on the street, but it sounds kind of cool. The price is good too.

The PF 97 are suppose to be a good pad also, but a little more expensive.

[JeremyD]

I use the r-4s on street and track. Not noisy - and have held up very well on my 993 brakes.

[Cory M]

I use PF97's on the track and street (930). I used to switch them out for street pads but I have gotten too lazy now and use them for everything. Looking to expand your brake pad business?

[Rob 930]

Craig,

On my 944S2, I used Porterield R4S for street, autocross, and track. Great on the street -- no issues whatsover. Also fine for autocrossing. For a couple years, they did well on the track too, though I got lots of dust from track use. As I went faster on the track I found I sucked down the R4S pads way too fast (one to two days on a set of fronts) and that they were starting to fade 15 minutes into the session. So late last year I switched to PF 97s and ran one event with them. What a difference! Fine on the street -- no noise (yet). But on the track, when they were hot, it was as if my power brake booster went supernova on me. Pedal effort was light, and braking power was way better than the R4S when hot. I didn't know what I was missing. There was no fade and very modest wear. At this rate, I'll probably get 5 or 6 track days on the fronts, I'd suspect (though I haven't tested that yet). There was dust, though that seemed to be aggressively stuck to the wheels and looked to be quite corrosive. It was hard to wash off. Looks like if I'm going to use PF 97s, and I care about keeping my wheels clean, I'm going to have to really stay after cleaning them immediately after every track day. The cost differential is considerable. The R4S pads cost $90 per axle. The 97s cost about $120 per axle.

With the 97s, I did find that I got pedal pulsations (the sensation of warped rotors) after about 15 min of track use on my first time out. The pulsations were pretty noticeable and annoying. When they cooled between sessions, the pulsations went away but returned when the temps rose again. That had never happened with the R4S pads. I understand that this may have been caused by improper break in, and that I was getting an uneven deposit of brake pad material on the rotors. I understand I could attempt to clean them off with Scotch Brite or by light machining. But I bought new rotors (because I needed them anyway) and I'll try again this year. But this time, I'll go through the proper break in.

I have Porterfield R4 pads on my 930 that's destined for the track. I haven't used them yet on the track, so I have nothing to report. But on the street, they screech and squeal in the most obnoxious way. It's actually embarrassing to come to a stop at a stoplight near other cars. I find myself releasing the service brakes and using the parking brake to bring the car from 10 mph to 0. I'm guessing that when they heat up on the track, they'll be fine. But I'll never get them hot enough on the street to do any good. As such, I would be very hesitant to recommend R4 pad for street use on a 930. It could be that whatever resonance I'm getting is very specific to my 930 brakes and that others (like JeremyD) who have slightly different brakes, may have had better luck with them on the street.

[don911]

I currently have the R4-S for street (930 brakes). I don't really like them. Only reason I have them is one set came with a pair of calipers. They're not very good cold or in wet conditions in my opinion. With some heat, they're really nice. Never had them on the track.
They seem to last a long time and they are quiet. Wish they'd wear out so I can put some OEM 930 pads on.

[Jack Olsen]

I use Porterfields, R-4 or R-4S, depending on the track. On the street, I'll use anything I have lying around.

I've never used the Hawks, though. So I can't offer a comparison.

[umgang]

I have used the Hawk HPS for street and the HT-10s for track use in my 911S3.6. I find the Hawk pads in general to be non-linear, especially the race pads. Once they heat up they'll put you through the windshield, but if it's a while before you hit the brakes again (like a long straightaway) they cool off and aren't there!
Switched to the Pagid RS 4-4 and really happy with them.
Nick

[Dixie]

When running street tires I use Hawk HP+ pads - both on the street and track (DE).

The HP+ pads are plenty adaquate on a stock 911 with good street tires. They have a reasonable bite and release, and are not too hard to modulate. They're also reasonably quite on the street, and are not too dusty. But what I really like about them is the price-point. For example, they cost about 1/2 what PF97s cost.

[Craig 930 RS]

Performance Friction and Porterfields may be the choices.
Agreed?

[Craig 930 RS]

Going to give Porterfield R4 track and R4S street pads a $hot - thanks for the advice!