I know the last thing this forum needs is another brake pad thread, but
the Hawk HPS pads on my 2003 MC will need replacing later this year.
I have Powerslot cryo rotors on the MINI and this is a daily driver car with
no track or autocross expectations.
Some of the comments I see here lately indicate that the HPS pads may not
be as good as they were when I got my last set. Does anybody have experience
with the Porterfield R4-S in comparison with the Hawk HPS and/or the stock pads?
I'm looking for a pad with adequate initial bite, even in the cold, good fade
resistance and excellent overall stopping power for aggressive street applications,
and lack of noise, dust, and rotor-chewing would be plusses, but I don't have to
have the quietest, cleanest, rotor-friendliest pads on the planet.

For those that have tried them, what do you think?

 

I've had both the R4-S and the HPS; here's just a quick tid-bit.

The R4-S's had great initial bite once clamping force had been applied.
They held great on several track days and took the abuse well.
On the street they were responsive and be sometimes touchy.
As a performance pad, I expected dust; it wasn't excessive, but there was a good amount even in a couple days of driving.

The HPS are a excellent street pad; cost effective, long lasting.
They take the normal grind well, but don't hold well after a few hard hot laps at the track (not auto-x, actual track use).
Typically they feel soft or even slightly gooey (even with new fluid) once they've overheated.
But I used them currently on my daily driver and they react quickly and have lower dust than most street performance pads.

Good luck in your search; if you're wanting to dive into the corners deeper, I'd say lean towards the R4-S's.

- Erik

 

A belated thanks for your info (been busy lately).

Still thinking about which pads to go to. Leaning to RS-4, but might stick with HPS.

Did your Porterfields come with the rear inner pad retaining clip? I read a very old
post somewhere about backing plate problems (no clip and/or poor fit to calipers).
I'm guessing they're up to speed on the MINI application by now.
I know they have the rear sensor slot which the HPS still doesn't have.

Might consider Carbotech Bobcat CT1521, but they're pretty adamant on their
site that rotors must be clean of all previous deposits and turned if changing
from another compound, and I don't really need to turn or change my rotors.
Might consider CoolCarbon, Akebono Euro Ultra or Axxis ULT, or EBC Green,
but it seems to me that most of these would be a step down from HPS or RS-4.