[SouthFL_ILX]

Early this past Fall I installed the Powerstop Track Day pads for use at the Homestead circuit for an HPDE in my ‘21 ILX (basically a 9th Gen Civic Si with a dual clutch transmission).

I selected these pads to see how they would perform at the track and then for daily driving and use at a monthly autocross.

Initial impressions were great. Modulation was good. Bite was not overly aggressive.

At the track I broke heavy and late into turns and the pads gave good feedback and would give me about 20 minutes worth of laps before asking to come back in. Pretty much what I was expecting out of these streetable track pads.

After the track day I drove the pads for another month before attending an autox. Pads maintained their characteristics. Dust was slightly more than factory pads. No noise.

Then a second autox and here is when I noticed a change in the pad compound characteristics… too much initial bite. This made it difficult to modulate brakes and regulate weight transfer.

After that second autox, that hard initial bite has stayed and the pads are extremely grabby.. almost an on/off switch. Brakes on, brakes off. Dust is much heavier now but still quiet in operation.

I’d compare these pads to Hawk HP+ and Porterfield R4S in overall capability. I much prefer the street manners of the Porterfield R4S and their brake modulation. I don’t care for the high initial bite, dust and noise of the Hawk HP+.
These Powerstop pads fall somewhere in between the Porterfield and the Hawk from my experience with these pads.

Hope you enjoyed this review.

 

[SouthFL_ILX]

Not bad. Most likely the track day got the pads to temp and actually bedded them in making them bite harder.

When this happens, you have to retrain your right or left foot use less brakes.


Sent from my iPhone 13 Pro while on the toilet.

That’s the odd thing… at the track day the Powerstop performed great. After the track day, pads were still easy to modulate

… After a few months of street driving and a couple autox they have suddenly become too on/off… probably because they haven’t been brought back up to operating temp for sustained periods of time.

In comparison, I’ve driven Porterfield R4S on several cars for years and currently have them on my son’s GTI. They hold their braking characteristics both at the track and during months/years of daily driving.

 

[SouthFL_ILX]

Possibly. Autox pads don’t need much, as long as they can slow down the car. I find hawk hps to be one of the easier pads on any car


Sent from my iPhone 13 Pro while on the toilet.

Prior to the track day the ILX was just fine on the factory pads at the autocross.
Interestingly, was thinking HPS as a replacement for the Powerstop pads, as the car won’t be seeing the track anymore.