Hawk 5.0 HPS Brake Pads & Cquence Rotor Review

[Chucky]

After 6000 miles started to notice slight vibration when braking due to uneven deposits from OEM pads on the OEM rotors. Decided to replace and upgrade with front and rear Cquence slotted and drilled rotors and the new Hawk 5.0 HPS pads on the front (still can't find aftermarket rear pads). Bought the rotors direct from Cquence and the pads from KHartunerz website.
The brakes feel MUCH better, seem to stop quicker, have zero vibration and the rotors look amazing. This pad and rotor combo is also completely silent at least so far after 3000 miles. The Hawk pads gave off a serious chemical odor during the bed in procedure but not since. This setup produces more dust than OEM, not sure if it is the slots and holes in the rotors or the pads causing this probably both.
Can't compare rotors or pads independently to OEM since I changed both at the same time. So far I'm very happy with this combination. I will be upgrading the brake fluid and possibly the brake lines before I track the car. Definitely recommend this brake upgrade
I also had Eibach sway bars installed at the same time; the front is set to soft and the rear to stiff. This has been a huge improvement in handling; especially the rear of the car when cornering at speed on uneven or broken surfaces; the car feels much more planted now highly recommend this upgrade as well.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Joined this thread immediately: I join all brake threads.

I don't want dust. So that is off-putting right away. I think my sweet spot when I upgrade is going to be something less "tracky" but higher performance than OEM brakes. The inclusion of race spec brake fluid and lines also attracts me.

Sway bars. Okay, let's see if I have this down finally: stiffer in the rear increases OVERSTEER. But you put the Eibach upgrade in the front so that oversteer would be reduced. Then you put the rear bar on "stiff" which would increase oversteer again. Hmm? Have you pushed into turns yet to see what the steering feels like? Granted, the sway bars will plant the car compared to OE setup. But the steering behavior is what I am focused on now.

 

[Chucky]

Joined this thread immediately: I join all brake threads.

I don't want dust. So that is off-putting right away. I think my sweet spot when I upgrade is going to be something less "tracky" but higher performance than OEM brakes. The inclusion of race spec brake fluid and lines also attracts me.

Sway bars. Okay, let's see if I have this down finally: stiffer in the rear increases OVERSTEER. But you put the Eibach upgrade in the front so that oversteer would be reduced. Then you put the rear bar on "stiff" which would increase oversteer again. Hmm? Have you pushed into turns yet to see what the steering feels like? Granted, the sway bars will plant the car compared to OE setup. But the steering behavior is what I am focused on now.

Yes, I've pushed it in turns and corners, stiffer rear end does tend towards oversteer. The OEM front sway bar was ok but with the Eibach front set on soft turn in seems a little sharper and the whole car stays flatter in turns.

Would be interesting to see how much dust Cquence rotors combined with OEM pads would do and slotted vs slotted & drilled. Probably be more dust than OEM rotors but less dust than aftermarket performance pads.

 

[itguy61]

What is your take on the difference in ride with the sway bars? I have the same set on my RWD car and I love them. I do have the rear on soft, I had it on firm before I put the front bar in. I am just trying to remember if the rear end ride was much stiffer with the bar on firm.

 

[robz32]

Very nice. Glad to see another Stinger with the Cquence rotors.

 

[Manaz]

I am just trying to remember if the rear end ride was much stiffer with the bar on firm.

It should corner flatter, but the overall ride shouldn't be significantly stiffer (it will be a little bit stiffer when left and right aren't moving up and down at the same time, but unless you're talking about weight transfer during cornering, the impact of that should be minimal).

 

[itguy61]

I am probably gonna experiment and put it on firm. I have never had it on firm since the front bar was installed. I remember with the rear bar on firm it almost oversteered, felt real fun to drive. Putting the front bar on and putting the rear of soft really blunted that feeling. I am looking for halfway in between what it felt like with just the rear on firm (front not installed yet) and how it feels now with both on soft.

It is nice that Eibach made the adjustable, gives us options.

 

[Chucky]

What is your take on the difference in ride with the sway bars? I have the same set on my RWD car and I love them. I do have the rear on soft, I had it on firm before I put the front bar in. I am just trying to remember if the rear end ride was much stiffer with the bar on firm.

Ride is not much stiffer in normal driving; I only notice the difference in hard fast turns

 

[itguy61]

Thanks!

 

[Helo58]

@Chucky , keep this brake dust washed off of your wheels and calipers as often as you can. If it gets wet and sits on your wheels/calipers, it will take the finishes off over time. AMHIK... Used these on my ISF for a while and they were a great pad! However, after using them and washing my car only about once a month, it took the clear coat and some paint off of my front wheels and took parts of the caliper paint down to the metal over the course of a year or so.

 

[Chucky]

Thanks for the heads up Helo58, I wash my car weekly by hand paying close attention to the wheels and calipers, will be even more vigilant now

 

[StungBlueGT2]

View attachment 27918
After 6000 miles started to notice slight vibration when braking due to uneven deposits from OEM pads on the OEM rotors. Decided to replace and upgrade with front and rear Cquence slotted and drilled rotors and the new Hawk 5.0 HPS pads on the front (still can't find aftermarket rear pads). Bought the rotors direct from Cquence and the pads from KHartunerz website.
The brakes feel MUCH better, seem to stop quicker, have zero vibration and the rotors look amazing. This pad and rotor combo is also completely silent at least so far after 3000 miles. The Hawk pads gave off a serious chemical odor during the bed in procedure but not since. This setup produces more dust than OEM, not sure if it is the slots and holes in the rotors or the pads causing this probably both.
Can't compare rotors or pads independently to OEM since I changed both at the same time. So far I'm very happy with this combination. I will be upgrading the brake fluid and possibly the brake lines before I track the car. Definitely recommend this brake upgrade
I also had Eibach sway bars installed at the same time; the front is set to soft and the rear to stiff. This has been a huge improvement in handling; especially the rear of the car when cornering at speed on uneven or broken surfaces; the car feels much more planted now highly recommend this upgrade as well.

Looking good! I’m considering doing the same upgrade since I had my rotors replaced and resurfaced but still have issues.

What version of cquence rotors did you get? Street, performance or Premium Sport? And are those Hawk pads semi-metallic or ceramic? Any extra noise or screeching with new pads?

Any issues using stock pads on new slotted & drilled rotors? Any signs or pad deposits on either set of rotors?

 

[Chucky]

@StungBlueGT Front rotors are Premium Sport, rear are Street Performance. The compound on the Hawk 5.0 HPS is "Ferro-Carbon" which allegedly provides 20-40% better stopping power and higher resistance to fade. I've experienced zero noise from these pads even during the bed in procedure. Noticed a small amount of depositing with the Hawk pads on the front for the first 100 miles or so but none since, they do produce more brake dust though. Stock pads on rear slotted & drilled rotors are working fine, there seems to be less depositing now but I never noticed much on the rear rotors to begin with.

What does the "Spectre CAI designation in your Stinger description mean?

 

[StungBlueGT2]

@StungBlueGT Front rotors are Premium Sport, rear are Street Performance. The compound on the Hawk 5.0 HPS is "Ferro-Carbon" which allegedly provides 20-40% better stopping power and higher resistance to fade. I've experienced zero noise from these pads even during the bed in procedure. Noticed a small amount of depositing with the Hawk pads on the front for the first 100 miles or so but none since, they do produce more brake dust though. Stock pads on rear slotted & drilled rotors are working fine, there seems to be less depositing now but I never noticed much on the rear rotors to begin with.

What does the "Spectre CAI designation in your Stinger description mean?

Thanks and that is very helpful.
Also, is that picture of the front sport rotors?

And it’s just my DIY intake system I made using Spectre filters and ThermoTec heat shielding.

DIY intakes w/Heat shielding drop about 0.2sec off 0-60

 

[CKeeler]

I’m in on the Cquence group buy so I’m looking forward to getting my new rotors and pads. I have the Whiteline sway bars just waiting for me to install. Can’t wait for this combo. I’m the same as you @Chucky, I want to get stainless braided lines and upgrade the brake fluid before I got to the track

 

[Chucky]

Thanks and that is very helpful.
Also, is that picture of the front sport rotors?

And it’s just my DIY intake system I made using Spectre filters and ThermoTec heat shielding.
View attachment 28082
DIY intakes w/Heat shielding drop about 0.2sec off 0-60

Yes picture is of the front right rotor.

Nice job with the intakes they look great and love the blue filters with the blue color of the car. You should add the BMS Billet Strut Braces from KHartunerz to complete the look and you won't need to put heat shielding on the struts. Mine should be here Monday.