[DrRay81]

just to as an update on my porterfield r4s, dead silent, not a squeak out of them. extremely low dust, and initial bite even on first stop is better than OE, and zero fade. couldn't be happier.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by ray101381

just to as an update on my porterfield r4s, dead silent, not a squeak out of them. extremely low dust, and initial bite even on first stop is better than OE, and zero fade. couldn't be happier.

Nice! Thanks for the follow up!

[HP Autosport]

Originally Posted by ray101381

just to as an update on my porterfield r4s, dead silent, not a squeak out of them. extremely low dust, and initial bite even on first stop is better than OE, and zero fade. couldn't be happier.

That is what we hear from our customers. R4S is great!

[BishUK]

Hmmm, I really can't decide between the Hawks or the RS4's....having a hard time getting my head around how black and white different reviews of the same pad can actually be...some people say RS4's way less dust, others say same as OEM or even more dust?? Some say noise, others say not heard a peep??
I want a better than oem (98%) street, (2% occasional uses track pad) that dusts less and isn't overly noisy....seems like it's down to these two but not convincing consistent story from either side.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by BishUK

Hmmm, I really can't decide between the Hawks or the RS4's....having a hard time getting my head around how black and white different reviews of the same pad can actually be...some people say RS4's way less dust, others say same as OEM or even more dust?? Some say noise, others say not heard a peep??
I want a better than oem (98%) street, (2% occasional uses track pad) that dusts less and isn't overly noisy....seems like it's down to these two but not convincing consistent story from either side.

It's a tricky decision indeed. I've seen some good feedback on the PowerStops here in this thread and I'm leaning in that direction. One forum member, who has not commented in this thread, had them recently installed and mentioned to me that he feels the dust is significantly reduced. He's a very discerning driver/owner and I hold his opinion in high regard. If he vouches for them, it's pretty much good enough for me.

I'll be sure to post up my results as soon as I make a purchase. I'd really like to do a before/after test. Wash the wheels, drive a few hundred miles. Photograph. Swap out the pads and repeat the test. Nothing like photographic evidence!

[DETRoadster]

OK Gents, I pulled the trigger on the Power Stops. Price through Rock Auto was unbeatable. I'll do the install myself. If they prove to be a disaster I'm only out $80. Hoping to do the install over the Christmas break and to be able to post photos of before/after brake dust. I'm at 30 miles of city driving since my last wash and the fronts are already looking brown.

[horsepower_and_hounds]

Just installed the Z23's tonight and will burn them in tomorrow.....

I have installed the Z16's on my last 3 BMW's and loved them across the board

M4
M235
128

[BishUK]

Originally Posted by m2ruder

Just installed the Z23's tonight and will burn them in tomorrow.....

I have installed the Z16's on my last 3 BMW's and loved them across the board

M4
M235
128

Don't know much about these power stops, why did you go for Z23 and not Z16 like your previous 3 cars (M4 included)?
Z23s? Are they carbon pads? Fine to use with OEM discs?

[horsepower_and_hounds]

Originally Posted by BishUK

Don't know much about these power stops, why did you go for Z23 and not Z16 like your previous 3 cars (M4 included)?
Z23s? Are they carbon pads? Fine to use with OEM discs?

From that I read around is that it had increased breaking friction and better heat resistance....... but I am no expert. I will see, at $85 for the whole set I can pop them out and go back to my black death pads

[BruceM]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

It's a tricky decision indeed. I've seen some good feedback on the PowerStops here in this thread and I'm leaning in that direction. One forum member, who has not commented in this thread, had them recently installed and mentioned to me that he feels the dust is significantly reduced. He's a very discerning driver/owner and I hold his opinion in high regard. If he vouches for them, it's pretty much good enough for me.

I'll be sure to post up my results as soon as I make a purchase. I'd really like to do a before/after test. Wash the wheels, drive a few hundred miles. Photograph. Swap out the pads and repeat the test. Nothing like photographic evidence!

I think I may be the driver/owner referenced here . I've had the Power Stops on for maybe three weeks now. I think they are actually better than OEM for the street. They are a little less grabby, and a lot less dusty. I've been trying to figure out how to estimate the dust reduction. It's still early, but I'd say it's somewhere between 60% and 80%?

I followed the break-in procedure to the letter, and my installer used plenty of anti-squeal on the backing plates. These pads, even when as hot as you can reasonably make them on the street, get you into ABS in much the same way as the OEM pads.

The one drawback so far is that when the car has been sitting and everything about the system is cold, the first 2-3 brake applications (especially if they are light) often, although not always, give a good squeak--although actual brake performance is fine. The squeak goes away thereafter (i.e., within 15-30 seconds of city driving) and does not come back. As I said, brake performance thereafter is great for street driving.

I would do this again in a heartbeat. The only time I like dust is on the track, so I can see how hard I've been wonking on the brakes. And I don't plan to track these anyway.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by BruceM

I think I may be the driver/owner referenced here . I've had the Power Stops on for maybe three weeks now. I think they are actually better than OEM for the street. They are a little less grabby, and a lot less dusty. I've been trying to figure out how to estimate the dust reduction. It's still early, but I'd say it's somewhere between 60% and 80%?

I followed the break-in procedure to the letter, and my installer used plenty of anti-squeal on the backing plates. These pads, even when as hot as you can reasonably make them on the street, get you into ABS in much the same way as the OEM pads.

The one drawback so far is that when the car has been sitting and everything about the system is cold, the first 2-3 brake applications (especially if they are light) often, although not always, give a good squeak--although actual brake performance is fine. The squeak goes away thereafter (i.e., within 15-30 seconds of city driving) and does not come back. As I said, brake performance thereafter is great for street driving.

I would do this again in a heartbeat. The only time I like dust is on the track, so I can see how hard I've been wonking on the brakes. And I don't plan to track these anyway.

Indeed you are, Sir!

I'm happy to hear you are still thrilled with them a few weeks in now. Mine just shipped from Rock Auto. Should have them in hand just after Christmas. Then it's all about finding time to install them. I have a kitchen floor to replace over the break and my wife just dropped a few more things on my "to do" list. The free time for fiddling in the garage is evaporating quickly.

[MR_M2]

One more thing I forgot to write in my previous review is that the brake dust do not cake on the wheel barrels and calipers unlike the OEM.

[horsepower_and_hounds]

Ok........

So I will chime in. I am a user of the original power stop ceramics Z16's. used them on my 128, M235 and M4 all with the same results. Way lest dust and the dust is a lighter color, less in your face initial bite and overall great performance. Never tracked them but done very spirited mtn runs and they always felt well. They did always do a little cold squeaking for the first tap or two and mainly always when backing up.

So based on what I have read about how much better the carbon/ceramic Z23's were supposed to be I bought a set of them and installed on the M2. They claim better performance and less squealing than the Z16's and they cost a bit more.

Well they have been in for a week so far they seem exactly the same as the Z16's so I need more time with them. One thing is that they are squeaking pretty good when backing up.

Now these were installed at the 400 mile mark so the rotors are pretty much new. I will do the bedding procedure again a couple of times more then they should be well seasoned to the rotors and i can give better feedback but as of right now they behave the same as the Z16's but for more cost

[boostm3]

I installed my Z23s the day after I took delivery of the car. I wanted to bed them in with near virgin rotors. I have nothing but good things to say about them. They seem to require only one stop to attain the grip that equals or surpasses the stock Brembo pads, and theyre worlds cleaner. The only squeak I ever get is maybe one out of five times backing out of the garage there will be a small one, but never in road use. I'd highly recommend them.

[horsepower_and_hounds]

Originally Posted by boostm3

I installed my Z23s the day after I took delivery of the car. I wanted to bed them in with near virgin rotors. I have nothing but good things to say about them. They seem to require only one stop to attain the grip that equals or surpasses the stock Brembo pads, and theyre worlds cleaner. The only squeak I ever get is maybe one out of five times backing out of the garage there will be a small one, but never in road use. I'd highly recommend them.

Exactly....only squeak is backing up and mild most of the time but in the morning its really loud. That is why I want to bed them again

[BruceM]

Originally Posted by m2ruder

Exactly....only squeak is backing up and mild most of the time but in the morning its really loud. That is why I want to bed them again

One thing I have noticed very recently is that the colder the ambient temperature the louder the squeal when I first start driving. Still, once the pads get any heat in them at all, they quiet right down and they stay quiet...

[boostm3]

Originally Posted by BruceM

One thing I have noticed very recently is that the colder the ambient temperature the louder the squeal when I first start driving. Still, once the pads get any heat in them at all, they quiet right down and they stay quiet...

Havent noticed that. Backed out this morning it was 5 degrees, and quiet as mouse feet on a pillow.

[BruceM]

Originally Posted by boostm3

Havent noticed that. Backed out this morning it was 5 degrees, and quiet as mouse feet on a pillow.

Nice image. Squealing on initial braking is starting to fade now, even at cold ambient.

[horsepower_and_hounds]

I have yet to have noise on initial braking..... just while backing up but nothing going forward

[boostm3]

After recent snowstorm and sub zero temps, been really screeching on initial backup stop out of the garage. But still, never a forward screech.. Wonder why its the reverse direction causing this rather ubiquitous squeal for first rearward cold stop. Maybe, if the first cold stop of the day were in a forward direction, it would squeal too? Anybody experience this, or only in reverse?

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by boostm3

After recent snowstorm and sub zero temps, been really screeching on initial backup stop out of the garage. But still, never a forward screech.. Wonder why its the reverse direction causing this rather ubiquitous squeal for first rearward cold stop. Maybe, if the first cold stop of the day were in a forward direction, it would squeal too? Anybody experience this, or only in reverse?

Try backing into your garage at night so your first stop of the day is rolling forward.

I used to get this with my 370Z. Only in reverse. Only the first stop. The most unhelpful dealer said it was normal and "some brakes just squeak."

The only thing I can think of is this: Imagine a rough cut (not yet sanded) block of wood. You know how you can run your hand in one direction (with the grain) and it's somewhat smooth but if you go the opposite direction (against the grain) you catch all the little ends of the wood grain poking up and it feels much more rough? What if the surface of the brake pads behaved the same? Perhaps all the pressure and heat of braking, combined with the direction the rotor normally spins in, somehow orients the material at the surface of the pad in one direction, like the grain on the wood. When you reverse and brake it takes that first brake application to wipe off those grains or smooth them down, hence the noise.

I dunno, just a theory.

[gsrbri]

For a performance upgrade, these (Hawk HPS 5.0) are great pads. I did post previously about these pads. I only use them for street - PFC 08 for the track

Low dust, also.