So what does everyone think of for what the best brake pads out there are for the GP GXPs? Like a full set of Ceramic front and rear from the same manufacturer - I don't like the idea of mixing and matching different compounds and different manufacturers.
Let me begin this by saying that I've got a lot of experience with different street and track (road course) compounds on F-bodies but I am new to the W-body world. I've road raced several different cars at a few local tracks. I've used several different PFC, Hawk, and Wilwood compounds on 3rd gens and LT1 and LS1 4th gens. So I know you give up max performance when you go to an extremely low-dust, quiet pad - and that is what we are looking for, but not to the point that you don't have confidence in the brakes.
This car (a 2005) is a Daily Driver and we are interested in getting very low dust - as in NO dust if possible, and no squeeking and decent performance that will last a good 20k miles. We aren't hitting the track with it anytime soon so it doesn't need to have ridiculous performance when extremely hot or anything, but just solid performance on the street.
With the research I have been doing, it looks like it is coming down to the Wagner ThermoQuiets, Akebono Ceramics, and the different Raybestos Ceramics (they have three grades). I have had bad luck with the Hawk Ceramics as a street pad (too much dust and squeeking) and the Monroe Ceramics (also too much dust and squeeking plus crappy pedal feel). I also don't want to mess with the ACDelco ones as everyone seems to hate the factory brakes and replacement OE ones on these cars. And really, the Akebonos are too expensive IMO for a daily driver application. The Service Grade Raybestos are by far the cheapest (read: Attractive) but I have no experience with them and just on cost principle, am feeling like they might not last or perform very well...
Also, these will be used on new Raybestos OE replacement drilled rotors - the current pads on the car are about gone and the rotors are warped so we are going to start fresh all around on the car.
Thanks for any info/ideas ya'll have!
__________________ 1987 GTA / Miniram'd 383/ TH? / 9" w/4.33s : Far from stock, far from done.... Link to the GTA
I have had horrible luck with ebc yellow and red, and two different hawk pads. I had a lot more noise and shorter life with the hawk pads though.
__________________ 2008 Grand Prix GXP: Fully Loaded
Magnaflow Exhaust, Hogan Downpipe /w highflow cat, zzp shift kit, flipped mount, k&n aircharger, Tuned, Airaid TBS, 180* thermo, Ported TB, Intake Manifold and exhaust Manifolds, DEI wrap on manis and crossover, HS 1.8 rockers, Comp oil restrictive push rods, PAC 918 Springs, Cryogenicly frozen rotors from R1concepts, front and back STB's, Royal purple oil and filter.
Well EBC is out either way as far as I can tell. I don't see a front pad available for the GXP - I see them for rears on a GXP, but not fronts.
I have used EBC yellows as a track-only pad before and they were pretty decent, but I have not used any of their other compounds for a street application of any kind.
Honestly longevity is the least of the worries. I HATE brake dust on a daily driver application because we don't have time to clean our DDs like we do our toys (99 TA, 98 WS6, 87 GTA) and the same goes for noise on a DD. It is unacceptable in my book to have a noisey/heavy dusting brake pad on something you are using just to commute with.
Can you elaborate on how the EBCs and Hawks performed poorly for you Sittingmongoose? How long is short lifespan?
Thanks!
__________________ 1987 GTA / Miniram'd 383/ TH? / 9" w/4.33s : Far from stock, far from done.... Link to the GTA
well every 2 months i am replacing the pads, the hawks lasted about a month and a half under LIGHT use. The hawks also were noisey. I didnt get a lot of dust from any of the ebc or hawk pads though.
__________________ 2008 Grand Prix GXP: Fully Loaded
Magnaflow Exhaust, Hogan Downpipe /w highflow cat, zzp shift kit, flipped mount, k&n aircharger, Tuned, Airaid TBS, 180* thermo, Ported TB, Intake Manifold and exhaust Manifolds, DEI wrap on manis and crossover, HS 1.8 rockers, Comp oil restrictive push rods, PAC 918 Springs, Cryogenicly frozen rotors from R1concepts, front and back STB's, Royal purple oil and filter.
Those were all ceramics too? And you found EBCs for the front too? I have only found part numbers for the rears for a GXP and front for regular Grand Prix's...
__________________ 1987 GTA / Miniram'd 383/ TH? / 9" w/4.33s : Far from stock, far from done.... Link to the GTA
I dont know if they were cermaic, i have bought so many they just blur togetther and of course they make front pads for the gxp http://www.autopartswarehouse.com They have them there, use a 2007 gxp.
34470
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt87GTA
Those were all ceramics too? And you found EBCs for the front too? I have only found part numbers for the rears for a GXP and front for regular Grand Prix's...
__________________ 2008 Grand Prix GXP: Fully Loaded
Magnaflow Exhaust, Hogan Downpipe /w highflow cat, zzp shift kit, flipped mount, k&n aircharger, Tuned, Airaid TBS, 180* thermo, Ported TB, Intake Manifold and exhaust Manifolds, DEI wrap on manis and crossover, HS 1.8 rockers, Comp oil restrictive push rods, PAC 918 Springs, Cryogenicly frozen rotors from R1concepts, front and back STB's, Royal purple oil and filter.
I dont know if they were cermaic, i have bought so many they just blur togetther and of course they make front pads for the gxp http://www.autopartswarehouse.com They have them there, use a 2007 gxp.
34470
I tried a 2007 and it still only lists them for the rear in all compounds, but no fronts.
__________________ 1987 GTA / Miniram'd 383/ TH? / 9" w/4.33s : Far from stock, far from done.... Link to the GTA
I think it was on ClubGP or GPONA I was reading a while back about how there is a GM part # for a low dust replacement pad for the front of the GXPs. I'm dont have time to search for it now. But I will when i get off work.
__________________ '06 Sport Red Metallic Grand Prix GXP - MagnaFlow Cat-back, Modded Airbox w/ K&N, SuperChips Cortex Programmer
'04 Honda CBR 600RR - Leo Vince Exhaust, K&N, Power Commander 3... Better weight to HP ratio than a C6 Z06
And they really rave about the ACDelco/GM Ceramics... Maybe I will give these a try... I do have AC/GM Ceramics on my 2000 Silverado and really like how they perform and their low dusting...
PN:
Front = 19108021
Rear = 19108022
__________________ 1987 GTA / Miniram'd 383/ TH? / 9" w/4.33s : Far from stock, far from done.... Link to the GTA
I just bought all new pads/rotors for my 06 gxp. I went with akebono ceramic pads. I couldn't find one bad review about them. I don't think there as performance oriented as the hawk or ebc...but supposidly make very little-no dust and are super quiet. Got em at tirerack.com
And they really rave about the ACDelco/GM Ceramics... Maybe I will give these a try... I do have AC/GM Ceramics on my 2000 Silverado and really like how they perform and their low dusting...
PN:
Front = 19108021
Rear = 19108022
I have AC Delco Ceramics on my GXP and they held up really well. The rears are in their second year, the fronts made it ~17 months. The best was with AC Delco's warranty my second set of fronts was on the house, so I haven't paid for pads in a year.
Well I ended up ordering the ACDelco Ceramics from trademotion that sourced them from Patriot of Boyertown PA. $44 each front and rear, $103 shipped for a full set. That and the Raybestos AT drilled rotors will be going on next week. I'll report back how they work out.
__________________ 1987 GTA / Miniram'd 383/ TH? / 9" w/4.33s : Far from stock, far from done.... Link to the GTA
Best Brake Pads for Grand Prix GXP 
