I'm going to be doing some work in around the calipers (replacing the pins/boots, lube, double checking torque, and paint) soon. The Akebonos in the front leave a little bit to be desired. My biggest complaint is the initial bite. I've been in some cars where you breath on the pedal and the thing is stopping. Not my TSX unfortunately. I do however understand that this is due to the calipers/weight of the car. With this being said, I would like to upgrade the front pads. The rotors have about 4K on them, so they are in good shape to accept a new set of pads.

I do have one concern. I have been told/read that aggressive pads need to heat up to reach peak performance. This would mean that in the first initial brake or two, you have next to no braking power. How true is this? What pads do other recommend? Some choices from Amazon:

- Hawk Performance
- EBC RedStuff (love EBC on my motorcycle)
- Hawk HPS

 

We always like to recommend StopTech, we do tons of work with them and have yet to be dissapointed. For the more aggressively driven street cars they offer their Street Performance Pad. These pads offer you a solid initial bite with less brake fade, and they aren't crazy noisy either.

You can see them here: 308.14510 - StopTech Brake Pads - Street Series - Excelerate's Honda & Acura Store - Japanese Performance Specialist

It is true that some of the more aggressive pads need to have some heat in them before you get some consistency, but this isn't the case with their Street Performance pad since it's been designed around street driving.

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

^ I didn't know stoptech made a SP for the 2nd gen TSX (front). I know they make rears.

They're a solid choice for sure. But they need to stay bedded for them to keep their initial bite. So every now and then, you'll need to re-layer the rotor real quick.

I also didn't know HPS's were available. But according to Amazon, they are.

HPS have excellent bite because they're semi metallics. No..they don't need to be hot to work. They're not race pads.

Bed them in properly. HPS's are excellent.

All bitey pads are dusty, BTW. With semi metallic pads like HPS, I'd clean the wheels often to prevent staining.

Stoptech SP dust is harmless....but...again...no front fitment on 2G TSX's as far as I know.

I dislike EBC. But they're probably fine for street pads. Buy greens or yellows for bite.

 

May I ask: What is bed them in properly? Also what is re-layer the rotor?

I am looking for new pads for my 2012 TSX. I usually get ceramic pads.

 

EBC Yellows have massive bite but are also super dusty. Great for the track; overkill for street-only.

 

Bedding in is the process of "setting" or "mating" the pad to the rotor. You basically go through a procedure in which you agressively brake from progressively higher speed until the pads start to smoke/fade. Its imperative not to come to a complete stop while clamping the brakes.

Then you let them cool by driving them (without clamping them while stopped) for about 20 mins or so.

Voila. Bedded pads. They ride on a transfer layer that will give you better stops, prevent brake pulsation, and make the components last longer.

Agressive pads (like the stoptech sp) will NOT work without the initial bed-in. You will sail through stop lights. I know this. I had to once drive a brand new set to the back roads to bed them. Its like trying to stop with oiled bricks for brakes. - A slight exaggeration (only a slight one...).

Agressive pads will "scuff" off their transfer layer after just street driving them for a while. So you have to re-bed them to re-lay down the transfer layer.


Yellows don't work on a race track. I wouldn't recommend it. Read the reviews on google. The same thing happened to mine.

Stoptech SP's are similar to yellows....but my Stoptechs haven't crumbled apart on me. And Stoptech doesn't market them as hardcore track pads.

Yes...they're both overkill for the street. But...OP wanted bite. And neither of them produce corrosive dust because they're organic pads.

 

Looks like they do have stoptech sports for the front of the 2G now.

Part number 309.15060. I believe they just came out?

 

Rollie, I just want to tell you how great of a resource you have been!
i'm a nerd. a tire, brake, general car nut nerd.. and your sentiments and advice ALWAYS lines up with mine.
thank you.

 

Thanks, man! Right back atcha.

 

The plot gets mad thicc.

1.) The part number 309.10560 doesn't exist, according to stoptech's site. But...it does, according to Rockauto. Its available for sale, as a matter of fact. 309 designates that they are the stoptech sport. 10560 is the right suffix for 09+ TSX's.

2.) The 1G TSX stoptech sport part number is 309.07870.

**Stoptech is owned by Centric.

3.) Centric is one of the only places that designates a difference between 1st and 2nd gen TSX pads. Even Acura lists that both cars use: ACURA PAD SET, FR. 45022-TE0-A60. Although...the 1st gen has an alternative part listed alongside: ACURA PAD SET, FR. 45022-SEA-J11.

I assume Acura uses 2 different PN's because the 1st gen originally came with Nissin's. Now, the OEM pad manufacturer is Akebono. Akebono lists the same part number for both cars also.

I think the 2nd gen comes with a better compound. So maybe that's the reason for the part number story at Acura?

Centric's (Stoptech's) given dimensions for the pads for both cars are 0.1mm different (lol). Virtually the same dimenison.

I am doing all this pondering over the principle of the thing. I've been wanting Stoptech Sports for a long time for my 2nd gen. I thought they weren't available. This whole time...it appears that I could have used 1st gen spec pads??? My world is shattered.

BTW, if you're not feeling as deeply philosophical as me...the difference in price between 1G and 2G part numbers is $8 in price. So...maybe this is a case of "who cares?".

Roland cares.

I emailed Centric to see what the deal is. Lets see what happens.

 

i enjoy the data! keep it flowing!

 

I love when Rollie goes all smart guy. In4Truth.

 

So...I'm a stubborn idiot.

I bought 1G pads to defy logic.

The difference between 1G and 2G pads is that 2G pads have spring spreaders to keep the pad from dragging the rotor.

1G pads do not have this feature.

If you're in the market...buy 2G pads and don't be so GD curious like me.

I want to retain that feature...so I'll likely drill me some holes.

Dammit.

 

super confused me with your username

 

I plan on doing my own thread soon. Mostly data on suspension stuff. But I'll throw in some reviews of other mods as I go.

Time, though, she escapes me.

 

I see now.

At first I was like, hey this guy sounds a lot like Rolly. Hope Rolly isn't making alt-accts because it would suck for him to get banned because he's wicked smaht...

And now I seee.