2day i was driving w/ loud music so i didnt hear anything...until it was tym to switch tracks and i was braking....i heard a LOUD sqeek from the front...so i pull over to see wasup....i saw the plate thingy thats supose to be on the brake pad poped out and lying nex to my rotor and all burnt/eating up( also gave my rotor a very deep scratch) ...... i wonder how this happened!?!?! i though HAWK was supose to be a good brake pad company ....or is there sumthing to do with my driving???

 

Yes then can. I put a set of new pads and rotors on the rear of a GSL. Moved it to the other garage( less than 75'). Pushed the car because the engine was out of it. When I took the rear out to put it under another car, 1/2 of one pad was sheared off wehre it was glued to the backing plate.

Of course I don't remember which brand of pads those were and had to buy a full set. I have 3 1/2 brand new brake pads sitting in the shop.

 

Check to make certain that the piston(s) aren't frozen in the caliper causing extreme heat to buid up in the pads. This in no way should cause a Hawk pad to separate from the backing though.

 

If I were to change my own brake pads, what tools would I need?

 

Your hands, a small mallet, and a punch. It's retardedly easy. For the front, pull out the springs on top of the caliper, then push out the 2 pins holding the pads in. Then just lift the pads out. The first time I did it I crapped myself because I had been paying some ******* to work on my brakes when I was younger.

 

... That's it? ... Is this true for all brakes (on different cars/different types)?

 

Generally yes. That is how you do the front 4 pistons on an FC. The rears are a little different, but similar. Some cars have different mechanisms for holding the pad in, but for the most part once you know the principle of it, it's easy to figure out.

 

Honestly, I'm asking because: a) I probably need new brakes (haven't driven it enough to know ), and b) my mom's Kia Sportage needs new brakes.

 

Were the brake pads "broken in" correctly?

Do you normally abuse the brakes?

What Hawks were you using?
HPS?
HP+?


-Ted

 

you should pull the rotor off and see how deep the brake pad shim cut in to the rotor. ive seen them nearly cut all the way through could be dangerous

 

Hawk HPS...eeerrr... i dun realli abuse them....i just slam on once in a while (2 times a week?)
and the cut was probrably a MM or 2 ...

 

I'm still having serious squealing problems with my Hawk HP's. I've taken them out, sprayed that stop squeal glue all over the back of them, and they still squeal. I don't know what to do besides shim them, but then I'm afraid there is going to be a little bit of drag if I do so.

 

my buddy had this problem with his hp+ pads. he ended up getting new brake hardware kits with those little backing plates and that fixed it up pretty well.

 

Hawk might want to know about this, i would call them. They may want you to send the failed pads back to them.