Hawk Performance LTS & SD Pads Give Your Truck’s Brakes Some Much-Needed Bite

When browsing through a catalog, it often feels like truck owners are forced to choose between standard brake parts or racing brake parts. And what happens 9 times out of 10? We grab the cheaper set. Why? Well, we often don’t see the point in opting for a higher-tier option tailored to meet the demands of the motorsport market. Plus, more often than not the truck we’re driving never even sees a trailer hooked up.

But even if your work truck never sees these challenges, it’s still being driven every day or close to it—and it’s usually loaded up with gear, equipment, or raw materials. So, what happens? The wheels turn black, the rotors become chewed up, and then the brakes need to be serviced way sooner than anticipated.

“We understand that traditional car brake pad technology just doesn’t cut it on today’s trucks,” says Hawk Performance. “This is especially true for heavily-loaded trucks and vehicles used in moderate towing.”

While you might initially associate Hawk Performance with track-oriented stopping power, the company’s excellent braking technology isn’t just for sporty street cars. “For over 25 years, Hawk Performance has developed friction solutions for some of the largest trucks on the planet,” says the company. From light and full-size trucks, vans, and SUVs to vehicles in the mining, construction, military, and commercial truck markets, Hawk has a product guaranteed to bring it to a (smooth) full stop.

Two lines in particular serve these markets— LTS brake pads and SD brake pads.

LTS

Designed for trucks, vans, and SUVs up to one ton, Hawk Performance LTS brake pads use a ferro-carbon friction material that dramatically improves stopping power and fade resistance. It also produces very little dust and virtually no noise. “Engineered by truck brake pad experts, the ferro-carbon friction material of LTS provides 20-40% more stopping power over stock replacement pads,” says Hawk. This is because LTS brake pads better dissipate the high temperatures from your larger braking system, which means they also outlast the competition in terms of rotor and pad wear.

Remember, bigger wheels and tires means bigger brakes to handle the extra mass. Hawk Performance LTS brake pads guarantee you get plenty of bite and grip, stop after stop.

SD

Also using a unique ferro-carbon material, Hawk’s SD brake pads are specially engineered for Class 2 and higher on-highway, commercial-grade vehicles. Delivering extremely high-fade resistance and high-inertia capabilities, with superior high-temperature rotor and brake pad wear, these pads are intended for truck owners who carry more than a ton of cargo or tow a large trailer every day.

Check out the video below from Speed Academy to watch the real-world results of upgrading to a premium brake pad like the Hawk SD. Spoiler alert: A simple pads-and-rotors swap saw before and after stopping distance cut from 245 feet to 165 feet!

“The bite is just massive,” comments Dave Pratte in the video after applying the brakes. “I actually feel a lot more confident in the truck now just as a daily driver, being able to tailgate people like an %@!hole and get on the brakes like an SVT!”

Find a Hawk Performance Dealer Near You

It can certainly feel like there are few options that fit into a work-oriented sub-category when it comes to brake pads. And once you start loading up your truck or SUV, find yourself towing something downhill, or needing to stop ASAP in dodgy traffic, those stock pads or entry-level aftermarket units quickly begin to feel sub-par.

Hawk Performance isn’t the only brand to capitalize on this gap in the market, but they are one of the best. As part of the Carlisle Brake & Friction group, the company pulls upon 90+ years of engineering experience, so you can feel confident braking hard and braking late.