Hawk Performance Brakes for the Mitsubishi EVO: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

For the 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution VIII and IX, Hawk pads come in two shapes: HB453 for the front Brembo calipers and HB180 for the rear. We carry the Hawk ER-1 front set and the DTC-60, DTC-70 and HT-10 rear sets in those shapes, all of them track compounds. For the Evo X, which uses a different caliper and rotor package, the parts in our catalog right now are DBA rotors, not Hawk pads.

How the Evo brake system is laid out

Every Evo covered here left the factory with Brembo brakes. On the Evolution VIII, the front axle uses four-piston calipers over ventilated discs and the rear uses two-piston calipers over ventilated discs, with a Sports ABS computer that meters braking force at each wheel and electronic brakeforce distribution that balances front against rear. The Evolution IX carried the same basic package forward, which is why the same Hawk pad shapes and DBA rotor numbers cover both generations.

The Evo X (2008 onward) is a different system. It still uses Brembo four-piston front and two-piston rear calipers, but they clamp larger rotors, roughly 13.8 inches front and 13 inches rear, and the fronts are a floating design with alloy center hats. Pads and rotors for the VIII/IX do not carry over to the X, so always shop by generation first.

The Hawk pads that fit the Evo VIII and IX

Hawk sells each pad shape in many compounds. The part number tells you both: the letters and numbers before the dot are the shape and compound code, and the number after the dot is the pad thickness in inches. HB180G.560, for example, is the HB180 rear shape in DTC-60 compound at .560 inch thick. Hawk lists the HB180 shape as a rear fitment for the 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, and the same shape also fits the rear of the 2009-2015 Impreza WRX STi and the 2003-2009 Nissan 350Z.

• Front: Hawk ER-1 front pad set HB453D.585. ER-1 is Hawk's endurance compound, described as consistent medium-to-high friction with strong pad and rotor life, aimed at light-to-medium weight cars in HPDE, track days and time trials. It is .585 inch thick.
• Rear: Hawk DTC-60 rear pads HB180G.560, Hawk DTC-70 rear pads HB180U.560 and Hawk HT-10 rear pad set HB180S.560, all in the .560 inch HB180 shape.

Hawk also makes street compounds in the same HB180 shape, including HPS (HB180F.560), which the company describes as smooth, gentle on rotors and suited to spirited driving. We do not currently stock the street versions for this car, so if the Evo is a daily driver that never sees a track, a Hawk race pad is the wrong choice.

Choosing a compound: the temperature numbers that matter

A track pad only works when it is hot. Hawk publishes an operating range (where the pad works) and an optimal range (where it works best) for each motorsports compound:

How to read that for an Evo:

• ER-1 front with DTC-60 rear is the natural pairing for HPDE and time trial use. Both share the same 700-1100 F sweet spot, so the front and rear come up to temperature together and brake balance stays predictable.
• DTC-70 has the highest optimal window of the group and is meant for heavy, sustained braking. On the rear of a road-course Evo it runs cooler than the fronts, so it is usually chosen only when a driver is deliberately tuning bias toward the rear.
• HT-10 starts working at a lower temperature (300 F), which makes it the more forgiving rear pad for shorter sessions or autocross, where the brakes never get fully hot.

Whatever you pick, do not mix a street pad on one axle with a race pad on the other. A cold race pad has far less bite than its hot rating, and on an AWD car with Sports ABS that front-to-rear mismatch shows up as a vague pedal and shifting balance.

Rotors to pair with the pads

Race pads are only as good as the rotor under them. For the Evo VIII and IX we carry DBA rotors for both axles:

• DBA 5000 Series T3 slotted 2-piece front rotor (black hat). DBA lists this front rotor, part DBA52218BLKS, at 320 mm diameter and 32 mm thick, with a minimum thickness of 29.8 mm, a 5 x 114.3 mm bolt pattern and T3 tri-symmetrical slots that give pad gas and dust more exit points.
• DBA 5000 Series XS drilled and slotted 2-piece front rotor (gold hat) if you want the drilled-and-slotted face on the same two-piece design.
• DBA 4000 Series XS drilled and slotted front rotor and the matching DBA 4000 Series XS rear rotor for a one-piece setup at both ends.

For the Evo X we stock the DBA Street Series T2 slotted front rotor and the DBA 5000 Series XS two-piece front rotor. Browse more options in our brake rotor collection and brake pad collection.

Check rotor thickness against the minimum stamped on the rotor before you install new pads. Fresh race pads on a worn, heat-checked rotor will never bed evenly.

What to replace at the same time, and how hard the job is

Pad swaps on the Evo Brembos are one of the easier jobs on the car. The fixed calipers stay bolted on: you pull the retaining pins and spring clip, push the pistons back, slide the old pads out and the new ones in. Rotor replacement means removing the calipers, and a two-piece rotor swap is a good time to inspect the hat hardware.

• Brake fluid. Track compounds make heat, and that heat goes into the fluid. Flush with a high-temperature fluid that meets the specification in your owner's manual before a track day, not after.
• Hardware. Replace worn pins and clips; see our brake hardware kits.
• Lines. Old rubber hoses swell under repeated hard stops. Our brake lines collection covers the upgrade.
• Bedding. Follow the pad maker's bedding procedure on fresh rotors to lay down an even transfer layer.

Torque the caliper bolts and wheel nuts to the values in the factory service manual.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Evo VIII pads fit an Evo IX?

Yes. Hawk lists the HB180 rear shape for the 2003 through 2006 Lancer Evolution, which covers both generations, and the HB453 front shape covers the same cars.

Will Evo VIII or IX pads fit an Evo X?

No. The Evo X uses larger rotors and a different Brembo caliper package, so it needs its own pads and rotors. Shop by generation.

Can I drive on Hawk DTC-60 or ER-1 pads on the street?

They are motorsports compounds with optimal ranges starting at 700 F, far above normal street temperatures. Cold, they bite less, and they tend to be noisy and dusty. For a street-only Evo, a street compound is the right pad.

Which rear pad should I pair with ER-1 fronts?

DTC-60 shares ER-1's 700-1100 F optimal range, which keeps front and rear working in the same window. HT-10 is the choice if your sessions are short and the rears stay cooler.

Are Hawk pads safe on carbon ceramic rotors?

No. Hawk states its compounds are not compatible with carbon ceramic rotors. Use them on iron rotors like the DBA units above.

Do I need two-piece rotors?

No, but a two-piece rotor with an aluminum hat cuts rotating weight. The one-piece DBA 4000 Series rotors are the lower-cost option for the same fitment.

Sources

1. Hawk Performance - HB180G.560 DTC-60 - rear HB180 shape fits 2003-2006 Lancer Evolution, .560 thickness
2. Hawk Performance - HB180F.560 HPS - street compound in the same shape
3. Hawk Performance - HB453D.585 ER-1 - front shape, ER-1 compound description, .585 thickness
4. Hawk Performance - Motorsports compounds - operating and optimal temperature ranges for ER-1, DTC-60, DTC-70, HT-10
5. Hawk Performance - DTC-60 - compound behavior, not compatible with carbon ceramic rotors
6. DBA - Front 5000 Series T3 rotor DBA52218BLKS - 320 mm x 32 mm, 29.8 mm minimum thickness, T3 slots
7. MotoIQ - Project Lancer Evo X brakes - Evo X Brembo 4-piston front, 2-piston rear, 13.8 in front and 13 in rear rotors
8. Supercars.net - 2003 Lancer Evolution VIII - Brembo 4-piston front, 2-piston rear, Sports ABS and EBD