New rear brakes -- OEM or something else?

New rear brakes -- OEM or something else?

Topic says it all..I get some nosediving on braking..think the rear ones are tired.

Hard to beat the OEM brake shoes. You could try a more aggressive brake shoe on the rears - but it might lockup on you before the fronts. Would definitely be more entertaining in a tight decreasing radius corner if that happened. But may help a bit with the nose diving on braking. Maybe the springs are tired as well?. Plus with being FWD and all that weight up front - you can't do much about the forward weight transfer under braking.

I run OEM Brembo blanks up front (not slotted or cross-drilled - plain rotors), Hawk HPS street brake pads up front, OEM Toyota brake shoes on the rear, and with stickier tires - stops much better than stock. On the order of several car lengths depending on speed and reduced brake fade from multiple highway speed stops. I get nose dive even with upgraded springs - but at least it is controllable.

I'm pretty sure the springs are fine -- handling is normal (Intrax/Tokico). I expect some nosediving, but it's a little more extreme than I'd like.

I have Brembo blanks and Bendix pads, but I haven't installed them yet..just have Advance/Discount Auto pads and rotors up front now. Everything in the back is OEM. I'll probably replace the drums as well...I don't want to lock the rears before the fronts, but the last accident I avoided only (briefly) locked both front tires..not the back -- and I stomped hard on the brakes.