Shocking News: Stock E30 brakes aren't really up to S50 swap track use....

[jeffmn8]

I have seen your videos..nice runs dude..enjoyed!!

Thanks! Are you a lurker on our local forums? I think that's the only place I posted them. :)

[u3b3rg33k]

Depending on the track, I've been able to run with "stock" brakes all day, or get hosed on stock brakes. I have no problems with brakes at NHMS after four or five 20 minute sessions, but after one session at Road America I had to go get new brakes (gotta say I like that idiot light now). I then proceeded to overheat the new street pads into a smokey mess once I figured out what I was doing (oh turn eight, we had such good times).

Although that said, the day after NHMS the "ceramic" pads de-laminated and were replaced under warranty...

[aventari]

Hopefully this works for ducting, just added some DIY Home Depot brake ducts

http://i.imgur.com/fUZ5w.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/a0wrc.jpg

3" dryer hose and flex tubing
2 empty Rosarito cans of beans (cut both ends off and remove beans)
some hose clamps
a bunch of zip ties

They fit and work way better than I ever thought they could. Hope they stay intact all weekend.

Brake pads I'm running are brand new Hawk HT10's on a stock, stripped E30

[priapism]

Dryer hose works great while it works, but it tends to fall apart after a short while.

[e30s50dan]

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Shocking News: Stock E30 brakes aren't really up to S50 swap track use....

Shouldn't it be. Breaking News:

Lol

[5Toes]

Any good writeups for e30 brake ducts?

this video helps

[EtaSport]

That's a very nice vid. Shows a lot as far as suspension operation and tire deflection. I want to try a simple duct set-up before going to larger brakes or a 5 lug.

[Nsquared97]

Very cool video, really liking that view.

[nrubenstein]

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Shocking News: Stock E30 brakes aren't really up to S50 swap track use....

Shouldn't it be. Breaking News:

Lol

Technically, nothing actually broke. :)

[Fidhle007]

Braking News...

[seatown88]

I'm looking forward to my next race at PIR where I will actually be able to gather some data on rotor temperature w/o ducting thanks to a local aftermarket brake company Girodisc and the rotor temperature paint the supplied me with. I am not fully convinced that my Pro3 car needs brake ducting as I have yet to experience any fade, however I did start to develop pad deposits after closer inspection of the front rotors after the last race. Rear rotors were just fine, with some crazy heat discoloration, but not irregular wear.



I don't quite have the capital that I need to do a comprehensive test of brake pads and their effect on rotor temperature just yet, but I will be planning this for the beginning of next season during a test and tune.

[seatown88]

So I gathered some interesting data from my last race weekend. While there are still a lot of variables to be considered, the data told me that with my set up, the rear would benefit the most from some ducting.

My Setup
-Shaved RA1s
-Stock brake system(ABS removed)
-OP Parts front rotors, O'reilly rear rotors
-Porterfield R-4 pads
-Backing plates removed
-No ducting
-2650lbs ish

Track-Portland International Raceway

This race weekend I was on fresh rubber, much more grip than my previous tires! The first session was about heat cycling the tires, so I was light on everything. In that session the front rotors were under the first temperature reading of 800F, while the rear rotors were around 1000F.

Second session I beat on the brakes a little bit, but they still had no fade. Temperatures reached under 800F up front, but the rear had substantially more heat, almost reaching 1130F! That's starting to get up there in heat!

Picture of rear rotor after second session

Third session was qualifying, and I went out for some quick laps. For the first time I experienced a little pad fade going into the chicane, turn 1. This only happened when I went deep into the brake zone and was really hard on the brakes. I suspect the rear pads were the ones experiencing fade due to the heat indicated in the previous sessions. Back in the paddock and after inspecting the rotors, although they were much hotter, the swept surfaces looked perfect. Slight pad deposits, but a perfect burnish layer. Rotor temperatures were, Front 800-900F and Rear reached over 1130!

Picture of rear rotor after third session

During the race there was no difference in the data collected from the previous session, except again no brake fade was experienced.

Here's a little video showing the front suspension/brakes glowing red hot during qualifying

[nrubenstein]

That is fantastic footage. I can't say that I'm surprised that heat issues move to the back in a car set up properly for racing. The stock rear rotors are terrible.

[u3b3rg33k]

Not too surprising - rears aren't vented, which is good for normal use (vents would just clog with rust), but not so good for dumping mega Q into them. The wheel bearings must love it.

[seatown88]

That is fantastic footage. I can't say that I'm surprised that heat issues move to the back in a car set up properly for racing. The stock rear rotors are terrible.

The stock set up is less than ideal. I am going to put some effort into the offseason to try and come up with a ducting system for the rear to try and reduce rotor temperatures to the more ideal 800-900F range.

Adjusting the bias may also play a little factor into this as well, since I have removed the ABS system but have not put a bias adjuster in. Brake performance seems to be more than adequate however, almost balanced perfectly. Thoughts?