Ford brakes stink (especially when they're on FIRE!!!!!

[jlisle01]

I took the stang to Hallet this weekend and ran my best time yet (1min 36sec). They had some driving instructors from the Porsche club of America there and I had one go with me to critique my line and driving. He helped me alot, (good) I ran my best time ever, (great) and I had alot of fun pushing a ZO6 around the track for two laps, (Greatest!).

Unfortunately, I apparently exceeded the capacity of the stock calipers and halfway around the last lap of the session a brake piston cracked, pumped some fluid out onto the hot brakes and I ended the session by bringing the car in with no brake pressure and the left front wheel on fire!

The good news is that my 14" 4 piston Brembo kit shipped today! Oh, and now I get to tell people, "Well, you're just not driving your car at the limit if you've never brought it in with a wheel on fire before~! Open track is soooo much fun. Any one need a slightly abused PBR caliper?

 

[anthony05gt]

That's some crazy $h1+

 

[orange 07]

Thats crazy! I'll keep my eyes open when I track this car for the first
time.
Do you have cooling ducts on the fronts and what pads did you run?

 

[Mr_Q]

Yes I have tried to make people understand time and time again.

Stock brakes good for street.

Rotor and pad upgrade good for autoX--ONLY

14" BBK required for road course events.

You are just running on borrowed time otherwise...or driving way too slow on the road course if you've never had any issues with the stock brakes, heh.

 

[351CJ]

Ford needs to offer a factory big brake option like Nissan does with the 350Z.

 

[orange 07]

jlisle01 When you install your new front brakes please
let us know what you think of them.

 

[Mr_Q]

They do, it's called the GT500.

And 350z's track brakes aren't that great. I know first hand, heh.

 

[jlisle01]

Yea well, I got away with it for awhile. This was my first track day after upgrading the brake lines to stainless braided lines. I run Hawk HP+ pads and no, I didn't have any cooling ducts. I'm thinking about ordering the ones from Agent 47. I'll be sure to let you guys know how the install goes and how they work.

I will say this, I was moving way faster than usual out there after going with that instructor. My G-tech meter pegged out at 1.18G's and I took almost 5 full seconds off my lap time, which is pretty major. I'm really not too surprised they failed. I just would have prefered some warped rotors or something.

 

[Mr_Q]

Sounds like you are running some intense times. Which means it's time for those intense brakes. If the coolers are practical for you then get them. But definitely after a BBK.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[northy_polk]

Yea well, I got away with it for awhile. This was my first track day after upgrading the brake lines to stainless braided lines. I run Hawk HP+ pads and no, I didn't have any cooling ducts. I'm thinking about ordering the ones from Agent 47. I'll be sure to let you guys know how the install goes and how they work.

I will say this, I was moving way faster than usual out there after going with that instructor. My G-tech meter pegged out at 1.18G's and I took almost 5 full seconds off my lap time, which is pretty major. I'm really not too surprised they failed. I just would have prefered some warped rotors or something.

for what it's worth, i think Steeda has a kit that is much cheaper than the Agent 47 one. . .

 

[bigcat]

the GT500KR will have cooling ducts. might be a cost effective alternative to those choices. we will have to wait and see, although you probably wont want to wait. you need some help now!!

 

[Cobra1894]

I just broke my rear rotor in half. Installed a 75 shot of NOS and the next day noticed it has a nice crack all the way through it. This is my second set or rear rotors and the fronts are on their way out. I think I might upgrade my brakes.

How do you like the 14in kit? How much did you pay and where did you get them??

 

[jlisle01]

I just broke my rear rotor in half. Installed a 75 shot of NOS and the next day noticed it has a nice crack all the way through it. This is my second set or rear rotors and the fronts are on their way out. I think I might upgrade my brakes.

How do you like the 14in kit? How much did you pay and where did you get them??

Unfortunately, I'm out of town for the next few weeks so it will be awhile before I can report on the Brembo's. I'm going to try to get them installed and then hit the next COMMA track day to try them out. I got them from raceshopper.com. They actually build the kit for you so you can get the rotors plain/slotted/crossdrilled and either one or two piece and name your color for the calipers. I got my kit with red calipers and slotted one piece rotors and it came out to $2130 shipped. It's, easily the most expensive single mod I've done to the car. Hope it's worth it.

 

[jlisle01]

for what it's worth, i think Steeda has a kit that is much cheaper than the Agent 47 one. . .

Thanks, I've seen that kit before but for the life of me, I can't figure out how it mounts to the car from the photo on the Steeda site. If anyone has any experience with the steeda kit or has seen one in person I'd love to hear about it.

 

[jlisle01]

Hey guys, I kinda see where this thread is heading and I don't want to be a part of misleading anyone. I think many people have the wrong idea about big brake kits.

Braking, like cornering, is limited by several things not the least of which is the tires. Maximum braking force is created just before wheel lockup so if your brakes can apply enough pressure to lock up the wheels (or kick in the ABS) then your brakes can stop your car as fast as it's going to stop with the tires you have. One of the reasons I went with Brembo is because they balance their brake kits to work with the stock brake system. If they didn't, and the new front brakes applied alot more pressure than the stock ones then you would most likely see a INCREASE in stopping distances because the front to rear brake bias would be way off. Most popular brake mods (larger rotors, slotted rotors, cooling ducts, better pads, better fluid, ect.) are not designed to significantly reduce stopping distances but, rather, are designed to help the brake system reduce heat/fade after MULTIPLE hard stops. The point is, I do not expect to see a major reduction in stopping distance and neither should you. All I'm aiming for here is a firmer pedal, more even pad wear, and much (I hope) better resistence to heat.

Sorry about the soap box but I don't want anyone spending this kind of money based on my word and then not getting what they thought they were. If you want more info hit the link below to an article by Stoptech.

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_brakebiasandperformance.shtml

 

[orange 07]

Thanks for the info, I understand the purpose for the upgrade because
I've been open track "racing" for 9 yrs
I havent had this car on a track yet so Im keeping my eyes on the brakes
if the stockers fail. I do have a set of front rotors/calipers on stand by just
in case.

 

[Cobra1894]

I plan on making the next Hallett HST, hope to see you there with the brakes intact. I am currently have probablems with my rear rotors, so I hope to have them completed by race day.

 

[northy_polk]

Thanks, I've seen that kit before but for the life of me, I can't figure out how it mounts to the car from the photo on the Steeda site. If anyone has any experience with the steeda kit or has seen one in person I'd love to hear about it.

sorry man, i didn't see your response. i asked steeda the exact same thing and they sent me the instructions via pdf! i'll pm it to you so i feel less guilty about giving out their info without their permission. . .

 

[jlisle01]

Thanks!!!!!!

 

[jlisle01]

I plan on making the next Hallett HST, hope to see you there with the brakes intact. I am currently have probablems with my rear rotors, so I hope to have them completed by race day.

Cool deal! I'm going to do my best to make it. Let me know if you're going to be there. I've got a brand new set of Hawk HP+ pads that I'm not going to be useing. I'll trade 'em for a burger and fries. Of course, at the Finishline cafe' that's not really that great a deal. Even if you don't want to run the HP+, they'd still make a good back up set.