[rdorman]

Good news and bad news.

Before I get to the details, I post this because I know that many of you have fought with brakes that you consider to be inadequate. So, learn from my work, trial and error and expense. I tried to keep things generic so you can adapt them to your application.

The good news is they work great! Very smooth engaging and disengaging. Very high coeficient of friction and have to even hint at fade (good past 1300 F. but I don't do any long track stuff so not a real good test!). Car has NEVER stopped better. Very easy to modulate and greatly reduced peddle effort.

Bad news. The dustiest pad that I have ever seen in my life. If you where at DVSFIII, then you probably saw the mess they make. These are race pads, pure and simple. HIGH rate of wear unless they are HOT. When they are hot they last virtually forever (so I am told).

Where am I now. I went back and did the math. I can get nearly the same balance and brake torque from the low dust 'T' compound if I go to the 12.19 rotor over the 10.75 one that I have now, so that is where I am going next. Unless there is something else I missed, this should be it.

This the final setup that works very well (for track time you will want a higher temp pad, fine for autocross but not Mid-Ohio!).

- 2740 lbs. with me and half a tank of gas running hoosier TD's (street tire won't come near this grip, generally, so this might be a bit much for a brake setup). 45/55 weight distribution.
- 5 to 1 peddle assembly. Mine is from Neal, doesn't really matter
- 5/8 rear master cylinder, 7/8 front. Balance bar is almost perfectly centered.
- Two pot 1.625 rear calipers (mine are jag/girling) clamping a stock sized jag rotor (I have to double check but seems to me the rotor is about 9.75 inches in diameter. Using a .46 CF pad (mine are EBC Greenstuff pads, they work very well. You could go to Yellow or Red for racing but I don't recall the CF).
- Four pot 1.75 inch front caliper (mine are wilwood billet dynalites) clamping a 12.19 rotor with about a .42 CF pad (mine are wilwood 'tan' pads, Q for a bit more torque and heat range ). All fits inside a 15" rim (check your rims first! you need at least 14 inches. Another eighth or two would be good.

What you get is a car that will stop very well. Peddle is high and hard as a rock with minimum travel. Peddle effort for a maximum stop is a reasonable 85 pounds. I can stop at a pretty good rate with out even having to get my leg into the game.

If you stick to a 10.75 inch rotor, all else being equal, your peddle effort will climb to about 103 pounds.

Once I have finished I will let you know. So far the math has been pretty much right on the money. Now if I can just borrow a G meter or make up some 'toppling' blocks, I can get some real numbers. More to come!

Rick