Cobra Brakes

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by Morris

Have you ever used temp paint on the rotors to help balance the brake system....and are you using a Balance Bar....or a Proportion Valve.....

I have never used a proportioning valve because I don't like the face that they limit pressure. In the 1960's through 1990's I drilled holes in the balance bar at different locations about .030 apart and carried 5-6 bars with me so that I could alter balance by changing the bar to accommodate different surface conditions or pad material. Around 1995 I installed an adjustable balance bar and have used it ever since. This is not a balance issue it is more of a modulation issue because you start with almost cold rotors and pads and then come in with very hot rotors and pads so the coefficient of friction changes through out the run. When I ran the car at Laguna Seca in 2012 the brakes worked perfectly because they were on a road course and retained heat so that the coefficient of friction was more stable. Autox is a very different sport because you have to adapt to pedal pressure changes through the run as they heat up. I have played with master cylinder bore diameters, pedal ratios, and pedal position and size to improve braking performance for quite a while so the manual system is fairly well optimized.

The ABS system allows you to brake into the apex with out a lock up, something the best driver in the world cannot do with a standard brake system. It can also release a wheel or a pair of wheels to keep the car straight during max deceleration.
Scott is very, very good but even he can't beat a competition ABS system.
The car stops very well now, I just want more and brakes look like the next low hanging fruit. We are on 200 TW tires which also contributes to our braking difficulties. Yes I have temperature paint, but only used it on road courses.