Cooked Brakes, Is brake cooling required?

#1

So yesterday was my first time back on track in almost a year. It was at The Pocono Grand Slam event (HPDE). It is 3 tracks in one day.

The car ran great except on the East Course. After about 25mins of the 30 min session the brake pedal would go soft. It is a heavy braking configuration, not much time for them to cool. The brake system was just flushed. I am running Hawk HT-10 pads. I still have the baking plates on the car and no cooling ducts.

What is the easiest way to take off the backing plates? Cut them off? Hits, tips, warnings?

Ranger, How are your soup can ducts holding up?

I was under the impression that not everyone ran cooling ducts, but from my experience it seems to be required.
Anyone have similar issues?

Thanks in Advance.

#2

In my opinion, front brake cooling ducts are essential.

The easiest way to get the front backing plates off is to cut them.

#3

Nothing beats a Chef Boy-R-Dee duct.

Not everyone runs ducts, but certainly most folks do.

Tracking the car with the front backing plates in place is just asking for trouble.

#4

isn’t it begging for bad luck to have ‘Slam’ in a car event’s name?

#5

leggwork wrote:

I would agree, I also think it is bad luck to put images of flames on the car, helmet, or my favorite a fire suit.

So cut off wheel and tin snips to get the baking plates off. I am off to Wal-Mart to get some Ravioli.
Thanks

#6

I just put cooling ducts in place and ran the car last Wed. They made a big difference in rotor temps. I never got a soft pedal but feel cooler rotors last longer since our rotors seem to get heat checks. They dropped temps by almost 100 degrees. My rear rotors are hotter then my front rotors after 45 minutes of track time. I used the Factory 3 kit. If they don’t blow into the rotor vents at the center they are not nearly as helpful.

Cut off backing plates with tin snips.

#7

I’ve run Summit, VIR and BeaveRun with my car and never had a problem with the brakes getting too hot. I have no ducting and am not running an IS air dam. Maybe you’re using the brakes too much? :wink: That said, I do plan to add ducts once all the pieces fall into place.

#8

I run SCAT-8 (2 inch) ducting to my front rotors from my front air dam. With PFC06 pads, slotted & vented rotors, stainless pistons, solid slide guides, braided lines and an E32 25.4mm master cylinder, I have not had a problem with brakes in a long time. Am running Motul RBF660 fluid, also ran Castrol SRF with no dramas.

Ducting for the standard brakes when racing is a must - nuff said!