Brake Fade
07-14-2003, 02:34 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 563
So i experienced my first run in with brake fade the other day after multiple +100mph stops. Quite unpleasant business. Im just using the standard autozone special pads. What do you guys think about other pads or cross drilled rotors and their resistance to fade?
07-14-2003, 02:49 PM
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 602
Brake fade, huh? There's plent yyou can do to minimize it. Some good track pads will work very well under extreme heat. At least much better than the generic ones you have now. Brake fluid? How often do you change it? It tends to pick up moisture on account it's hygroscopic properties. But don't go with synthetic brake fluid. Personally, I think the feel of it sucks. I use Castrol LTM and it works well for me. I hear the Heavy Duty Ford brake fluid does well and is very nicely priced. But I don't know that one first hand. Do you have stainless steel brake lines? If not, get some.
OK, so I really haven't touched upon getting rid of brake fade yet but ways of making your braking system ready to be flogged upon. If you've covered all of those points I brough up already, then you're ready to move to the main problem - the rotors. Normally I'd say stick with the those OE rotors. I think crossdrilled are bunk. Somebody might bring up their positive points, but I feel that those points are not worth it if you're on the track doing lap after lap punishing your brakes big time. If you're going from 100 to slow time and time again then your rotors are probably not large enough to soak all of that heat. A few holes won't solve your issue. But larger brakes will.
Before you plunk down a stack of cash on the larger brake rotors, make sure you've done everything else first. Have you set up fresh air ducts to directly force fresh air from the nose onto the rotors? Fresh air helps shed that excess heat. After all, this is why they're fading. Too much heat in them. Don't forget the brake balancer if you do go with the larger brakes.
Good luck.
OK, so I really haven't touched upon getting rid of brake fade yet but ways of making your braking system ready to be flogged upon. If you've covered all of those points I brough up already, then you're ready to move to the main problem - the rotors. Normally I'd say stick with the those OE rotors. I think crossdrilled are bunk. Somebody might bring up their positive points, but I feel that those points are not worth it if you're on the track doing lap after lap punishing your brakes big time. If you're going from 100 to slow time and time again then your rotors are probably not large enough to soak all of that heat. A few holes won't solve your issue. But larger brakes will.
Before you plunk down a stack of cash on the larger brake rotors, make sure you've done everything else first. Have you set up fresh air ducts to directly force fresh air from the nose onto the rotors? Fresh air helps shed that excess heat. After all, this is why they're fading. Too much heat in them. Don't forget the brake balancer if you do go with the larger brakes.
Good luck.
07-14-2003, 02:51 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Posts: 602
Yeah, as UniqueTII said, if your not on the track then don't go for the larger rotors. If this is happening on the streets then I think you need to take it down a couple of notches for everybody's safety. 
07-14-2003, 04:33 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 563
yea im not about to buy bigger brakes, new rotors and calipers are just too costly to justify. so new pads would be a good idea then, any brands i should look for?
What i need to do for everyones safety is get better brakes, then we wont have fading problems.
What i need to do for everyones safety is get better brakes, then we wont have fading problems.
07-14-2003, 04:43 PM
#8
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Miami, Florida
Posts: 1,591
Hawk makes great brake pads. and the EBC Green stuff is good and puts out very little dust. Personally I drove my friends fc he has the hawk pads front and rear, X-Drilled/ Sloted rotors front and rear SS brakelines, and im telling you his car stops on a dime. when he had el cheapo brand tires they would squirm and squeal if he was stoping quick. Not eveing flooring it. Then he got some G-force ta something tires and man makes you want to wear your saftey belt. Braking if you up grade I reccomend also upgrading your tires.
07-14-2003, 06:23 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Miami, Florida
Posts: 1,591
no problem. You cant imagine how much diffrence there is between el cheapo and a set of bad *** tires. It makes you accelerate faster, stop faster, handel better, ride quieter, Great for drifting for when you need that extra control.
Tires The All Around Performance Mod !!!!
Tires The All Around Performance Mod !!!!