Brake Conversion Questions

[TomsSVX]

rears should be fine. Even the track raced SVX shotgunslade drives is able to use stock calipers with slotted rotors and his car stops on a dime. Unless you find yourself running the car on a road course and you are well over stock power, there really is no need to upgrade tha calipers, just setup the stock system nicely

Tom

[curly2k3]

well thats actually part of it, this car will be auto-x'd and road raced next season, and ice raced this winter. I am also in the process to build a second motor which will be needless to say not stock.

[benebob]

Originally Posted by curly2k3

well thats actually part of it, this car will be auto-x'd and road raced next season, and ice raced this winter. I am also in the process to build a second motor which will be needless to say not stock.

Exactly why you don't need bigger brakes. You can only stop as quick as your tires allow remember and if you can lock your brakes up you have more than enough braking ability. Then again, if you wanna look "cool" wasting money that's a totally different story.

[TomsSVX]

Ben is right. The only time you need to upgrade brakes is when they are insuficient. The SVX brakes are sufficient and unless you are gaining weight with your race car, they will be fine if setup properly

Tom

[svxstarship]

So are you saying the SVX brakes will not fade under hard use?

[Earthworm]

Originally Posted by svxstarship

So are you saying the SVX brakes will not fade under hard use?

I believe he's saying that most drivers never drive their cars hard enough to warrant the bigger brakes.

[shotgunslade]

I have not noticed any significant brake fade in the several times I've taken it to the track. I did notice my rear pads smoking one time when I came in (Metal Masters). I often cause the anti-lock to come on when approaching turns. I also usually outbrake most of the cars I run with. My instructors have also commented on how well the car brakes.

[TomsSVX]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

I believe he's saying that most drivers never drive their cars hard enough to warrant the bigger brakes.

Ding ding dign... Even our racing community has yet to outdrive their brakes on road courses.

Tom

[benebob]

Originally Posted by svxstarship

So are you saying the SVX brakes will not fade under hard use?

Of course they will just as any brake will fade when you're beyond the temp limits of the fluid (which for 95% of people is the boiling point of water since they don't change their fluids at the very least every 2 years).

Only brake fade I ever experienced was due to old fluid and 20 minutes or so on the track which turned my water to steam. Aside from that we're actually looking at DECREASING our braking ability up front to make it more predictable.

Does the SVX have the braking feel of an exotic, definately not but its far from 80s GM brake feel either. Until you can't lock your brakes up at speed you don't need bigger brakes.

[curly2k3]

and what if i have locked up my brakes at speed on the course? (i have too)

[TomsSVX]

then your brakes are obviously suitable. You need to learn to control them better thats all

Tom

[shotgunslade]

Boiled some old brake fluid myself second time I took it to the track. Didnt know what it was at the time. Definitely should change brake fluid every six months if you're going to the track. Use Wilwood 570, pretty good stuff.

[benebob]

Here you go on what will/won't improve braking.

Slotted, dimpled, drilled rotors (not a bit actually you loose braking some braking ability as you decrease the friction surface). Only real advantages are they cool quicker thus braking fade comes in later but in reality its cheaper to buy better brake fluid with a higher boiling point. Sure they can have less tendency to warp but they also have a greater tendency to crack.

SS lines- (do nothing for braking distances) Only advantage is they provide a better feel compared to rubber but a line simply pushes fluid through the system. Of course you're gonna think you're braking better if you replace 13 year old rubber with SS but in reality its due to your old lines being well beyond their proper wear life (about 5 years at most) then you just changed and bled fluid which if you read further you'll see what that does.

Tires- better traction tires will increase your stopping ability.

ABS- increases stopping distances but keeps ya from locking up. Give and take situation. For street and the average driver be very thankful they're out there but other than that there really aren't too many advantages

Brake fluid- NEEDS TO BE CHANGED AT LEAST EVERY 2 years. Takes on water which boils at a low temp so when it boils you have drastic fade. A good quality fluid will not shorten stopping distances but it will give you better feel, a more consistant pedal and will keep fade to the level where you're cooking your components anyways so fade is just telling you to drive smarter or start replacing warped/cracked rotors, seized calipers etc.

MC- will effect pedal feel and should be resealed about ever 5 years. Does absolutely nothing for stopping distances though as it ages. Sure changing to another MC might but it might not too depends on the system as only a certain amount of fluid can travel through the lines at a time.

Brake pads- can both increase temps of the system as well as increase/decrease stopping distances depending on metallic content, condition and overall quality and ingredients.

I'm not saying braking abilty can't be improved upon but in reality the system is darn good for its age and weight of the car, if taken care of it is the last thing I'd think of upgrading. Save the money and go to a driving school. You'll brake better after than any upgrade for that money would have given ya anyways.

[UberRoo]

I think integrating a proportioning valve would be mighty tricky without removing the ABS. The diagonally linked braking system kinda makes that a bugger to do. I was thinking about installing a solenoid brake lock, like the B&M Launch Control - you know, just for fun - but it requires two valves on a stock SVX.

Also, I toasted my old semi-metallic pads almost right away. I've since upgraded to metallic pads, but I still routinely experience brake fade during spirited driving. Then again, I really use my brakes. I would propose to drivers who don't experience brake fade that you may simply not using them enough. Some tracks aren't long enough, or have enough speed variation to warrant that much brake use, but under-utilizing the brakes is extremely common. Extremely hard, last-minute braking nets you good times, but it generates a lot of heat. In fact, as a general rule, the faster you are, the harder it is on your car. Constant full-throttle to full-braking is pretty abusive.

[NeedForSpeed]

Since you have experience replacing brake fluid at regular intervals, could you post the procedure that you have found to work best for you. Like everything else, after doing a job a time or two, one learns the 'tricks'.

Thanks for the informative posts.

Originally Posted by benebob

Of course they will just as any brake will fade when you're beyond the temp limits of the fluid (which for 95% of people is the boiling point of water since they don't change their fluids at the very least every 2 years).

Only brake fade I ever experienced was due to old fluid and 20 minutes or so on the track which turned my water to steam. Aside from that we're actually looking at DECREASING our braking ability up front to make it more predictable.

Does the SVX have the braking feel of an exotic, definately not but its far from 80s GM brake feel either. Until you can't lock your brakes up at speed you don't need bigger brakes.