Rear Brakes

[SuperDave]

From another thread: 80% of your cars stopping power come from the front's.

I don't dispute the 80% figure.

I have read that the leaders use the stock (aluminum with steel insert) drums but they warn that the drums must be perfectly trued to get them to "do their share" (whatever that means). They say you can't to it without an adjustable proportioning valve. One message on ImprovedTouring.com had an interesting comment: "if the drums aren't turning blue you don't have enough rear bias"

I've read a recommendation for Carbotech Kaelite Metallic shoes.

I've only run shorter Solo I's, so I've never really heated them up enough to boil the fluid. But I've seen cars come in from a 30-minute road race where it was raining. The whole car was wet but the front wheels were completely dry--the hot brakes had heated them so.

[dspillman]

Its really amazing how hot them buggers get, especially without lots of air moving....

Getting the brakeshoe the same shape of drum is important to have as much contact between shoe and drum as possible. Carbotech will shape to please. I use em front and back.

Before I had enough air in the correct areas on rotor/caliper, cranking more pressure to the drums helped put off complete loss of brakes for a lap or two.....

BTW if your fingers sizzle when you hold your nuts,"lug nuts" try not to throw em into the next paddock area!!

david

[Bambikiller240]

Also, I think that it depends greatly on *how* the brakes are used. Managing brakes is an art.

One of our more knowledgable members (John Coffey) has posted alot on this subject in the 240z.org mail list.

[sopwith21]

I think the drum brakes get a bad rap... YES, I wish I had massive Brembo discs all the way around. It would certainly improve my lap times. But the car stops reliably with only slightly modified stock brakes. We use Porterfield pads (part number AP 114) and Porterfield drums in back with Motul 600 synthetic fluid. All other fluids tend to boil on longer runs. I eat up brake pads every third race and I know it could stop faster, but it is a reliable set up. And this is on a 2-mile road course with speeds well over one hundred miles per hour.

The only braking problems I've had came when my front right spring stopped working midway through last season. That caused a huge understeer that forced me to brake way too hard on entry, so it was no surprise when we started having brake fade and brake failure late in the race. Otherwise its been no problem at all. I'll certainly switch to a better brake system at the first opportunity, but we raced hard and won two titles with the stock setup. Its not preferable, but it can be done.