Do APR brake ducts really work?
 

When I first discovered the APR brake ducts, I thought they would probably be a good idea, so I put them down low on my wish list. Later I decided to just go with a BBK (which I still plan to do eventually) and assumed the APR kit would only bolt up to factory brakes. Then I saw this picture:

http://frs-tuner.skipthediet.com/wp-...ing_Unit_3.jpg

That's the BBK I want anyway, so this photo raised a few questions for me...

1. Does this kit really work? Has anyone been running this for a while now that could testify to the function of these things?

2. The route the hose seems to take in that photo looks insane. I figured the hoses would be about three feet long or so, but that one looks huge in the picture. Just makes me wonder more about question #1. I was also wondering if anyone who has this installed could post a few more photos making the hose route more clear?

3. If this kit does work, it seems like it would be great for the factory brakes. But would an AP Sprint kit really benefit from this? @Dezoris

4. How rigid are the hoses? They look pretty stiff, but I wonder how they hold up to 100+ mph winds. Trying to visualize it in my head, I see the curves deforming slightly, creating more drastic bends and a less-smooth route for the air. But then again, the air is going to entering at over 100mph, so it could probably still force it's way through the apparent Willy Wonka Factory-of-a-route that photo seems to imply it does.


@FT-86 SpeedFactory

1. Yes, it does!

2. The routing was probably performed to clear all the other equipment on the car, and not get crushed when at full wheel lock. It is still functional, and can be done in a much more straightforward manner on most cars

3. It's AWESOME on factory brakes.

4. They're not. They will need to be tied down, but all you need is zip ties or safety wire.

Thanks a lot, Mike! So then I would not be crazy for buying these soon and getting a BBK later? Or would it make more sense to save the money to put towards a BBK? Assuming this kit is ~25% the cost of a BBK?

Far less than that.

PM @CounterSpace Garage for a quote

Aren't adding brake ducts bad for the car when not under constant hard braking? Say...daily driving? Remember people arguing if cold air wasn't always good for the rotors when they weren't hot/on a highway.

Mike had this covered. lol

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Only thing im concerning with air blowing to the rotor surface is causing uneven surface temp and causing cracking. But if cold air blows thru the center veins that can provide more even cooling in both side of rotors. CSG Mike and FT86factory please chime in, TIA


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The rotors don't cool THAT quickly. They won't cause uneven surface temps that are extreme enough to cause abnormal cracking. At worst, ducts will make the brakes go longer before fading. At best, the ducts will lower the equilibrium temperature, allowing you to get more life out of your pads and/or let you run a less aggressive compound.

On a 100% street car with street pads, they won't do anything negative at all. Put it this way. Most high end cars have brake ducts from the factory with zero negative consequences.

My idea is to (maybe) get the ducts sometime soon to run on my factory brakes. Then later when I actually get a BBK, I can just plug the ducts for street use if it seems like I'm having problems warming them up to optimal operating temperatures.

I've talked with a few race teams as well as the director of R&D for a major brake pad company that supplies grand am teams, and the consensus is blowing air into the center of the rotor is ideal, as the air gets dispersed through the rotor veins for even cooling of the rotors, and blowing air on the face of 1 side of the rotor is not efficient. However, I can't imagine the APR system would be worse than not having any ducting at all. I think the APR ducts would be more beneficial on a OEM setup than a BBK, as the APR kit is cooling the piston side of the rotor, and might counter-act the higher inside pad wear for the single side 2-piston caliper setups on the BRZ/FRS. I notice about 1/32" to 1.5/32" more wear on the inside pads vs. the outside after a weekend on track.

Exactly.

You do want the air to go through the center of the rotor and through the vanes/veins. That is ideal and what you see on racecars.

This kit probably works fine, though. I'd just much rather an alternative design if I'm spending money.

- Andy