deciding on BBK

[Reaper]

How are the rc6's when cold? My track pads on my bike are a death trap without heat in them.

[ATL BRZ]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

Do you like the RC6 as much as I do?

They are amazing so far though I've only used them at Atlanta Motor Speedway so far which isn't very hard on brakes. Road Atlanta this weekend should be a better test.

Originally Posted by Reaper

How are the rc6's when cold? My track pads on my bike are a death trap without heat in them.

They bite okay when cold, I wouldn't call them deadly, but after tracking with them once they are ridiculously loud against cold rotors to the point where it's embarrassing on the street, lol. They also don't have painted backing plates which is good since there's nothing to burn off but the pistons don't grab them at all so you get clunk noises with pedal application at low speeds and they also clank in the calipers over bumps. Because race car

The Carbotech Bobcat street pads do not make any noises at any temperatures after bedding.

[Reaper]

I'm not to concerned with noise.
In the two wheel world I use ebc sintered pads for street and only use carbon on the track. The carbon tend to "un bed" themselves on the first long downhill corner leaving my house in the morning when cold and never quite recover before I get to work since its mostly uphill from there. I had to re bed them on my rides home!

[Reaper]

Csgmike recommended ap s100 for the street. Who's running them?

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Reaper

How are the rc6's when cold? My track pads on my bike are a death trap without heat in them.

They are OK. They aren't the best pads I've used cold and aren't the worst. They are LOUD though and since they are sintered pads are actually smaller than normal so on the BRZ with no anti-rattle provisions they move around a bit.


I've driven them cross country (well south to north and back..) a few times on my track car and never felt unsafe at all. They actually aren't even loud on the track car, just the BRZ.

[buddy32]

I was kind of in the same situation. I went with the AP sprint kit and figured I'd grow into them. I'm currently on XP10s at the track and 1521s on the street all around. I'll move on to XP12s when these 10s are done.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by Reaper

Csgmike recommended ap s100 for the street. Who's running them?

As much as I normally agree with Mike... I wouldn't run the S100s on the street. They are decent pads but too loud. Get one of the pads that others here have had good luck with being quiet.


I still run the S100s myself and I think they'd last forever on the street but the noise is a bit annoying after awhile.

[WWEVOX]

Is there something wrong with the Brembo GT kits? I hardly ever see those mentioned in these forums, good or bad. But some of the mentioned kits are definitely in the price range.

[Model Citizen]

Originally Posted by WWEVOX

Is there something wrong with the Brembo GT kits? I hardly ever see those mentioned in these forums, good or bad. But some of the mentioned kits are definitely in the price range.

price is a pretty good place to start.

at the end of the day if you can justify dropping 5k+ for brakes on a 25k car than you probably had enough brains to buy a better car to start with

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by WWEVOX

Is there something wrong with the Brembo GT kits? I hardly ever see those mentioned in these forums, good or bad. But some of the mentioned kits are definitely in the price range.

I've installed and used a $10k brake setup of Brembo race bits (calipers/rotors) and a prototype Ford Racing booster and BMC and they were fantastic bits though. However, like AP, Brembo makes a bunch of different parts. Without having touched the GT kits, I'd imagine that they are similar to the AP Formula stuff quality wise.


Spec wise, they are frankly too big for the car for most users (I'm focused purely on function here). I haven't looked at consumables but that all plays a role in selecting brakes for your car. Price wise, I don't think they are close.. isn't the GT kit ~$3,500? Compared to the Essex kit at $2,100.. or the Essex Endurance at $2,600. (to be fair that was the first google price I saw, I didn't go shopping for them).


My motivation for a BBK was more or less the following: I destroyed the OEM rotors quick and boiled fluid (good fluid, not the OEM crap, which I did boil as well but...).


The factors in picking a BBK were more or less the following:
-Functionality in terms of thermal mass and cooling with my target being as SMALL of a brake system as possible to meet my needs with room for reasonable growth in power (due to temps in Florida, tracking FI cars isn't something I prefer to do, at least not aftermarket FI cars) as well as feel/modulation
-Component quality
-Consumable cost
-Weight savings


Going with HUGE rotors is just adding weight on most of the cars here.. without a need to do so.

[AZFA20]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

The fact that they are 14" means that aren't a serious consideration beyond looks. Unless you like slowing your car down... when you aren't using the brakes.

That would be a true statement IF they weighed more however, they do not! In fact the entire front and rear kit weighs in 3lbs less than the stock system. That's a whole lot more stopping power and less weight to boot.....

Not to mention both the OP and myself have over 400whp so being slowed by rotational mass isn't as much of a concern.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Reaper

Csgmike recommended ap s100 for the street. Who's running them?

Only to reduce your up front cost. Remember, spending the $25 on race pads and paying for street pads is ultimately the better deal, in which case I'd recommend the Carbotech 1521.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by WWEVOX

Is there something wrong with the Brembo GT kits? I hardly ever see those mentioned in these forums, good or bad. But some of the mentioned kits are definitely in the price range.

Nothing except a higher cost. You can't go wrong with the Brembo GT kits, but like any other painted caliper, the paint turns an ugly brown if you actually track it and get a lot of heat into it.

[glamcem]

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

But Wilwood calipers do flex more than APs. Talk to some dirt track guys, they can show you some Wilwood tacos...

interesting, this is the first time I am hearing this problem with Wilwood calipers and I've spoken with many track guys with different setups I don't see as many FRS/BRZ owners with BBKs though.. Can you provide a link/more info about this? Is this with their steel pistons or thermlock? I wonder if this is a car specific issue or a mismatched kit issue

after certain amount of time and heavy use every caliper will flex for sure..
many makers claim that the Monobloc design tend to flex even more than the 2 pc designs (unless it's an F1 superior race brakes )

Originally Posted by Dave-ROR

The fact that they are 14" means that aren't a serious consideration beyond looks. Unless you like slowing your car down... when you aren't using the brakes.

How is that so? Larger rotors in general (with same width) should provide better thermal efficiency which ultimately affect the consistency ..then again I am not talking about the stopping distance ...but in fact even the "stopping distance" is effected after certain temps



link to source:
http://zeckhausen.com/Testing_Brakes.htm#Summary