Desparately seeking STOP!!

[Randee of the Redwoods]

I definately have more GO than WHOA. I toasted the front brakes one day while messing around on the street. Now, STREET, mind you, not track, so there was no 100mph+ speeds etc etc. Car suddenly did not want to stop. I replaced the front pads to see if that was the problem. There was an improvement, mind you, but it was not stopping like it did new. Or even like it did at Cecil some months earlier. Soooo....
I need some of ya'll's suggestions on more bite for my brakes. I prefer a high bite setup, personally. Is there a high bite pad I can put in the stock calipers that is better resistant to being burned up? The day I burned up the first set, I meaned they were burned. We're talking two spits from on fire. I smelled them for the next mile.(Brake fluid change is being done as well)
I've been wanting the 2000 Cobra R front brake upgrade. Would that help and give me the extra bite and fade resistance I want? I'm not against a kit from Stop-Tech or Baer or any other aftermarket company. I'd just prefer to keep my mods all in the family, if you know what I mean. So, throw your suggestions at me. I drive my car in a spirited manner occasionally when I'm behind the wheel(last time out I showed a friend who now wants one what a 123 run up in the gears at 7000rpm is like. He's still smiling) I hope I'm being as accurate as you need. I guess fade resistance is the feature I need most. Do any of you think the Cobra R kit will fit my needs? Is there a better pad I can run that will help? So help me out if you can please. Unfortunately, I do need to stop. :burnout:

 

[davidsk5018]

You only need some better pads and some better fluid for what you are talking about. Try some Hawk Brake pads, and some motul 600 fluid. That will be more than enough for you if you don't track the car. http://www.raceshopper.com/ has the best prices that I have found.

 

[02YZ125]

Fixed four piston Baer kit will disipate heat best, and heat is the #1 cause of brake fade, if youre willing to spend that kind of money. Flush to some high grade DOT4 probably wouldnt be a bad idea either.

 

[MidLifeC]

The 2000 Cobra R brake upgrade will only provide another 10% of brake pad contact to the rotor; it's primary benefit will be in fade resistance. Look at the rest of your bake system first - lines, fluid, more aggressive pad.

Are you running skinny tires up front? Tires play a big role in stopping ability also.

 

[mblgjr]

A pair of PBR/Baer pin-drives should take care of your street needs.

Use a slightly more aggressive pad, like the Hawk HPS, SBC, or Perf. Friction Z-rated.

 

[vennom]

Would, frozen rotors and hawk hp+ pads do the trick for street/auto x? I'm looking for somore whoa as well?

 

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Thanks for the info, guys. Sorry for the late response. Seems the site has stopped auto notifying me of responses. Oh well.
Yes, I do plan on the fluid change. So just a standard DOT4 fluid or do they come in grades? I don't track the car often, maybe twice a year or so, so super trick upgrades are not necessary. I personally don't view the Cobra R kit as super trick and do know that others have similar kits for the same reasonable price. Fade resistance is really what I'm after so if the 4 pot caliper change will help, I'll do it.
For now, I'll try some upgraded pads and see how well they do. I now the Brembo kit is more flash than dash for my purposes, but, hey, we all need just a little flash. And it'll help improve braking performance a bit to boot.
MidlifeC-No skinnies. Regular street rims and tires. I'm just a bit harder on the brakes then usual as I've never before owned a car that tempts me to drive like an ass on a regular basis.

 

[03'Darin]

From the description of your driving habits you have spelled out you don't need to spend the money on an upgraded brake kit. If you were doing open track events at a road course the bigger brake kits would be well worth the money. But spirited street driving, bonzai runs and occasional track stuff can easily be handled with a couple of upgrades to the stock brakes.

-First and foremost would be good fluid. I road raced for 8 years, tried countless high priced brake fluids until I finally payed attention to one of the brake fluid tests I read and used the Ford HD brake fluid as they suggested. Hands down the best brake fluid for the money.

-Braided front brake hoses. Braided hoses will give you a more firm brake pedal with better feedback and modulation. Braided hoses won't swell when hot as stock hoses do either.

-Good brake pads. Running a good set of very hp street pads or track pads will make your stock brakes feel like you've installed a biger set of brakes. I suggest Hawk "Blacks" or more extreme the Hawk "Blues". Performance Friction also has several options of pads. Look on their web site for a description of each pads characteristics. Keep in mind as you go more agressive in pads you'll get more squeel and dusting from each step.

-Skip the rears. With so much of the weight bias being to the front on these cars you don't need to spend any money on the rear brakes.

Darin

 

[Cobra-R]

From the description of your driving habits you have spelled out you don't need to spend the money on an upgraded brake kit. If you were doing open track events at a road course the bigger brake kits would be well worth the money. But spirited street driving, bonzai runs and occasional track stuff can easily be handled with a couple of upgrades to the stock brakes.

-First and foremost would be good fluid. I road raced for 8 years, tried countless high priced brake fluids until I finally payed attention to one of the brake fluid tests I read and used the Ford HD brake fluid as they suggested. Hands down the best brake fluid for the money.

-Braided front brake hoses. Braided hoses will give you a more firm brake pedal with better feedback and modulation. Braided hoses won't swell when hot as stock hoses do either.

-Good brake pads. Running a good set of very hp street pads or track pads will make your stock brakes feel like you've installed a biger set of brakes. I suggest Hawk "Blacks" or more extreme the Hawk "Blues". Performance Friction also has several options of pads. Look on their web site for a description of each pads characteristics. Keep in mind as you go more agressive in pads you'll get more squeel and dusting from each step.

-Skip the rears. With so much of the weight bias being to the front on these cars you don't need to spend any money on the rear brakes.

Darin

Excellent advice, Darin!!!!!!!!! :rockon: :beer:

Brian

 

[TroyV]

I agree as well. My only problem with Cobra PBR's is that they rattle badly.......at least mine did. (as well as a few Cobras owned by members of my SVTOA chapter.) Functionality isn't affected so much, but it is really annoying to be driving a car that was 30k on the sticker with rattling front calipers. That, and it is super easy to burn the piston boots to ash, or at least see them degrade to point of uselessness.

The other thing I wanted to mention is that sticking with the PBR could benefit you if you drive the car in the winter. You can run a 17x8 wheel with the PBR and take advantage of a blizzack style snow tire in a narrower width. I have used a blizzack style (actually Nokian) tire on a Mustang before and they are a fantastic tire. The widest snow tire I've seen is a 255, so you can mount them on 17x9's but the rim bead will stick out and can get curb rash..

Sorry to get off the primary subject...just wanted to throw that out there.

 

[03'Darin]

Burning the dust boots off is nothing to worry about. When I raced American Sedan our spec brake required the PBR calipers. After one track session the dust boots were totally gone. Never replaced them and saw no ill affects.

Darin

 

[03'Darin]

Excellent advice, Darin!!!!!!!!! :rockon: :beer:

Brian

Thanks Brian. If there is one thing I learned A LOT about when racing...... it was brakes. Especially after putting my car on its roof at WGI due to over cooking the brakes.

Darin

 

[ShelbyGuy]

heh i had pad fade and hit the tire wall at turn 12 of road america. bed them in properly!

 

[03'Darin]

heh i had pad fade and hit the tire wall at turn 12 of road america. bed them in properly!

Ouch!

I wore pads completely through the backing plate in a race at WGI. I was on the last lap of the race entering turn one. The caliper pistons had extended so far that the right front caliper piston came out, pedal went to the floor. That was before they had the gravel trap. I hit the tire wall on the driver side and proceeded to do a flip in the air, landing on the roof. Crunched the car up pretty bad from the wreck, then the emergency crew rolled it back over on the good side. Damaged every body panel on the car except the hatch.

Darin

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

From your description...
I'd be willing to bet that you boiled your brake fluid...

If your pads are wiped and you need them anyway... then by all means GET a good high perf street compound pad(that will still stop when it's cold and won't kill the rotors)...

The first track event I did I had stock pads...but fresh(FORD) fluid and cooling hoses...

Brakes never gave me a lick of fade even at the end of the day when I was going faster...(burned the dust boots off also :rollseyes )

Fluid is a HUGE deal... and fresh is the key!!!

I bet a fluid change fixes the problem...
If the brakes still felt gushy even after they cooled off... it ain't pads.
The bubbles stay in the fluid after a boil and allow compression of the brake fluid=smooshy pedal

That's what it sounds like happened... I just can't see stock brakes not being enough for the street :shrug:

Mine hung in there during multiple 20 minute sessions with zero fade... but the fluid was only 2 days old :thumbsup: