Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveC113
I've looking into this before choosing Ferodo 3.12 over 1.11, and I don't think this is true. I have no doubt what you experienced actually happened, but this is a very straightforward conversion of kinetic energy to heat that isn't going to vary all that much as far as the total quantity of heat generated. There could be other reasons your brake temps got so hot.
If this was the case nobody would use higher-mu pads, and lower-mu pads would be a solution to overheating brakes, but they are not.
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One can certainly fade a lower mu pad, but that's not to be confused with overheating the braking system. The most reliable sign of heat difference between lower and higher mu pads is calipers: such as Brembos becoming Brownbos and needing cooling solutions and more frequent rebuilds. Ask any pro crew chief
Another consideration, which any racing brake website will mention up front: pad mu should be matched properly to tire type. There is no good reason to put higher mu pad with tires that cannot match its performance (streets vs slicks). Ive never experienced lock ups with stockers, but have with high mu pads overpowering the tires. Ive never boiled brake fluid with stockers, yet did so within 3 laps with high torque pads. Same track, same tires. Only heat will boil brake fluid, so here you go.
A high mu pad is capable of stopping the car in shorter distance (assuming proper tires are on), but with a side effect of more heat being generated. Zero question about it. There is no free lunch here and all folks who use high mu pads immediately go looking for vented pistons, more air flow cooling, highest level brake fluid, etc.
If this was not the case, anyone could simply put the highest mu pad without any changes to cooling with no adverse effects whatsoever. Heck, manufacturers would put high mu pads in a factory with street brake fluid 😀. But that is NOT the case, as countless posts in this forum confirm over and over.
My calipers were still the original red color, with zero cooling mods and zero rebuilds after 3 years of tracking my 17 1LE for some 65 days at 7 venues. Ask anyone using high torque pads what shape their calipers are after 65 track days. And there is only one reasons for the difference: heat.