[Padge23]

+1 on the SS track brake rotor duct kit (GM part 84433357, includes both sides). I think it is $28 and appears to increase the size of the air deflector (not sure that is the correct term) inside the wheel well to about 300% of the stock 1LE deflector. Great for those of us in more Southern Latitudes. Ducting does extend below bottom of vehicle and comes with smaller splash shields (optional install?) so may not be great for daily drivers and/or wetter climates. I also run SRF fluid, ti shims and Spiegler brake lines.

[weemus]

I use SRF on OEM pads. No issues at VIR for ~30 minutes hauling down from ~150 on the back and ~140 on the front strait. I did install the SS brake deflectors (plastic piece only). Still working on some data but I put them on to limit the tires from giving up 3/4 into a session from heavy repeated braking, friction and excessive pressure rise. My fronts get greasy. I did one cool down lap with the deflectors and the tires seemed to recover rather well. Brakes haven't been an issue for me. Tires...

I do have Spiegler SS lines but I don't believe they do a thing other than "improve" the feel with a stiffer pedal. Lines are more about how you like the pedal to feel.

+1 on SRF. Works fantastic. Plus you only need to bleed the system once a year...

[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by funked1

This is the best answer. Stickier-than-stock tires can cause the same problems too.

Also the cheapest, especially in a long run

[tmalaquin]

@trackClub regarding your brake fade vs fluid boil comment, you are saying that there is some progression when the fluid starts boiling ? first the pedal get soft and travel increase and then pedal goes to the floor ?
I am thinking that excessive heat in the system would increase travel anyway, with thermal expansion...
Is there a visual way to know which one was increasing brake pedal travel ?
Like discoloration on pads/caliper or brake fluid color / air in brake lines when bleeding ?
Cheers

[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by tmalaquin

@trackClub regarding your brake fade vs fluid boil comment, you are saying that there is some progression when the fluid starts boiling ? first the pedal get soft and travel increase and then pedal goes to the floor ?
I am thinking that excessive heat in the system would increase travel anyway, with thermal expansion...
Is there a visual way to know which one was increasing brake pedal travel ?
Like discoloration on pads/caliper or brake fluid color / air in brake lines when bleeding ?
Cheers

Dont know if there is a definitive way to identify the culprit here. But, if a pedal starts to go soft, that's brake fluid giving up (vs pads).

Black fluid would be a sign of over temps and clearly a chemical reaction. A good sign the fluid is done.
With SRF even when bleeing it after 10 days it came out clean. Others not so much, albeit i have had good experience todate with Willwood EXP (couldnt find SRF).

Discolored calipers is another sign of high temps, obviously. So are cooked seals and sticky pistons.

From my experience, running different grade pads over the years on different cars, the higher the pad torque, the higher the temps they will generate, the more (and faster) relative components (discs, calipers, hubs, tires) will get fried. Albeit, this is venue dependent, as in how much brakes can cool during a lap vs continue to heat soak, etc. Driver style will also play a role here.

Pro teams will match a pad to a venue and race duration.
And/or driver preference. Then chuck whole brake assemblies after a race. We amateurs, tend to think that "race" automatically means "better", therefore last "longer" and make us "faster". I happen to have an opposite POV. But that's me

Cheers!

[weemus]

Tmalaquin you can purchase rotor paint ($$$) or temperature stickers($) for the calipers. This will help to some small degree by letting you know what temperature the caliper or rotor is seeing as the system must reject the heat generated by friction from braking. If it’s excessive then you will know what component is nearing it’s limit.
But the easy button is SRF

[Timbo-1LE]

Call Ken at KBS and describe your issue. Solid source of info...

[TrackClub]

Originally Posted by Timbo-1LE

Call Ken at KBS and describe your issue. Solid source of info...

Ken is a great guy. But, be careful, as Ken likes to sell the newest and the greatest and this most often means high torque compounds and in some cases extreme torque.
Our cars are very capable track cars, but they are not race cars, most dont run slicks and most dont have race level cooling, nor braking hardware. SS 1LE pistons are not even vented. They are very robust, but other components should match properly. All IMO. Ciao!

PS SRF is a great first step (or another top dog fluid), but that im itself will not reduce excessive heat.

[weemus]

Just went back to the original post. You bled the brakes in June with the pad install. How many track days since then and did you bleed the brakes between ie before events?

Timbo and Driven stated that bleed between/before events just curious how much use you have on that RBF

[tmalaquin]

Originally Posted by weemus

Just went back to the original post. You bled the brakes in June with the pad install. How many track days since then and did you bleed the brakes between ie before events?

Timbo and Driven stated that bleed between/before events just curious how much use you have on that RBF

Just 3 track days, 2 Laguna Seca and 1 Thill
Maybe 3h of track total

[mblum]

Your description closly matches what I was seeing with the Motul 660 fluid on stock pads. Im also a late braker and seem to be harder on the brakes than most others. I would get long brake pedal travel towards the end of a 20 minute session. Still had braking power, just deep in the pedal throw. I ran 2 track days (roughly 16 sessions total) with a the 660 and did a full bleed before both events to rule out air in the system. Ive had great luck on other vehicles in the past running SRF, but earlier this year it seemed hard to get. Instead I tried Brembo HTC 64T and really like it. My pedal is very responsive and consistent every session throughout te day. So far I have two track days on the Brembo fluid and it has definitely given me more confidence in te brake zone.

I would suggest te SRF fluid if you can find it, or the Brembo.

[Timbo-1LE]

I have a thought, because it impacted me when I started. At Sebring, the one time I had brake issues, it was me. Running in dry or sport 1, I was making the electronic save me to be honest, as it can "mask" what's actually happening. I saw the data from the pdr, and you could see it in every turn. Which taught me to be smoother (trust me I'm an amateur 57 year old guy just having fun and trying to impress my wife of 33 years)...