If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a zillion times: Brakes are the most powerful speed-changing device on your car. Or, at least, they should be.
So proper braking performance is key to fast lap times, both to correct the speed of the car entering corners and to balance the chassis and give the driver a sense of confidence …
I forget what magazine I read it in, many many years ago. There was a discussion of the addition of a big brake kit to a project vehicle and the 'pro' (was an engineer for a race team or something that answered technical questions, can't recall his name) mentioned the one thing most people over look is the added rotational weight of big brake kits add to each wheel since bigger parts weigh more and require larger diameter wheels to clear the larger brakes, all of which hurt acceleration.
It was an article that stuck with me that made sense. So I've always tried to figure out a solid plan of attack for my brakes BEFORE jumping to the big brake option. Which may be what I'll need to do with the GMW since it 'should' have a substanial power increase when I get it running 100% correctly, but I'll be checking out better pads/rotors/fluid first.
That sounds like something that we would have said. (In fact, that sounds like something brake engineer James Walker would have told us, too.)
DjGreggieP said:I forget what magazine I read it in, many many years ago. There was a discussion of the addition of a big brake kit to a project vehicle and the 'pro' (was an engineer for a race team or something that answered technical questions, can't recall his name) mentioned the one thing most people over look is the added rotational weight of big brake kits add to each wheel since bigger parts weigh more and require larger diameter wheels to clear the larger brakes, all of which hurt acceleration.
It was an article that stuck with me that made sense. So I've always tried to figure out a solid plan of attack for my brakes BEFORE jumping to the big brake option. Which may be what I'll need to do with the GMW since it 'should' have a substanial power increase when I get it running 100% correctly, but I'll be checking out better pads/rotors/fluid first.
Very relevant comment to this story as well, because the most common MR2 "budget" big brake upgrade utilizes Supra/RX8 rotors which weigh 20-22lbs each. Big "no thanks" on that one.
What I did on my own '91 MR2 Turbo was retrofit front calipers and rotors from the '93+ MR2. I also removed the fog lights, and made ducts that routed from the fog light opening to the center of the rotor. Combined with proper race pads (ST43), I never had a braking issue again.
Good article. If you're trying to wring the max out of your brakes you need to duct air to them. Show us that step next.
DWNSHFT said:Good article. If you're trying to wring the max out of your brakes you need to duct air to them. Show us that step next.
Yeah I'm thinking the driving lights et sacrificed. One of th doesn't work anyway and I'll have to cut the bezel or the bumper to take it off. Sounds like a perfect time for a brake duct on top of a new splitter.
I'm still contemplating bacon based brakes on my gen4 MR2.
Sure, you're going to die - but what a delicious death it will be!
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