What's brake fade?
There's a couple kinds of brake fade. Brake fade is the inability of the car's
braking system to function properly due to overuse of the brakes.
Heat is the main culprit. There are many things to upgrade to prolong maximum
brake performance.
What performance brake pads do I buy?
Again, another heated issue (is this getting to be a cliche yet?) You need
to determine whether or not you car needs race brake pads or street
enthusiast ones.
Racing brake pads tend to leave a very stubborn dust on wheels and the body
paint. This requires constant cleaning lest it bonds permanently. Some race
pads are extremely noisy and may even destroy rotors in a few
days/weeks/months (depending on how you drive!)
Many people have had good success with Repco/Axxis MetalMaster pads. Other
brands to look into are Hawk, Performance Friction, and Porterfields.Currently I'm running KVR Carbon Fiber pads
Why should I use cross drilled/slotted rotors?
Theoretically, the extreme heat build up between the brake pad and the rotor
causes gases to be released from the brake pad. The pad is then riding on
this thin layer of gas and is not able to fully contact the rotor. You push
harder on the brakes but even more gases are released and so the braking
effectiveness is decreased. This is known as pad fade. A cross drilled or
slotted rotor provides a channel for the gases to evacuate.
Be careful using drilled rotors since they may cause uneven brake pade wear
and sometimes are prone to cracking (the drilling causes weakness in the
rotor)Although I've been running crossdrilled since98
It should be mentioned by drilling the rotors, you will actually create less
surface area to dissipate heat. Your mileage may vary with cross drilled
rotors.
Other shops slot their rotors. This involves creating a groove (slot) into the
rotor. The idea behind this modification is to allow an edge on the rotor for
the brake pad to bite into. By slotting the rotors, you can ensure even brake
pad wear as well. Theoretically the slotting of rotors would increase surface
area, so you might be able to expect a cooler rotor.
IMHO, I upgrading your rotors may not be a worthwhile effort. I would only
do so if you have a severe brake fade problem. Most street enthusiast
driving does not punish the brakes hard enough.Although it does help prevent WARPING that we are famous for...
What kind of brake fluid should I use? What's wet and dry boiling temperature?
When brake fluid gets hot enough it boils. Like many other aspects of
automotive performance, high temperature brake fluid has its compromise.
In order to make a brake fluid withstand high temperatures, it tends to
absorb water very quickly. Thus all brake fluids are rated at two
temperatures, wet (absorbed water) and dry (no water).
WARNING! High performance brake fluids tend to absorb water quickly,
and some need to be bled before each race. Bleeding your brake fluid is
important to your master cylinder life. On aged hondas, its common for the
Master Cylinder to go bad gradually. If you notice that the brakes are mushy
and start to fade in traffic or on hot days, especially if it you've just bled
the brakes, then you've got a bad Master Cylinder. Your local big parts store
should have rebuilt master cylinders with a life time warranty for not too
much money. Fix it fast or you may regret it. We don't want to have to tell
your next-of-kin that we told you so.
Again a lot of people have their favorites of fluid to purchase. Motul, Castrol
Heavy Duty, Wilwood 570, Lucas Girling DOT 5.1, and Super ATE.
Do aftermarket brake lines improve stopping distances?
In a word no. Aftermarket lines improve the feel of the brakes; offering
a firmer, more positive feeling of control to the driver. A low buck tuner
way to make the brake lines firmer feeling is to use zip ties around the
softer OEM brake lines.
Who makes brake lines? And is DOT approval necessary?
"When Z.Speed looked into getting DOT approval for their stainless lines, they
found that there is no certification process. There is a spec for brake lines
however. Z.Speed's lines meets or exceeds the DOT standard.
When SMC first started selling lines (early 96), they were selling Goodridge
lines (which claimes to be the 1st DOT approved lines). I'm not sure if SMC sell
their own lines now.
Stillen also recently started to market Goodridge lines."
How are brake fluids classified?
DOT3= 284
DOT4= 311
DOT5= 356
But these are MINIMUM standards. Thus Adam is correct in implying that
Motul (Motul Racing Brake Fluid 600) actually meets the boiling point
standards for DOT5 since it has a dry boiling point of 585?F (307?C), wet
421?F (216?C). And they COULD call themselves DOT 5.1 but not DOT 5, which
is what they call SBBF, or silicone-base brake fluid. If you read the
Federal regulations closely (TITLE 49, PART 571, Subpart B, Sec. 571.116,
Standard No. 116; Motor vehicle brake fluids.), it says that DOT5 must be
labeled as either SBBF or as DOT 5.1 non-SBBF. There are other
requirements for DOT5, too (such as color - purple). I suspect Motul (and
most other manufacturers) find it easier and less confusing to call
themselves DOT4 than to refer to their fluid as DOT 5.1 and take the risk
(proven here) that people will THINK they are the silicone-based DOT5
fluid.
So as it turns out Adam was right that there are boiling point standards
for each DOT grade of fluid. Live and learn. I found this out about it at
the DOT website at
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.htmlwhere I found the reg noted above.
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If so the 97 WILL NOT fit ...the 97's are pictured above ...
