Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary_C
This is one of the best posts that I have read on this topic and I really appreciate seeing this type of objective reasoning. I am curious though, why you have been soo quick to discredit the Brembo product from your first post, where it did seem that it was originally an option for you?
Rather than simply sharing my personal opinion about the Brembo product, maybe I can answer specific questions based on your actual concerns. I know that Brembo has the largest name in the braking business, and with that comes a varying degree of opinions, but when it comes to the aftermarket/racing products it is definitely one of (if not THE) top choice out there.
Please, share some questions that you think would be helpful to your search, and may also help other people in a similar situation. I'll do my best to share only relevant, factual, and useful information.
Gary - - - -
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Thanks all for the posts. I'm an information junkie, so the more I have, the better I feel about what I end up getting.
To answer your questions, Gary, on my view of Brembo:
1. I'm a bit worried about only a front caliper change. On one hand, my concern is that the stock rear caliper/rotor combination has proven not to be up to our needs. On the other hand, I'd obviously be glad to save the money, and I do realize that the addition of the bigger front brake *should* reduce the load on the rears. I'm not sure where to end up in this whole mix.
2. The OEM brake business definitely devalued the brand in my eyes. It was no doubt a good business decision, and I hear your point that the OEM side made no difference to the aftermarket BBKs, but putting out less-than-stellar OEM brakes definitely tarnished Brembo's image. Maybe that's irrelevant, but it's what prompted my comments. In a world where we are being asked to rely on reputations, things like that matter.
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Basically everyone is asking us to trust them. That's fine, but it's different than most industries, where I can really research the products I want to buy. I'm not used to it.
One metric I referred to before that I would like to consider is weight. It obviously cannot be looked at in a vacuum, but it is a relevant data point, as we all realize the benefit of unsprung weight reduction. If each of the main BBKs are probably going to be fade-free for 30 minute sessions, lighter is better. I don't know if anyone has data on caliper/rotor weight for each of the BBKs, but it would be nice to have. Yes, I realize that there are tradeoffs with weight - lighter weight means lower thermal mass, potentially smaller rotors, etc.. My guess is that the AP system wins there.
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In general, I admit I was pretty naive when I got the car. I figured the OEM brakes, with their 14" rotors and fixed calipers, would be able to handle moderate track use with a rotor and pad upgrade. Now I'm looking at spending $5K on a system I didn't really want in the first place, so I'm being as anal as possible in an attempt to learn. I now realize most any car will need a BBK for track use, but I guess I just thought that was only true for racing. Right now, I'm having to tiptoe around the brake limits pretty carefully or switch to pads for track days* which is a drag, as I will probably still have problems. If I can get away with a new front caliper, then that's great, but what happens when I get a bit faster and now have to go through all this again...
Anyway, thanks again for all the thoughts. I hope there are forum lurkers that this conversation has also helped in one way or another...
*Yes, I realize that track use may mean switching pads. My goal was to have a car I could drive to the track, run, and drive home without swapping parts or alignment. I'm willing to make compromises like:
- Living with an alignment that causes higher tire wear on the street. I figure the tires are going to get worn out on track anyway. I'll live with the cost of getting tires every 3-6 months to avoid tinkering at the track.
- Using street tires on track. I figure I'm not good enough to need track tires at this point anyway, and swapping wheels just isn't in my goal right now.
I am hoping I can get a brake system where I can drive at 9/10ths with streetable (not street, but not pure race) pads. I'm still in the beginner group, so I have a feeling I'm not fast enough for that to be an issue with a BBK. Feel free to weigh in on whether or not I'm delusional...