DC2R Brakes

[Zilli]

Hello all,

I have a couple of questions regarding the braking system for my DC2r

Basically, the brakes havent been touched in the 6 or 7 years ive owned it as i dont drive it much. Last month at wakey at the end of the straight i realised it got some frigged up discs. I was originally thinking that i would just get the discs machined and keep going with the factory pads until they finish, but a mechanic family friend told me yoou gotta change the pads as well.

He told me to measure the discs for minimum thickness, can anyone tell me what the minimum thickness is?

Also, how much bearing do the rears brakes have on my system, as it whats the standard brake bias, i want to change all four pads and discs, is it worth all that extra moneey, or should i just focus on the fronts. If i need to change my discs im just gonna get slotted DBA's, but i know for some stupid reason the rear discs are more expensive than the fronts.... is it really worth it?

Also, can anyone recommend me a good pad, the car is lucky to et driven 10km's a week, i dont mind dust, but squealing would give me the shits, and im looking at tracking once every 2 months.

ALSO, i want to change my brake fluid, any recommendations on that

thanks a lot fellas

[Slow96GSR]

1: Measurements = http://www.strathlan.com/CMS/viewtopic.php?t=15
2: Bias is about or at 60% in front and 40% in the rear.
3: I don't know what you all have or like down there.
4: I use the Castrol (http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3343) or AP PRF (http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3338).

Main brake fluid page at Pegasus. (http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/group.asp?GroupID=BRAKEFLUID)

As to "is the set of four is really worth it", it's your life. Is it really worth the $30-$50 bucks not to do rear disc's?

[EG30]

I'll go for the RDA slotted front rotors ( DBA too $$$ )

and Lucas pads front and rear and I would leave the std rotors for the rear.

As for brake fluid, try Castrol Response super DOT4.

[BlitZ]

all depends on what u do with the car..
if its only for the street and maybe windy roads, all you need is std brand name brake fluids and maybe a set of benedix advance pads(std) and thats should be enough force for to never see fade on the street..

else a track hoe, then go for the motul RB400 and maybe ferodo range of race pads, ebc reds....


As for disc.. i dont know too much about .. im running some chine protek stuff and i cant really tell the difference..

[Spunkymonkey]

You don't drive the car that much, so depends on how much you want to spend.

Yes the rear dba's are more expensive than the front.

I've got the dbas front and back with ferodo ds2500 pads and I'm using castrol gp600 brake fluid. The car pulls up very well, you just need to remember that the brakes need to warm up a little when you first drive.

My previous set of ds2500s brake pads on the front lasted 3 years driving about 25K a year on my standard rotors.

You can just go the front set up like the others mentioned or the RDA's are a cheaper alternative.

[Zilli]

ok

thanks for all of the info so far guys... yes it doesnt get driven much BUT i will track it ever couple of months.

I dont want to use bendix pads...

RDA rotors... where r they made? i would really like to change all four discs to slotted items to be honest price permitting.

My relation is going to speak to a friend of his who has been in thee trade for a while and get some recommendations

Spunky, how are the ferodo pads you have, you said they need to warm up... do they squeak, how much dust? do you track? and if so does it fade?

Blitz, question... what is the disadvantage of using the motul oil, as in a heavy duty application as opposed to a normal fluid if your not going to track very often... is it only a montary difference?

[liberx]

My experience with ferodo DS2500 pads has been great on track and street. A bit dusty but no squeel when on good machined rotors.

I'd suggest machining your current rotors with these pads (and good fluid). My stock rotors actually worked better than slotted (though the slotted rotors never seemed quite right from the outset) when used with the ferodo pads that don't release the gases that cheaper pads may.

Type R brakes are some of the best in the business, upgrade pads and fluid and they should be awesome, without wasting $$$.

Cheers,

[czy_sol87]

what about upgrading brake lines to braided items as well
remember rubber expands when it gets hot, braided lines will stop most of the rubber flexing and will give u a better brake feel

[EG30]

RDA stands for Rotor Drums australia and are made in Australia just like the DBA stuff but a lot cheaper.

The DS2500 are one of the best pads around, and the Lucas are very similar in formulation which in turn are very similar to OE pads on BMWs and Mercs. They work from ambient temp, don't squeak, stable up to 550-650C and dust ALOT.

The slots lets the out gases out from the pads ( when pads gets hot the resin/binding material releases vapors, some pads emits more gases than others, eps when new ) and keeps the friction surfaces clean and consistent.

I've installed the Lucas pads with RDA slotted front rotors, and Lucas pads on OE disc at the rear for my EG Si. I'm very happy with them esp they cost my $2xx or so all up.

I'll be doing the same for my DC2R, but 1st I need to upgrade the tyres. At the moment with the stock setup the ABS comes on at moderate to high pedal pressure even at 80km/h!

The size of the front rotors on the ITR (282mm) is huge, and the size of the pads is mega as well when you consider the car is under 1100kg. My fren's HSV VZ clubsport's pads are only 15-20% bigger!

Therefore unlike my EG Si with 260mm rotors and much smaller pads, you are much less likely to overwhelm the stock setup on the street.

I remember watching the GT Production car racing series some years ago when the DC2Rs were racing against S15 200SXs, MY00WRX and E36 325is the DC2R make up huge grounds under brakes and often get rammed up the backside by others, such is the difference in braking performances.

[Zilli]

thanks a lot eg30.... what about brake fluid?

[EG30]

You get get some exotic and $$$ DOT5 brake fluid such as Castrol SRF but they are a lot more high maintenance and do not tolerate water contamination as well as normal DOT4 fluids.

I use Castrol super repsonse super DOT4 for my BMW racecar as they are readily aval for $9 or so for 500ml. They may not have the highest boiling point rating but if your brake pad + rotor size are adequate for the mass of your car they shouldn't get overheated at the 1st place thru heat transfer from the calipers.

For track driving if you do many laps and the brakes start to overheat, you would want to install cooling ducts for the brakes and remove the front brake backing plates to let more air passing thru your brakes. A cooling down lap with minimal brake usage is a great idea too.

[Zilli]

So would i be correct in saying to just replace it withsome good dot 4 fluid as you have recommended, try it with the new pads and front rotors, then evaluate if i need a fluid with a higher boiling point.

Ifi understand correctly what your saying regarding the fluid, then in the 2 months between trakc days, and the 20 or so kms a week will mean the fluid will go off quicker correct?

[EG30]

yes that would be a wise move, suck it and see.

as for trackday usage, as long as you don't boil the fluid it doesn't degrade as such. Their boiling gets lower as they absorb moisture from the atmosphere and thus wise to replace your fluid once a year or so.

btw here is a pic of my slotted rotor on my EG Si.

http://img135.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rotorslotnl0.jpg

[bennjamin]

RDA rotors are imported and often mixed batches of goods , compared to DBA which is generally a higher quality product , made in AUS. I havent heard anything bad about RDA's sofar but You do get what you pay for

[Zilli]

when would brake fluid be exposed to the atompshere? unless you open the cap its sealed correct?

[bennjamin]

when would brake fluid be exposed to the atompshere? unless you open the cap its sealed correct?

that , and also if and when brake fluid is boiled from overheating ~ air bubbles will form and reduce efficiency

[Slow96GSR]

Also when the fluid heats up so does that containing it, hoses, tubes, and other parts. With heat comes expansion. With expansion, and heat, you lose efficiency. Thus steal braided hoses, cross drilled and slotted rotors, and other parts.

[Spunkymonkey]

Spunky, how are the ferodo pads you have, you said they need to warm up... do they squeak, how much dust? do you track? and if so does it fade?

Zilli, the ferodo ds2500s are fantastic. My comment was around them getting up to optimum temperature.....I mean I'm used to having very good brakes, so sometimes in the morning if I brake too hard too suddenly just after I start driving, tends to bring the ABS on lol...that is extremely sudden braking lol....I give it a few minutes and its right. The rest of the time its very hard for me to get the ABS to kick in as the brakes pull me up so well its rarely required.

haven't tracked yet with them on, but 3 years on the front, taking the car for regular fangs no problem. Also I found with stock vtir rotors and normal bendix pads - had no fade at wakefield before either.

[Zilli]

thanks a lot mate

[gambate]

when the ABS do kick in, the ABS indicator will light up?

[V_tec 4 life]

slotted disc's are almost a waist of money with normal pads and sometimes it eats the pads more faster as i herd from a machanic at work

[Zilli]

discs eating pads?

[Spunkymonkey]

when the ABS do kick in, the ABS indicator will light up?

It shouldn't. It's only supposed to come up when you first turn the ignition on, or if there is a problem with your ABS.