Hey everybody,

I just got my new brakes in today. HOORAY! Carbotech 1109 fronts, 1108 rears.

They are STICKY. I love it. Super-sensitive and they grab like there's no tomorrow.

Bedding in was a piece of cake... I was worried because I was running Carbon Kevlar pads before I switched. (Carbotech dude said I can do it, it just takes more time to bed in.) Rather than brake from 60-0 6 times, I decided to drag on the brakes a few times at 50 MPH and leave the e-brake up for a while too (rears gotta get hot, too). I have a week of commuting before I make it up to Road America.

I also cleaned up my car, picked up 4 new Toyo RA1's, and bought 4 gallons of Tolulene at $6.50 a gallon (cheap Octane boost). I threw one gallon in on a half tank, just to see if there were any issues (I'd rather find out about problems here than Elkhart Lake). Car runs fine, so hopefully it'll be some cheap insurance against knock/detonation.

I love new brakes and new tires.

-Chris

 

dirty wheels = yum

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Willard &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">dirty wheels = yum</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, they've seen some disgustingly thick dust, tire walls, curbs, rocks, etc. I was thinking about painting them random colors (orange, lime, blue, pink) but there's nothing quite like dirty CW.

-Chris

 

Very cool brake setup.

Yeah I like the dirty wheels t00

 

FMIC =

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ccfries &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Rather than brake from 60-0 6 times, I decided to drag on the brakes a few times at 50 MPH and leave the e-brake up for a while too (rears gotta get hot, too). </TD></TR></TABLE>

You should bed them as instructed from carbotech. Just commuting on them for a week will never get them hot enough and they'll either be not bedded in, or die a short death on track.

 

I got them very hot dragging on the brakes about 5 times for 10 seconds or so (while at WOT) and then let them cool a bit tooling around. Unfortunately I didn't have time to drive out to an empty road to do the suggested procedure. (That's one thing Texas was good for, empty roads..)

I'll probably bed them in again anyway, since I was running the Carbon Kevlars before and didn't get the rotors resurfaced.

-Chris

 

Just getting them hot wont do the trick.

http://stoptech.com/technical/ - read up.

Every time I've not bedded pads in properly (the XP8/9 will take 2 or even 3 bedding cycles before they are really ready) they suck on track, die a short death or have other issues. Take the time and do it right.

 

they will still take a track session to really bed in , especially if you drive them on the street , which I've been known to do...

 

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18CXr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">FMIC = </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Doctor CorteZ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">especially if you drive them on the street</TD></TR></TABLE>

I never take them off

 

thats pretty cool.. how much do those normally run..

im about in need of some new pads.. or just maybe need to bleed my lines.

 

Unless you bought them shaved - the RA1s won't be stellar until you have 2 or 3 track days on them

They will actually feel like snowtires for the first session - so go easy.

HOT tire pressure should be about 32-34.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">HOT tire pressure should be about 32-34.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Seems low... I always shot for 38-40, depending on the track, temp, etc.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

HOT tire pressure should be about 32-34.</TD></TR></TABLE>



Really?

 

I dont necessarily agree with lower pressures on our cars, a lot of the AI crowd likes to run them that low or even lower.

 

I suppose it depends on what the ambient temp is, track surface conditions and how worn the tires are to begin with.

I find running them 38-40 (as in starting the session that pressure) - they get too greasy too fast and tend to wear away on the inner part of the tread (as in the middle/center) more - and finally when they are gone - they are gone.

Starting at 32-34 usually gives them enough leeway to get upto 42-45 - which is their sweet spot.

The more worn they are - the faster they heat up imo.

BPR - who has been playing around with a tire pyrometer lately

 

I see. Well, 32-34 seems a little low to me for hot pressures.

I will start RA1 at 29 pounds cold, with the exception being the left front, which I will start at 27 pounds cold.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jordo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats pretty cool.. how much do those normally run..
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I would run P+ on a daily/fun car.

the 08/09's take a little heat to work good and tend to be a little more harsh on rotors.

pads run in the $130 range depending on exact application.

 

I have been thinking about some of these pads. Thanx for the info.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stunna Ben &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have been thinking about some of these pads. Thanx for the info. </TD></TR></TABLE>

the 09's are way too much pad for street tires ,FYI.

 

I want the overkill

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by George Knighton &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I see. Well, 32-34 seems a little low to me for hot pressures.

I will start RA1 at 29 pounds cold, with the exception being the left front, which I will start at 27 pounds cold.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I guess where we're different is our definition of "cold" and "hot". Semantics...

What you call "cold" is the temp of the tire before going on to the track. For me "cold" is the tire first thing in the morning without a single session on the tire.

I find that the tire temps stay in the mid 30s in the paddock. I'm always bleeding off pressure. Trying to keep it at about 40 lbs on the track is the key.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Big Phat R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Trying to keep it at about 40 lbs on the track is the key.</TD></TR></TABLE>

We are in agreement then

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stunna Ben &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I want the overkill </TD></TR></TABLE>

No you really dont. The brakes will be hard to modulate and threshold brake, and you will have square tires.