Disc Brake Rotor Questions

[DBAjohn]

If anyone has any questions about brakes feel free to post here.

Rotors
Callipers
Pads
Street
Racing
Upgrades



I don't sell em, I just make them. ( rotors only)

 

[Duke]

Welcome to GTPlanet, DBAJohn. Hope to see you answering questions here.

Someone mentioned on the GT3 board that the Escort rally car in the game seems to have octagonal rotors (though of course the wearing surface is going to be circular). I'd never noticed it in the game, and I never heard of it in real life. I can't imagine how it would work with the calipers without making the throat of the caliper too deep, nor can I imagine why you'd do it.

Ever heard of non-circular rotors?

 

[Nightmage82]

oh gosh, i have LOADS of questions about brakes, thanks for asking, and welcome to gtplanet!

1. why do certain racing brakes only become effective when the heat up? and how did ferrari overcome this problem for their 'road' car, the enzo.

2. can u improve braking power just by increasing say the size of the disc, or do you need more pistons/bigger callipers too?

3. how much of a difference do more pistons make?

4. can you fit a larger number of pistons to a car with a smaller number? or is it car specific (i.e. would u have to rewire the hydraulics right up to the pedal)?

5. (a brief explanation of how drum brakes work would help) but why do people still make them if they are so much worse than disc brakes? and why are disc brakes better?

ummm i'll stop there so people don't think im being greedy, cheers for responses to any of those!!

 

[Attila_Da_Hun]

Can you give me Info of disk brakes conversion for this car.

 

[halfracedrift]

I know for a fact that:
5) Drum brakes act like... something expanding inside a barrell *sp*. When you step on the brake, something inside the drum brake expands until it meets the inside wall of the 'barrell'. The reason they still make them is because they tend to last longer, and also I think because they are cheaper to maintain and produce.
Go to howstuffworks to learn it.. i can't explain it very well, but i do know how it works.~

 

[miniMADness]

hey, i see you must work for Disc Brakes Australia! Welcome to GTPlanet, my question, I see that you guys have released a feature on some discs called "Kangaroo Paw", and how it is meant to help dissipate heat, wouldnt heat escape better with nothing inbetween the discs? Sorry, its hard to explain!

 

[dbasteve]

Originally posted by neon_duke
Welcome to GTPlanet, DBAJohn. Hope to see you answering questions here.

Someone mentioned on the GT3 board that the Escort rally car in the game seems to have octagonal rotors (though of course the wearing surface is going to be circular). I'd never noticed it in the game, and I never heard of it in real life. I can't imagine how it would work with the calipers without making the throat of the caliper too deep, nor can I imagine why you'd do it.

Ever heard of non-circular rotors?

I guy called "The Brake Man" in the U.S has come up with this idea. It was originally designed for weight reduction on sprint cars and later became a fashion accessory on street cars. I can see that you may get more mechanical bite but for a long term street or track option.... I'm not so sure.

 

[dbasteve]

Originally posted by Nightmage82
oh gosh, i have LOADS of questions about brakes, thanks for asking, and welcome to gtplanet!

1. why do certain racing brakes only become effective when the heat up? and how did ferrari overcome this problem for their 'road' car, the enzo.

2. can u improve braking power just by increasing say the size of the disc, or do you need more pistons/bigger callipers too?

3. how much of a difference do more pistons make?

4. can you fit a larger number of pistons to a car with a smaller number? or is it car specific (i.e. would u have to rewire the hydraulics right up to the pedal)?

5. (a brief explanation of how drum brakes work would help) but why do people still make them if they are so much worse than disc brakes? and why are disc brakes better?

ummm i'll stop there so people don't think im being greedy, cheers for responses to any of those!!

1. Some brakes (mainly carbon based) require temperature to obtain the desired friction coefficient. Heavy metal based street pads are similar on a lighter scale.

2. Larger rotors increases the brake torque radius and can be a very effective upgrade using the same caliper clamp force. Increasing caliper piston size will increase clamp force and therefore brake torque but at the cost of a softer pedal or longer stroke due to the extra fluid required.

3. The quantity of pistons required is relative to the size of the pad and generally the clamp force is the same on a 6 pot as a 4 pot or 2 pot. Less pistons = larger diameter
A 6 pot caliper generally has a large pad area I.E AP Racing CP5555 and the 6 pistons give more even pressure distribution.

4. See above

5. The recovery time on a disc brake is much more efficient which reduces the onset of brake fade or loss of friction. Disc rotors can be made in smaller diameters and still acheive the desired brake torque which is important for weight reduction and wheel size.

 

[dbasteve]

Originally posted by Attila_Da_Hun
Can you give me Info of disk brakes conversion for this car.

I need study this one.
Do Baer racing do a kit?

 

[dbasteve]

Originally posted by miniMADness
hey, i see you must work for Disc Brakes Australia! Welcome to GTPlanet, my question, I see that you guys have released a feature on some discs called "Kangaroo Paw", and how it is meant to help dissipate heat, wouldnt heat escape better with nothing inbetween the discs? Sorry, its hard to explain!

It's basically about maximising surface area in which to dissipate heat. A large number of pillars of this particular design has more faces in which the air passes and draws heat from. They also act like fan blades to direct the air into the right places.

 

[dbasteve]

Originally posted by halfracedrift
I know for a fact that:
5) Drum brakes act like... something expanding inside a barrell *sp*. When you step on the brake, something inside the drum brake expands until it meets the inside wall of the 'barrell'. The reason they still make them is because they tend to last longer, and also I think because they are cheaper to maintain and produce.
Go to howstuffworks to learn it.. i can't explain it very well, but i do know how it works.~

Also drums require less components. To run a rear disc often requires a hand brake drum type assembly as well and a caliper.

 

[dbasteve]

Hi,

 

[Duke]

Nice to have you guys aboard. Some of us are older and have taken a few cars apart (sometimes even gotten them back together), but since this is a video gaming forum (primarily), a lot of the crowd is big on enthusiasm but short on solid understanding. Enjoy your stay at GTPlanet!

 

[Cobraboy]

Originally posted by neon_duke
Nice to have you guys aboard. Some of us are older and have taken a few cars apart (sometimes even gotten them back together), but since this is a video gaming forum (primarily), a lot of the crowd is big on enthusiasm but short on solid understanding. Enjoy your stay at GTPlanet!

You could've just called them stupid .

Not you dba guys, although you are Australian .

 

[dbasteve]

Woops!

It's all johns fault........


Didn't you know you can do brake upgrades in GT ver 8 video game.

 

[halfracedrift]

I can already tel that DBA will be a very good addition to our members... so informative..hehe

 

[miniMADness]

thanks for the pointers!