FoxBody Fox Body Brake Cooling

[D Streever]

HI All,

I have a 91 LX Coupe that I am using for HPDE and TT. As I am progressing up the intermediate ranks I am needing to have to add cooling to my front brakes. I am using factory front discs with Hawk HP+ pads. I have MM Koni yellow coilover kit, MM caster camber plates and a stock K member for my front suspension. I tried drilled and slotted rotors with the results that can be expected.

I am not in a position at this time make a brake upgrade but am going to budget for that in the future. For now I would like to use blank rotors and add cooling until I can afford the upgrade. I feel that even after I upgrade the brakes I am going to need cooling ducts anyway and it is something I can afford to do at this time.

I have been doing web research and can't find any easy solutions so I realize I am going to have to fabricate something myself. I have pretty good fab skills and feel this is something I can accomplish. I am hoping someone here has done this before and give me some helpful hints on how to proceed. Much easier to learn from others than to use the "learn how not to do it method".

The beginner thanks the pro's in advance!

I have come to the conclusion

 

[Mad Hatter]

Just my 2 cents worth, But maybe try a better brake compound as well?? HP+ pads don't last long and are really rough on the disks. Have seen Hawk pads kill a disc in 30min.

 

[D Streever]

Just my 2 cents worth, But maybe try a better brake compound as well?? HP+ pads don't last long and are really rough on the disks. Have seen Hawk pads kill a disc in 30min.

I'm old enough to remember when 2 cents was something!

What would you suggest?

 

[Mad Hatter]

Lol. true! I don't think you can get much for two cents anymore. Try some Gloc R12 from OPmustang.com or KNS brakes. Is the car mainly track driven?? Either site can give you good advice on the right compound for your car (I use Gloc R18 pads). Brake pads are one of the biggest upgrades we can do too lower our lap times.

I have nothing personal against Hawk pads, but... People I drive with usually improve significantly when they switch to a better race pad. Good pads might be more expensive, but the last much much much longer then a hawk and they are rotor friendly so in the end you spend less money.

 

[Dave_W]

+1 for the better brake pads with higher heat tolerance. Also, make sure you're using a brake fluid with high dry boiling point, and do a full flush at least once a year and bleed before each track day.

I tried a quick Google image search for what the lower bumper looks like for your car, but didn't see anything definitive. If you have fog lights, you can remove them and use the holes as intakes for brake cooling hose. Some of the pics I saw had empty holes in the front lower cover that seemed designed to direct air to the wheel well area to help with brake cooling -- you can probably attach hoses to those relatively easily. Ideally, the hose would terminate at the wheel hub end with a piece that keeps most of the air going into the brake rotor vanes. But just pointing the end of the hose at the center of the rotor works as well.

An alternative to brake hose is what Vorshlag does with thier sheet metal "deflectors" that attach to the lower a-arm and direct air at the rotors. Porsche does the same thing on some of their cars.

 

[D Streever]

Lol. true! I don't think you can get much for two cents anymore. Try some Gloc R12 from OPmustang.com or KNS brakes. Is the car mainly track driven?? Either site can give you good advice on the right compound for your car (I use Gloc R18 pads). Brake pads are one of the biggest upgrades we can do too lower our lap times.

I have nothing personal against Hawk pads, but... People I drive with usually improve significantly when they switch to a better race pad. Good pads might be more expensive, but the last much much much longer then a hawk and they are rotor friendly so in the end you spend less money.

HI MH,

Thanks for the reply and advice. Yes i only drive on the street when I want to check out an upgrade or repair I have made. It has crossed the line from DD to track car, which I mainly trailer to HPDE. I am going to try and finish out the year with what I have and am going to plan on an upgrade to SN95 brakes over the winter. I was advised by MM to not upgrade this setup to race pads without adding cooling. I looked at adding cooling ducts and looks much easier to do when I upgrade. Looks like I have my work cut out for me, glad I am just about to the end of the season.

 

[D Streever]

+1 for the better brake pads with higher heat tolerance. Also, make sure you're using a brake fluid with high dry boiling point, and do a full flush at least once a year and bleed before each track day.

I tried a quick Google image search for what the lower bumper looks like for your car, but didn't see anything definitive. If you have fog lights, you can remove them and use the holes as intakes for brake cooling hose. Some of the pics I saw had empty holes in the front lower cover that seemed designed to direct air to the wheel well area to help with brake cooling -- you can probably attach hoses to those relatively easily. Ideally, the hose would terminate at the wheel hub end with a piece that keeps most of the air going into the brake rotor vanes. But just pointing the end of the hose at the center of the rotor works as well.

An alternative to brake hose is what Vorshlag does with thier sheet metal "deflectors" that attach to the lower a-arm and direct air at the rotors. Porsche does the same thing on some of their cars.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the reply and the advise. I am using dot 4, bleed after each event and flush in the off season. I added some ducting using the lower cover end like you suggested. Wasn't able to get it all the way to the rotor so have it pointing in that direction for now. I am doing a HPDE this weekend so will see how it goes. I am going to have to spend more time this winter dealing with the brakes. I have decided to upgrade to SN95 setup over the winter. Seems like cooling ducts to the rotor will be much easier to accomplish with the upgrade and lots of time to fabricate.

 

[blacksheep-1]

Southworst racing has a car very similar to your, check out the build page for that car. The owner is a great guy as well.

 

[D Streever]

Very interesting car and story.

He has a lot to offer.

Thanks.

DS