Mar 12 2024 13 mins 33
Numbers like ‘1000HP’ and ‘100 PSI of boost’ catch our attention the most when it comes to motorsport builds as we can easily understand what they mean, but brake setups, while being equally if not more important, take a backstage role by comparison. For most, admittedly, it is much harder to get excited about figures or terms like ‘380mm’ and ‘staggered-piston design’, at least it is until you understand what it all means...
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In this interview with Phil Stubbs of Alcon Brakes, we’re going to take a look at why stock brakes on a production-turned-race car are terrible on track and what aspects you need to consider when looking to bin your OEM discs and calipers for something more effective.
Slots and gloves plus caliper and disc size in relation to braking performance are discussed along with airflow requirements, where sliding calipers braided brake lines sit when it comes to brake feel, plus on the other end of the spectrum what carbon-carbon brakes are vs carbon ceramic and what their weaknesses are compared to cast iron.
What is actually happening when you are bedding your brakes and the importance of doing that process correctly is also touched on, along with how in the motorsport world, companies like Alcon and similar offer pre-bedded brake packages, which save race teams time and potential inconsistency of doing it themselves on a race weekend when they should be focused on car setup and increasing driver confidence.
