Brake fluid question

[merios]

What kind of brake fuid are you using, DOT3, DOT4, why?

[adrian_irwin]

ATE Superblue.

I switched from Kleen-flo Dot 4 following some brake fade issues at track days. It worked, but I also switched from an unknown set of pads (came with the car, was probably 3+ years old) to Carbotech XP8s and replaced an old set of rotors with new LordCo (NAPA type store) plain face/vented rotors. I also added a Bedell master cylinder brace. Apart from the noise and dust that the XP8s generate on the street, I'm quite happy with the package all round, just working out a set of stainless lines to finish it off.

[Weasy2k]

DOT4 fluid will handle a lot more racing around then DOT3 will, i use DOT4 whenever i can really.

[Gairloch]

I use ATE Blue also, and carbotech XP-8s. Awesome awesome setup for track days. Your brakes are there 100% of the time.

Aside from track day usage and a need for tolerance to high temperatures there really is no reason to use anything other than a normal dot 3.

Originally Posted by adrian_irwin

Apart from the noise and dust that the XP8s generate on the street, I'm quite happy with the package all round, just working out a set of stainless lines to finish it off.

Adrian, you can actually silence the XP-8s for street use. Find the highest temp silicon lube you can and put it on the backing plate where it touches the caliper. That pretty much silences them until you go to the track and cook it off.

The highest temp stuff I've found is a clear NAPA brand silicon lubricant with a high end of 600*. It usually works well for a track day or two then I need to reapply. Keeps the brakes quiet as a mouse.

[Weasy2k]

hrmm i have to look into that pad...this is already a good thread

[Gairloch]

Carbotech pads are the bomb and they're very expensive.

Carbotech - Racing

They are a complete waste for a street only driven car or even autox. If you take your car to road courses though they are the best option out there I've found. Only time I've ever felt a Carobotech XP-8 fade a *little* was when it was just about down to the backing plate. If you want phenomenal braking they are the ****.

[adrian_irwin]

Originally Posted by Gairloch

Carbotech pads are the bomb and they're very expensive.

Amen to that. The upside is that they work just fine with basic (vented), non-slotted, non-drilled discs, so you can get the cheapies They worked so well at the first track day, that the discs ended up 'blueing' around the hub. And absolutely no fade.

[Gairloch]

I know we've seriously tangented off of brake fluid but one more thing about the carbotech pads.

Bedding *matters* for these. You probably won't notice the difference on the street but on the race track you will find that your stopping distances have mysteriously increased if your pads aren't well bedded anymore. Lots of stop and go traffic will destroy the bedding.

These pads are the masochistic bitch of the auto world. The worse you hurt 'em the better they work. If your pads are brand new or you find that your bedding has gotten trashed the best way I've found to deal with that are either some really long stops on the race track, drag the brakes, and heat the hell out of 'em or option B. If you can't get up to 100 mph to do a decent stop, or shouldn't *cough*, then you can just go out to the freeway and drag your brakes until they are hot enough to smell and you are good to go.

[adrian_irwin]

Originally Posted by Gairloch

then you can just go out to the freeway and drag your brakes until they are hot enough to smell and you are good to go.

I had good success heading out on an empty stretch of highway and repeatedly slamming on my brakes (slowing down to about 15km/h), followed by flooring it to get back up to the speed limit, then repeating immediately. According to the instructions that comes with the pads, you pull over after they start to fade. I did this and there was quite the smoke show coming from my fronts for a good five minutes while they cooled off.