Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

thanks Robson for this info.

Found the link I mentioned in earlier post:

http://www.graphitestore.com/index.asp

Lot's of interesting stuff there, the pyrolitic graphite is likely what you need, but as expected, not cheap.

Carter

As others have said, bring lots of money to a carbon-carbon brake installation, whether you manage to build or buy. Keep in mind that with carbon-carbon, the rotors wear at the same rate as the pads. So you'll be needing far more than one set per corner per year. Pro race teams don't change carbon pads- they change the rotor, the pad and- due to the heat, probably rebuild the caliper- after each session. Too rich for my blood.

Bob, its been awhile since you posted, but I ran across a reference to metal-matrix brake rotors used in Superbikes (illegal in some classes). The stuff is an aerospace development originally for military jet exhaust shielding. I've held pro racecar rotors made of metal-matrix and you'd swear it was made of nothing at all!
Browse to <www.braketech.com> in Lake Elsinore, CA. and go to Axis/CNC rotors. The bike rotors they're making are still nosebleed-expensive ($1200 for a pair of unvented 11-1/2"OD), but they may be willing to supply you with stock for your experiments.

It needn't cost mega money for a carbon brake set up, I buy and sell used & new ex F1 parts and have carbon rotors and pads available that have plenty of life left in them still....

Nathan

Ledon Racing wrote:It needn't cost mega money for a carbon brake set up, I buy and sell used & new ex F1 parts and have carbon rotors and pads available that have plenty of life left in them still....

Nathan

so what does it cost to save 40# of rotating weight?

My new vented carbon rotors are $199 a pair.

I have good condition used carbon pads for $120 for a set of 4.

Also have good condition used rotors for $120 a pair.

Ledon Racing wrote:My new vented carbon rotors are $199 a pair.

I have good condition used carbon pads for $120 for a set of 4.

Also have good condition used rotors for $120 a pair.

that would be a sweet deal if they were bolt on!

Are the pads carbon also? Do the companies selling carbon brake kits do any work to the carbon rotors like attaching the inner hub or do they come already put together from the company making the rotors? Thanks.

wilwood is making a complete set now for '05+ mustangs, probably others also. takes 18" rims though for the fronts on the mustang since they use a 14" disc. $6k+ price for each end.

Remachining those 'lightly used' carbon-carbon brakes that were mentioned here might be your best deal, at least for awhile. F-1 teams have been trying very hard to replace megadollar carbon-carbon with cheaper carbon-ceramic, and it looks like it will happen next year. Coincident with the planned F-1 switch from 13" wheels & tires to 18". Look for MUCH bigger, cheaper brakes in F-1 due to the extra space inside 18" wheels. So there might be a 'temporary' surplus of carbon rotors & pads. I was shocked to learn that current vented carbon front rotors are for brake cooling but vented carbon rears are for ducting hot air to maintain rear tires at optimum temps. So thats why they look different.

They made/make this carbon/carbon material at BF Goodrich, Santa Fe Springs, Ca. I worked there. They made air craft disc brake rotors/etc.
Starts with a specialized weave, carbon cloth. NO pre-preg/resin. Methane gas is split into hydrogen and carbon at under 9,000F +/- and
impregnates the carbon cloth. I remember when Formula One first tried them . Driver need BOTH feet on the brake/lol.
Art.

Everything said before is true. Carbon rotors wear equally with carbon pads so both are changed together. Thats why the system is called "carbon-carbon". Building carbon-carbon brake parts is similar to 3-d printing at 2000 degrees! Takes those companies that do this several days to make 0NE rotor or pad, which is why they're so expensive! What Corvette and others sell are far cheaper carbon-CERAMIC pads which are quite different and WILL work on iron rotors. Sorry.

Why not use titanium? Much cheaper way to shed rotational inertia and unsprung weight.