Wicked Weasel

We decided to run a test on front brake rotors to see if cooling really works.

Test - new set of Wilwood rotors with H Pads. One side had DRM plastic cooler extention, ECS Spindle Ducts and Flexible tubing. The other side had DRM plastic cooler and ECS Spindle Ducts, but we left off the flexible tubing.

Here is a pic of the cooler



Here is a pic of the rotor from that side




There heat stress on the rotor, but nothing that would stop you from running.

Now for the side with no direct cooling.




As you can see there is a huge crack along the top edge. This is not the only crack. There are another 2 also along the top edge.

Obviously the cracked rotor had to be changed, but the other rotor is being put back on my car to see how many additional days we can get out of it. My guess is 2 more track days, but hopefully more. I will let you guys know.

Bob

ECS Sales and Support
ECSRacing

John Shiels

like burning your finger the first thing you do is blow on it How many miles on the rotor rings and what tracks? Thanks!

Bill Dearborn

Bob,
Leaving the spindle duct on the car may have actually been detrimental. Without the hose feeding it directly it may have actually blocked the free flow of air to the rotor from the DRM duct. The only way to know for sure is to run the test again without the spindle duct on that side.

Bill

John Shiels

your right Bill I didn't catch that. Even without the DRM duct it would restrict air intake.

Wicked Weasel

Bill valid point.

The test started when I was not happy with the original flexible tubing and wanted to replace it. I replaced the one side and said lets do a test on the other side without the flexible tubing connected. Basically we had the DRM extentions and the spindle duct, but not connected by the flexible tubing.

Honestly I do not think the DRM extentions do anything without the flexible tubing directing the air flow to the rotor.

Thanks

Wicked Weasel

tracks were

LRP, WGI, Pocono, VIR

The crack happened at VIR on the 7th track day.

I am also thinking that AH comes into play. I took AH off at WGI last month so doing another test without AH might be a good idea.

ddl6289

Whose rotors? Wilwood? Stoptech? what size?

Wicked Weasel

Wilwood 13in.

95jersey

Very interested to hear how long they last. I am still not personally sold on expensive rotors.

Just as a comparison, I have been running the stock C6Z06 rotors (drilled holes) with NO cooling ducts and have done 5 track days, with 4000+ highway miles, and not one rotor has cracked and the stress cracks are minimal at this point.

If it weren't for the pad wear, I'd be relatively happy.

DOUG @ ECS

I'm back and forth on that one, I have Stop Techs on my car and with a lot of track days (pocono-VIR-W.G.) I am on the same rotors and pads as the day I got them. Maybe 12-15 days? They are more money, but not having to deal with them is worth a lot too.
The Wilwoods have been holding up great too, several of our regular HPDE customers are running the 13" set up front and back for their street/track cars and have great results without having to replace rotors etc yet, and not having to replace their street rims to fit. That can be a deal breaker to many people that have spent 4-5K on their street rim package already.
Stock rotors are cheap, but changing them regularly can get old. It's not a hard job, but annoying if you were planning on going for lunch between sessions and now your changing rotors. I guess it's all what's worth it to the individual. Personally I have "seen the light" with aftermarket brakes and will never go back.

95jersey

It's the pads where you'll save money over time. You'll basically pay for your BBK Stoptech's in less than 3 years based on the amount of C5 pads you would of had bought, perfomance aside! I use to go through about 3 sets of fronts and 1-2 set of rears in a season only doing 8-10 track days. I just wish more manufacturers made calipers options using the stock rotors sizes. I think Wilwood's approach to this sitation with the SL6 was spot on!

Thanks for all the real world testing that you ECS guys are doing! Keep us updated on the rotor and pad wear as the season continues. It gives the poor folk like me, a chance to compare the ROI to see where we want to spend our tight budgets.

0Randy@DRM

Back when we were testing our brake ducts alone without any spindle ducts. We found a couple rare cases were the driver-pad wasn't getting the temp to make the pad work in the ideal heat range. Then it we would remove the hose and life was good. Our duct alone does help with cooling the rotor. But put a hose on it and the temps go down. Then put a spindle duct on it and the temps will go down some more.

Just some food for the brain,
Randy

John Shiels

12-15 days lets see some pictures.

DOUG @ ECS

I'm going to take them off my coupe soon to switch them to my new car, I'll take pics then, maybe a week or so. I might even be able to get another day on the pads if I want to push it and the rotors are fine.
Even at that, the most wear at one event was at VIR probably from the back straight stop I guess. That made the biggest dent on the pads by far, even over open track days at Pocono were I was doing 45-50 minute sessions and W.G. etc.
There are definitely not a street pad with how much noise they make, but my coupe is heavy with a roll bar and ton of stereo crap etc, so I'm happy with how long I was able to go on them. Money well spent not to deal with it.

GeorgeZNJ

WW, are you sure this was a "test", or did you just forget to put the ducting back in place, and then when someone asked you about it, you came up with the test idea?

j/k

Axelrod

You guys aren't driving fast enough if you're getting 15 days of track time on rotors.

But then again, it is just "driver education" open track days

96LT1

It would also be helpful to see lap times, section speeds, etc. For example we were hitting in excess of 140 on the front straight at VIR (north course) this past weekend. New rotors (oem) with Wilwood Hs cracked during the last session on Sunday ( seven 25 minute sessions total).

TRACKMAN2

[
Thanks for all the real world testing that you ECS guys are doing! Keep us updated on the rotor and pad wear as the season continues. It gives the poor folk like me, a chance to compare the ROI to see where we want to spend our tight budgets.[/QUOTE]

its amazing how much hi prerf crap is crap because only .00001 percent of people really use the stuff not for show. Those fancy kangaro rotors from tire rack lasted 1 day as did the ebc's and the list goes on the electric switch sold for the morroso accumulator is only a one way valve it woulnt work in any configuration.. buy the way ill be calling for more h pads soon hope to see yins soon...

TRACKMAN2

i get 2 before cracks on the c4 and 3-4 on the z.. ive seen doug drive he ""moves right along""

TRACKMAN2

buy the way,, ive been told that cracks are good because it shows that the rotor is heating up and cooling down quickly.. it makes sence but ????????????? what do you guys think .. i personally dont like crack!