craig-o

After my last HPDE day, I cracked a front rotor. I use Hawk HP+ pads, Ate slotted rotors, and Ate Typ 200 brake fluid. Never experienced brake fade, but I have had heat-checking. I'm looking into cooling ducts, but it looks like the setup from DRM/LGM is going to cost $300 + a bit of time to make it fit right.

In my searches, I came across this: http://ultracoolbrakefans.com/main/

Anyone have any expereince with these? I did a search on the forum and came up empty.

Werks

My dad bought something like that back in the late 70's but it was smaller and bolted into the intake of his Cadillac Coupe De Ville. It improved fuel mileage considerably and we were getting nearly 40mpg it's big V8. Unfortunately the big oil companies got wind of the technology and as part of their plan for world domination bought out all of the companies making them in order to stop the technology getting out into the hands of the masses as it would have totally destroyed the market for fossil fuel.

Werks

I'm sure you read between the lines but heat checking is not an issue, cracking is. So if that's all you are seeing do not worry about it. If you start seeing cracks then do it right and spend the money on spindle ducts or just get some better quality rotors. Another alternative is to just go back to running low cost Napa rotors and trash them after 2-3 events but the bent metal fan thingies that you were talking about are not going to do much if anything!

eogel

I looked at these a few months back for my C4 dedicated road race car. Ultra Cool did not make these to fit street cars, and did not seem to be interested in fabricating something for my road racing application. The issue was insufficient space to clear everything.

Went back to find my notes and they indicated: earlier discussion indicated it requires 2" clearance between wheel spoke & caliper; they have tried to make for street cars and cannot; Ultra Cool did not respond to my later email;

Bill Dearborn

They don't seem to advertise any specs. The video doesn't prove anything. You can buy boat bilge blowers that are 4 inches in diameter and move 235 cfm of air. They sell for $20 to $35. Narrowing from 4 inches to run through a 3 inch duct the air speed through the duct will be in the range of 100 mph. That means you have to be going over 100 mph before the fans start blocking unaided air flow from the fascia ducts.

Bill

froggy47

I am never much impressed by "off the car" staged demo's like that. If they really have a great product why not put some temp sensors in a track car & do some laps with/without?

Would not seem to be that hard to set up.

The little waving checkered flag seems a little "amaturish".

No offense if this is a vendor.

Nowanker

There was this dude who invented a car that ran on water... no, really!
OK, back on topic... unless I miss the concept completely, not enough clearance between the disc/caliper and the rim, or the disc/caliper and spindle on a corvette.
It's a proven concept, though. All the 1980's IMSA 935s used a centrifugal style fan on the outside of the F wheel.

ZedO6

Cracking C5 brake rotors is a rite of passage here. If you are pushing the car at all, braking hard and running full sessions, C5 brake rotors will crack, usually on the cool down lap or in the pits. I run Quantum ducts and DRM grill hoses and it works well to maintain on track brake temps, but I still crack rotors and don't expect anything to change that. Just buy em cheap and bring a set to the track. I can change out a front rotor in 20 mins at the track.

mesospeedy

These are what the circle track guys have been using for years at the short tracks. I used to work for a company affiliated with NASCAR, the Cup guys ran 2 or 3 on each front wheel at Martinsville, Bristol, etc. not sure if they still do as I haven't worked with them in a few years.

craig-o

Thanks for the opinions. Before I looked any further into caliper/wheel clearance, I thought I'd check here to see if this was snake oil or not.

Thanks to eogel for the first-hand experience; that speaks volumes.

The wife and kids are always asking what I want for Christmas, this year it's DRM brake and spindle cooling ducts!

RDnomorecobra

on the more info page, it says they need a min 1/4" clearance.

eogel

That must apply to the circle track cars they were designed for. What I was told for a street was different.