Z-51 Brake Ducts Missing?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Z-51 Brake Ducts Missing?
I have a Z-51 coupe. I have the brake ducting for the rear brakes. On the front the ducting stops in the wheel well at what looks like a coupling for the ducting. Does anyone have ducting from the wheelwell to the rotor from the factory? If so do you have pics?
Thanks
Carl
Thanks
Carl
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,450
Likes: 0
From: Huntington Beach Ca 1 out of 4 Americans are mentally unstable, so if 3 of your friends are OK . . . .
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by corvettecarl
I have a Z-51 coupe. I have the brake ducting for the rear brakes. On the front the ducting stops in the wheel well at what looks like a coupling for the ducting. Does anyone have ducting from the wheelwell to the rotor from the factory? If so do you have pics?
Thanks
Carl
Thanks
Carl
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 812
Likes: 0
You can buy a front brake cooling duct kit from Doug Rippie Motorsports, or Parts For Your Car (pfyc.com). Both are forum sponsors and both are good folks. With the DRM kit, you can either attach the flexible hose to the upper control arm, or use the Phoenix spindle bracket and place it right at the rotor. No doubt the spindle bracket is more effective, but I expect you get 90% of the cooling effect without it, as you can run the hose to within a few inches of the rotor. The only disadvantage with the Phoenix bracket, is that it turns with the spindle, so the hose is constantly flexing; great for a track car, but I'm not sure it's necessary on a street car that does only occasional casual track duty. Either way, you can spend a whole weekend with brake plumbing! But, it's worth it.
Night Race Blue 427
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,794
Likes: 6
From: Muncie, Indiana ...... Can I buy an amplifier on time ... I ani't got no money now but I'll pay you before I die
Originally Posted by corvettecarl
I have a Z-51 coupe. I have the brake ducting for the rear brakes. On the front the ducting stops in the wheel well at what looks like a coupling for the ducting. Does anyone have ducting from the wheelwell to the rotor from the factory? If so do you have pics?
Thanks
Carl
Thanks
Carl
You got what was meant to be there.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 812
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Corvette Junkie
You got what was meant to be there.
Night Race Blue 427
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,794
Likes: 6
From: Muncie, Indiana ...... Can I buy an amplifier on time ... I ani't got no money now but I'll pay you before I die
They actually use two types of ducts on the C6. For the Z51 the end of the duct is open. For the standard and the F55 the end is restricted like this one.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,559
Likes: 207
From: Olathe KS
This is shown briefly on the '05 C6 DVD provided with the brochure as something that was developed/tested during the Nurburgring run(s). Engineer's played with this duct to achieve the best cooling. Based on the video, I thought all were the restricted type (higher jet flow thru the "nozzle") but I have to believe the Junkie that Z51's have the full sized hole...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 839
Likes: 0
From: Salinas Ca
Please don't flame .....
as I am retrieving this "info" from my old senior brain.
But, I SEEM to recall that during their test GM found that with the ducting "opened up"(no restriction) they lost "a" quanity of downforce.
Hence - the "built in" restrictors. I guess that in the real world GM felt that the Z would be driven harder than a "std" and would need the added flow to the brakes. It was a trade off between brake fade or front end lifting. So - now, when your front end sheds the surly bounds of earth you can at least be thankful your brakes will be cool during re-entry!
But, I SEEM to recall that during their test GM found that with the ducting "opened up"(no restriction) they lost "a" quanity of downforce.
Hence - the "built in" restrictors. I guess that in the real world GM felt that the Z would be driven harder than a "std" and would need the added flow to the brakes. It was a trade off between brake fade or front end lifting. So - now, when your front end sheds the surly bounds of earth you can at least be thankful your brakes will be cool during re-entry!
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 198
Likes: 0
actually the material you are refferig to is the legand reborn show from the learning chanel. as for what happend they put the smaller opening part on and found to much heat and decided to go with the larger opening and make it up with aerodynamics
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
Corvettecarl,
We thought the same thing back in 97 when we saw the C5 brake duct. Where is the rest of it? Well we went to the track and after a short time with Doug behide the wheel, the brakes were cooked. There was many other heating issues also, but I wouldn't talk about that now.
So we went to work on a peice that went into the factory duct. Then into a flexable 3.5 inch duct and to the rotor. We only had one sent back with the hose end not being secure. So Lou @ LGM and Joe @ Phoniex have built spindle ducts to finish off the project. With this combo you will have cool brakes, which will save on $$$$ and time spent on the brake maintance.
Then our first C6 came into the shop. Same thing again! Where is the rest of brake duct? So we made a C6 setup also! 199.95 is the cost and you can buy them from us direct or PFYC.com.
Randy
We thought the same thing back in 97 when we saw the C5 brake duct. Where is the rest of it? Well we went to the track and after a short time with Doug behide the wheel, the brakes were cooked. There was many other heating issues also, but I wouldn't talk about that now.
So we went to work on a peice that went into the factory duct. Then into a flexable 3.5 inch duct and to the rotor. We only had one sent back with the hose end not being secure. So Lou @ LGM and Joe @ Phoniex have built spindle ducts to finish off the project. With this combo you will have cool brakes, which will save on $$$$ and time spent on the brake maintance.
Then our first C6 came into the shop. Same thing again! Where is the rest of brake duct? So we made a C6 setup also! 199.95 is the cost and you can buy them from us direct or PFYC.com.
Randy
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 0
From: Carolina
Originally Posted by C6FirstVette
Yep...here is a pic of the setup>>>
I wonder if C6 competitors like the 911 has this same ducts setup?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 3
From: Jupiter Florida
This is strickly an assumption...probably something to due with the caliper being in the rear of the rotor and the front suspension being an articulating setup...duh...as in turning wheels 
I am suprised some after marketer hasn't come up with a fixed duct (like the rear) and directs more of the air to the caliper.
Michael
I am suprised some after marketer hasn't come up with a fixed duct (like the rear) and directs more of the air to the caliper.Michael
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 0
From: Carolina
Originally Posted by C6FirstVette
This is strickly an assumption...probably something to due with the caliper being in the rear of the rotor and the front suspension being an articulating setup...duh...as in turning wheels I am suprised some after marketer hasn't come up with a fixed duct (like the rear) and directs more of the air to the caliper.
Michael
I am suprised some after marketer hasn't come up with a fixed duct (like the rear) and directs more of the air to the caliper.Michael
http://www.pfyc.com/store/merchant.m...ry_Code=C6SUSP
Does putting a duct blowing directly at the rotor increases drag and lift?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 0
From: Carolina
Is hard to tell but from this diagram looks like the 997S front brake ducting has direct flow to the rotor.....
If you click in the 997S front brake cooling flow it will enlarge.....
http://content2.us.porsche.com/prod/...c=carreras.nsf
If you click in the 997S front brake cooling flow it will enlarge.....
http://content2.us.porsche.com/prod/...c=carreras.nsf
Last edited by ivan111; Feb 21, 2005 at 07:41 PM.
Night Race Blue 427
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,794
Likes: 6
From: Muncie, Indiana ...... Can I buy an amplifier on time ... I ani't got no money now but I'll pay you before I die
Originally Posted by sdowney
actually the material you are refferig to is the legand reborn show from the learning chanel. as for what happend they put the smaller opening part on and found to much heat and decided to go with the larger opening and make it up with aerodynamics
Last edited by Corvette Junkie; Feb 21, 2005 at 08:23 PM.
