Hutch66

Are you guys changing out the fluid for track days or is the stock DOT 3 ok?

Anyone using SRF fluid? Any issues?

Thanks.

Mu$cle

You need to change to a high boiling point brake fluid. I use Ferodo, but there are many options.

Iconic

I have always switched over to multol RBF 600. It will take 2 pints to do a C7.


Edit- 2 pints

Hutch66

Thanks. Forgot. What about braided brake lines?

If so, anyone recommended?

rb185afm

I have not had any need for braided lines. DOT 4 is a must! I have had success with SRF and Motul 600.

BEZ06

You need a good high boiling point brake fluid for any track event.

Take a look at this older thread:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...d-another.html


You should also run a set of good track rated brake pads. Track pads on the track, street pads for the street. Your street pads can overheat and fade at the temperatures they'll experience on the track, and your track pads will grind your rotors away on the street because they don't get up to their min operating temp.

Carbotech pads are good. Their track pads (XP20 or 12 up front, XP10 in the rear) and street pads (1521 compound) are compatible such that you can swap from street to track and back without re-bedding them - just swap and go!

The OE brake hoses are EXCELLENT - absolutely no need to change them.

.

blueray16

Always change to Dot 4 for track work, even for beginners.

SRF is the best and works well especially if you are driving a well prepped track car at 9/10ths. But, it is expensive.

For the rest of us, there are many other, less expensive options that will work just as well.
Motul RBF 600 is a good choice. I run it all year. Do a complete flush each spring and then just bleed brakes before each event as needed.

BTW, you need just 2 pint bottles for a full flush

I ran braided brake lines on my Mustang Cobra,cause everyone else was too. but am not convinced that they are necessary on current platforms like the C7. I have no plans to use them on my Z51.

BEZ06 has got it all right

Bill Dearborn

Any of the brake fluids that have a 550 plus degree dry boiling point will work. They can be purchased from Wilwood, Motul, Ferodo, Castrol, etc. If you don't mind having a 500 deg dry boiling point then Ford DOT3 is available. Ford used to specify it to 550 degrees but they changed the rating about 10 years ago. It used to be known as the best kept secret in Racing.

Castrol SRF is good but there are several that have higher dry boiling points. Castrol's claim to fame is its high Wet boiling point. Back in the day that Wet Boiling point was as high as a lot of competitors dry boiling point so you could put SRF in the car and not worry about boiling point or flushing the fluid between events. Now we have much higher dry boiling points and if you are like me you want as high as you can get when you are on track, at least for piece of mind. If your SRF is in the system for more than 6 weeks you don't know what the boiling point is since it is between the dry boiling point and the wet boiling point so you end up flushing it anyways and you might as well dump something cheaper down the drain.

Braided lines don't necessarily buy you anything and replacing the stock brake lines on the C7 can be big PIA due to the captured fittings used on the chassis end of the stock brake line. The replacement braided lines are round while the captured fittings are sort of oblong. What you have is a problem of fitting a round object in an oblong hole and then trying to keep it from falling out or sliding around. If you want to practice your cuss words it is a good job to use for doing that.

Almost forgot, the fittings are mounted in a spot on the chassis that makes them hard to reach and handle without removing several other parts.

Bill

Koan

I ran SRF last year in my GT3, about 10 events. This Spring, before I flushed it, I checked the water content. It was <1%. I don't know if the Corvette system is as tight as the GT3, but I like SRF, and will continue to use it unless I get brake fade, and change it 1 x year.

cvp33

Castrol SRF has always been my choice for a season long fluid. Just bleed every 2 events, replace annually.

Hutch66

Thanks everyone for the replys. Allot of useful information.

I have the carbon ceramic disks. I'm thinking the pads are not interchangeable with the steel disks, meaning they are specific to the carbon disks.

FYREANT

I run Motul DOT 5.1 year round. It has a dry boiling point of 522°F and last longer then RBF 600 or RBF 660. Note: this is DOT 5.1, NOT DOT5. DOT5.1 is glycol based and is compatible with DOT3 and DOT4. regular DOT5 is silicon based and should not be used.

spearfish25

I will say this. I have a friend who runs his iron brakes C7Z at Sebring with me and he's a 'last minute guy'. Doesn't change his brake pads, no change of his fluid, etc. Drives me crazy. However, running stock fluid and pads, he still didn't boil the brake fluid or have fade despite running 2:30 laps. Certainly not the fastest laps but arguably tougher on brakes as he hangs on the pedal too long. The stock Ferodo DS2500 compound goes quickly though.

baron95

Yes, it is, and your post is right on.

I'm an HPDE instructor and racer, and there are a lot of people spending time and money on brake fluid flushes and the like that are totally and completely unnecessary.

I run ATE200 DOT 4 for a slightly higher boiling point (particularly) wet and peace of mind. It is cheap and does the job. I have been using it for years on many cars. I have tested it after a full year in the car and water content is always less than 1%. I don't even bother testing it anymore.

I never ever flush it (other than first time). Every time I change the pads, I bleed a decent amount from each caliper, so keep fresh fluid in the lines.

The stock factory DOT3 factory fluid will be fine for most drivers. Just bleed whenever you change pads. A good DOT 4 (ATE200 or such) will be a bit better and give additional margins. Crazy expensive fluid and frequent changes are overkill for the occasional track day driver.

Put good track pads on your C7 (because they last longer and save money in the long run), go to the track and have fun. You will learn what your car needs next after your first sessions.

P.S. I have also tested ATE200 fluid in the can, after leaving it half used (can was half full, with lid on tight) for 2 years. Again, less than 1% water. Another crazy myth that if you open a can of fluid you can't reuse it.

Net/Net - Always blending a bit of the brakes to keep fresh fluid near the calipers is good. Full flushes and super expensive fluid is overkill.

Just my 2c.

Oh, and there are many horror stories of people changing brake lines for "better steel braided lines" getting air in the system and spending hundreds of dollars including multiple dealership visits to do automated ABS bleeds. Please avoid that. Your brake lines are fine.

0Todd TCE

I keep this link on my web page as a great reference guide for brake fluids.

BRAKE FLUID FOR DUMMIES


A long time customer of mine he's done a fantastic job of compiling data.

Hutch66

My background. I ran FF and FF2000 with SCCA back in the day. Held a national license for 10 years.

I owned and ran a E36, E46, E92 all M3 on numerous track events. I'm no pro currently but can run respectable lap tmes.

I love participating, not racing at track events.

The safest and best mod is upgrade the brakes at the track, no question. Everything else is to upgrade the driver, apart from tires. lol.

Hutch66

Great link. Thanks.

BEZ06

Use OE pads on the carbon ceramic rotors.

There have been some discussions on the forum about using Hawk or Carbotech, but the consensus is that they shouldn't be used.

I use the stock pads - they're a Textar T4300 compound on the front pads, and Pagid S600 in the rears (exactly the same as the ZR1 compounds).

The only other compounds I would use are other Pagid compounds specifically designed for ccm rotors - but there may be some other manufacturers that make compounds compatible with our rotors, but I dunno what they are.

Take a look at the Pagid site - click on "RACING BRAKE PADS FOR CERAMIC COMPOSITE DISCS" (i.e., the RSC compound pads), and you'll see they make RSC1, 2, or 3 compounds. I think forum members have only been able to find the RSC1, and they're more expensive than the OE pads.

http://www.pagidracing.com/products/...rake-pads.html


The other thing to consider might be cast iron rotors - there are several Z07 forum members that have gone to iron rotors.

One setup is an AP Racing brake front iron rotor while keeping the OE ccm rotor on the rear.

The other is the GiroDisc setup that replaces all four rotors with iron ones.

I like the stock carbon ceramic brakes. They're expensive consumables when tracking, but I really like the way they stop me on the track.

.

BEZ06

BTW - maybe you've already done it, but if not make sure you burnish the brakes on your carbon ceramic setup as per the Owner's Manual procedure.

Here's a link to a thread here on the forum about it:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...urnishing.html

.

Bruce0293

A Story... I had a 2011GS that I regularly autocrossed and the braking was always awesome, so brake fluid never crossed my mind! I did a track night at Pittsburgh International Race Track. I had completed one 20 minute session in advanced group, and then took a Ford dealer friend out on the 2nd session. I was doing 130 on the front and back stretches and after doing a 130 slow down to a second gear corner and Hard back into it clearing an uphill to a slight downhill, I saw a checkered flag at the end of the front stretch indicating the end of my session. I upshifted basically coasting down to 60 MPH ish and at the end of that straight applied light brake pressure, and the peddle was VERY VERY soft so I just eased it around the cool down lap and in back to the pitts. I used the hand brake to stop as the brake peddle went to the floor just as the clutch did, NO braking what so ever. I had no indication the brakes were fading prior to this!!!!!

Long story short: If that flag would have not been there the outcome would have been not one I would have liked, and I had a passenger as well.

Motul web sight stats something to the effect that after 18 months and a 2-3% water content that you loose approx 30% of dry boiling temperature.

PLEASE change your fluid and use a high quality DOT 4.

Bruce