Brake upgrade help!

[SStothebone]

If anyone hasn't notice I am looking to upgrade my brakes. I know a lot of people on here are promoting the CTS-V upgrade but I am planning on road course racing in the future and need some vented rotors. I can't find any in the CTS-V size so I am basically asking which brake is the best for the 6 piston setup in the front with cross drilled rotors all around. I am leaning towards Brembo GT Big Brake upgrade but don't know. Anything would help!

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by SStothebone

If anyone hasn't notice I am looking to upgrade my brakes. I know a lot of people on here are promoting the CTS-V upgrade but I am planning on road course racing in the future and need some vented rotors. I can't find any in the CTS-V size so I am basically asking which brake is the best for the 6 piston setup in the front with cross drilled rotors all around. I am leaning towards Brembo GT Big Brake upgrade but don't know. Anything would help!

The CTS-V Brembos are an excellent choice for your use and at a good price point. Brembo does make a two piece front rotor to fit. The brake bias is perfect out of the box.

As a rule of thumb cross drilled rotors are not the road course rotor of choice. My preference is for a plain face with a dedicated track pad. Brake ducts are highly recommended.

Btw, when you say racing do you mean roll cage full race car or running road courses HPDE style?

[SStothebone]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

The CTS-V Brembos are an excellent choice for your use and at a good price point. Brembo does make a two piece front rotor to fit. The brake bias is perfect out of the box.

As a rule of thumb cross drilled rotors are not the road course rotor of choice. My preference is for a plain face with a dedicated track pad. Brake ducts are highly recommended.

Btw, when you say racing do you mean roll cage full race car or running road courses HPDE style?

I mean HPDE style, not full roll cage. It's a daily driver.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by SStothebone

I mean HPDE style, not full roll cage. It's a daily driver.

CTS-Vs should be more than adequate. Use a high quality dedicated track pad. I use Cobalt Friction XR1 front and XR2 rear pads. Depending on how hard you run, front brake ducts may be in order.

Excuse me if this is too basic, but just in case.

1. Always run at least on cool down lap
2. Never, ever use your hand brake / parking brake when you come off the track. Shut it down in gear.
3. Use a high wet boiling point brake fluid

[Erik@Torq]

As several have mentioned before, stay away from cross drilled rotors for track use! It's not so much a question "if" they will crack, but more a question "when" they will crack.

The CTS-V brakes are an awesome upgrade for the money. Another option worth mentioning which we install on almost all of our in-house packages is the Brembo 6-piston caliper upgrade where you can use your stock rotors, or any other aftermarket rotor that fits a stock 2010 SS. I have been using this for almost 15K miles now, including 15+ trackdays and 15+ auto-x events and with the right set of pads and a high quality fluid have experienced ZERO brake fade. Even after 30 min of hard driving at Sebring were they showing any fade!

I am running the brembo slotted rotor, DTC-60 pads in the front and DTC-30's in the rear and couldn't be happier.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

/Erik@Torq

[Chris_B]

Originally Posted by SStothebone

If anyone hasn't notice I am looking to upgrade my brakes. I know a lot of people on here are promoting the CTS-V upgrade but I am planning on road course racing in the future and need some vented rotors. I can't find any in the CTS-V size so I am basically asking which brake is the best for the 6 piston setup in the front with cross drilled rotors all around. I am leaning towards Brembo GT Big Brake upgrade but don't know. Anything would help!

Stillen / AP Racing has a new 6/4-piston setup in the works that will clear most 18" track wheels. The fronts will utilize the latest strap drive technology with curved-vane vented rotors, so it will be streetable as well as track worthy. The J-Hook face pattern, widely preferred in motorsports, will be one option, so the brakes will have the "bite" of cross-drilled rotors without the stress risers and premature cracking issues.

If you can wait until April on the fronts and May for the rears, you might just have the ultimate street-driven track day setup!

[John M.]

I'll throw my two cents in the hat...

Erik at TORQ has an awesome set-up! I went a slightly different way and simply replaced my rotors with a set of GM Frozen Rotors (www.frozenrotors.com). DTC-30 pads in all 4 corners, stainless steel lines (of course), and Castrol SRF fluid... oh I also installed a set of titanium pad shims to help shield the caliper from some heat.

I am running a stock engine, with a Vararam Air box and TORQ custom tune (385RWHP on TORQs Mustang Dyno). I did fabricate a set of cooling ducts for the front rotors (I melted a set of HP Plus pads in 3 hours).



May I suggest a harness bar... when you are stuck to your seat, you can concentrate on driving. Speedware Motorsports - ask for Drew or Tony (www.speedwaremotorsports.com) did mine, along with 6-point schroth HANS belts.

[caverman]

Originally Posted by John M.

I'll throw my two cents in the hat...

Erik at TORQ has an awesome set-up! I went a slightly different way and simply replaced my rotors with a set of GM Frozen Rotors (www.frozenrotors.com). DTC-30 pads in all 4 corners, stainless steel lines (of course), and Castrol SRF fluid... oh I also installed a set of titanium pad shims to help shield the caliper from some heat.

I am running a stock engine, with a Vararam Air box and TORQ custom tune (385RWHP on TORQs Mustang Dyno). I did fabricate a set of cooling ducts for the front rotors (I melted a set of HP Plus pads in 3 hours).



May I suggest a harness bar... when you are stuck to your seat, you can concentrate on driving. Speedware Motorsports - ask for Drew or Tony (www.speedwaremotorsports.com) did mine, along with 6-point schroth HANS belts.

Cool....those belts look really good and to see that they fasten to the factory seat mount is even better.


I just happen to be at Momentum Autosports this weekend because they were hosting a dyno day. They had one of they 2010 race cars up on a rack. One of the things I noticed is that they were using the factory calipers but they were definately using an aftermarket rotor. It was mostly a solid rotor with slotted "S" marks in them. I've never seen one like that before (not that I'm a racer though).

I was only able to talk to the owner for about 5 min because he was busy running the dyno stuff but I mentioned to him that I would like to track my car someday just to try it out. He said that the minimum I would have to do would be to replace the pads, add stainless lines, and change the fluid. He said they usually race with the Cobalt pads but since mine would be a driver he suggested going with Hawk because it was a good street/track pad. He also mentioned the name of the fluid they used but I can't remember it now.

All that was long winded to say that it looks like they were using the factory calipers but with upgraded pads, lines, rotors, and fluid.

www.MomentumAutosports.com

[John M.]

I use HAWK DTC-30 front and rear. They have a cold temp of 100 and a high temp of 1200. They are noisy and dirty on the street - but I don't really care. I will be doing a track change and installing HAWK HT-10 when I arrive at the track for my front. YES - stainless lines are a MUST. Fluid - CASTROL SRF!!! HAWK pads and CASTROL fluid you will find at www.raceshopper.com THEY HAVE THE BEST PRICING!!! Tell them track weekend sent you. Any other questions, shoot me a PM with your number.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by John M.

I use HAWK DTC-30 front and rear. They have a cold temp of 100 and a high temp of 1200. They are noisy and dirty on the street - but I don't really care. I will be doing a track change and installing HAWK HT-10 when I arrive at the track for my front. YES - stainless lines are a MUST. Fluid - CASTROL SRF!!! HAWK pads and CASTROL fluid you will find at www.raceshopper.com .

YES! Spoken like a true enthusiast!

With the CTS-V setup I use Cobalt Friction XR 1 Temperature Range 100-1600°F (38-871°C) front and XR2 Temperature Range 100-1600°F (38-871°C).

[John M.]

I think once you get a Camaro out for a HPDE track day.... you are like.... "drag race?!?! BORING!!!!"

[JordonMusser]

Caverman-
Sorry we didn't get to chat more. We are running an Alcon front caliper with two pieces rotors all the way around (stock rear calipers- we actually are going to be switching to V6 rear brake calipers for 2012).

Good info here. Castrol SRF or Motul 600. Hawk pads are a good balance for street/track use. Brake cooling ducts are great for anybody that plans to continue with hitting the road course. We run a custom 2X 3" duct for each front wheel.

You don't need fancy rotors for light track duty. We are going to be putting together a package that will be 'safe' for the average C5'er to get out on a track and learn to drive. We can then accommodate additional braking modifications as the driver improves, and if he/she decides it's something they want to continue doing.

We also offer StopTech big brake front kits which will pretty much end any braking problems you will ever have.

[John M.]

He is a video of me chasing down a new 458 Italia at Homestead Miami on 3/12. You will notice a MASSIVE vibration in the braking zones... That is my HAWK DTC-30 front pads ending their life. I will be swapping to DTC-10s in the front for the track next time.

As in the pictures above, each front rotor is fed by a 2 inch duct attached to a 4x8 duct behind the mesh lower grill.

[Chris_B]

Originally Posted by John M.

He is a video of me chasing down a new 458 Italia at Homestead Miami on 3/12. You will notice a MASSIVE vibration in the braking zones... That is my HAWK DTC-30 front pads ending their life. I will be swapping to DTC-10s in the front for the track next time.

As in the pictures above, each front rotor is fed by a 2 inch duct attached to a 4x8 duct behind the mesh lower grill.

The DTC-30 is a great pad, but not quite up to the weight of the SS. The DTC-60 would be your next choice from Hawk.

I would recommend the DTC-70 for the front IF you were also using the DTC-60 on the rear, but not without.

And, great video! I can't wait to see the new McLaren MP4-12C chasing down and passing that 458 Italia!