Brake wear

Jeff Mulvihill Jr · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2001 2:05 pm Post subject: Brake wear

I'm running an 80 (rear only) currently and am going through a set a weekend... I'm heavier, weigh in at 405 and I'm new too...

Kevin Callahan · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2001 2:14 pm Post subject: Brake wear

Jeff!!! A set a weekend???!!!! How come nobody mentions this when they talk about their recurring running costs...ya know, tires, piston ring, etc.?

Jeff Mulvihill Jr · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2001 3:44 pm Post subject: Brake wear

quote:
Originally posted by Kevin Callahan:
Jeff!!! A set a weekend???!!!! How come nobody mentions this when they talk about their recurring running costs...ya know, tires, piston ring, etc.?

I'm just as shocked as you!! I changed pads prior to this last weekend... I went out ran about 5 sessions... noticed prior to the last session that I had no more pedal... I shimmed them and had to readjust the whole pedal-to-cylinder assembly (needs more work still, and may fix the problem, but the pads are worn about the amount the previous one's were that I replaced) and still didn't have enough pedal to stop the kart... I only made two more laps... I tried to heat them to get more pedal, but after going off (acres of run off...!!) in a slower corner... I headed for the pits... end of day...

I'll let you know if I can adjust and finish up the rest of the set... I'm hopeful. These brakes are sure strange to me... not self adjusting... like a car...

[ July 25, 2001: Message edited by: Jeff Mulvihill Jr ]

Gary Osterholt · Site Admin Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 2769

Jeff,

What kind of brakes are they?

Gary Osterholt
www.garyosterholt.com

Art Lee · Joined: 24 Jul 2001 Posts: 25

Wow what type of kart? I get 3-4 races out of a set on mine and I run F-80 (so rears only) and weigh in at 365

Kevin Callahan · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2001 5:50 pm Post subject: Brake wear

Wow!!! I've got Brembos if that makes any difference and am running cr 125. I had a great day of testing last Sunday and the brakes seemed fine from start to finish. I was just asking the brake wear question out of curiosity. but it sounds like something I really need to keep an eye on, eh?

Gary Osterholt · Site Admin Joined: 18 Jul 2001 Posts: 2769

Kevin,

Are your Brembo the ones with the floating disks?

I have a BRM with Brembo along with the floating discs. I can go a long time before I put new pads in. Right now my kart has been out 4 days and the pads are still good.

Gary Osterholt
www.garyosterholt.com

Pete Van Ginkel · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2001 9:56 pm Post subject: Brake wear

80`s are going to go through brakes pads a lot quicker than 125`s. One set of pads on an 80cc compared to three on a 125cc.
Pete

Kevin Callahan · Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2001 10:20 pm Post subject: Brake wear

I'm new to shifters and was wondering...racing on typical sprint tracks, how quickly do brakes wear out? I'm sure the fronts get a lot more wear and tear than the rears. I'm in SoCal, so I'm talking about tracks like Willow Kart track, Adams, Perris, etc. Thanks

Steve Eady · Joined: 26 Jul 2001 Posts: 956

Kevin

My son races the Pro Moto Tour and last weekend in canby we went thru 3 sets of brake pads. Trackmagic kart with brembo brakes. I think it all comes down to how hard you go into the turnes and do you trail brake ?

John Denman · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2001 5:41 am Post subject: Brake wear

Brembos have small pads and usually a shorter life. There have been some problems with pistons hanging on Trackmagics, but no one seems to know why. I would supect it may be in the master cylinder building pressure as one of ours the problem goes away for a while after venting the master cylinder, until it gets real hot again. Despite the leak-free qualities of Brembos, you still want fresh fluid in them.

Always keep a fresh set of pads on hand, rather than risk rotor damage.

Our next new karts will have Brembos no matter what they come with. They are just plain fantastic brakes.

Charlie Tackett · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2001 6:01 am Post subject: Brake wear

On the long track with the 125, we'd get 4-5races out of a set of pads. This is with the Brembos using the floating system. On the first Brembo system we had, it used the fixed rotor system and there always seem to be some brake drag. I also found them to be very sensitive to even the slightest overfilling of the master cylinder, which contributed to the brake drag.

Jeff Mulvihill Jr · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2001 7:09 am Post subject: Brake wear

quote:
Originally posted by Gary Osterholt:
Jeff,

What kind of brakes are they?

Gary Osterholt
www.garyosterholt.com

I'm not sure the "kind", I have a Paul Tracy Kart, I love the kart, the brakes work fantastic, I have no complaints, I'm just surprised at the brake wear... but I know they work well so I'm happy. As I mentioned, I'm 45 pounds over the weight limit of my class... that's going to wear them a lot harder than someone that's 5 pounds over... I don't know if we'll ever be able to quantify my brake wear vs. someone else's due to driving style, weight, etc... just another point of reference for everyone.

Kevin Callahan · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2001 9:47 am Post subject: Brake wear

Gary and others,

My Brembos are the floating disc-type, too. The frame is a Tracy. glad to hear that you aren't going through a set of pads per lap like others responding in this thread! ;-) Just the same, I'm headed out to the garage this evening and give them a good look-see. Do the fronts wear out more quickly like they do in big cars? And does anyone know a good source for Brembo pads in So Cal?

Thanks everyone, Kevin

Steve Moore · Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2001 1:12 pm Post subject: Brake wear

Trackmagic has Brembo. I believe Leading Edge can probably help as well.

I like less front, more rear on my brake bias. Helps to rotate the kart.