Not another brake thread!!!!

[NCVCA]

okay, maybe a short one. I was reading in an "unnamed" magazine recently a report on an "unnamed" (yet foreign and less than $30k car) about a brake system upgrade. The report showed no more than 5 feet of braking improvement in 60-0 and 80-0 tests.

Now the editors talked up this system like it was a gift to everyone who owns a car. The temperatures were taken before and after each run and the replacement system was consistantly lower throughout the runs. The stock set-up boiled on the last 80-0 test and resulted in a "no score". They replaced the stock fluid with Motel the second time and no boil! what a surprise. Is this even a meaningful test? On the track we never brake to zero anyway (except to socialize with Bruce of course). And, one must consider that braking from say 100-40 performance may be more significant.

So... is 5 feet 80-0 improvement worth thousands of dollars?
What is a reasonable expectation of 60-0/80-0 breaking after adding an aftermarket system with an "average" street/track pad compound?

And (I should know this) don't the aftermarket brake systems weigh more than stock thus adding to unsprung weight?

Jeff

 

[PMUM]

Aftermarket brakes don't usually stop the car any quicker than a stock system with decent pads. It's on the subsequent stops that it'll stop quicker because the brakes won't fade. Tire traction is usually the limiting factor, so only a couple of feet better seems within reason.

Also, an aftermarket brake kit usually weighs less than a stock kit.