Arguably the biggest mistake made when 'upgrading' our brake setup is going for rotors and calipers that are too big for our application, but why does it matter so much?
From Formula 1, rally, endurance racing & IndyCar to OEM applications, including supercars like the Praga Bohema and Aston Martin Valkyrie, Alcon knows how to enable fast cars to go fast lap after lap, reliably. Caliper piston sizing, pad and disc materials, brake balance, and weight should all be considerations you are considering before you grab the most gigantic big brake kit you can fit for your race car, as Phill Stubbs from Alcon Brakes helps explain.
Issues like brake fade, overheating (or underheating!), and excessive wear are all problems that can come from getting sizes wrong, along with flat spots on expensive tyres due to brake imbalance and even loss of response from excessive pad knock-off which can cause an unexpecting driver to hit the gravel, a wall, or even fellow competitors.
Phil gives us a quick rundown on what brake knock back, aka pad knock-off or knock back, is and what some of the solutions are, including some changes in pad performance allowing design adjustments in the world of endurance racing decreasing compliance, and we're sure shaving off some weight in other areas of the caliper now under less stress,
Also touched on is the use of generative design in CAD with well-proven topology optimisation practices, which are a set of parameters, or rules, the design must fall within, we are seeing lighter and lighter brake components hit the track without compromising performance.
Lastly, we take a quick look at brake boosters, or their absence in motorsport applications, along with the freedom that gives to size a different master cylinder to suit the weight of the vehicle and the rest of the brake package.
If you want to learn more about brake specifications and setup, check out Tuned In podcast episode "082: Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Braking System?" with Steve Hodgkins, a man who has spent the best part of 30 years helping people just like you and many more in the industry: https://hpcdmy.co/alc3
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TIME STAMPS:
0:00 - Alcon Brakes
0:11 - Bigger Is Better?
0:49 - Brake Balance Is Key
1:14 - Rotating & Unsprung Weight
2:11 - Generative Design
3:18 - Quick Change Pads
4:08 - Compliance/Stiffness
5:15 - Brake Boosters & Motorsport
6:00 - Balance Bar & Sizing
6:38 - Pedal Effort/Stiffness
7:43 - Brake Knock-back/Knock-off
8:27 - Solutions
9:07 - Drivers POV
9:34 - Thanks Phil!
9:56 - More Great Content
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