Wet Brakes

[Frederic Breitwieser]

>When the driver felt the brakes begining to fade, he pressed a button on
>the steering wheel so as to switch on all the pumps, a few seconds worth
>of a squirt did the trick.

Honestly, I don't think squirting water onto the brake rotors is the ideal
solution.  Someone mentioned this before... most tracks would bark loudly
(if they even allow you to run) if you drop fluids on the track.  Its a
nice way to make a big pile-up.

Also keep in mind, spraying glowing red-hot rotors with water is a good way
to fracture them.

Here are some other ways to cool brakes:

1. Thicker rotors.  More metal, more surface area to stop the car as well
as dissipate the heat.
2. Vented rotors (of course).
3. Air ducts, most race cars have duct work all over the place.
4. Caliper heat sinks, or larger calipers.
5. Brake line coolers.  I saw one gent who had heat sink fins on the brake
lines near the calipers.  I can't say for sure if that really helped or
not, but he claimed it did.  This was in a dirt-style circle track car.
6. Change wheel airflow. Its fairly easy to make or purchase wheel covers
that have fins, which would suck in or discharge air while the wheel
rotates, like a fan.  Its not as effective as a brake-oriented air-scoop,
but its another solution.

Hope I helped.  For my mid-engine vehicle, I will be diverting some of the
air coming into the radiator ducts underneath the angle mounted radiator to
the rear brakes.  The front will be taking air through the front fairing,
like every other race car floating around.


Frederic Breitwieser
Bridgeport, CT 06606

Homebrew Automotive Website:
http://www.xephic.dynip.com/

1993 Supercharged Lincoln Continental
1989 HMMWV
2000 Buick-Powered Mid-Engined Sports Car

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