Good evening, everyone. I installed the Wilwood 11.75" race BBK back in April. Now that we're deep into fall and winter's not too far off, I'm wondering how the Wilwood hardware will hold up to road salt, slush, and all the other crap that goes along with winter in New England. I'm seriously considering going back to the stock brakes for winter but I'd like to get a feel for what other peoples' experience has been. The rotor hats have already discolored some due to heat, as have the calipers to a lesser extent. I expect further discoloration from the salt, but I don't want to contend with corrosion.

Any thoughts from any of you folks out there?

 

Keep them clean is all. Don't allow a lot of build up to sit in the caliper body for extended periods of time. Also, fit new pads to the caliper prior to winter to keep the pistons in the caliper body. While they won't rot and fall off, the grime build up may require more cleaning later. The problems are not exposure to the elements it's the hurry up nature of a spring pad change that drags the crap back into the body.

 

Thanks, Todd. Are they completely immune to corrosion from salt? I've got the race kit, so no rubber seals on the pistons. Still ok?

 

No more or less than any other exposed aluminum is. The key is to do your best to keep things relatively clean and in the spring prior to pushing pistons back in place for new or track pads use a tooth brush around the pistons and blow out the debris you may have.

In the bigger sense, seeing that about 95% of the kits I've sold for 15yrs are non booted I've had two that I can recall who in later years replaced the calipers from multiple years of use. In the case of the DP if you declared them 'no good' after four seasons you'd need about $350 to put two brand new ones on them.

 

Keep in mind that if your Willwoods do no have seals you would want to make sure they are clean there. Salt can do some damage to the parts.

Also aluminum piston walls corrode fast in the salt over time probably will see the effect of the winter.

 

All non booted calipers have stainless steel pistons. Only the booted ones are aluminum.

 

Thanks again for the advice, Todd. I think I'll keep 'em on this year. Now, if you could give some input on 15" wheels that work with this kit...