Please help me decide

I run 16" X-Lite for Auto X/track days and 17" BBS LM for Street, which Wilwood kit would you recommend: Street Kit 12.19" or Race Kit 11.75"?

Thanks

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if your going to stay with 16's, will both fit in the wheel? that might help you decide. if both do, then you always go bigger!

 

call peter at M7 he can help you with this..

 

i just installed the 11.75 wilwood race kit- very nice kit and straightforward installation. Took out fog lights (don't need them in HI) & cut liner to allow airflow. With the 11.75 kit you'll have a two thick plastic washers that you will not use & lots of left over spacers. (close reading of all the part list will show parts that are included but not used for 11.75 kit)

I use 17" centerlines for street and 15 X 7 SSR comps for track. The SSR fit when car was up in air without rubbing but it was as close as one could get actually hitting. Figured it would rub when car was on ground and everything expanded with heat from track so i ordered 5mm spacers. probably could have gotten by with 3mm.

 

Let me jump in here, Mark approving.

Comparing the kits, the 11.75 or 12.19 will amount to about zip for brake torque. So forget the diameter issue. Even swept area difference is minimal.

These are the things you need to consider:

11.75 kit- Stainless Steel piston, non booted, HD, directional cast vane rotor, no zinc, no fluff.

12.2 kit- Alum pistons, booted, light weight, non directional rotor, drillled, slotted, zinc'd finish.

Weigh the value of each for your needs. Street will do fine on either, blingy rotors won't rust, all weather boots for salty roads, looks good. Track users will benefit from the HD rotor, boots a pointless arguement, no holes or slots.

 

The WW Race (11.75") saved me 11 lbs total

 

Yes, and the 12.2 kit would have likely shaved this a few ounces more. At the expense of rotor mass. It's all about which side of the fence you are on and your needs. Isn't "shop and compare" great?

 

Toddtce

I think both will fit in my wheels with minimal spacers or none. Are you saying the 11.75 would perform better on track with my current car set up? The 12.19 is a bigger rotors wouldn't they perform better?

Thanks

 

Yes, the 11.75" kit holds up better on the track due to the HD and directional design of the rotor. It also comes with a better pad compound for the track.


Hope that helps!
Randy

 

It's not all about the rotor diameter. And think about it; the difference is only .220 radius. Less than 1/4"

But the rotor weight IS different and one DOESN'T have holes....And one is directional for improved air flow.

Like RW said; the E pad is far more suited for track use. Yes, you can run more streetable pads in the caliper as well on the way home from the track.

 

Sorry for bringing up this older thread but I am new to the "I am getting big brakes" crowd and the TCE/Wilwood brake interests me. But I am concerned about if the lack of boots is a big deal or not. Does the statement above mean it's not?

My car is a daily driver (midwest..rain, salt, etc) which will be active in a dozen track events a year.

Thanks!

 

My opinion, and from manufacturing kits since 1993, is that this proves a rather moot point in the big scheme of things. For those who live in the salt belt, drive the car year round, seldom wash it, and generally take poor car of their car it is worth considering.

On the other hand if you are acitive in track days and pretty much care for your vehicle, all you need to do is keep them clean of debri, keep the pads up to a 40% or more level and do some general maintenance and they'll provide years of service.

For those in the salt area (or lazy like me at time and don't clean things) consider the replacement parts cost as well; new FSL calipers can be had for about $150ea. In the most extreme case of the need to replace them in two years time due to conditions the replacment cost of $300 would prove very small vs the return on what you get from them. I reference this as I have one customer in Michigan who has replaced his SHO kit calipers twice in 12 years as it's his daily driver and fun car. He once said it's cheaper than the rubber he goes through and a helluva lot easier than bothering to try and rebuild them for what they cost new.

But...if boots are your thing we do have the DP caliper as well.

Keep in mind that few can claim to run in a much dirtier enviroment with dust and gravel than I do. None of mine are booted. I did replace both rears due to excessive rock damage to the body this year. After five years. Can't very well show up at Pikes Peak with crappy looking parts you know...not as a dealer!

 

Todd - I saw the brake pad charts on your website. Would the E pad be suitable for dual use street and track? From the chart, it appears that the friction coefficient is consistantly higher across the entire temperature range, when compared to a street pad such as the Q.

matt

 

E is standard in the WW factory 'race' kits. I've supplied it to a number of guys for modest track use on other cars such as SRT4 and Lightning with good results. For the most hard core and hard braking tracks they may break down a bit at the upper temp range in which case pads such as H really shine.

The higher Cf pads such as those in the upper chart will work better for open track use and you'd never go back...but...they can be hell on rotors at cold temps, dust heavily if not run hot enough and are more costly. Being a higher Cf they simply bite better with less pedal effort. You get very high rotor torque with lower operating pressures. None of them should be considered a good street pad. Yet I have some who do that too.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but if they bite better with less pedal effort, and performs this way across low and high temperatures as shown on your chart, then wouldn't it perform well on the street?

I understand your point about dusting heavily... What do you mean when you say "hell on rotors at cold temps" ?

 

They certainly will bite better on the street as well. At the expense of pad wear, rotor wear, dust and noise.

As for 'hell on rotors' how about a replacement set in maybe couple of weekends of spirited driving? Had one customer run J pads on his truck for a lead-folllow drivers school of some type. After the weekend the gas slots were completely gone and his white truck covered in metal dust.

Run on proper 800* rotors this does not happen, but at colder temps it's pure metal on metal wear.

 

Thanks for the info Todd. Which pad would you recommend for dual purpose use? Spirited street driving plus maybe 2-3 track days a year.

 

The Wilwood box kits come with Q pads in the Street kits and E pads in the race kits. Both are a reasonable application.

The larger 13" TCE kits offer you a wide range of selection and I'd probably do the BP10 pads in them as an 'all around' pad.

BP10 is not in stock yet for the DynaPro caliper. You might opt for the E with the race kit and request a set of Q for your daily use.