So, today was the day! Thanks to Todd at TCE, I had all the parts and his written (text only) installation guide. I must admit to being a visual kinda guy, so I read them about a zillion times before concluding that it would probably all make sense once I was there...
Apart from inserting a heated metal shard in my right eye (yes, I was wearing glasses--not plastic) during the grinding process, I will report it all went well. 8 hours for a complete novice to do this, with time off for lunch and a few unforseen issues, including the obligatory drive around the block a hundred times to make sure the brakes were installed properly!
I will post a detailed set of notes on the install on my website next week, including photos of critical issues that are not covered by Todd--probably due to my car being a 2005 and some things have changed I suppose.
So far I seem to have good brakes, and massive bling--they sure do fill 17" rims really well.
Time will tell how the track/road compromise works out. I anticipate more brake dust, and some squealing, and a little vibration as they are totally fixed rotors--no float at all.
There certainly were issues with the install--I had a lot of "learning by doing (it wrong)" which might have been helped with photos on the How To. I will post some photos for those who intend to do this themselves after me. The rear extend kit certainly had a glaring omission in the instructions which must be related to the 05 and later calipers since Todd would have figured this one out in about a nanosecond! The rotors wont turn without grinding away a tab on the OEM caliper mount.
First impressions are often altered upon reflection. But I like the mod., I think I got good value for money, and I'm looking forward to the first track day of the season. On the street the brake pedal feel is more positive and the car seems to stop faster and shorter, but practically there's not much opportunity to use the improvements in traffic.
My installation notes are now on my website:
http://gandini.unm.edu/PGpages/Interests/BBK.htm


cheers, and thanks Todd!

phil

 

What kind of rim are you using to clear the 13" rotors?? And did you do the rear kit of just the fronts? I only ask because I have the same brakes in the front!

 

I am running Kosei K1 wheels, which clear nearly every BBK without spacers. Onasled uses them with spacers but he's wanting a wider track for racing. I did all four corners with the matching slotted zinc plated rotors--good for balance both physically and visually!

cheers,
phil

 

I have changed the brake pads in the front on these, very easy ...

New pads, 16 mm socket, 11mm socket or wrench, clamp for compressing piston and a vice grip ... thats it !!!!

 

Red Fury: What pads were going out, and in? I was discouraged from the PolyMatrix by Todd, and agreed with the overall assessment. I think he sent me the latest pads that ship with the Wilwood factory kits (can't remember the compound, but it was a letter...)

cheers,
phil

 

Hi all,
I have discouraged the use of the Polymatrix Q pads for all but the daily street driver. They work fine until you get them too hot.

The Polymatrix family of pads for all Wilwood and many other calipers is comprised of as many as 9 different compounds. The more user friendly street pad is now simply referred to as BP10. (Brake Pad Ten- don't shoot, I didn't make that up) Depending up on the caliper (FSL or DP) however as the DP has a lesser number of options. For street use pads such as D,E,BP10 and Q are common. For harder track day use pad like B or H are highly recommended. You really won't know what you can achieve until you have worked with some of those high Cf, high temp pads!

The fit of the rear rotors is altered a bit, perhaps not by the 2005 but at the suggestion of a customer that the bracket be made thicker to help center the rotor beter. This change was made but it may reqruire a bit of caliper body clearancing it seems. The thinner brackets worked fine on cars I'd done here in the shop and on others, still there were a few who had contact so why not change if for the better?

I'll be the first to admit some of my instructions are vague at times. I'll stop short of 'bad' or 'incomplete' however as I still believe such items should be installed by qualified shops. I (and perhaps we, to include those shops) don't have a need for longer step by step write ups and pictures. Certain elements of this type of work only go one way. And I assume that the guys doing the work have similar experience and know how. I try to cover the basics in a manner that a shop can make easy work of it and not damage things.

In the past I've also included instructions on how to do certain things and been yelled at for not stating it the way the factory manual does or how the dealer would do it....it's a no win at times. Example; I don't own a pickle fork. Want a ball joint out? Slap the side of the spindle with a BFH and it'll fall out in your lap! I quit putting such notes in years ago since it only confused people, they'd rather destroy the boot and mangle it with the fork.

Everyone knows I'm not keen on any type of brake bleeding tool either, but we'll debate that one another day.

 

Todd knows what pads he sent me ... i don't know ...LOL

I replaced some squeeking race pads, lasted ALL SEASON !!! 10+ tracks

I put back on the daily "hawk" pads = no squeeks

 

How am I ever going to retire if I sell you pads that last all season? I need to rethink this some...!

My guess it that they are H pads perhaps? I don't think you'd run them that long on E compound. Check the back of the pad- 15?-xxx, with ? being the compound.

 

My FSL caliper make for the best pad change ever! a allen wrench and a 7/16 wrench. I have done a pad change including wheels off and back on in 15 minutes with a single floor jack! Nothing beats the FSL caliper!!

 

Let me reiterate: Todd is *the* MAN! He is very responsive, sells and supports a great product, and is always available to help out. My comments about the BBK instructions stem from a personal inclination to liking pictures, graphics and photos to help me "locate" myself when doing this kind of thing.
The install went very well. I did it single handed except for the help of my wife during the bleed process. There was one modification to the rear caliper mount that was not referenced in Todd's instructions, but I'd already used the grinder, so it was right there (the mod was obvious!)
So please don't see me as anything but one happy TCE-customer who has some serious brakes! (My drive home today from work was particularly spirited on the peak hour freeway!)

cheers,
phil

 

schooner2,
No tools needed to change pads in Wilwood/TCE race 11.75" system with DP calipers- pull one pin and out comes pads.

 

I have posted my installation notes on my website. You can view them at: http://gandini.unm.edu/PGpages/Interests/BBK.htm
cheers,
philip

 

 

DiD: Is that good, or bad? 7 of them must mean a *lot* of (good) or (bad)!
--Or are you noticing the splice job I did in photoshop betwen the correctly exposed car, and the correctly (but very differently) exposed background? Being the expert photographer that you are, maybe you caught my Q&D PS work.
cheers,
phil

 

Oh, it's good.

I'm just really impressed with how good that looks with the wheels (particularly the fronts) filled in more.

BTW, I didn't catch the spliced together photo.