New Brakes Moses?

[preston27]

I guess I'm just bored but I was thinking. Lets put the badass bigger brakes on our FM's. Moses has them for that MSR full body thing Star tried years ago. I understand those brakes are killer compared to our current ones. Plus Moses would like selling them to us for sure (right Moses)? I don't know how hard it would be to make them legal but if all of us said "lets do it" then it might be easier.......... maybe?

[preston27]

I understand they are very nice...Wilwood calipers, vented rotors. They bolt up with no mods. I think we would run quicker laps times, alot quicker. Some feedback would be nice guys.
Thanks

[sprocketmensch]

Not sure bigger brakes = faster lap times. I can pretty much lock up my wheels at will. It is the rubber which can't hold the car back, not the brakes. While better brakes may prevent overheating, it won' t necessarily mean a faster lap. Now, upping the rev limiter or allowing a turbo or better wings or downforce- that's a faster lap time.

[Dakar318]

turbo, rev limit, would increase operating costs.

aero would one thing, but would be a costly initial expense.

the FM is probably the fastest lap time for the buck on track. even at 1350 lbs

if the new brakes saved some weights on the corners it would be worthwhile.

that being said, a Pport 13b Screaming at 9rpm making 300+ would be pretty sick. but i hear our hewland gearboxes wont handle alot more power and going to a bigger one would be some serious cash.

[RussMcB]

From someone outside FM, but could end up in the class someday:

I'd think two bad things would happen: 1) Anyone wanting to be competitive would be forced to spend extra money. Who has extra money these days? Maybe a few of you, but not many. 2) Some (many?) people will not upgrade and they will be at a disadvantage.

What would be the benefit? A few people might go a few tenths faster? How is that better in a spec class? I doubt it would make the class that much more attractive to someone considering FM. For me, it would be a disincentive.

[preston27]

I am just bored I hate not driving this time of year. I agree with the spec formula and the extra cost. Your wrong about the quicker times though it would be at least 1 second/lap (Road Atlanta, VIR, Road America) faster. Plus they are off the shelf items that are less expensive than our current brakes.
I have been driving these since 1996 they get hot and drag also fade and long pedals during the last laps of a race. All that being said there isnt any other car in SCCA thats less expensive to run with more performance or less for that matter. If your wandering if FM is right for you I can tell you it is. When I get beat its always the driver that drove better than I did on that given day. The cars are very close even with the good brakes although they could be better.

[Raceworks]

Not sure bigger brakes = faster lap times. I can pretty much lock up my wheels at will. It is the rubber which can't hold the car back, not the brakes. While better brakes may prevent overheating, it won' t necessarily mean a faster lap. Now, upping the rev limiter or allowing a turbo or better wings or downforce- that's a faster lap time.

The only thing that might happen is you'd get better modulation with higher-quality brakes. Of course, this is Wilwood we're talking about so I doubt you'd do anything more than waste money.

Honestly, if it doesn't make a Formula Mazda cheaper or safer I'm not really interested in it. If I want to mess around with the car I'll do what Victor Seaber did & put the car in FS and go to town with it.

[David Kaiser]

I bought an FM CSR a few years ago as a track day car. I cannot compare to a SPEC car because I have only driven my CSR. However, the FM drivers who have driven my car are blown away as I have the 10.5 inch rotors with the 4-Piston Wilwood calipers.

Even with the added weight (about 60 pounds) of the CSR body, in about 20 hours of track time, I went through 1/2 a set of pads and barely noticed any wear on the rotors. Again, not sure how that compares.

I do a quick bleed every 3-5 hours of track time.

Since I have only driven two seat coupes prior to the FM - the brakes amaze me. I consistently register around 2G's of deceleration at speeds above 120-130MPH. Not sure how this compares as I am still getting the hang of the car. I missed most of last season with major surgeries (unrelated to racing) and only had limited time in 2011. I am still running lap times well off what the car can do.

My car also has a ported motor running on 100 octane and makes about 230HP. Again, from those with experience - the car is obviously faster, but with a meatier power band - not necessarily explosive.

I have been running MK5 gears and doing all right - although they seem to wear fast, even though I am using it as a track day car.

I am now switching to a (slightly) reinforced box with MK9 gears - I will advise as to how that goes.

To the best of my knowledge, my car is at about the max a MK9 can take.







This is my father-in-law in the car. He got claustrophobic sitting in it! He does not do well at the track.



This shows a touch of smoke coming off the the right front tire braking around 100MPH.

[sprocketmensch]

David,
Good to hear you're back in the saddle. Love to see you up at Monticello this year. SOme other friends are now members so perhaps we'll get a chance to drive together soon.
Doug Hertz

I bought an FM CSR a few years ago as a track day car. I cannot compare to a SPEC car because I have only driven my CSR. However, the FM drivers who have driven my car are blown away as I have the 10.5 inch rotors with the 4-Piston Wilwood calipers.

Even with the added weight (about 60 pounds) of the CSR body, in about 20 hours of track time, I went through 1/2 a set of pads and barely noticed any wear on the rotors. Again, not sure how that compares.

I do a quick bleed every 3-5 hours of track time.

Since I have only driven two seat coupes prior to the FM - the brakes amaze me. I consistently register around 2G's of deceleration at speeds above 120-130MPH. Not sure how this compares as I am still getting the hang of the car. I missed most of last season with major surgeries (unrelated to racing) and only had limited time in 2011. I am still running lap times well off what the car can do.

My car also has a ported motor running on 100 octane and makes about 230HP. Again, from those with experience - the car is obviously faster, but with a meatier power band - not necessarily explosive.

I have been running MK5 gears and doing all right - although they seem to wear fast, even though I am using it as a track day car.

I am now switching to a (slightly) reinforced box with MK9 gears - I will advise as to how that goes.

To the best of my knowledge, my car is at about the max a MK9 can take.







This is my father-in-law in the car. He got claustrophobic sitting in it! He does not do well at the track.



This shows a touch of smoke coming off the the right front tire braking around 100MPH.