Help with the feel of the Brakes

[Dawgfan]

In preping my car I bled the brakes, look at the pads(they look good) and the Rotars are as smooth as a baby's butt. Drove the car on the Taxi way at the airport. Was between 50 and 60 mph and the brakes stop me preety good but did not seem to really lock them down to be able to stop on a dime. Can anyone tell me if that is the way they are supposed to feel?

[Soflow1]

Originally Posted by Dawgfan

In preping my car I bled the brakes, look at the pads(they look good) and the Rotars are as smooth as a baby's butt. Drove the car on the Taxi way at the airport. Was between 50 and 60 mph and the brakes stop me preety good but did not seem to really lock them down to be able to stop on a dime. Can anyone tell me if that is the way they are supposed to feel?

To be totally honest with you, they feel like crud and always have. The Brembo's are a huge improvement over the original AP/Coleman setup.

I suspect you're dealing with two issues...

1. HEAT...You probably did not have enough heat in the brake pads. The school cars used a PFC-97 race compound. These pads require heat to work well, and when they do the 97 doesn't bite hard. They'll last forever, and are easier to modulate than other more aggressive race pad compounds.

2. NO POWER ASSIST...I suspect you're not used to non-power assisted brakes. You should get little to no pedal movement when using the brakes. All the stopping force is generated by the pressure you can make with your foot, and not a combination of pedal movement and brake booster.

Next time, drag the brakes a little and/or take several runs stopping from a moderate speed so you can build up some heat in the brake pads and rotors before really trying to use them hard. Oh yeah, and remember to push harder then you would normally in your street car.

Good luck!

[Dawgfan]

You are right. I had no heat at all and I am not you to Hyd. brakes with no power assitance. Just ran down one of the taxi ways her at the Gainesville, GA airport and tried the brakes. Thanks for the info and it's good to see someone local with a car. Are you going to be at R A any time soon racing?

[eric1h]

I personally like the brake feel and stiff pedal. My old M3 racecar pedal was so soft the pedal would almost go to the floor and made it tough to heal/toe, so the stiff pedal is better for me.

As Soflow stated above, you need to heat the brakes up pretty good before they stop well.

I have the brembo brakes on my WC car and i can pull 1+ G's braking, but better yet i can pull 2+ G's cornering! :-D

You'll get used to the brakes, it took me awhile, but now I love them.

[Soflow1]

Originally Posted by Dawgfan

Are you going to be at R A any time soon racing?

I don't have any plans at the moment, but I sure would enjoy blowing the dust off the car. I haven't driven the Panoz since the fall of last year!

BTW...with a bit of seat time you'll get comfortable with the brakes soon enough.

[Dawgfan]

It's not so much the feel as is the getting use too. Just wanted to make sure that's what I was supposed to feel. There was no air in the system and figured that was how the brake feel. I think everyone for all the advice. I am planning on running the Mitty at R A the end of the month. I hope there will be some Panoz there to compare notes and learn as much as possible. I wll say this, the car really cleaned up very well. I took rubbing compound and went all over it and then waxed it and it came back like a new one. Very suprised and will get pics up soon.

[Squerly]

Originally Posted by Dawgfan

I am planning on running the Mitty at R A the end of the month. I hope there will be some Panoz there to compare notes and learn as much as possible.

If you are talking about the 25-26 then I will be there. Tracy is also on the roster with his Panoz. Look forward to seeing you there!

[alfordvette]

Originally Posted by Squerly

If you are talking about the 25-26 then I will be there. Tracy is also on the roster with his Panoz. Look forward to seeing you there!

Squerly: I hope all is well. I am looking forward to Road Atlanta on the 25-26 and seeing you and Pete. Only two Panoz' registered for the event. I believe we will be running in the same group. If you need anything in the ATL, please let me know.

Regards, Tracy

[Cobrafang]

What event is the 25-26? Who is running it?

Sorry kinda of a NOOB question.

Originally Posted by alfordvette

Squerly: I hope all is well. I am looking forward to Road Atlanta on the 25-26 and seeing you and Pete. Only two Panoz' registered for the event. I believe we will be running in the same group. If you need anything in the ATL, please let me know.

Regards, Tracy

[alfordvette]

Peachstate PCA is having their first DE of the year at Road Atlanta April 25-26, 2009. Information about the event can be found at Peachstate PCA's website and at clubregistration.net. Event currently has a waiting list.

Road Atlanta is a great place to run a Panoz or any car for that matter. The Peachstate PCA does a great job organizing and managing the event making it a fun time for all who participate. Squerly and I regularly attend Peachstate PCA DEs at Road Atlanta. They have about four each year. I can hardly wait. I just need to change the oil and flush the brake fluid and I will be ready.

Regards, Tracy

[P_Mac]

My experience is similar to other comments. When they're cold, they have about as much grip as your grandmother's handshake. When I'm parking the car after a session (after running a full lap with no brake use at all to coll them down), I sometimes feel as though I'm going to run into the end of the garage. After a lap or two, they're up to temperature, and the feel is fantastic. My thoughts:

1) How's your brake bias? If it's too far forward, you're essentially only using the front tires to slow the car, which gives decent, but not stop-on-a-dime performance.
2) Are the pads glazed? Hard to see how that would happen in a track car, but you never know.
3) As mentioned, the unboosted nature requires more pedal pressure. It took me a few sessions to get used to it, but now I find the pressure very easy to modulate to get me to not-quite-locking-up levels.