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Talking specifically about F1 carbon rotors and pads (not carbon ceramics). Hypothetically, if you were afforded the opportunity to run them on a road / track car (at, say 1000kgs), would you?

Full carbon brakes require elevated temps to work correctly, would they be useless in this scenario?

Yes, quite. F1 brakes have an operating temperature window and they yield the maximum coefficient of friction there. Below that, the coefficient of friction is lower and the brakes will be much weaker than normal. I would think that a normal car would be unable to keep the temperature up, even if all it did was accelerate-brake cycles.

superflyte wrote:Talking specifically about F1 carbon rotors and pads (not carbon ceramics). Hypothetically, if you were afforded the opportunity to run them on a road / track car (at, say 1000kgs), would you?

Full carbon brakes require elevated temps to work correctly, would they be useless in this scenario?

High end road cars tend to use a form of carbon ceramic braking materials, that enable them to work effectively at lower temperatures as I understand.

So I read that the optimal temperature for carbon-carbon brakes is around 650 degrees celcius, and that performance is poor under 400 degrees celcius.

What would be a typical operating temperature range of a road car then (normal on-road and also track use) on standard steel brakes?

superflyte wrote:So I read that the optimal temperature for carbon-carbon brakes is around 650 degrees celcius, and that performance is poor under 400 degrees celcius.

What would be a typical operating temperature range of a road car then (normal on-road and also track use) on standard steel brakes?

Well there is a quick way to find out. Buy commercially available thermal tape. It works by having different sections that each change colour once a certain temperature has been reached. Stick said tape onto the outer diameter of the disk that the pad doesn't touch and then simply observe and log results.

Look up telatemp. Used frequently on general aviation aircraft to check before each flight that no components were exposed to excess heat during previous operation.

trinidefender wrote:

superflyte wrote:So I read that the optimal temperature for carbon-carbon brakes is around 650 degrees celcius, and that performance is poor under 400 degrees celcius.

What would be a typical operating temperature range of a road car then (normal on-road and also track use) on standard steel brakes?

Well there is a quick way to find out. Buy commercially available thermal tape. It works by having different sections that each change colour once a certain temperature has been reached. Stick said tape onto the outer diameter of the disk that the pad doesn't touch and then simply observe and log results.

Look up telatemp. Used frequently on general aviation aircraft to check before each flight that no components were exposed to excess heat during previous operation.

Tape is cheap, a car that has those kind of brakes however...

Keep in mind that the thermal mass of carbon brakes is rather low. They gain higher temperatures much more readily than iron brakes.

Ok, all good points. I'll fit them to the car and run it at the track first, to get a feel for the pedal response. I'll post results.

I'll get some of the rotor paint from AP and use that on the steel rotors first though.

superflyte wrote:Ok, all good points. I'll fit them to the car and run it at the track first, to get a feel for the pedal response. I'll post results.

I'll get some of the rotor paint from AP and use that on the steel rotors first though.

Does this paint function in a similar fashion to the tape? I would suggest getting the working temperatures of the iron brakes first.

Are carbon brakes you're only options at present?

Yes, the paint works the same way. This from AP's website...

https://www.apracing.com/Info.aspx?Info ... ductID=976

At this stage, yes - carbon-carbon is the only non-iron option. I run Renault F1 (AP Racing monobloc calipers) brakes on the car, and am just itching to fit the carbon rotors!

superflyte wrote:Yes, the paint works the same way. This from AP's website...

https://www.apracing.com/Info.aspx?Info ... ductID=976

At this stage, yes - carbon-carbon is the only non-iron option. I run Renault F1 (AP Racing monobloc calipers) brakes on the car, and am just itching to fit the carbon rotors!

Mind sharing some more specific information such as general downforce leveL, type of track being used, average speed for the track. These carbon option brakes were designed for your car specifically or something similar?

I'm guessing you want to go carbon because of brake fade issues with the iron brakes?

Not entirely. The back story is that I acquired a heap of 2006 Renault F1 parts to build my GT40 race car (2000 Cadillac LMP chassis, etc). I've since sold off the LMP and most other parts, except for the R26 suspension and brakes.

I'm now building another GT40 replica with a Ferrari V8 and pushrod suspension, running all the Renault F1 parts (Pankl uprights and driveshafts, AP brakes, etc). I have iron rotors, but would like to get some use out of the carbon discs and pads. I'm just trying to make life difficult for myself!

superflyte wrote:Not entirely. The back story is that I acquired a heap of 2006 Renault F1 parts to build my GT40 race car (2000 Cadillac LMP chassis, etc). I've since sold off the LMP and most other parts, except for the R26 suspension and brakes.

I'm now building another GT40 replica with a Ferrari V8 and pushrod suspension, running all the Renault F1 parts (Pankl uprights and driveshafts, AP brakes, etc). I have iron rotors, but would like to get some use out of the carbon discs and pads. I'm just trying to make life difficult for myself!

You should post more on your project. We have a forum full of people that would drool over such info. Also doesn't putting a Ferrari engine in a GT40 get you haunted by the ghost of both Hennry II and Enzo?

Haha, yep. The car created to beat itself!

Will post up some more info, for sure.

How much of the Renault suspension are you using? Wishbones? Dampers?