The maintenance of the brake system will consist of the following. If any questions arise during this process, consult with your brake manufacturer. It is as interested in your system working correctly as you. Your success is its success too. The primary functions of brake maintenance are on the following page:

 

A. Brake Pad Replacement Make sure the compound you have been using is correct for the type of car and racetrack you will be racing on. If you're moving to a new track next year, or going on tour, you will need to re-evaluate your brake pad selection.

 

Taking rotor temperatures during the season will help you make an informed decision. When talking to the brake manufacturer, temperature information will be most helpful. You might have to experiment when in a new setting, so be prepared to buy more than one compound.

 

B. Rotors You will either keep and run your old rotors or select new ones. If the present rotors are scored, tapered or otherwise not smooth, you will need to turn them or replace them if there is not enough material to do so.

 

Take a close look at the rotors and make sure there are no cracks that represent structural problems. Many rotors have small heat cracks in the surface that do not reach the edge. But, if you detect a crack that starts at the edge, the rotor is not safe to use any more. Remember that a broken rotor almost always occurs at the most critical moment in the lap, on initial entry to the corner where speed is high and the need to slow down is the greatest. Don't take a chance with a cracked rotor.

 

If brake cooling has been a concern, see if you can find a rotor that will pump more air to improve cooling. Inspect the air hose location and device that directs air to the center of the rotor to see if you can improve the cooling of the rotors.

 

C. Calipers Remove and disassemble the calipers. Always rebuild your calipers at least once a season. This includes replacement of the seals and pistons, and honing the bores according to the manufacturer's specifications and recommendations.

 

You will want to clean and chase the fitting threads in the calipers. Check the bolts, cross tubing and O-rings and replace as necessary. Most brake companies will recommend replacing any part that is suspect. And don't forget what we mentioned earlier, take note of the alignment of the caliper and mounting plate to the rotor. This is critical to proper brake efficiency.

 

D. Master Cylinders Remove and disassemble the master cylinders. All rubber parts are to be replaced. The bore needs to be honed as per the manufacturer's specs. Note the condition of the clevises and where the tubing is connected. Clean and chase the threads where the brake lines attach.

 

Cracks such as this one in the middle of the photo running from the inside edge of the rotor can't be tolerated. This rotor can fail at any time and should be discarded. This could be caused by any number of conditions including racing accidents.

 

All O-rings, seals and dust covers must be replaced. Never use a seal twice. These items are relatively inexpensive and could cost you much more in repair fees if the brakes fail.

 

If you decide to make a size change in master cylinders to affect the brake balance, keep your old cylinder just in case your balance situation changes. You may change the master size and then find that you have been using the wrong pad compound at either end of the car. Then you may have to go back to your old size masters.

 

E. Brake Lines Now would be a good time to replace all of your brake lines, especially the flexible lines. With steel lines, moisture accumulation in the fluids will promote rusting of the inner walls of the brake lines. There's no fix for this other than to replace the lines.

 

If you have stripped the car in the off-season, it will be easy to remove and replace the brake lines. As we said earlier, choose your routing carefully and note where there may have been conflicts or contact before and avoid those areas.

 

F. Brake Fluid Brake fluid absorbs moisture quickly. Do not leave the top of a brake fluid container open for more than a few seconds. Moisture causes expansion of the fluid and possible brake failure under high heat conditions.

 

Use containers designed specifically for bleeding brakes so you can pump the fluid through the system to remove all of the air completely. Use new, quality fluid designed for racing. Passenger car fluids are not designed to handle the high temperatures that are generated in a race car.

 

G. Timing The timing for when you will assemble and load your brake system is important. You might want to run that new line and mount the master cylinders once the chassis has been cleaned and painted, but completing the installation might be best left to the end of the car build.

 

One of the last things you should assemble on your race car is the brakes. Install the calipers, connect the brake lines and fill the system toward the end of your complete car maintenance. That way, when you're installing the rearend, motor, tranny, control arms, spindles, and so on, you will not damage the brake system. Just remember to cap the ends of the lines and the master cylinders to prevent dirt from getting in while the rest of the car is being put together.

 

I can't stress enough how important it is to consult your favorite brake manufacturer's tech people when designing your system, replacing parts or having a problem that is brake related.

 

This flexible brake line is at the right rear of the car and it shows a kink where the rearend was allowed to drop and pull on the brake line. It's this kind of hidden damage that can cause problems. When you're under the car or looking inside the wheel well with the wheel off, try to notice things like this.