Wilwood brakes

[svoman2300]

Thanks

[indiana dave]

OK, After researching this a lot!
I have a couple of questions...
1st, and probably easiest... The SVO has 73mm calipers piston already right?
2nd, I read the directions on modifying the spindle, and wonder if it's worth it. I need new rotors and pads, and would like to go bigger, if possible, and still be able to use my stock wheels.

Is there a noticeable difference in stopping power? How about fade?

Thanks

[indiana dave]

Well, my car is autocrossed, open tracked, and driven to and from events... It's not a daily driver.
That's wierd, tht stock brakes stop faster...
My brake pedal started getting soft towards the end of a 20 minute olpen track session. That's with cooling ducts routed thru the foglight holes. I also run synthetic brake fluid. The rotors and pads are only pep boys brand.

What brand pads & rotors would be best for my use if just replacing with stock size stuff?

[indiana dave]

"In my experience with race cars at the Bondurant school, the stock brakes stop faster (shorter distance) than the Wilwoods. We used the 12.2 inch Wilwood rotors on modified SVO spindles with the 4-piston calipers on the GT Mustangs and Stock SVO rear brakes. The *stock* braked GTs meaning stock *SVO* brakes!) stopped faster than the Wilwoods - you could tell the difference driving them."
"The main benefit to Wilwood brakes is they last longer under racing conditions and there are at least 20 different pad compounds. The stock brake pads, under racing conditions, last about 300 miles (maybe 350 with a new driver) whereas the Wilwoods last closer to 600. And that's significant."

"The 12.2 inch rotors with the slim UltraLite calipers just barely fit inside a 16 inch wheel. Like 1/4 inch clearance on the inside diameter of the wheel - depending on the wheel design. So check fitment first."
Is this what you're saying is $1200?

"Fade? Using the Wilwoods on my 92 and 95 SHO (somewhat heavier than the SVO) I did 50 laps on the handling oval (about 1/8 mile - with two 70-20MPH stops per lap) and never saw over a 10% increase in pedal preessure (using a pedal gauge). However that track session and ~2000 miles of "spirited" street driving wore the rotors [front] 0.060 inches, requiring replacement. So with the right pad, no fading. One of the Ford magazines did a write-up and test on that setup."
So you probably shouldv'e picked a softer pad? I'd hate to go thru a set of rotors that fast... Pads, I'll replace often if need be.


"On my SHO, the weight savingsd was 4.5 Lbs a side (only converted the front). It's a very pricey installation on any car - more better for all out racing. Probably minimal gain, if any, for street or autocrossing."
I run 6-10 autocrosses, and 1-3 opentrack events per year...
So I'm probably better off just replacing the rotors & pads with a good performance brand?

"I really like the stock Ford F1ZZ-2001 pads. Or whatever they're superseeded to now."
OK, I'll check those out... I read elsewhere, that they are organic, and might not live under track use though.

"Pep Boys pads? 10 laps sounds about right."
Yea, I know... at the time, I was just wanting brakes! LOL

"All of my cars are street cars, including my SVO. For a street car the $1200+ is kinda wasted."
$1200 is what the Wilwood slim line calipers, rotors and pads ran you?

Thanks a lot, you've been more helpfull than anything else in my search fo knowledge.