Brake system advice needed

[fastcat99]

I am about to freshen my brake system. I run 4-6 track event annually, plus street use. I have been very happy with my prior setup (no fade, good wear), which was:

Dali street/track pads
Bradi slotted front rotors, stock rear rotors
500 degree brake fluid
Speed bleeders F & R (no performance efefct, obviously)
Front brake backing shields removed

New parts to be installed:
Stop Tech slotted front 2-piece aero rotors (original calipers)
Cobalt Friction GT Sport pads F & R
RM racing slotted rear rotors
Braided S.S. lines F & R
Fresh 550 degree brake fluid

I am wondering if I should re-install the front disk backing plates in order to protect the ball joints from heat. Perhaps I should cut them down to expose most of the rear side of the disk, but protect the ball joint. Any thoughts from the group??

Thanks in advance for the advice, everyone.

 

[nsxtasy]

Stop Tech slotted front 2-piece aero rotors (original calipers)
Cobalt Friction GT Sport pads F & R
RM racing slotted rear rotors
Braided S.S. lines F & R
Fresh 550 degree brake fluid

Wow, that's almost exactly my setup, except that I am using Motul RBF 600 fluid (593 degree), have my original brake lines, and have cooling ducts (shown here).

I am wondering if I should re-install the front disk backing plates in order to protect the ball joints from heat. Perhaps I should cut them down to expose most of the rear side of the disk, but protect the ball joint. Any thoughts from the group??

Your latter suggestion - cutting down the splash guards but leaving the part where they are next to the ball joints - is what the folks at Acura of Brookfield (the Midwest's premier experts on tracked NSXs) generally recommend.

(I still have my splash guards; they have a flange welded on, to which the ends of the brake ducts are attached.)

 

[Taj]

From what I've read about the shield, there is a thermal stress concern to the ball joint. I have stock (1999) brake with SS braided lines and ATE Blue brake fluid and I’ve never had any brake problem at the track. BTW, brake performance also depends on the ambient temperature, track configuration etc.

Well, Honda engineers have the shields installed for a reason. If you want to do a science project, install the shields on one side of your car and measure the different in brake rotor and ball joint temperatures at the track. If there is brake performance degradation, such as over heating with the shields installs at the track, you can modify or remove the shields later.

 

[fastcat99]

Thanks for the advice, PRIME. Job is completed, and HPDE evaluation will be next Tuesday at Waterford Hills.

Best lesson learned --- if installing stainless steel brake lines, get the proper 10mm flare wrench to loosen the fixed line fittings. It made the job pretty easy, and without this wrench it would have probably ruined one or more fittings and cost many more $$ & hours. Kudos to Dano and his web site for the work instructions.