would our brakes glow red

[jadkar]

Here's a questions for you track rats.....

We have all seen race cars on TV with their brakes glowing red from the intense heat generated from constant hard braking on the track. Does this, or can this happen to NSXs when tracked hard. If so does anyone have any photos of it??

 

[kenjiMR]

I have heard of S2000 brakes glowing... I think I headr it was either Rylan or DavePK of S2KI.com a while back.

 

[NetViper]

You can see the ceramic brakes glowing on the Top Gear review of the merc SLR. They even catch on fire!

 

[jadkar]

Thanks NetViper..........I read and saw those pictures, that's what made me post the thread

 

[DanO]

Here's a questions for you track rats.....

We have all seen race cars on TV with their brakes glowing red from the intense heat generated from constant hard braking on the track. Does this, or can this happen to NSXs when tracked hard.

Yes. You can see it better in the evening. With stock brakes it means impending failure.

DanO

 

[RP-Motorsports]

Use some aggressive porterfields on OEM rotors, and brake deep and hard after a long straight! I usually only see this on about 1/2 of 1 % of all cars. Most do NOT use aggressive pads on OEM, and those who do usually have larger drilled or slotted rotors with ducting.

 

[Hrant]

A question for those of us who are not in metallurgy.

At what temps would the OEM rotors (or for that matter most rotors) start glowing red? I am guessing the materials in rotors are pretty much the same the venting of the rotors is what keeps them cooler. Many of of us are running at about 500F on the track (I have heard as low as 400+F for two piece with floating hat and as high as 600F on these forums).

I believe cryogenic treatment is supposed to help prevent premature cracking of the rotors from such temp variations?

 

[docjohn]

At DE's Ive seen brakes ;smoking,cracking,and fires but never glowing rotors.

 

[kenjiMR]

I've personally seen CART and ALMS car's rotors glow at the top of the corkscrew at Laguna Seca.

 

[Briank]

To see glowing I think you need to get over 1000 degrees.

 

[RP-Motorsports]

I have seen 3 excellent examples in the past few years on street cars. 1) Eclipse Turbo Porterfield on OEM 2) Supra Turbo - same,
and this year a E36 M3 OEM rotors, ?? pads.

And yes I too have seen flames, sparks etc as well.

 

[Andrie Hartanto]

When I was running stock brakes I experienced sparks and slight glow before. I was told by people who saw it.

 

[docjohn]

This thread is now spooky for me(forshadowing)Just today I had a rear calliper(stock) sieze up on track,Here I am(with student in right seat) going up the esses at Watkins Glen and I'm slowing down as I'm pressing the loud pedal,,,oops somethings not right.I pull into the nascar shoot hop out and low and behold my brand new rotor is red hot, not for long, though and the pad is on fire,,quite pretty though like a sparkler.After cooling down and loosening the E-brake cable I was able to run again till the other rear rotor formed a lovely crack,but I still managed to drive it home!So I stand corrected I now have seen a red rotor at an hpde

 

[jadkar]

Wow John, I'm sorry to hear that. What was it that caused your rear caliper to lock up, the E-Brake?? You mentioned after you loosended the cable, but how did the cable get tension on it in the first place? You didn't have the E-Brake on before the session did you? If so that's the 3rd time I have seen a caliper get locked up from the parking brake. Karen's Legend coupe (few years back), and her GTi vr6 both had the parking brake sieze up the caliper. These days I'm not even using the thing anymore unless I absolutely have to. Too bad you weren't able to snap a picture of that rotor. Anyway, at least your safe, I'm sure it could have been a lot worse. Automatic trail braking on one rear wheel....sounds scary.

 

[docjohn]

Yes I have no idea,the E brake was disengaged so iether the cable tightened on its own or perhaps the student could have pulled up on it slightly? looking for a hand hold? who knows.But that episode caused a cascading sequence of brake foobar,oh well.

 

[jadkar]

Are you going to have it / them repaired in time for Limerock this weekend?

 

[docjohn]

Yes as it stands now new brakes are on but we hear a clunking from that bearing so hopefuly a new bearing is on the way,if not I'll still run it as there is no grinding.