Wilwood options for rear brakes on a track car?

[jlwdvm]

I am currently lining up more parts for my 69 Firebird track/road car. I have Wilwood FNSL 6-pistons with 1 piece slotted rotors for the front and am looking at options for the rear. I will be running a Tru Trac in either a 9" or S60 rear. Since I will be tracking the car, should I go with a floating caliper set up for the rear? I would like something that will visually compliment the front brakes, but performance comes first!. I don't think I want to go the floating axle route.

[Schwartz Performance]

Performance first, but not a floater rear end? How come?
I'd do a floater with a fixed 4 piston Wilwood.

-Dale

[Motorcitydak]

Have you checked out the Moser circle track rear axles? Full floaters for around $1k (housing, axle shafts, hubs and bearings), they will probably even have one that bolts into your car

[jlwdvm]

I guess I was wondering if a full floater would be overkill for a weekend track/street car. Will a hobbiest notice the difference and will it be worth the extra cost over floating calipers? I know..."Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"

[Motorcitydak]

I do not personally have any experience with a semi floater rear in this application but reading about pad knock back and inconsistent brake pedal feel had me headed straight to the full floater camp. If you can do the FF now, do it. Braking and steering are 2 big safety systems that are worth the investment. You would not want to be speeding up to a corner second guessing your brakes

[Schwartz Performance]

There is nothing "noticeable" about a floater when driving. If you're tracking the car at all, i don't think there is such thing as overkill. They aren't that much more expensive than a semi floater..
Many of us encounter pad knock back with street tires. I assume you have race tires which will be even worse.

-Dale

[jlwdvm]

I assume when you say "semi floater" you are referring to a rear with floating calipers? Does the rotor sitting more inboard on a floater ever interfer with suspension mounting points on the rear end? I am using a Ride Tech 4-link.

[71RS/SS396]

I assume when you say "semi floater" you are referring to a rear with floating calipers? Does the rotor sitting more inboard on a floater ever interfer with suspension mounting points on the rear end? I am using a Ride Tech 4-link.

I can only speak about the Baer floater as that is what I've used and it moves the calipers inboard approx. 1" from where they would be with the Torino ends. The wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface width of your rearend and what calipers you are using will determine whether or not you will have an interference problem. I'm doing a floater on my wife's first gen right now and have found that with the 6S calipers and DSE tubs that 55.35" wheel mounting surface to wheel mounting surface is the absolute narrowest you can be and the calipers have to mounted facing forward, any narrower and the calipers interfere with the tubs and frame rail at full articulation of the rearend.

If you decide to go the floating caliper route use the A20 bearing on the axles that Ford, used specify this when buying axles as the inner diameter of the 2 bearings is different, they are a tapered bearing and have a better sealing system than the sealed bearing Moser and others use. The fly in the ointment to this is these bearings have a different stack up than the sealed bearing and require a different retainer plate which Wilwood sells but not all brake kits use a stock style retainer plate, some just use the the caliper bracket or backing plate to retain the axle, which will not work properly with the A20 bearing, you will have to make a spacer to go between the caliper bracket/backing plate to properly pre-load the bearing and seal.