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View Full Version : Rear Brakes for American Iron Car?



Bulletpruf
09-18-2011, 04:45 AM
Fellas -

I have to admit that brakes are not something that I'm intimately familiar with and could use a bit of help here.

Car is a 71 Javelin, 401, 4 sp. About 400 rwhp. Will be street driven some, but more of a track car (full cage, gutted interior, etc). Going to run 17 x 9 wheels. Rear will be a NASCAR type full floater 9" (1 deg negative camber, I think) on composite leaf springs with a panhard bar. Will start out running HPDE's, but would like to graduate to American Iron at some point.

The folks who are building the rear will need to know what size rotors to use. I will have to source the rest of the brakes myself.

American Iron is limited to a 14" rotor, IIRC, so I'm guessing that's what I will be using on the front. What about the rear? Is 11.5" or 12" good enough for the rear or do I need to go larger? Realize that the front brakes do most of the work, but need decent rear brakes b/c the fronts will eventually fade.

Any recommendations on a setup that won't bust my budget?

Thanks!

Scott

SLO_Z28
09-18-2011, 03:26 PM
12 inch rotors with wilwood SL4 calipers. It is the caliper that all other racing calipers compare themselves to for a reason!

MuscleRodz
09-18-2011, 05:58 PM
I would buy as much brake as you can afford. It is where many races are won or lost. Since you plan on racing you need to be concerned with heat disapation and rotor warpage, so the bigger the better.

Bulletpruf
09-19-2011, 02:56 AM
I would buy as much brake as you can afford. It is where many races are won or lost. Since you plan on racing you need to be concerned with heat disapation and rotor warpage, so the bigger the better.

Don't you get to diminishing returns at some point? I'll have 17" wheels, so I can fit a pretty decent-sized rotor in there. Would think that rotating mass and weight would be something to stay away from. Seems like most road race folks with similar cars are running 11 3/4" or 12" brakes out back, even if they have room for more.

Thanks

Scott