88-91 CRX Si Brake ?s

[grimmer]

Couple brake questions- I'm wondering what other CRX racers are doing:
Do you use the front brake piston dust seals?
What rear pads do you use?
Do you use a proportioning valve?

I've never used the seals since the car didn't have them installed when I bought it and the spare parts had a couple melted ones.

I used Metalmaster pads in the rear last year and had some problems with them locking up. I'm using Rofren pads now and haven't had any lockup problems. The Rofrens are a high carbon content metallic pad. Front pads have always been Hawk Blues and I haven't used a proportioning valve.

Thanks for any input.

John Grimmer

[Chris Sawatsky]

I use NAPA "give me the cheapest pad you have" for the rear, as I don't have a proportioning valve to tune out my rear brakes. hawk black up front, picked up a set of blues to try now...

[Jon Nelson]

I'm with Chris on the cheap,soft pads on the rear. They don't really get hot enough to get full metal pads to work. A set will last all season.

As far as the dust seals go, I'm not sure, I've heard that some people don't use them, but they probably won't hurt, unless they catch fire.

Your car has a proportioning valve, I left mine alone, but have considered trying an Integra one to get a little more rear bias.

So far, I haven't tried this, basicaly because if it doesn't work, it'll be a PITA to change at the track.

I'm suprised you had rear lock-up problems... my rear brakes don't seem to be doing much at all.... I'd check for general good health of all the components in the rear, there's a possibility there's a sticky caliper or something.

Jon

[Chris Sawatsky]

I had lock up problems in the rear last season, but I replaced my calipers, and I was also using ebc green rear pads, which are a somewhat performance pad, they may have been biting too much

[Gord Galloway]

Without using the dust seals you are risking dirt and goo getting into the seal which in turn will cause it to leak and may cause a catastruphic failure. If you are melting seals are you running enough brake ducting?

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Gordon Galloway
Honda CRXsi
IT2 #32

[davew]

no fixed racing caliper on the market has dust seals on it...they melt under race conditions no matter how much ducting you use...its ok to run w/o them as long as you inspect and clean your calipers regularly.

heck the multi piston brembos on one of my street civics don't even have them...but I keep them super clean, and it sees track time...

-dw

[Jon Nelson]

Re: Dust Seals

The biggest reason you don't need dust seals on a racing caliper is that they generally have stainless steel pistons and aluminum bodies. VOILA! No problems with rust.

The biggest problem would be moisture getting in there, I guess.... and assorted dirt and crap.

Something tells me I need a bit of cooling air. Although the calipers stay reasonably cool, the pads and rotors are taking a beating, big time. Try a weekend and a half on a set of rotors, 50% (at best) of pad left, and considerable taper, to the point that I'm afraid to "rotate" the pads and use them again.

<sigh>

Jon