Brake Shoes

[x-ring]

Tried to order a set of shoes from Courtesy today, they told me that the NISMO/Ferodo shoes are NLA.

Has anybody tried any other kind? If so, were they any good?

Help me, Katman. Anybody?

[irondragon]

What model Datsun are you seeking brake shoes for??
I have a 280Z that I run in ITS.
If NISMO no longer supplies 'green stuff' rear shoes, try getting them from Carbotech.
Bill Miskoe

[dspillrat]

http://www.carbotecheng.com/contact.htm

Good guys....

david

[JeffYoung]

Ditto the above. Carbotech supplies great product and will talk to you for a long time about what you need and what they have.

[kthomas]

Yup, the Carbotech Kaelite Metallic's or whatever Larry calls them. Just don't adjust them as tight as you might have the greenstuffs, they swell a smidge at temp.

[x-ring]

Thanks, guys.

[240zdave]

I've been using brake shoes from Porterfield with good luck. They make shoes using their R-4 Full Race Compound. I tried a set of Carbotechs once, then changed to the Porterfields, which seem to last longer. I don't know that it is going to make a lot of difference, though. In a 240Z, the front brakes do most of the work.

[kthomas]

"I don't know that it is going to make a lot of difference, though. In a 240Z, the front brakes do most of the work."

That is unfortunately often the case, but doesn't have to be so. Its usually because the rear brakes aren't up to the task, not because the weight distibution is any worse than any other car on the grid. In fact, in ITS trim, a 240Z has better than stock weight distribution- nearly 50-50. High coefficient friction shoes coupled with regularly trued drums and proper proportioning will go a long way toward relieving the front of all the work. You should be turning the drums blue from the heat. I venture to guess a lot of people have an adjustable proportioning valve but really don't know where the aft limit is, or their drums are tapered and shoes so far out of adjustment that the back really isn't doing much.

[dspillrat]

In a 240Z, the front brakes do most of the work.
[/b]

Hi Dave,
Sorry I missed CMP at Kershaw.....looks like it you guys had a blast.
It is imperative that a adjustable porportioning valve be in place for rear brakes. It's amazing the difference it makes in braking whenthe rears doing its share....
I can't say enough good things about Larry and his crew at Carbotech....they have a great combination F/R for the Z.....Remove that stock valve and feel the force .......

david

[JeffYoung]

Do you guys just go out and slowly crank up the rear brake bias until the rears just lock up, and then turn it back? Is that the correct way to do it?

[Parrish57]

"Remove that stock valve and feel the force".

OK, say I wanted to come over to the dark side and use your voodoo magic valve. Tell me about the installation and initial setup. Is it hard to get adjusted, as Jeff alluded to?

Steve
57

[JeffYoung]

Installation on both cars (the TR8 I did, the Z came with) was/looks easy. On the TR8, I plumbed it into the rear brake circuirty just outside of the master cylinder. It's easy, cut line, put on fittings, install.

Working on balancing it has been more difficult, especially on the 8. Hard to find where the fronts just lock up first in all conditions. At VIR I can get it set perfectly for Turn 1, but then the top of roller coaster is difficult because the car is not perfectly straight up there when braking.

David, others, if you guys can tell me how you balance it out?

[dspillrat]

"Remove that stock valve and feel the force".

OK, say I wanted to come over to the dark side and use your voodoo magic valve. Tell me about the installation and initial setup. Is it hard to get adjusted, as Jeff alluded to?

Steve
57
[/b]

Hi Steve,
With the early Z, the stock valve is removed from the car...above the diff in the early cars, on the firewall in engine compartment in 73 240s.
I placed a screw type valve on the tunnel just beside the shifter. The lever, or 4-5 position valve would be easier to replicate adjustments session to session. With the screw type, I just count 2-1/2 turns counter clock wise to start session, then adjust as needed.......

It did make a difference for me,Under braking the rear will "squat" in the rear more. Not just rocking forward, pivoting over the front wheels. It feels that way to me.

David Spillman

[kthomas]

To find the happy place with an adjustable prop valve we used the front straight at RA, a set of good but sacrificial tires, and a radio. Had driver pull slightly off line during practice and apply heavy braking at a good high speed until one end or the other locked up where he could feel it and I could see it. We like to find the setting where that test produces both ends to lock at the same time- that way we can come off one end or the other depending on the critical braking zone at whatever track. Example- at RA the end of the back straight is downhill, so the rear needs a little less bias than it did on the front straight. Hooziers are tough to modulate- not a good tire to seek your prop valve settings with a rookie driver. No magic, just keep cranking in the rear bias until it makes the back end dance!

[JeffYoung]

Thanks K.

Jeff