Considering the rotors should reach a minimum of 700°F for DTC-60 (800 for DTC-70) pads to be in their optimal range, could the hub of the wheel attached to it be over 400°F for 20-30 minutes every time you go on the track?

I haven't IR'd my brakes in a long time, so I don't remember how hot everything actually gets. Added to my list of things to take to the track next time.

 

^ My rotors read about 650F by the time I reach the paddock after my cool down lap. They are probably 200F hotter than that on the track.

I don't know if this is universal, but a lot of people in the car clubs around here universally believe that aluminum rims should be replaced every 2 years of track duty because of heat cycling. Is there anything to that? I dunno.

 

Huh. I've been road-racing and track-driving for 20 years and I've never met anybody who replaces wheels on a schedule. I never see them fail either except when people "go agricultural" or hit another car.

 

Andy Hollis just recently retired some wheels due to age (a couple posts down the page): https://www.facebook.com/OneLapMiata

Also see this about powdercoating wheels: Targa Miata

It's probably more of a concern on really light wheels, which are inherently weaker than their heavier counterparts due to having less material, forging vs. casting aside.

It's also a good point about brake temps, but I have no idea about how much of an effect this will have.

 

I didn't say it was smart or proper. You well know there is more myth than fact shared among track rats. Some people have some pretty strange ideas in their heads. I'm certainly not replacing mine every 2 years!

 

If you track enough, every bit of your suspension and brakes should probably be replaced on a schedule, or at very least inspected thoroughly on a schedule, but what that schedule is will be highly varied due to numerous factors. The more curbs you run over and the stickier the tires, the more important it becomes, as the loads are higher, plus some cars are more fragile than others. For someone doing it a few times a year on street tires, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

Wheels these days are striving to be cheaper and lighter, which may contribute to more concerns about cracking than in past years. Tires are also getting better.

I don't replace wheels regularly, BUT I do clean and check for cracks regularly. I've had a friend fail an Enkei PF-01 on his 2005 mini cooper S, running 225/45/15 nitto NT-01. As far as I know, the wheel did not have any abnormal abuse prior to the catastrophic failure.

 

UPDATE: Ran the Hawk Blues at Summit Point Shenandoah last weekend. No fade, got some interesting looking deposits/transfer layer appearance, but never any vibration. Life expectancy is good- I expect 5-6 weekends, and I am fairly hard on brakes.

For anyone else running SP Shenandoah, my lap times were low 1:45s with a passenger and stock expect swaybars.

My right front tire tooks TONS of abuse, even with maximum factory camber. I'm considering a whiteline UCA eccentric bushing kit to get a more front camber at the stock ride height.

 

loved my hawk blues. They eat rotors!
I hear the carbotechs have much better modulation... I'm going to try those next

 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BUSjtjFrtNA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

No you're not. :D You were doing it just right IMHO. Thanks again for the ride.

That's not your camber, that's the karrussel. BTDT. Camber won't fix it. Taking the lower apron will.

 

[QUOTE=wankelbolt;4725797][QUOTE=hufflepuff;4725689] I am fairly hard on brakes.Thanks man, no problem. I look forward to meeting up again when your RX-8 is ready.