cactusjack

Found on the netz. Cadwell park, UK

messiry

Nice video, the Ring taxi GT3RS uses steel breaks, but that’s a track only car. Nice to see the TT performance on the ring though

messiry

RacingBrake

Recd PM from some 991 enthusiasts expressing interest in our ZR1/Porsche kit and asked for more information.

https://racingbrake.com/por-991-crp-394-390

We have other kits but this is the closest kit to Essex/AP only iron rotor kit (394/380) that has been actively advertised in this forum.

We are offering a special $3,000 price deduct toward the purchase of this kit by using coupon code "DED-3000"

1. Limited to 3 orders only (first come first serve).

2. Good for 3 days until 6/12/21 subject to 3 kits in total.

Compare:

• Pricing
• Wt saving
• Durability-Purchasers agree to post track review
• Caliper design (piston sizing & bias)
• Brake pad sizes
• Caliper color/finish choice
• Replacement frequency and overall cost
• Flexibility & system compatibility to OE; Our rear is the same as pccb, on the front you can add a caliper spacer to run factory pccb @410x36

RacingBrake

A message recd via PM:

RacingBrake

Front Replacement CR01 (394x36): https://racingbrake.com/cr01

Rear Replacement CR26 (390x32): https://racingbrake.com/cr26

You can't buy just the discs, you must purchase the rotor assembly and switch the discs to RB hats. These rotors are easy to find from internet retailers or GM dealers. OE rotors (including pccb) supplied by Brembo are made of "chopped" carbon fiber so they are prone to oxidation, chipping, and damage.

RB rotors are made with continuous carbon fiber (same as Surface Transforms), but are made to directional. The first and only CCM rotors made to RB design with directional (angle) vanes so they are strong and can pump more cooling air to keep the rotor cool - More direct and effective than cooling ducts.





These rotors and ST600 brake pads were put to track tests by Modular Motorsports Racing on their dedicated track car (Mustang GT350R) every week since April until last week. Another GT350R equipped with stock iron rotor and aftermarket track pads run side by side for comparison in braking temperature, and I was surprised to be reported by Mark that CCM/ST600 setup recorded some 90-110F cooler than the iron counterpart, as normally CCM rotors braking temperature s/b higher than iron due to lower mass. Same set of ST600 pad lasts a total of 8 track days before the front pads was switched to sintered XC-40 for further testing.

The next test is to switch factory Brembo calipers to RB calipers.

Anyone from Porsche track community found inadequacy on stock pccb, or aftermarket Surface Transforms CCM, or Essex/AP iron kit, this is your opportunity.

RacingBrake

Because there are more Mustang enthusiasts & track racers (than Porsche) believe or more adventuresome to try the new brake technology, so naturally we have more installations and testimonial from other communities like Mustang or GTR.

Brake is brake if you think it's different from one car make/model to the other, I am all ears.

What I don't like is the misinformation - Noting wrong with conventional iron brake (both good and bad) but it was overly promoted and mis-represented by Essex/AP sales that makes someone intended to try "pccb" or are running pccb feel "guilty" or not in the "main stream" for not considering to their "one size" fits all iron brake kit.

Undoubtedly new technology has deficiencies when initially introduced like those 996/997 GT3, but over the years technology has evolved & improved, worse than ignorant is using those old data & pics to ill portrait a Carbon Ceramic Brake, orchestrated by a small group of people, and purposely steer a potential user to their products is misleading and irresponsible.

No one seems will question AP's brakes' credential on professional teams; Podium, F1 Racing etc. pics look fantastic but they are "sponsored" professional teams, and not forum members here who are paying from their own pockets.

What I like is a forum with an open discussion & comparison on Pro & Con in both systems.

Warren-RB

CanAutM3

In all honesty, you seem to be the one spreading the propaganda...

Tumbleweed

Yup. Great thread!

RacingBrake

Hi Jeff,
I just posted this OE caliper upgrade rotor kit.

Upgrade my 380/380 rotors to 410/390

Can you present the advantage of your 394/380 iron kit over this OE caliper BBK that's made available from us so to help members have a better understanding.
Can you please keep the discussion objectively (assume all parts are made equal) ie. why your smaller pads and lighter rotors can do better than OE size, and dollars sense (buying and maintenance cost), and do not repeat those podium wins and the numbers of your kit installations/reviews which everyone is familiar with and no one here would seem to question.

I am also particularly interested in learning more about your "anti knock back" piston spring; and what can go wrong for a caliper that's made w/o those "anti knock back" springs.

Thank you.

Warren-RB

JRitt@essex

The carbon ceramic brake solution to which you are referring was a project championed by the former AP Racing distributor for road components in North America, Stillen. For a long period of time, AP Racing had two distributors in North America. Essex handled the racing/competition components, which included our line of Competition Brake Kits for production cars, as well as servicing all NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA, Rolex teams, etc. Stillen in California handled AP's road products (painted calipers with aluminum pistons, and some discs that worked with the OEM calipers). A couple years ago AP Racing and Stillen parted ways, and there is no longer any connection between the two companies. From that point forward, Essex Parts Services has been the exclusive distributor for all AP Racing products in North America, both competition and road products.

The reason the carbon ceramic brake product for the Nissan GT-R was handled by Stillen, is because AP Racing considered it a road product/project...not a track/competition product. When that transition to a single North American Distributor occurred, the Stillen carbon ceramic brake kit for the Nissan GT-R died. Essex did not have any involvement in that product or project.


Below are a few pics of AP Racing part#CP7177-140/1...a 390x36mm, D66. I threw it on our postal scale...weighed in at 21.6 lbs. Such a thing exists. As far as I can tell, they're not made of unicorn tears, unobtanium, or anything else particularly exotic...just AP Racing's usual proprietary iron alloy. I honestly have no idea what these pictures prove, but I was glad to get up from desk to stretch my legs and take them!







In this case you are very wrong. Essex is not just like Stillen. Our technical capabilities, our relationship with AP Racing, and our involvement at all levels of professional motorsports make us very unique.

As noted above, Essex is now the exclusive AP Racing distributor in North America for all AP products. Essex is also the only authorized AP Racing caliper recertification facility outside of their HQ in Coventry, England. We also have a full-time AP Racing engineer who has worked out of our office in Charlotte, NC for close to twenty years now. He has been with AP Racing since 1978!

Also of note, AP Racing by Essex Brake Kits have been signed off by AP Racing's engineering team, and are available all over the world through any global AP Racing distributor. At this time, we are the only AP Racing distributor in the world offering complete, factory-authorized, bolt-on brake kits on a global scale. Below is a pic from January 2020 of me giving a presentation about our brake kits to AP's other global distributors at AP's new manufacturing plant in England. In the foreground are representatives from Oreca, a French company with a storied history in motorsports.



Here's a video on who we are and what we do:


I posted a bunch of feedback and examples of satisfied customers running the exact same components under discussion in this thread over the past several weeks, and winning races with them. These are everyday Joe's, who buy parts with their own money. I'm not sure how that qualifies as propaganda.

JRitt@essex

I can talk ad-nausea about our products, but I think in the interest of time it makes more sense to let our customers speak for us. Reading their feedback will provide a picture of what our brake kits can and cannot do. Below are links to client reviews of our 394/380mm Radi-CAL Brake Kit for the 991 GT3. Per your request, these are only reviews of our 394/380mm system, and they all switched from either the OEM iron system or OEM PCCB system. These clients repeatedly mention performance, convenience, and cost advantages over the OEM equipment.

If you want it in our words, in the link below are a series of videos that look at the more technical aspects of our brake kits, how we design them, what we are trying to accomplish, frequently asked questions, etc. I shot these videos so I wouldn't have to write it out on forums for the four millionth time in twenty years.

https://www.essexparts.com/big-brake-kits




Another 991 GT3 owner waxes poetic on AP Racing Radi-CAL Brakes!

"I will tell anyone who listens about this setup. Incredible."

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...radical-brakes



991 GT3RS Client sets new PR at Laguna Seca on his AP Radi-CAL Brakes

"My second track car with AP Racing Brakes and I couldn’t be happier."

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...radical-brakes



Pro Driver Seth Thomas shares his initial impressions on our AP Radi-CAL Brakes for his 991 GT3 RS

"I can't say enough good things about the kit on the car."

https://www.essexparts.com/pro-drive...his-991-gt3-rs



Three year owner review of our Porsche 991 GT3 AP Radi-CAL Brake Kit

"They shortened my brake zones significantly and by the end of the 1st day I has shed almost 2 seconds off my lap times."

https://www.essexparts.com/three-yea...ical-brake-kit



Another 991 GT3 owner checks in with feedback on our AP Radi-CAL Brake System

"I am happy to report new personal best times at all three tracks that I've visited this year."

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...l-brake-system



AP Racing Brake Kit owners check in as they return to the track!

"I’ve got the Essex AP kit for my GT3 for about a year now. We’re at the track just about every week and they’re still doing great!"

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...n-to-the-track



AP Racing Brake Kit Brings Perfect Pedal Feel and Confidence to a former Porsche PCCB Owner

'I cannot say enough good things about this kit."

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...cing-brake-kit



AP Racing-equipped 991 GT3 RS battling in One Lap of America

"The AP Racing Radi-Cal big brake kit is amazing!"

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...lap-of-america



991 GT3 customer shaves 2 seconds off lap time with our AP Radi-CAL Brake Kit

"Lots of adjustment as the weekend passed and interestingly, still dropped 2 seconds on my lap times. No other mod on car since last time."

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...ical-brake-kit



Watch our AP Radi-CAL Brake Kit in action on a 991 GT3 RS

"In other news, the AP calipers continue to impress. The new 3.12 brake pads are VERY consistent. They feel the exact same at the start of the session as the do at the end. Very easy to manage. Very consistent. Pedal feels the same every time. Love them."

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...n-a-991-gt3-rs



Customer Perfects his Dream Porsche GT3RS with our Radi-CAL Brake Kit!

“Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. If I buy another car, it will be with the irons, and I’ll swap them out for the Radi-Cal, without a doubt. Dream perfected.”

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...ical-brake-kit



Porsche 991 GT3 Customer Reviews our Radi-CAL Competition BBK after First Track Day

“The pedal feel over the ceramics is unbelievable. I drove the ceramics for nearly an hour at my last event in order to heat them up for some feel and that was still nowhere close to this setup from the start.”

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...irst-track-day



991 GT3 owner's initial impressions of our Essex Designed AP Racing Radi-CAL Brake Kit!

"Two words: Damn good."

https://www.essexparts.com/news-blog...ical-brake-kit

JRitt@essex

What can go wrong in a caliper without anti-knockback springs is pedal drop before heading into a brake zone. The pistons are ratcheted back into the calipers after going through a series of turns. When you step on the brake pedal heading into the next brake zone, the pedal goes some distance towards the floor. In some cases, quite a distance towards the floor. It's not a fun feeling, and it may necessitate some fresh undergarments!

All serious racing brake calipers run AKB springs behind the pistons. This is true of AP Racing, Brembo, Alcon, PFC, and all the rest.

From our website:

Anti-knockback Springs

Not only are the pistons stainless steel, they are also fitted with anti-knockback springs. Springs in pistons you ask? Yes, springs. If you’ve ever gone through a series of S turns and then had your pedal drop when going into the following brake zone, you have experienced knockback. To say it is disconcerting is an understatement. You’ll often see pro drivers ‘pre-tap’ their brakes lightly when approaching a brake zone. They are fighting knockback.

Knockback is a phenomenon that is common with fixed calipers. Knockback occurs when your car’s wheel, hub, and bearings deflect during cornering, allowing your brake disc to move out of sync with your caliper and brake pads. The amount of knockback varies by vehicle, and depends on the amount of deflection seen in the parts listed above. As the brake disc deflects, it actually pushes the pads away from each other, forcing the caliper pistons back into their bores. The piston seals don’t have enough tension in them to completely return the pistons to their original location. That means there is slack in the system that needs to be taken up. When you press the brake pedal, it will continue to drop until that slack is taken up.

Anti-knockback springs help alleviate this situation by putting some tension on the back side of the pistons. When the disc deflects and makes contact with the pistons, the springs push the pistons back into their proper location, reducing slack in the system. That means less pedal drop and far fewer pucker-factor moments when going into heavy brake zones.

There are no major downsides to lightweight AKB spring as long as the caliper is designed to accommodate them. More specifically, AKB springs do not create any increased drag or wear on the pads and discs as long as the shape and material of the piston seals takes them into account.

As you're driving the suspension is constantly compressing, the disc is moving around laterally, and the pads are being pushed slightly away from the disc. Think of the seals in the caliper as a spring or hinge attached to the side of the piston, rather than just a ring through which the piston slides. In an AP Racing competition caliper, the groove in which the seal resides isn't a square cut groove.It has angles. When the pistons slide in or out there is friction between the outer piston wall and the seal, and the seal distorts a bit as shown in the illustration below.
A caliper piston sliding out to the left would distort the seal in this manner (the slashes are the seals on either side of the piston):/
---
---
\

As the piston slides back in to the right, the seal does this:
\
---
---
/

There is a certain amount of tension or friction that needs to be overcome before the piston actually starts moving through the seal ring. That tension/friction keeps the piston from dragging on the disc once the pistons are pushed back into the bores by the disc/suspension movement.

When AKB springs are added, a little more force is required to push the pistons back into their bores than would be required without them. After the spring is compressed, it unloads and pushes the piston back to 'neutral.'

With the proper seal and spring the goal is to keep the piston in the 'neutral' position, not pressed against the disc. The piston is still able to slide freely in either direction, but a bit of friction or tension needs to be overcome initially to get it moving in either direction. The seal offers that first bit of friction to limit movement, and then the spring provides additional resistance. The end result is that the properly designed AP Racing calipers won't drag or create additional or unnecessary wear.

Tay101

Warren,

Most Porsche owners, especially Rennlist members, are well educated on motorsports brands and as well as the performance products aftermarket companies produce. Most of us have been well aware of AP Racing's motorsport pedigree and Jeff from Essex has done an excellent job of explaining their history, connection with AP Racing and Essex's own motorsport pedigree. I would like you to do the same.

Can you go over your history in the brake industry and also can you tell us what professional race teams are using your products? We are well aware of AP Racing being used in NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA, Rolex teams, etc. as Jeff mentioned. What forms of motorsports are Racing Brake components used in?

Pad Bender

This guy cranks out some top notch tyre reviews....obviously PS2 has its advantages but the margins narrow as soon as you throw some precipitation into the mix.