Dixcel Brake setups

[David.Yu]

Originally Posted by DixonMotorsport

Rich will soon to give us a proper report on the brake. So far so good, no crack or any fade so far and consistence with strong braking power.

I shell let him give us the real tested feedback on here.

Dixcel do do the 400mm kit too but the problem is they are way too heavy which is always not a good thing to add more weight those extra weight are not needed when you already have more than enough stopping power with just 380mm disk with spec A pad.

The Alcon 400mms are 1.8kg lighter each than the OEM 380mm ones! Does that machined surface stay looking like that once you use them? Do your users only use Dixcel pads, or do all the usual suspects work well on your discs too, e.g. Pagid, Carbonetic, Carbotech?

[DixonMotorsport]

Dixcel is also finding a way to make the 400mm disk lighter too, if its 1.8Kg lighter than the OEM 380 then is it a really great achievement but problem is would the disk still stay as strong and rigid with the lost of weight?

The FCR disk have a layer of coating to help bed in, once you bedded in the disk will become just normal dark silver colour. All the Dixcel disk are designed to run with Dixcel pad only as all Dixcel race pad are high carbon compound which doesn't do much damaged on the disk, thats why Richard's car can have the same set of disk since day one until now and the disk still look like new after so many outing. We have never tried to run the Dixcel disk with other brands pad as there isn't much point when the Dixcel pads work so great with the Dixcel disk.

Dixon@DMS

[David.Yu]

Thanks for the detailed answers. So what about for road use, how noisy are the Dixcel pads and do they need warming up before working? What about brake dust?

[DixonMotorsport]

If its only a road and track day car, the Type Z pad or the RA pad would give you more than enough stopping power for up to 650bhp.

Both doesn't need warm up, Type Z have super sharp initial bite even at minus because they made by softer graphite carbon compound so you get instead respond and they work up to 850degrees.

RA pad will have same as OEM braking power when its cold and will get stronger and stronger when the temp build up, they work up to 900 degrees.

Z pad have almosts same dust like OEM, RA is a bit worst but you can always use Iron X to clean the dust out.

Richard's car have Special Compound A pad, they are mainly for race car use with up to 1500bhp guarantee without fade, they are not really suitable for everyday use.

[DixonMotorsport]

For more info, SVM and GTC have more detail on the compound and real life performance as they have fitted all different type of pad from Dixcel to the R35 now. We only have experience on track day and race car only.

SVM and GTC are our Dixcel Agents, please contact them directly if interested.


thanks

Dixon@DMS

[Chubby]

Hi Guys,

Firstly - i get so confused with people taking about saving 1.8kgs on a 1800kgs car, if you need to save that much go on a diet or don't fill the tank to the brim.. Didn't anyone tell you that you get what you pay for??? When you are finished with the discs and pads they weigh 1kg less due to wear... would you still or rather buy them then.....?????

The more important thing here is the brakes and the braking effect they produce, and this is from my side of the fence, that is racing not going to the pub to impress your mates or trying to scare your girlfriend down a back lane...

The Dixcel brake / brake pad is the best racing set up I have ever had, it is fully consistent with very little change in pedal movement and no detectable brake fade if the pad is hot new or worn. To get them to full working temp takes two or three corners, but they still work very well from cold summer temps as I have not tried them below 10 degrees C..

The wear rate is also excellent and the disc will last many meetings (to be confirmed at a much later date), and the only reason I changed to the bigger disc was to see the difference, and that is that you require less pressure on the pedal to get the same braking effect.

Will it make the car stop any quicker ?

I'm not sure as physics come into play and the car is still over 1750kgs in weight, but I can lock the wheels at any speed if required, but then that comes down to the skill of the driver, but it does breed confidence and this should make you quicker on a track if nothing else..

On a track in a racing situation the brakes do not get any time to cool, and this shows no deterioration on the Dixcels they handle the heat extremely well and they do not crack, ping or warp which has happened on other brake discs and pads I have used, but for there grace were not sold as 'racing discs and pads' - the AP Racing set up was a racing disc and these basically lasted for one weekend and had to be replaced - this was not on the GTR but a similar weighted car. The Alcon BBK worked very well but again were not sold as 'race pads and disc' and after one day at Snetterton I needed new pads and the disc's had warped..

Any downsides?

There is so much heat generated by the pad and disc that the caliper paint does get a hard life, but I'm happy to live with that - In normal fast road driving and the occasional track day I would imagine this will not show up as much if at all.

I still have some more testing to do as this was the first outing on the bigger 390mm discs, but would say that if your looking for a better brake set up then the Dixcels will not disappoint - they maybe slightly more expensive than the AP Racing and Bimbo's and about the same as Performance Friction and Alcon's but feel there is more life for your pound and as for stopping the big beast on a race track thus far they are in my personal opinion the best I have ever had on any car...

Rich.

[David.Yu]

Great report from someone who has tried most of the setups and used them hard, thanks Rich.
But re the 1.8kg comment, it was Dixcel who said they were looking to reduce the weight of their 400mm proposition! And you should know better than most that rotating unsprung weight is the best place to save it.

The comparison I am most impressed by is you saying it categorically outperforms/outlasts the £10k Alcon BBK. That's why I said earlier that that should make them the bargain of the century!

However, most of us don't drive our cars as if we're in Time Attack and road manners are probably more important, so it will be interesting to hear back from Dixcel users using less aggressive pads than you are.

But definitely interesting and when my Alcon 400mms wear out, I will be looking at them.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by David.Yu

Great report from someone who has tried most of the setups and used them hard, thanks Rich.
But re the 1.8kg comment, it was Dixcel who said they were looking to reduce the weight of their 400mm proposition! And you should know better than most that rotating unsprung weight is the best place to save it.

The comparison I am most impressed by is you saying it categorically outperforms/outlasts the £10k Alcon BBK. That's why I said earlier that that should make them the bargain of the century!

However, most of us don't drive our cars as if we're in Time Attack and road manners are probably more important, so it will be interesting to hear back from Dixcel users using less aggressive pads than you are.

But definitely interesting and when my Alcon 400mms wear out, I will be looking at them.

Can't argue about any of that... as we won't go into the unsprung weight.. LOL - I was more referring to trying to compete against 1000kgs Evo's ..

Rich.

[DixonMotorsport]

Thanks Rich for the feedback but just as you know the setup you have now is exactly same as what they use in Super GT, Dixcel mainly do stuff for racing use only. Even their lowest range Type Z pad was designed for Group N racing series but because they work so great even when its cold so we decided to sell it to the public for road use. So all your disk and pad are designed for Racing use and Dixcel is specially focus in the Endurance racing products, that is part of the reason yours disk/pad last so long.

Your is having the exact same disk and pad as on this car Rich - and just same as you, they have won every single race in the Japanese Super GT so far.

[Chubby]

I have just been out in a standard brake and pad GTR - how sometimes you can forget - the car feels similar to drive but the brakes are chalk and cheese... :-)

Rich.

[Chubby]

Having taken the GTR to Tractive Solutions to set up the suspension, they have been testing the green GTR against there orange one...

Richard who has driven 100's of light weight race cars over the years took both out yesterday and his comments were that the power and power delivery in the two cars were as wide as the Grand Canyon, but the biggest diffidence in the two GTR's was the brakes and the brake pedal feel.

He commented on that he was so glad that he used the standard brakes first, as my green GTR brake set up gave you so much more confidence, balance and the ability to leave braking until the last possible moment and then just apply the steady pressure on the pedal and all the speed if effortlessly taken away without and fuss of indecent.

Great praise indeed especially as this test was conducted on a public road and not a race track...

Rich.

[DixonMotorsport]

Thanks for the feedback Rich