Brakes Upgrade

Most Mondials have the "big break option", but big brakes might be more helpful! (sorry, couldn't resist).

Pads, fluid and airflow are important no matter what your brake setup. I would start with a brake fluid flush, better pads for more spirited driving, and make sure there is some airflow to the brakes. You can use brake fluid like ATE Blue (or amber, makes flushing easy) or something like Motul 600.

My t coupe has stock brakes as far as I know, and the car can pull your retinas out when you hammer the pedal! (thanks Mike B!!). Firm pedal, great modulation and no squealing. Truely, these are some of the most amazing brakes I have used, and have been extremely impressed. ( I can't comment on fade because they have not been used on the track--yet).

There are more knowledgable folks on here than me for upgrading brakes, I am sure they will chime in. You might check the Zeckhausen website for recommendations on pads, etc, or look at their BBK's.

Regards,
Jerry

 

This thread has a discussion on Brake Upgrades that you want to take a look at.
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=334754&highlight=brake+upgrades

all the best!
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LoL, I should have followed my boyhood dream to become a pilot like some of the cool guys on this board, but life got in the way and instead became a computer data mining expert and part-time Ferrari self teaching mechanic. Oh well, can't have it all !

 

Try a higher temp brake fluid like Motul 600 or Motul 660 , together with a " better " brake pad set ( Hawk, EBC, Pagid, etc ) and you should realize better braking. Go one step further and add SS Brake lines before the brake flush, and you have stepped up another stage and are in for less than 1/5 of what a BBK may run for your car. Plus you have the option of swapping wheels...

As for brake squeak, expect that. The more spirited you drive ( read: brake ) the more brake dust that will build up. The brake dust build up between the pads and rotors is what causes the brake squeal you hearing. In my experience, the better the pad ( the better it stops your car ) the more brake squeal - as the softer the pad, the better the " bite "
Less squeal = harder pad = less bite.

Hope this helps,


S

 

I love my Mondial's brakes. I have been really impressed with the stopping power. No significant fade encountered ever, even during that one day in January on the PBIR racetrack. Are you sure yours are OK?

 

If you decide to upgrade, don't use drilled rotors like in the pics. They tend to crack at the holes. Also with less meat they tend to overheat sooner than solid. Lastly they cant be cut down if they go out of true.

 

When I had an '84 Mondial QV, I did some track events with it up at Lime Rock, Watkins Glen and Pocono Raceway. I put on Porterfield R4-S pads that I got from Ricambi and bled the brakes with ATE Super Blue, and never experienced any brake fade. And I even ran the car with a set of Gotti wheels and racing slicks, and that did not overpower the brakes.

IMHO, for street use, even with aggressive driving on hills and curves, your stock brakes should be fine. Upgrade the pads and bleed the system with fresh high temp fluid and you should be good to go.

p.s. Check your rotors and make sure they are not cracked. Some "heat checking" on the surface is normal, but if you see large cracks, you might need to rotors. Also, mic them and check if the rotors are still within spec. Remember, a more aggressive pad will not only produce more dust, it will also wear down your rotors a lot quicker than stock pads.

 

No wonder you find all those photos and videos. I thought you had some kind of seriously wicked internet search skills.

 

I don't have seriously wicked internet search skills, but I'm known to be the Query Master at work
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