New big rotor scarebird kit

I was wondering if anybody tried out the new big rotor scarebird brake kit that uses the 1/2 ton gm calipers and 12” Powertrac rotors and how are they as far as braking power compared to the basic scarebird kit.

The new ScareBird kit dose look to be a significant upgrade over those tiny Celebrity calipers.

It is just a shame that they didn't pick calipers that take full advantage of the braking surface on the rotors. Finding a way to use the Ford dual piston calipers would be vastly superior. Or even better yet Toyota 4 piston small truck & SUV calipers.

"Braking power" is a bit tough to discern as it means different things to different people, e.g. pedal effort to stop, pedal effort for lockup, fade resistance, stopping distance, modulation and feel, etc.

If brake fade is your issue, try a pad with a higher temperature range, if it's available. They typically also have a higher coefficient of friction to increase braking torque ... or get more airflow to the rotor to increase cooling. A larger, heavier rotor will also help but negatively affects suspension dynamics.

Braking torque = caliper clamping force * pad coefficient of friction * pad effective clamping radius.

A pad change is typically best bang-for-the-buck if available.

If you want more braking power with a rotor that fits inside a 15" wheel, a good option would be a GM D52 caliper ... but need to make your own brackets .. could start with a common stock car bracket. Tons of pad options. Available for 1.04" or 1.28" thick rotors. Low cost and readily available. Big caliper pistons for lots of clamping force without needing excessive line pressure. Aftermarket aluminum options in single and dual-piston for reduced weight, etc.

Hope this helps,RD

Thanks for the info guys! RD I’ll try a higher temp pad out to see if that helps but if doesn’t I’ll probably upgrade to that big rotor setup and maybe try a different caliper that takes full advantage of the rotor!

DOT edge code markings give the CoF at 250 F and 600 F. The codes are a range of CoF, so tough to judge just by code unless going from e.g. FE to FF or similar. GG is about the highest for regular passenger car pads. Some aftermarket manufacturers publish full CoF curves, e.g. Hawk, Porterfield, Wilwood, etc  
EE = 0.25 - 0.35
FF = 0.35 - 0.45
GG = 0.45 - 0.55

Do an Internet search for "DOT Edge Codes" for more details.

Hope this helps,RD
Edit: Fixed font size from cell phone

Edited by Red Devil - Mar/09/2018 at 9:04am