brakes Brake Duct Backing Plate Creation

[M3M3]

Needed way to attach the brake hoses to the back of the hubs.  Came up with this simplistic design.

 

The parts…some silicon ductinig, some flat aluminum plate, a length of house air duct piping, a lot of pop rivets and some M12x1.5 bolts.

 

First cut some aluminum squares about 5.5 in square.  Hold them up to the struts and mark the shape of the strut and where the unused caliper holes are.

 

mark where you want the hole for the duct to go.  close the center of hub is the goal.  you do not want the cool air directly on the rotor.  drill away.

 

next up i had to make some metal tubes.  i am using 2.5in hose and nothing really comes in that size, so i cut down some 3in home ducting to make 2.5.  i used the hose as a size guide.

 

elongate the hole so the duct can be angle forward.

 

 

test fit.

 

 

now cut and flare out the "inside" end of the tube.  leave some of the tabs outside and some inside.

 

pop rivet the heck out of it.

 

bend the top and bottom edges down a bit.  this strengthens the plate so it does not flex like a flat piece of aluminum.

 

paint (of course) with high temp paint.

 

install on strut

 

test install with hose (before paint)

 

Not the prettiest project, but we shall see if it is effective.

[jdeitch]

Necessity is the mother of invention.

[Ian]

Nice!

[bob02]

Very nice, indeed!!

[BobBreed]

vibration will tear the pop rivets up. I did the same thing and then got a thicker tube and welded it to the bracket. I might even have them somewhere in the box.... let me look! I did not sell them with the car.

Bob 

[jgerry2002]

The newer E21 style backing plates would fit and they are totally flat, unlike the tii ones that have the lip on top, so you can run any size rotor. They are steel too. I bet you could modify a set of those instead. I second the idea of bolts or welding that together, Pop rivets will probably pull through. I think the movement + NVH of that area of the suspension would tear up the aluminum.

 

Though '02s generally are not hard on front brakes, especially once you have a vented rotor. Not sure you'd even need ducting with the right pads.

[M3M3]

Thanks for checking bob. Yes, need to work on my aluminum welding skillz.

JGerry...this is an S14 powered  full race car set up with PF01 race brake pads that is tracked...hard. It absolutely needs ducts!  i already cracked one set of rotors....see build thread and videos.

Edited September 1, 2013 by mlytle

[TobyB]

It's easier than that-

weld a piece of 3" exhaust tubing to a 2" exhaust pipe clamp, at just the right angle.

Clamp the clamp onto the strut, in just the right place.

 

PO of my 2002 race car did that- worked great for 10 years...

 

t

[Koblenz]

Nice set up mlytle.  Looks like they work.  Your shop looks like something I would want my neighbor to have.

[M3M3]

update to thread so it is more complete with info in one location.  here is rest of project including ducting.

 

got both duct holes cut in air dam and bolted on.

 

why are the ducts mounted "crooked?  function over form.  angling them like that moves the opening on the back down below the double metal layer on the nose so it clears and has a good shot for the hose going along the frame rail.

 

 

bolted it on

 

 

started working on the ducting

 

 

hose fits nicely in cut out i made in front valence.  the angle of the new butler ducts is perfect for hose to run along framerail.

 

want the air dam to be solid, so made some brackets to tie it to the valance.  love 3/4in aluminum bar stock..

 

 

done

 

 

.

and....after a season of track use...works perfectly.  construction held up with no issues.

Edited February 1, 2014 by mlytle

[John_in_VA]

Nice work, Marshall!

[gliding_serpent2]

Did you not use the original air dam holes due to requiring a more tortuous piping route?

Edited February 2, 2014 by gliding_serpent

[heist]

Damn this is really cool. I was pondering over adding something similar, now you have my interest. Love the airdam ducts! 

[M3M3]

in case you are wondering why i did not use the holes already in the airdam.   the standard holes are totally for looks.  they are in completely the wrong place aiming air at the tire and do not leave enough room to run hose.  there is not even enough lip on the hole to attach a hose too.  there is more detail on this project in my build thread around page 41, but here is a final shot with a grill on the duct holes and the decorative holes covered over.

 

 

Edited February 2, 2014 by mlytle

[jgerock]

I have seen older Zender advertisements with the cooling holes positioned more toward the center of the car.  Wonder when they changed the molds - or maybe there were several different versions for 2002's.(?) 

 

Here is one ad from the October 1983 Roundel