tires and wheels brake problem on race car

[Guest Anonymous]

I am trying to figure out why I am having a problem with my front brakes sticking when they get hot. The car is a 2002 circle track race car with the Girling calipers off the Volvo, 320i hubs and '77 vented disks. I run no brake booster and the 2002 tii master cylinder is mounted to a plate then directly to the pedal box assembly. Everything is new or freshly rebuilt. When I get on the track and the brakes get hot and the pads seem to engage and drag causing me to feel slugish. When I come in the pits and jack up the car the front wheels barely turn. When the brakes are cold and the car is on the jack the wheels spin relatively freely with a slight rub of the pads. Any help would be appreciated. And as always, please no circle track jokes.

Greg

[Guest Anonymous]

You sure it's not the wheel bearings? Try repacking the bearings and leaving them slightly looser than you have been. Obviously, also check them for any signs of seizing.

If it is the brakes, I'd suspect the hoses are swollen internally.

[Guest Anonymous]

hose if old may be closed inside not releasing the pressure.

[Guest Anonymous]

Make sure the fluid reservoir is venting properly because with race condtions your fluid is getting very hot, and if the cap of the reservoir isnt vented it may be holding pressure and keeping slight pressure in your system. (well it sounds like a good theory doesnt it?)

The other ideas posted make sense too and also make sure the pedal itself is not binding at the pivot point in the pedal box. I have seen them so corroded that the pedal actually stayed under heavy pressure even with no foot on the pedal. Check the linkage pivot point in the brake booster area right in front of the brake light switch too to make sure thats not binding.

Lube the crap out of it or better yet rebuild the pedal box with all new bushings and springs if that turns out to be the problem.

Curious to hear what you find too.

Brian C

[Guest Anonymous]

It's not common, but I've worked on a Jaguar which had new

pistons in cleaned calipers and when the lot became to hot,

the pistons would stick in the caliper. We could still brake, but

they wouldn't release.

Good luck,

Hugo

[Guest Anonymous]

If it were on both wheels, I would suspect the master cylinder being crooked.

If it were only one wheel, I would suspect a bad caliper with a sticking piston. How long ago was the caliper last rebuilt?