Wilwood front drag kit and Aero6

[\dave]

Anyone out there running the Wilwood front drag kit (140-14103) on the street? I'm considering that kit for dedicated street use on an Eco to replace the stock 2 pots. I'm also considering the Aero6 14" kit (140-13886). Anyone with first hand experience with these kits please throw your impressions at me. Thanks.

Some discussion -
I know these two choices may seem diametrically opposed and some of you might be thinking "what the ...?" But with my style of driving the drag set should provide enough heat sink, and that's what Wilwood thinks too. Three things about the drag kit appeal to me: 1) first and foremost is improved handling, as this kit drops about 11-1/2 pounds of unsprung weight from each side, with a lesser benefit of 9 of those pounds being rotating mass; 2) I anticipate moderately improved braking performance (probably between the Eco and GT?); and 3) the cost is about $540 less than the Aero6 kit.

I'm guessing the 14" Aero6 performance would fall between the GT and Brembo which would be of high value to me also. The Aero6 kit adds only about 1/2 pound per side over the Eco brakes. However, the 14" rotor takes weight from the center (hat) and puts it on the larger diameter rotor (I guestimate about 5 pounds shift out to the rotor over the Eco).

GT and Brembo are non starters for me due to their weight and my 18" OZ wheels have a smallish ID, limiting possibilities.

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[Norm Peterson]

Can you describe your driving and braking in a little more detail?

Offhand, drag brakes are designed to make one stop and be essentially fully cooled down before having to make the next one. I know they wouldn't be my choice for driving in the mountains.


Norm

 

[\dave]

Norm, thanks for the concern. Good question. Before I respond, bear in mind that the kit I'm considering is the 0.8 thick vaned rotor with aluminum hat, not the thin solid disc kit. For reference, the Eco disc is 1.19" thick. Wilwood says their kit is suitable for dragging and road use, and I have discussed my driving with them.

No heavy stop-n-go. I drive the car for pleasure, about 2500 miles or less per year. I live in the country in central VA, and drive in a spirited manner on mostly flat-to-rolling, winding two lane country roads. No racing. Regarding your mountain concern, I brought that up with Wilwood as a possibility once every few years. The Wilwood guy suggested that I use temperature monitoring paint and keep the brake's low-mass-temp-limitations in mind and that would probably be sufficient. I like the weight loss aspects of this kit.

If the drag kit is suitable thermally, I think the weight loss is a good fit for me. I have test driven the Eco 2 pot, GT 4 pot, and Brembo PP cars. I loved the Brembo setup for braking, not so much for nimble handling. If someone responded and told me that the 14" Aero6 was close to the Brembo in braking aspects, that would be my selection instead of the drag kit. But I haven't found much user feedback for Wilwood use on Mustangs - hence this post.

Dave

 

[\dave]

Hey Norm, did you have a chance to look at my reply? What do you think of my situation regarding the Drag kit vs Aero6? Any input is appreciated such as about Wilwood brakes in general. Or if you see the drag approach as a probable fool's errand. Or any other thoughts. Anyone else reading, please chime in.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Norm Peterson]

drive in a spirited manner on mostly flat-to-rolling, winding two lane country roads.

is more than I'd ever ask of a drag-race brake setup. You still have the potential for repeatedly building heat faster than it gets shed, which is going to make a lighter rotor and its pads run hotter. Street pads can and do fade. Even melt and deposit unevenly on the rotors causing a judder.

That's exactly why your Wilwood guy mentions temperature monitoring paint, and of being constantly aware of drag rotors being limited as heat sinks compared to production rotors or aftermarket big brake components. To me, the Wilwood representative's caution of having to do all that on a trip to the mountains amounts to a hard 'no'; it's just asking for too much monitoring of something that nobody ever monitors at all in street driving.

There's far more to handling feel than the few lbs of unsprung mass among your EB, GT, and PP test drives. Never mind that if not having quite enough brake puts you four-off and your alignment gets hosed that any notion of good handling just went in the toilet.


Norm

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