Heat Range of Brake Rotors?
 

Im looking into an IR Thermometer for the brake rotors and was wondering whats the hottest they usually get on the track? Thanks!

Wildly depends. Weight of car, type of pad, amount of grip, number of high speed braking zones, brake ducting etc.

Safe to say that the pads fail due to heat before the rotors do so when reading brake temps what you're really doing is seeing if you are in the heat range of the pads you're using. Any manufacturer of racing pads can tell you the heat range. When we talk of using different pads what we're really doing is adjusting the heat range of the pad.

We read rotor temps in order to rell us how hot the brake pads are. After all, the brake pads are what make the rotor hot.

Understood, mainly RX-7s. Is a 518' F high enough?

518F is not even close to being high enough. I'd try to find something with atleast a 1500F limit. Street car brakes can see 1000+ pretty easily.

The highest I think they make is 1000 or 1200 before they get expensive.

Check out this bad boy.
http://www.extech.com/instrument/pro...450/42545.html

Look around for paint that is specifically formulated for this sort of application. I know Pegasus sells it. Any high end racing supply shop should have it. Basically you put a small dab on the outside circumference of the rotor. It will turn colors when a certain temp is obtained. There are several different colors for different temp ranges. By using this you won't have to have someone take the temps as soon as you pull of the track. It can wait till your back at the paddock.

I can guarantee 1200 will be high enough, on a steel rotor.


MM

Looks like that 1800' one is pretty dam good. If anyone is interested in them btw let me know, my company just became a distributor so Im getting a deal, Im going to ask maybe to start a group buy or something.

Use the paint. The three temperature kits cost about $50 or so. Paint turns at (memory here) something like 750 degF (green), 1000 degF (red) and 1150 degF (orange). Color turns to white when temperature is met. Paint green-red-orange in order from front of the car to the rear each and every time to avoid confusion in reading. Performance Friction markets a paint that changes to different colors at different temperatures that's a bit more expensive but is nice to only have to paint one stripe vs. three.

All pro racers use the paint, even F1.

You'll easily see 1000 degF on a stock rotor on most road race tracks. You can reach that temperature on the street just by braking from 80 mph to 40 mph about 10 to 25 times in quickly at maximum deceleration on stock brakes and race compound brake pads.

Don't bother with pads marketed as street/track if you're going to do some hard-core lapping at a proper road course. They're too soft and can't take the temperature and will turn to dust quick.

On track cars I've also street driven, if the rotor's separate from the hub (easily changed), I have a dedicated set of front rotors and pads just for track duty :)

Temperature indicating adhesive strips are good for the calipers. Get them in a 300 - 550 degF range.

www.pegasusautoracing.com

Well I was thinking of just getting this cool IR gun, its like 130$ probably cheaper since my job may start to become a distributor. And it has a maximum of 1800' F.

Try this site too, good all around info on brakes
http://www.stoptech.com/technical/