Neil F

This is a follow on from a question raised in the General Forum regarding brake fade on STi5s (later bumper). See

Stef

The bumpers from MY99-on have a small duct attached to the underside on both sides on the bumper.
Whilst it certainly won't channel as much air as the duct on earlier cars, I doubt either of them are efficient enough to stop fade. That would be down to pad choice and how hard you brake more than anything else.

Stef.

Neil F

Thanks for the reply Stef.
There has to be some reason for the difference of opinion/experience seen in the original thread.
I agree(d) with you, that the Mintex pads I fitted prior to Brands must have given me an advantage over standard pads.
With the experience of the STi5 drivers and AndyMac (98 Terzo?; early bumper) taken into account I can only assume that the ducting does make a difference.
As brake fade is largely down to disc and pad temperatures, surely air-flow to that region is imperative if you want efficient brakes.
This subject has been covered before, with some people going as far as cutting holes into the brake disc backing plates and hosing air straight through it (although this degree of channeling can apparently lead to one side of the disc cooling more than the other and causing cracking anyway!).
I was expecting that late bumper owners would have said that there was a box scoop of some sort hidden below the line of the bumper and set back "out of site" to cater for the loss of the original, reasonably substantial, air ducting. Your reply Stef suggests there isn't.
If this is not the case, then I would think this should be one of the first brake upgrades on the later cars; get some air to the discs!

Anyone else got any views on this? Mr Croney, Mr Felstead?

Neil.

North Ursalia

Those of us in the US of A with the RS's have the small cut in the lower lip for the brake ducts, but no actual brake ducts! We have a dealership here who can and does get us the mudguard with brakeducts from the WRX's- link is here:

https://ssl.autocenter.net/webparts/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Brake_503.html

Brian

CharliePsycho

I mentioned this before on this forum about brake ducts on the P1 going nowhere... Mike at scoobymania mentioned that he might be doing some ducts in the near future.

I have since put some home-made ducting in directing air at the hubs (The P1 already has cut outs on the brake dust shields) and this has noticably reduced fade...
ACID-TEST: three major roundabouts one after the other, I used to have major league fade by the third, now I don't.

OK maybe not the most scientific test in the world, I'll have to test it on a track at some point, but I have much more confidence in the brakes after I give them a pounding now.

gregh

Scoobymania do indeed have brake ducting available, £70 I believe!!!

Greg

CharliePsycho

As if I don't have enough problems with the front dragging on the ground.

I think the whole point is to utilise the existing ducts that are just under the indicators on the front bumper (on the picture in scoobymania they are the brown/orange grills). These things are just blanked off inside. I have fitted some ducting to thes and brought it to the suspension mount just inside the inner wing.

As an aside... Mike if you are reading this, doesn't it worry you using plastic ties to hold your ducting to the suspension arms? From experience that will last less than 100 miles before it gets ripped off. That is why I cut mine off at the inner wing, as we used to see a lot dragging on the ground where people had tied them to the lower arm...

TRIGGER

Having driven both a sti 4 and my00 uk car at the track, I can tell you that my00 brakes smoked and faded, sti4 brakes were fine. Only real difference I could find was ducting, as brakes all standard. Seems to me that the ducts work.