Here we go then with part two:
Friction level explained
Typical friction levels of original street pads vary from 0.25 up to 0.35
friction factor.
EBC greenstuff has 0.46 friction, and users will notice an immediate
improvement in brake in most cases. Remember friction level µ is only an
"indicator" not a guarantee of brake "torque". Many independent tests in
Europe however, have shown EBC greenstuff to be one of the most 'grippy'
compounds on the market today.
If you want to read more, please call us.
Rotor Condition
Be real careful on this. Scored rotors can extend bed in times by hundreds of
miles, plus brake will be severely reduced during break-in. Renew or skim
rotors, don't take risks. Our warranty does not cover use on heavily scored
rotors. Reduced contact area of scored rotors will cause fade and can cause
loss of brake. see a professional installer or mechanic for advice.
Servo or Non-Servo systems
If there is one great way to improve your brakes on older Non Servo systems,
it is to replace with EBC high friction greenstuff pads. Be sure that the
rest of the system is working effectively however, such as brake bleeding,
rotor condition, general effectiveness of hydraulic systems.
Weekend Warriors/Track Days
Many people use the EBC greenstuff in their street cars and at "track days". A
LWAYS take a spare set of pads, maybe even some EBC reds, in case you need to
upgrade at the track for longer life, and CHECK YOUR PADS BEFORE THE DRIVE
HOME, for wear limits. Replace if less than 1/8" friction material remains on
steel backplate. EBC red can be used
on highways/public roads, but is less responsive than green until warm and
will feel more like standard original brakes with a friction level of around
0.32
Spongy Brakes
Pedal travel often feels soft for a while after fitting new pads - allow time
for pads to bed in , especially if rotors are scored. Firmer pedal will
return after a period of driving. Exercise caution during break-in and
CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL if brake does not feel firm and responsive after
50-100 miles CAREFUL driving.
Choosing Ideal EBC Compound Grade
Street - always green
Street & Trackdays - green, then possibly red
Track use only (sport compacts) - red
Track use only (race cars) - red or yellow
Call EBC direct for more info.
Oversize Brakes.
If you have 2,000 USD to spend, without doubt go for an oversize kit and
multi piston caliper. You can never have too much stopping power. Oversize
kits can upgrade stopping by 40-50%. Don't forget though, just installing EBC
greenstuff pads can upgrade your standard set-up by 25-40% for around 100
USD. Without doubt, value for money and a simple first step to better brakes.
EBC Green/Red or Yellow pads are also available for most upgrade aftermarket
calipers.
Gold Coated (Zinc Plated & Gold Finish) Rotors
Look great and prevent corrosion in areas not swept by the pad BUT ... take
600-1000 miles to bed-in. Until ALL the gold is removed from brake surface,
stopping power will be poor and you may experience vibration. Some
"streaking" or lines may appear during bed-in, as the coating wears off -
these will also disappear within 300-400 miles. take this into account when
using gold coated rotors.
Contact addresses for technical information or customer service:
EBC Europe - EBC Buildings, Countess Road, Northampton, NN5 7EA, England.
Tel: (01604)-583344 Fax: (01604)-583744
EBC USA - 806 Buchanan Blvd, Unit 115-256, Boulder City, Las Vegas NV89005,
USA
Tel: (818) 362-5467 Fax: (818) 362-2196
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As I said earlier, a whole lot of bumpf...from EBC.
A word about 'Friction' or 'Friction Level' or 'Friction Factor' or 'µ' all
referred to by Messrs EBC in the first paragraph of this mailing, or even, as
they would have it, 'Grippy' ?
Hmmm, interesting, it seems that although they apparently know what they are
talking about, they don't quite know what to call it, or indeed quite how to
describe it!
More normally referred to as the Coefficient of Friction/Friction
Coefficient, or indeed µ.
Friction exists when two contacting surfaces either try to, or do slide
against each other. There is always resistance to sliding. This resistance is
called 'Friction Force' The Friction Force acts on the sliding surfaces at
their point of contact in a direction opposite to movement.
In a brake, there is friction between the friction material and the rotor
rubbing surface. The problem is controlling the amount of friction force and
using it to stop the car. The friction force depends on two things: types of
surfaces in contact and amount of force pressing the surfaces together. Each
of these has its own name. The force pressing the two surfaces together is
called 'normal force' or 'perpendicular force'. Because only engineers use
the word 'normal' for perpendicular, I'll use the word 'perpendicular' to
avoid confusion. It should be obvious that a higher perpendicular force
causes a higher friction force. If sliding surfaces are slippery, friction
force is low. If the surfaces resist sliding, friction force is high.
The "slipperiness" of a surface is described by a number called its
'coefficient of friction'. The value of this friction coefficient varies,
usually between 0 and 1. The friction coefficient for surfaces trying to
slide is given by the following formula: µ = Friction Force/Perpendicular
Force.
If the coefficient of friction is low, the surfaces are slippery - the
friction force is low. If the friction coefficient is high, the surfaces grip
each other better - the friction force is high.
Tires on a dry road have a high friction coefficient, but on ice, they have a
low friction coefficient.
To keep this short, I won't discuss the differences between static and
dynamic coefficients of friction, sufice to say that it is harder to start
something sliding than it is to keep it sliding. (been there, done that!).
In a brake, we are concerned about the coefficient of friction between the
friction material and the drum or rotor surface. For most brake materials,
the friction coefficient is about 0.3.
Good Friction Materials must exhibit the following:
Friction Coefficient must be high.
Friction Coefficient must not change with increasing temperature.
Should not wear rapidly.
Should not damage surface it rubs against.
Must withstand high temperature without failing.
Should not be noisy when brakes are applied.
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OK, that's more than enough from me, I would be interested to hear something
about the behaviour of Kevlar when used as a brake pad material when used on
real cars under real conditions.
Safe and Happy braking!
and Happy New Year to you all.
Léon F Guyot
Triumph Sports Six Club
International Liaison Secretary
1963 Triumph Vitesse 2-Litre Convertible
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