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Brake Math/Torque Spreadsheet

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:53 am
by Legacy777
I may have posted this before, but I've had some time to go through the spreadsheet and clean things up, and make quite a bit of improvements. The biggest being a 'Brake Torque Calculator'. Let's say you want to swap some WRX brakes onto your 90 Legacy. Choose your car from the drop down menu, and the WRX as what you want to go to, and the calculator will spit out the percent change in brake torque and whether the shift is frontward or rearward.

If you don't see your vehicle in there and have information on your car, please let me know and I will add it. Likewise, if you see anything that looks incorrect or suspect, please let me know.

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/s ... kemath.xls

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 3:39 pm
by professor
Pretty cool.

I put in what I did to the wagon (WRX in front plus performance pads all 'round) and it showed a 38% increase in front bias. I did not notice this so much because it seemed to me that the front was very weak in stock form, and with the warped rotors I had it was downright dangerous. It feels very well-balanced now.

The brake upgrade was definitely the best money I've spent. Calipers get old and getting essentially new ones plus rotors and pads for $150 is a steal.

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 4:39 am
by Psychoreo
im supprised there aren't more comments about this, so here's mine.

THANKS JOSH!!! this thing is amazing. I was all about adding WRX brake stuff up front and H6's in the rear, but after viewing this, i'm thinking 05 GT stuff. should be fun.

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:47 am
by jamal
Psychoreo wrote:im supprised there aren't more comments about this, so here's mine.

THANKS JOSH!!! this thing is amazing. I was all about adding WRX brake stuff up front and H6's in the rear, but after viewing this, i'm thinking 05 GT stuff. should be fun.
well, I already commented on it at USMB.

Why did it make you change your mind about the WRX/H6 stuff? It keeps the bias the same and is less expensive. I'm doing it, and with good pads I think the only time I'd have to worry about heat is on a track. Seems to me that LGT stuff would be overkill.

After playing around with that, if I had a turbo I'd keep the rears and get 4-pots. Better feel, better heat capacity, similar bias, and vented all around for the win.

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:18 pm
by Psychoreo
Yea, but the LGT stuff i can get damn near for free because i know someone that totalled one. body is damn near completely scrapped, but the brakes are still good. that and with a "performance pad" it should send ~10% of the brake bias frontward.

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 4:46 am
by Legacy777
Big issue with the LGT brakes is the need for 17" wheels

Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:15 pm
by Psychoreo
awww.....really? damn. Meh, then it's back to the wrx/h6 stuff

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:24 pm
by Imprezive
What program do I open thing thing with? I guess I'm not that computer savvy....

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:59 pm
by entirelyturbo
Imprezive wrote:What program do I open thing thing with? I guess I'm not that computer savvy....
MS Excel.

Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 10:36 pm
by AWD_addict
Wow, this sheet is awesome. Thanks Josh!

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 6:07 am
by Legacy777
Welcome

Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 7:24 pm
by Imprezive
Wow, this is pretty damn sweet! I am impressed!

Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:51 pm
by napphappy
AWSOME resource! Thanks

only input.
Line 55 & 56 on the brake data page. Its kinda confusing. I know there are a total of 4 pistons and they are different sizes. Is there a way to to do it so its easier to understand?

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:25 pm
by BAC5.2
Josh,

Is there a way to input information? Like if I were to use an aftermarket caliper, how to determine biasing and percentages and such?

Also, you say the effective rotor diameter of STi 4-pots is 10.02" but the 02-05 WRX uses a 9.72" effective rotor. With a quarter inch + difference, how can people use OE WRX rotors with STi 4-pots? Mistake on your part or misguided people using STi 4-pots with USDM WRX rotors?

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 8:09 pm
by Legacy777
napphappy wrote:AWSOME resource! Thanks

only input.
Line 55 & 56 on the brake data page. Its kinda confusing. I know there are a total of 4 pistons and they are different sizes. Is there a way to to do it so its easier to understand?
If you have any suggestions on how to change things I'm open for suggestions. I thought about it when I was putting this together, and really didn't come up with anything better.

Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 8:23 pm
by Legacy777
BAC5.2 wrote:Josh,

Is there a way to input information? Like if I were to use an aftermarket caliper, how to determine biasing and percentages and such?

Also, you say the effective rotor diameter of STi 4-pots is 10.02" but the 02-05 WRX uses a 9.72" effective rotor. With a quarter inch + difference, how can people use OE WRX rotors with STi 4-pots? Mistake on your part or misguided people using STi 4-pots with USDM WRX rotors?
There's not a user-defined input section. I suppose it's something I could look into adding at a later date. What kind of information were you looking for? Just brake torque percent change between stock and aftermarket?

You can play with this brake bias calculator as well...
http://www.tceperformanceproducts.com/b ... lator.html

As for the effective rotor diameter. That information is correct (per the fsm).

Effective rotor diameter is a calculated number, but the easiest way to think of it is the actual rotor diameter minus the pad height. Or for effectived disc radius, you subtract pad height divided by 2.

What that is giving you more or less is the point at where the centeroid of the pad is contacting the rotor. With the 4-pots, the pistons I believe are set further toward the perimeter of the rotor. Because of this pad shape will be different and the effective disc diameter will be different. If you look at the numbers, that works out to be that the 4-pot pistons are .16" further outward then the wrx 2-pots.

The caveat to this is that the method I mentioned above to find effective disc diameter is a reasonably good approximation, but not hands down accurate. Here's an excerpt from an email I got from one of the guys I had been chatting with at TCE. He emailed someone he knows at ford designing brakes.

"/Todd, mostly just giving you a hard time about the ER, technically you need to find the centroid of the area of the pad, and the distance from there to the center of the rotor is the ER, but, it's tons more work, and requires more info (like the the entire pad shape) and the answer will virtually always be within a couple of mm of your calculation"

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:57 pm
by Legacy777
I got a pm regarding effective disc diameter/radius and what it is. I wanted to post it in this thread in case any one else is curious.

In terms of calculating torque, torque is nothing more then force (lbs) x distance (moment arm) (ft/in), which gives you units of ft-lbs or in-lbs of torque.

In terms of braking, your brakes apply a torque opposing forward motion. The effective radius is the moment arm/distance from the center of the applied force (ie centroid of the brake pad) to the center of the rotor.

If this still isn't clear let me know.

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:52 pm
by BAC5.2
Ahh, gotcha. I thought you were talking about overall brake rotor diameter.

My bad.

Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:01 am
by Imprezive
Cleared things up just fine. I thought it was the radius of the circular area where the pad makes contact with the rotor....if that makes sense...