MeanMonte Posted December 28, 2000 Share Posted December 28, 2000 OK OK so the normal driver doesnt need it but well lets say i know how to use the gas and brake pedals, in my camaro i have had problems with brake heat, i had a set of semi metalic pads smokeing, and then i upgraded to performance friction, well i have had them hot enough to fade and to give off the smell of brake overheating, anyhow i am thinking of cutting up the backing plates and adding air scoops on them similar to what my camaro has onlt larger to get more air any ideas this??? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted December 28, 2000 Share Posted December 28, 2000 My original Monte I purchased in 1970, the front pads lasted nearly 50,000 miles. 40,000 or more of that was open highway miles. When they needed replaced I put semi metalic pads on and they overheated and wore out due to the overheating and warped my rotors after 1500 miles. Not knowing any better, I put another set and new rotors on with the same results. Next I had a garage do the work for me but I purchased the parts, again semi metalic. They rebuilt the calipers, and replaced the perportioning valve, 1500 miles later they were bad again due to overheating. When I finally took it to Chevrolet, they told me the pads must be Organic pads not semi metalic or performance. The entire problem was the semi metalic pads are too hard and I think the performance pads are even harder. The organic pads are softer and do the job properly. I hope this helps Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 28, 2000 Share Posted December 28, 2000 There's a few things you can do. Drilled or slotted rotors help. DOT 5 brake fluid also helps but the seals in the calipers will need to be changed. I believe the stock seal will hold DOT5 but only if not first exposed to DOT3/4 - check into this more before attempting. Any air you can get to the brakes will help. Fresh ram air works the best. What are you doing with this thing? A good friend has a '94 1LE that he Autocrosses and he has very little problems with the brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2000 Share Posted December 31, 2000 I'm doing a full Pro Touring chassis for my Monte to go road racing with it next year. As far as brakes go, I'm installing 9C1 b-body spindles/calipers, as well as swapping rear disc brakes from a WS6 Trans Am. Â I've been racing a Monte Carlo (g-body version) in short track for over 3 years, and we had a problem with overheating there too. We actually found the [you said a naughty!], bottom-barrel $12/set brake pads worked the best, as the carbon fibre ones actually crystalized during feature races. Â IMO, work on cooling and a superior brake SYSTEM, and leave the pads as el cheapos. Don't run cross-drilled rotors, cuz they're crack prone. Slotted rotors tend to be toss up, cuz they can actually reduce braking force if they aren't cooled properly. The slots dispell the buildup of gas by-products from the brake pads/friction, but without the proper cooling, the heat transfers to every other part of the suspension far too quickly, rather than giving it time to dispel through the slots as much as intended. Â I'm gonna be running ducting off my front air dam to cool the front brakes, maybe even run flat plastic channel underneath the car to cool the back brakes from the same source. Â And ya, upgrading the fluid isn't a bad idea, but stay away from DOT 5 if it's a street car (unless you live in Cali or Arizona or something) -- DOT 5 turns to crap anywhere under about 10 degrees C, and any time it's not under serious heat, it's less than perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 2, 2001 Share Posted February 2, 2001 Dude, I don't know if you're even checking this post anymore, but it's funny you should mention brake cooling, because I was just thinking about it the other day. I don't know what year your Monte is, but mine is a '72, and I was thinking that with a '72, where the turn signals are in the grille, you could easily get a '70 bumper (maybe even fiberglass) and run duct work from the turn signal holes in the bumper up the air cleaner for a ram air effect, or to the brakes to vent air to the rotors. You could even probably find some small electric fans to place in he ducts to increase flow, if necessary. I'm not sure how difficult it would be to run the duct work to the rotors, or if the effects would be adequate, but it's something to think about, anyway. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 2, 2001 Share Posted February 2, 2001 wooooooooooow, that's friggin genious!! Â Gotta find one first tho lol.... I was gonna run some slots out of my under-bumper front air dam to brake ducts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Actually, I think you can get repro front bumpers at Year One, or Original Parts Group. www.usbodysource.com has a 'glass '71 front bumper, as well as 'glass rear bumpers. You can get the duct work from www.ramairbox.com. If you want to run the duct work to the air cleaner, they sell air cleaner housings for that, too. If you want to run the duct work to the brakes, you can buy just the tubing. I'm thinking about doing this myself, now that I see how easy it would be to get the parts.... Let me know if you try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Peters Posted February 3, 2001 Share Posted February 3, 2001 Rather than change the bumper I think I would but some kind of "air scoup" which you could mount behind the grille or just under th bumper with the tubes running to the brakes or air cleaner. I am sure someplace makes some kind of a scoup which is maybe an inch or two high and maybe several inches wide which could mount out of site so as not change the outward appearance of the vehicle. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanMonte Posted February 5, 2001 Author Share Posted February 5, 2001 Wow this is an old topic, ok well i have a 70 with a 70 style glass front bumper, i like the looks of the turn signals so they are staying in it, i am going to make a custom front air dam and i will probably run some flexible cooling tubing from holes in it to the backign plates and modify them a little bit to attach the hoses, im just using the car for street driving but i do some pretty extreme county cruising and i live in the hills so i get some seriouse use of my brakes. another alternative would be to use a setup similar to a second generation camaro which has small scoups built into the backing plates, btw even with these i have had my performance friction pads to the point of brake fade before if this tells you how hard i drive sometimes, anyhow good luck on your systems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanMonte Posted February 5, 2001 Author Share Posted February 5, 2001 why are u guys running organic pads, from what i understand the performance friction ones handle the heat better wouldnt these be the better choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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