GREAT IDEA! Has anyone done this? [Backing Plate Scoop]

[240Z_Master]

I was talking to Auston [240Hoke] and we were talking about the typical routing the air to the rotors like SCCA cars or what not.

 

But has anyone cut out a hole on the backing plate and welded a scoop to it? Nothing major, more like 18/20g sheet metal that gets bolted or welded onto the backing plate to direct air right onto the rotors?

 

If so, please show me pictures of how you cool your brakes via hoses/scoops whatever.

[JMortensen]

Early Z's (70, maybe 71) had this from the factory. The scoop stuck out about an inch and a half. I took mine off and threw them away, then I found out that they didn't all have the scoop built in...

[240Z_Master]

Yeah, I noticed that on early early 70's. My 10/70 didn't have it.

[260DET]

Sorry, its a nowhere idea. Better off getting rid of the front plate entirely, drill holes in the back one.

[240Z_Master]

Sorry, its a nowhere idea. Better off getting rid of the front plate entirely, drill holes in the back one.

 

Why do you say that? You say that a scoop behind the plate to vent air to the rotors is horrible?

[johnc]

If its a solid rotor, venting air to one side of it will cause the rotor to warp into a conical shape (but that really only applies to race track usage.) To keep that from happening you need to build a can that routes air to both sides of the solid rotor. If its a vented rotor, then ducting air to th einside center of the rotor helps to get more air out through the vents.

[240Z_Master]

If its a solid rotor, venting air to one side of it will cause the rotor to warp into a conical shape (but that really only applies to race track usage.) To keep that from happening you need to build a can that routes air to both sides of the solid rotor. If its a vented rotor, then ducting air to th einside center of the rotor helps to get more air out through the vents.

 

That makes sense, thanks for the info.

[260DET]

Why do you say that? You say that a scoop behind the plate to vent air to the rotors is horrible?

 

The brakes are in a low air pressure area, to be effective air has to be ducted in from a high pressure area, eg the front of the car. So rather than instal a scoop that is not going to do much at all, you are better off removing things like backing plates so as to better expose the bits that get hot.

[JMortensen]

If its a solid rotor, venting air to one side of it will cause the rotor to warp into a conical shape (but that really only applies to race track usage.) To keep that from happening you need to build a can that routes air to both sides of the solid rotor. If its a vented rotor, then ducting air to th einside center of the rotor helps to get more air out through the vents.

The early 70's had 4 vents in the rotor hat. I think that's part of why the scoop would work to a greater degree than on the later cars.

 

If you're forced to use solid rotors by the rules of a racing class that's one thing, but if not a vented rotor upgrade is very worthwhile IMO. Once there the scoop makes more sense since as John said the air will vent enter the center and exit the edge of the rotor, especially if the vanes in the rotor are curved since those curved vanes work like a squirrel cage fan.