[alfa] Stainless steel shims for brake pads

[Jon Pike <jhpike@xxxxxxx>]

Interesting topic,  and I don't even race..

Have heard of this before..  thought I followed some link posted here 
months ago to a racing supply (Porsche?) that had maybe stainless, but 
definatley Titanium shims..  and Titanium is also a rather low conductor 
of heat.  Of course, it costs more $$! 
I am familiar with the various conductivities of metals, and the shim 
idea is good one,  and even better would be the second idea of having 
the entire back plate of the pad made of it.

The thought I wanted to contribute,  it might be worth it for the shim 
stock,  to find your local laser cutting shop or stamping shop, and see 
what kind of deal they might give you to cut some out...  Might be a 
large chunk,  but you'ld probabaly get 40 for the same price as 4. 
For the full backplate idea,  they'd cost a bit more,  but same kind of 
thing,  setup costs, then cut a lot of cookies.  Then,  dealing direct 
with a pad company could be a cool setup, especially if they're 
economically re-linable.  I would think that laser cutting would be the 
only option for cutting such a big slab as a pad plate.

Jon

77 Spider
Irvine, CA


> I was given five shims for the front brake pads on my Alfetta GT. The 
> one I have left is just plain sheet metal and is 0.0245" thick. For 
> three sides, should be fairly easy to cut, but you'll have a lot of fun 
> cutting the rounded top pieces and the two holes are horizontally oblong 
> - - .26" x .312".

> Have you considered making backing plates out of stainless, and then having a
> brake company attach friction compound to them?  I just had a set of brake
> pads made for my track-day car (Alfasud Sprint w outboard front brakes) for
> the same price as off the shelf race pads, were off the shelf pads available.
> The brake shop burnt the old material off an old set of pads, then attached
> the new race quality friction compound to those backing plates.  I wonder if
> it's worth making stainless backing plates when I have a second set made up.
>
>
>
> Regards,
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