kirbans soft compound brake shoes

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Are these shoes any different than the stuff you normally buy at autozone? Can you just by 2 sets at the store, and just use the longer of the two on each side? It's been a while since i did rears (I never drive my car) and I cant remember if theyre symmetrical or not.

 

[86TexasT]

Just buy 2 sets of the "inexpensive" bonded shoes. I cut the drums on fast cut only, use '86 S-10 wheel cylinders.

 

[gpadilla1071]

Just wondering... I bought my car about 3 months ago and this website has been awesome. I have learned a whole lot and met quite a few great people in my area. Now, I have noticed that a lot of people keep recommending the S-10 wheels cylinders... Are they better than the stock? What are the benefits? I'm getting ready to do my rear breaks and I just want to make sure before I go start spending money. Sorry for the long write up. Thanks.

 

[86TexasT]

The S-10 wheel cylinders are larger diameter, thus more pressure to brake shoes. They fit right in the where the old g body cyl. were. Most us these to get more boost of the line, they hold better.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Yea, that mod, and the larger shoe mod, are tricks guys use to hold more boost at the line, so their launch is harder. Though, I'm starting to see some people complain that their brakes lock up while hitting the brake pedal now. Maybe that requires an adjustment to the proportioning valve? I'm not sure on that, or if its even possible on our cars but, I do know that my brakes work awesome and theyre bone stock. If I were you though, Id do the brake shoe mod first. Cuz if you find they suck, you can just change em around again. To install wheel cylinders, you have to yank off all the shoes anyways. But now you gotta bleed the brakes. So if you find the cylinders lock up your wheels, now ya gotta yank all the crap off again, replace the cylinder, then re-bleed the brakes all over again. But, heres the deal. Like with any car (especially ours) you cant just do one mod. what I mean is, is if you make your car capable of launching even harder, now ya gotta do stickier tires. but now, if you have too much hp (which is really easy) youre going to start breakin stuff. Now ya gotta do U joints. Maybe a driveshaft loop too. You start plantin all that torque down, other things are going to have to change. Remember that.

 

[turbojimmy]

Yea, that mod, and the larger shoe mod, are tricks guys use to hold more boost at the line, so their launch is harder. Though, I'm starting to see some people complain that their brakes lock up while hitting the brake pedal now. Maybe that requires an adjustment to the proportioning valve? I'm not sure on that, or if its even possible on our cars but, I do know that my brakes work awesome and theyre bone stock. If I were you though, Id do the brake shoe mod first. Cuz if you find they suck, you can just change em around again. To install wheel cylinders, you have to yank off all the shoes anyways.

My brother (Darkred87T) is one of the people who are complaining about the back wheels locking up. Most of the time you wouldn't notice the problem, but if you have to stop hard or in the rain it becomes obvious pretty quick.

He put in a Summit Racing proportioning valve yesterday and came over here so we could bleed it. It seems to have solved the lock-up problem but he had to adjust the valve the whole way out (meaning that it's taking 57% of the pressure away from the back wheels).

I just have Kirban's shoes on my GN w/ stock cylinders. I can hold enough boost at the track to fry the drag radials at launch. I'm not sure exactly how much that is, but since the tires can't handle it and I'm still able to get 1.5xx 60' times I'm not looking for any more right now.

Jim

 

[gpadilla1071]

Thanks for the info to all of you. Since I'm still learning I think I'll stick with the stock setup. But it is always good to know. Thanks.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

turbojimmy, you say that you can hold some really good boost? do they lock em up? if not, im happy to hear that. I'm going to run what youre runnin then. and Padilla, you still navy?

 

[turbojimmy]

turbojimmy, you say that you can hold some really good boost? do they lock em up? if not, im happy to hear that.

Yes, I can hold a decent amount of boost. I've never looked to see how much boost but it's more than I need with drag radials at the track. If/when I move to slicks maybe it will be different.

It's never locked up on me during a panic stop. With my brother's car (S-10 cylinders AND soft compound shoes), he was afraid to apply enough brakes to slow him down at the track for fear of locking them up. The proportioning valve seems to have fixed that.

Jim

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Cool. Soundin good.