Ceramic brake repair expensive

[Purple Haze]

I've heard ceramic brake repair or replacement is incredibly expensive so I will order my new 2017 ACR without this type. True???

[Martin]

I'll bet we see plenty of differing opinions on this one. One thing is true - if the rotors get damaged in some way (gravel thrown into them, something stuck between the pads and the rotor, pads run down to the metal and gouge the rotors), that will definitely be expensive. During normal usage, the CC rotors should last the life of the car, so won't be any more expensive than the iron rotors, all things considered.

My dealer got me a little worried about this because he's got a few customers that opted for the iron rotor setup because they were afraid of ongoing costs. Then I did some research, and I'm confident it's not going to be a problem. Plus, the CC brakes work so much better than the iron rotors - and they don't rust or throw as much contaminants onto the wheels during usage. So, I went with CC brakes.

[genVer]

As amazing as the CCB's sound I too didn't want to stress over their maintenance costs. That coupled with the challenge of finding suitable track wheels led me to order mine with the standard steel brakes. If money was not a concern for me I certainly would have gone CCB but I tracked my GTS with the two piece Stoptechs and they performed wonderfully.

[NT-ACR]

I've heard ceramic brake repair or replacement is incredibly expensive so I will order my new 2017 ACR without this type. True???

Assuming the ACR's rotors are similar to the Corvette's, you could potentially have them refurbished by SICOM. Last time I checked was when I was looking at brakes for my Scuderia and the prices were 950€ (Front) and 890€ (Rear) for each disc, 100€ for shipping, and 700€ deposit for each disc. Basically, you sent them your rotors and they sent you refurbished ones.

[1of1TA1.0]

My opinion is to order with the CCB's. You can get an aftermarket Iron Rotor set up from Racing Brake if you desire to for the track. Keep the CCBs for the street and for higher resale value down the road. It's cheaper to have them on the car from the factory than to add latter.

[ViperGeorge]

I've not yet bought an ACR. However, when I was specking one I was going to go with the steel rotors for the same reasons. In addition finding 19 inch tires for the front (other than the Kumhos) was darn near impossible. Steel brakes (same as the TA) would allow for more wheel and tire options. The wheel/tire choice would have been my primary reason for going with steel brakes. I drive my cars a lot, including in the rain, and the Kumhos would not make me comfortable on the street especially in the rain.

In addition, the Kumhos are not legal for the Cannonball One Lap of America which is an event I have run for 18 years. In fact SRT was going to enter two ACR-Es last year but pulled out because their tire choice was not legal. Plus the tires must last for 5,000 miles or so of driving plus a track event every day for a week. Kumhos would have been challenged to do this I think.

[Purple Haze]

Thanks for the data everyone...

[VENOM V]

I am a big fan of the CCBs, I am not going back to iron. 140 MPH at turn 1 at Laguna Seca, threshold brake at the turn 2 hairpin, lap after lap with no fade. Wow. No more swapping pads and rotors between street and track. That is a major bitch and a time sucker. I struggled to keep my iron brakes alive on my GTS, even with track pads which you can't drive on the street. If I were to run iron brakes I'd upgrade to 6-piston fronts anyway. If you shop around, you can find the replacement CCM pads and rotors for A LOT less than MSRP. PM me if you'd like to know where I buy.

Todd

[ACRucrazy]

I chose CCB
Free with the ACR interior

[ek1]

Ccb.

[Nemesis]

This fear of the CCB's and the misinformation has to stop. There are quite a few that have made the mistake (IMO) of ordering the ACR with the steel brakes, and if they are driving the car as it was intended to, then they don't have the braking capacity that they need to slow this car down lap after lap ( I have a 2013 GTS with the track pack and a 2014 TA and track both). Dodge built and tested this car in extreme conditions to withstand any abuse we thing we can throw at it. You can't do what they did.. If your going to order and ACR, then get what your paying for and enjoy it. If you want to throw steels on it after the fact because the price point on the pads don't work for your budget, then fine, but get the CCB's otherwise your going to impair the value in the long run.

[Rapidrezults]

CCBs all the way.

As a side note, I just got back from the Bondurant 4 day where we drove the piss out of TA 2.0's with the steel brakes. I had the pleasure of driving two different cars, both of which had that annoying TA brake rotor drone and slight pedal vibration under hard braking. My TA 1.0 also had this. Aside from all of that, the TA brakes are pretty darn good overall, but in comparison no where near the CCBs of my ACR.

As others have mentioned above, there are just too many benefits with CCBs to pass on them.

[FSTENUF]

Buying a ACR E with out the stopping power of CCB's is like buying race horse and putting ice skates on it. Going fast is easy stopping is the bitch!!!

[IndyRon]

If I'm going all out and getting an ACR-E, theres no way I would skip the CCB's.

[lmcgrew79]

Steel brakes on a ACR-E here, they work perfectly fine lap after lap with racing pads, the main advantage is they offer more pad options and tire options. I do bleed the brakes sometimes after day one of tracking because i'm very aware of brake pedal feel. I've also seen others with carbon brakes do the exact same thing. I'm at 5000 miles now with my acr and 11 track days, not concerned with resale right now or even for quite some time as this is the last acr we will probably see. If your selling the car in the long run and its been tracked on carbon brakes i would assume the buyer would want to know how worn the carbon discs are, with Steel brakes it's pretty obvious if they need replaced or not. I got steels with the intention of running the srt kit after i wear them out. The limiting factor for any brake system is the tires, and i assure you the steel brakes on a acr will still go full abs if that is what you want. If i didnt go to the track a lot i probably would have opted for carbon brakes, they are pretty. I like to run racing slicks, and yes ive ran the kuhmos and corded 4 front tires in 2 days, so that isnt an option. At this point there is some steel replacement rotors offered for the acr and some 18' wheel options so you can swap tires. Its really a personal call as you are not going to turn faster laps in an acr with carbon brakes vs steel brakes, there is many more variables that come into play other than brakes, and if braking correctly your not going to over heat steel brakes in a 30 session. The cost of a track weekend minus consumables is 1000-1500 dollars, add in consumables and the price goes up alot. If money is no object run the carbons, if you not going to the track more than 2 times a year run the carbons, if your a track junkie like myself and go to the track 12 weekends a year and have some sort of budget look for other options than carbons.

[darrahc]

Went with steel as well and have had ZERO problems with brake fade. In fact, probably the best braking system I have ever experienced. The limiting factor for me for faster lap times has absolutely nothing to do with the brakes. Not sure why you would be changing out rotors and pads for driving on the street. Seems like a huge PIA with no real benefit.

Also, the CCB's aren't 'free' when you order the ACR interior. If you order steel, the price is reduced.

[darbgnik]

If I were ordering an ACR, I would take the CCB's, and I do track mine. I'd sort the costs out later, and also agree the resale will be higher with them.

That being said, I run aggressive track pads on my steel rotors, and don't switch them out for the street. Why would I swap them back and forth? Much too lazy for that. Sure they're noisy like an old city bus, but, because racecar, lol.

[VENOM V]

Luke brings up the key points. Totally agree that the CCMs limit tire choices and that overall they more expensive to run, but not by a ton.

Brakes and tires are the two areas where top drivers may not agree as there are pros and cons so choose what you prefer. I do believe that I will turn faster laps with CCMs at some tracks, Laguna for sure. For my first two years I could track there on stock Track Pack brakes on my GTS without issue. Now I am much faster and harder on the brakes, and I know people that are harder on them than me. CCMs allow you to push harder braking deeper and turning faster laps in my experience.

[VENOM V]

If I were ordering an ACR, I would take the CCB's, and I do track mine. I'd sort the costs out later, and also agree the resale will be higher with them.

That being said, I run aggressive track pads on my steel rotors, and don't switch them out for the street. Why would I swap them back and forth? Much too lazy for that. Sure they're noisy like an old city bus, but, because racecar, lol.

I have yet to find a serious track pad that works well on the street. Not just the noise, I got spotty pad build up on the rotors leading to hot spots which ruined the rotors, rapid rotor wear, you name it. The only street/track pad that worked well enough on the street were HP+, but that is an entry level pad with too low of a heat range for the advanced driver. The CCMs solved it for me.

On my GTS, i had to replace a caliper because my pads overheated and wore down to the steel backing plate, also ruining the rotors. I am glad to be rid of the never ending battle with iron rotors.

[ViperGeorge]

I have yet to find a serious track pad that works well on the street. Not just the noise, I got spotty pad build up on the rotors leading to hot spots which ruined the rotors, rapid rotor wear, you name it. The only street/track pad that worked well enough on the street were HP+, but that is an entry level pad with too low of a heat range for the advanced driver. The CCMs solved it for me.

On my GTS, i had to replace a caliper because my pads overheated and wore down to the steel backing plate, also ruining the rotors. I am glad to be rid of the never ending battle with iron rotors.

Try Raybestos 45s in front and 43s in rear. I leave them on all the time. Not noisy, not overly dusty, gentle on the rotors, come on at ambient temp, and they are good to like 1500 degrees.

[darbgnik]

So far no funny buildup from the Carbotech pads I've been using, but honestly I don't drive it to the mall very often, or anywhere else much, between track days, for that matter... so I assume results will vary. I will monitor them though, thanks Todd.

If it becomes a problem, I may try those Raybestos jobbies, as I'm assuming in the future, I'll still be too lazy to swap them, lol.

[AZTVR]

Do you guys who leave your race brakes on for street use, bed the brakes in again before tracking? I was under the impression that low speed braking (street use) would cause the bedded material to be scraped from the steel rotors. I don't doubt that there are pad material and amount of street use variables to be considered.

[VENOM V]

Try Raybestos 45s in front and 43s in rear. I leave them on all the time. Not noisy, not overly dusty, gentle on the rotors, come on at ambient temp, and they are good to like 1500 degrees.

I ran those pads on my Mustang race car, they worked flawlessly. If I still had iron brakes I would give them a try.




Do you guys who leave your race brakes on for street use, bed the brakes in again before tracking? I was under the impression that low speed braking (street use) would cause the bedded material to be scraped from the steel rotors. I don't doubt that there are pad material and amount of street use variables to be considered.

Yes I did

[ViperGeorge]

Do you guys who leave your race brakes on for street use, bed the brakes in again before tracking? I was under the impression that low speed braking (street use) would cause the bedded material to be scraped from the steel rotors. I don't doubt that there are pad material and amount of street use variables to be considered.

I leave the Raybestos pads on all the time. They work well on the street and I do not bed them again before a track event. It is important to properly bed them initially. 10 hard stops from 60 to 10, drive for 20 minutes trying not to hit the brakes, and then 10 stops hard stops from 100 to 10. Drive another 20 minutes to cool the brakes and you're good to go. Brakes will smoke during bedding, this is normal.

Once the brakes have been bedded in I have never had a pulsating pedal with the Raybestos. I have with virtually every other pad I've used though.