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Sabelt HERO TB-9 Racing Boot “the fit feels like they are already broken in”

Customers are raving about the new Sabelt HERO TB-9 boot.  They have that worn/broken in feeling, provide instant comfort to get into the cockpit with great pedal feel.

Upper shoes made of soft, perforated leather.  They are lightweight and the sole is designed to improve grip and facilitate movement across the pedals thanks to their slim design.  Laces can be tucked underneath the velcro strap.

Red is our favorite but they also come in black or white in sizes 36 to 48!

HERO TB-9

 

 

 

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The new SABELT GT Pad Seat – One Shell, multiple pad options to fit everyone!

COMING BY END OF FEBRUARY 2018 – The Sabelt GT Pad Customizable seat fits just about everyone sitting in the driver’s seat! One size shell, you choose the size seat pads to fit you!  The base does not flare out so it will fit smaller cockpits like Miata’s.  The shoulders flare out some to allow for easier egress.  Great for multiple racers sharing one car – different sized drivers? You can get different sized pads that velcro in and out for driver changes.

Check out our interview with Erik from Sabelt explaining all the features.

• Shell in VTR developed using the know-how acquired thanks to the world’s leading experiences GT and WRC.

• Integrated head protection system

• Shoulders and hips designed according to the requirements of Regulation 8862 to improve the driver’s safety

• Rear structural reinforcement

• Ergonomic foam sections studied with CAD simulations and tested by our professional drivers to improve driving comfort.

• ADS-Air Ducting System: obtained thanks to the separation of the pad improves air circulation by increasing the seat’s breathability and improving driving performance.

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Big Brake Kit for Cayman… 987, 981, 718.

911 RSR AP Racing Radi-CAL Brakes for your Cayman…987, 981, 718!
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…c892d2966b.jpg

We’ve had quite a few of our GT3 customers ask us for a better brake system for their track toy Boxster or Cayman. They’ve complained about the OEM brake system’s pedal feel, lack of heat capacity, pad availability, etc. Our goal when tackling a new platform is always to build the ultimate brake system available for that platform. I believe we have succeeded in that objective once again. We just finished up our test fit of the 718 chassis this week. A few weeks back were the 981, and before that the 987. If you’re looking for the absolute best possible brake solution for your Cayman, we now have it!

Our systems revolve around AP Racing’s latest technology, the Radi-CAL caliper. AP’s Radi-CAL is now widely accepted as the leading technology at the elite level of motorsport. Porsche’s ultimate race car for 2017, the 911 RSR, features AP Racing Radi-CAL’s. You can read all about and watch a video on the development of the Radi-CAL and the impact it has had in racing in this blog post: The AP Racing Radi-CAL Story. We have now taken this technology and applied it to each generation of Porsche Cayman.

You can see all of the details in the links below:

987
Front
https://www.essexparts.com/essex-des…p9661355mm-987

Wheel fitment template: https://www.essexparts.com/storage/w…CP9661-355.pdf

Rear
https://www.essexparts.com/essex-des…28-987-981-718

Wheel fitment template: https://www.essexparts.com/essex-des…28-987-981-718

981
Front
https://www.essexparts.com/essex-des…1355mm-981-718

Wheel fitment template: https://www.essexparts.com/storage/w…CP9661-355.pdf

Rear
https://www.essexparts.com/essex-des…28-987-981-718

Wheel fitment template: https://www.essexparts.com/storage/w…l_template.pdf

718
Front
https://www.essexparts.com/essex-des…1355mm-981-718

Rear
https://www.essexparts.com/essex-des…28-987-981-718

Essex Parts Services Background & Porsche Products

Essex Parts Services is located in Charlotte, NC and has been in business for roughly 35 years. We are the exclusive North American importer and distributor for a number of high-end, European brands including: AP Racing competition brake products, Ferodo Racing Brake Pads, Mintex Racing Brake Pads, Spiegler SS brake lines, etc. You can learn more about our company here. For many years our focus was exclusively on professional racing. However, about five years ago we began taking the previously unavailable technology from pro racing and transferring it to the enthusiast and club racer.

We’ve been sponsors here on Rennlist for about a year and a half now, but we’ve mainly been focused on GT cars. Our AP Racing 2-piece J Hook discs have become the gold standard in the 996/997/991 GT3 & GT4 markets. These discs are derived from the discs we’re using in NASCAR Sprint Cup, IMSA, Grand Am, etc. Their metallurgy is incredibly stout, and they take an amazing amount of abuse. They are also inexpensive and relatively lightweight.

Competition Big Brake Kit Project Background

About five years ago we began developing a line of brake systems geared towards heavy track users. We call them our Essex Designed AP Racing Competition Brake Kits. We currently have applications for a host of popular racing/track day/AutoX/time trial cars: M3, WRX STI, Lancer Evo, BRZ & FR-S, Corvette, Mustang, Focus RS, S2000, etc. These systems are designed with the sole mission of making you go faster, and leverage the latest racing technology to improve performance. They focus on ultra-low weight, extremely durable materials, and inexpensive and readily available spare parts (pads and discs). They are built around components by AP Racing, arguably the top performance brake manufacturer in the world.

With these systems our customers have amassed a lengthy list of NASA and SCCA race and championship wins, time attack victories, rally and hill climb wins, lap records, etc. I’d highly encourage you to take a peek at our blog, which contains a slew of product reviews and race results from our customers. Below are some links to discussions about our Essex Designed Competition Brake Kits on other forums. Not only do these posts show the success that our customers have had with our products, they show the lengths to which we go to support our customers.

Corvette C7 Z06
E92 M3
BRZ / FR-S
Lancer Evo

Essex Designed AP Racing Competition Brake Kit Videos

Please watch the videos below to learn about our design philosophy, the components we use, and why they are superior to other available options.

Front System= CP9661/355mm

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…3896f95ae7.jpg

  • Does not require caliper removal for pad change
  • Common pad shape available from all pad manufacturers
  • Features AP Racing CP9661 Radi-CAL six piston calipers
  • 355x32mm, 72 vane AP Racing disc, with reasonably priced spare iron
  • Saves 4 unsprung lbs. from nose vs. OEM S brakes
  • Every component designed to resist the heat of extended track sessions
  • Pistons sized properly to allow for seamless integration with OEM master cylinder and ABS system
  • Designed to work with OEM rear brakes or our Essex/AP Racing rear BBK

With our front kit, we wanted to provide a solution for the most demanding environments our Cayman customers will likely face, while still having them fit inside 18″ wheels. We went with a six piston Radi-CAL , mated it to a 355mmx32mm AP Racing J Hook. The disc we used actually captured the 2012 Daytona Prototype Championship on the Action Express Corvette DP’s (cars capable of hitting 220 mph)! It is a heavy duty, 72 vane design that flows a ton of air. Despite being larger than the OEM S discs, it still weighs less!
Our front system very closely replicates the OEM front brake torque output. That means it will mate seamlessly with either the OEM rear brakes or our rear kit. The piston sizes were carefully determined so there will be no interference with ABS, etc.

We are currently working on a wheel fitment templates for all of the kits. On the 981 we used for prototyping, our kit cleared the customer’s wheels without a spacer.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…c4a9411a1a.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…7d40b42645.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…d5273b734c.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…0a58c66d33.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…b9ca5ab59f.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…a583e6297f.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…5790ba16ca.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…ed02ccbb64.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…87c61e4995.jpg

Rear System= CP9451/340mm

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis…f8a8e9c01b.jpg

  • Retains OEM parking brake functionality
  • Features AP Racing CP9451 Radi-CAL four piston calipers
  • 340x28mm, 60 vane AP Racing disc
  • Every component designed to resist the heat of extended track sessions
  • Pistons sized properly to allow for seamless integration with OEM master cylinder and ABS system
  • Designed to complement our front 986/987 Front Essex/AP Racing Radi-CAL Competition BBK

As with the front, our rear system is built around AP Racing’s Radi-CAL and J Hook technologies. The CP9451 caliper is a new design, featuring the same unique features as our front Pro5000R calipers. The 340x28mm disc is ample for anything even the fastest Cayman will ever throw at it, while still maintaining a low weight. Our rear kit maintains full parking brake functionality, just like the OEM setup. Weight savings on the rear vs. stock is significant, despite the larger components.

Wheel fitment template

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When is it time to replace my iron brake discs?

When is it time to replace my iron brake discs?

SOURCE:  ESSEX PARTS

07.01.2016

We’re asked a lot of tough questions in the racing brake business, but one of the most complex is, “When should I replace my brake discs?” It is nearly impossible for us to give a firm “yes” or “no” on whether a disc is still usable, safe, how much longer it will last, etc. There are simply too many factors involved. For example, running three 20 minute sessions at Willow Springs in a Miata with a big brake kit installed is surely going to produce less incremental stress on a disc vs. running a single lap in a stock 991 GT3 RS at Road America. However, precisely quantifying that stress is extremely elusive…horsepower, weight, tires, aero, disc size, # of vanes, wall thickness, slot pattern, metallurgy, pad choice, driver experience, track layout, and many other factors all come into play….variables, variables, variables!

Since quantifying a disc’s remaining lifespan is next to impossible, there are some best practices that you can employ to formulate a reasonable disc replacement schedule:

  • Be Responsible- It is the sole responsibility of the vehicle owner to decide when to replace their brake discs. You should never run a disc (or any component on your car for that matter) that you think is at all marginal, causes you any concern, makes you nervous, etc. Ask yourself if you would put your significant other or child in the car for some hot laps with that part installed. If there is any hesitation or the answer is “no,” don’t be a knucklehead and tempt fate. It’s not worth writing off an entire car or being injured over a couple hundred dollar disc that is nearing the end of its life.
  • Be Realistic- Always keep in mind that brake discs are a consumable item. Just as with pads, fluid, and brake lines, discs do not last forever. Repeated trips to over 1,000°F fatigues the metal, and they will always eventually crack to the point of being unusable and/or unstable. In many cases a set of brand new iron disc rings is no more expensive than a set of race pads. You wouldn’t intentionally run a pad all the way down until its backing plate was shooting sparks on the disc face, so don’t wait until your discs are falling to pieces to replace them!
  • Be Vigilant- One must keep a close watch on their brake discs at all times. You should be checking your brakes every time you check your tires or oil when you’re at the track (which should be every session).
  • Be Prepared- Finally, it’s never a bad idea to keep a spare set of iron rings and attachment hardware on-hand at the track, particularly if you’ve been running your current discs for a while. Iron disc rings don’t age like fruit. If you keep them in the oil paper in their original boxes, they can sit virtually forever in as-new condition. It’s a lot more fun to install a new iron disc ring during lunch than it is to pack up shop, forfeit your entry fee, say goodbye to your friends, and start the long drive home from the track due to a disc failure.

“So What Am I Looking At?”

We don’t want you flying completely blind, so below we’ve posted some pics of AP Racing J Hook discs in various states of wear. While a disc typically goes through several phases of degradation, there is no guarantee that it won’t fail prior to going through all of these phases. In other words, a disc may appear as-new at the beginning of a track session, only to appear terminally cracked at the end of that same session. While that is not the norm, it is not necessarily indicative of a malfunction or flaw in a disc’s construction.

Crazing and Initial Heat Checks

The initial stages of disc use typically show hints of small heat checks in the center of the disc (sometimes referred to as crazing). It’s not uncommon to see these tiny heat checks after one day or even session on the track. They are a natural result of the iron expanding and contracting with the massive temperature swings experienced at the track.

Expansion of Heat Checks

Over time those little checks in the center of the disc will grow larger and larger as shown below…


More abuse leads to more checks…

And more…


After enough heat cycles of expansion and contraction, the surface of the disc looks like a patch of arid ground.

Terminal Cracks

If you ever see any cracks on the outer edge (OD) and/or inner edge (ID) where the disc attaches to the hat, then you should immediately replace the iron ring. If any cracks in the disc face appear to go the entire way through the disc face, the disc should be replaced immediately. Below are some examples of a terminally-cracked discs.

There are two halves to every disc!

Don’t forget about inner disc face! Some people only peek through the wheels and look at the outer disc face. That’s a big ‘no-no.’ You need to get your head inside the wheel and check the inner disc half (the part not attached to the hat) in case something like this is hiding from plain sight:

Groove in the Center of AP Racing J Hook Discs

It’s not at all uncommon for AP Racing J Hook discs to develop a groove or ridge in the center of the disc where the J Hook slots converge (see pic below). That groove is a result of the J Hook slot design. We see it all the time across all applications, and it doesn’t in any way impact performance.


Here’s why it happens: If you notice where that ridge forms on the disc face, it’s at the termination of the J Hook slots. The pad material that gets scraped off the pad with each rotation disc rotation fills up the slots. If you think about the direction the disc is spinning, the ‘back’ of the J hook (the arced part) is leading into the pad. That pad material then exits at the tapered ends of the slots (see the red arrows in the image below). In the spot where that groove is, you’re getting pad material exiting from both ends of adjacent J Hook slots. In other words, at that spot in the center of the disc face, you have pad material exiting the ‘top’ of the J from the slot closest to the hub, and the ‘bottom’ of the J on the adjacent slot closest to the OD of the disc. As that pad material exits the slots, it rides along under the pad squeezing the disc, and digs a little groove into the disc face.

There are many thousands of J Hook discs in circulation at all level of motorsport, and we’ve never had a premature failure or performance problem in any way related to this type of groove forming on a disc. That includes winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship 8 out of the past 9 years, winning Le Mans 8 times since the year 2000 on the factory Corvettes, and a host of other championships. The groove looks a little funky, but that’s about it…nothing at all to worry about.

Minimum Disc Thickness

AP Racing does not have a published minimum thickness for their racing discs. Ninety nine percent of our customers will crack their discs long before they wear them thin. As a general rule of thumb however, if the J Hook slot pattern is mostly worn off the disc face, then it’s definitely time to replace them.

If you would like us to contact you regarding brakes/rotors for your application, let us know!