CT5-V Track prep - Steel Brake cooling parts

[AdamUCF]

How necessary are the extra brake cooling bits for track days with the 5BW with steel brakes? They seem like a bit of a chore to install and I can't imagine swapping back and forth before/after track days.

Does anyone have experience tracking their car without them? Or leaving them on for normal street driving?

 

[Teutonaddict]

Late reply here. As I understood it, the 5BW's at the Cadillac V-Performance Academy were bone-stock, steel-rotor models, and they ran all day long without brake cooling issues. Only adjustments they make there is much shorter duration service intervals, whether oil, brakes, or rubber. Now each configuration at Spring Mountain Motor Resort is relatively short and low(er) speeds, but some of the instructors reported running the 5BW's on the connected configuration (4 track segments all together), again with no cooling issues.

I've not run my Blackwing at my home track (COTA) so I can't compare it to my previous V2 wagon. The long roof did need brake cooling on the back straight even with dedicated track pads and rotors, lol.

 

[Kawman]

I'm driving a 4BW. I did my first 5 track days without adding the kit and now leave it on, although I don't do a lot of street miles.

It's not just adding the air deflector, but also removing a plate that protects from debris getting up into the brakes.

 

[Carguyshu]

the kit is adding air scoops on the rear, which are just 3 bolts, switching out the front rotor shields for smaller ones that only protect the balljoints, and also just flat out removing the rear shields. I left mine in this config for street driving and have been fine. I don't drive on gravel roads so I don't care if debris hits the rotors more this way. Also be sure to remove the tire aero deflectors in front if you don't have CF1. I ran once with the stock dust shields on and got a brake overheat message. Never got an overheat message with the track config on. The cooler the brakes are the longer they will last. The pads and rotors aren't exactly cheap, so doing the switchover makes sense to do.

I also run on the street with the track alignment. I track enough that I still wear the outsides of the tire first instead of the insides even though I'm running the track alignment all the time.

In reply to

Teutonaddict they run both steel and CCB brakes at Spring Mountain on the blackwing and they run the cars with the track alignment and brake cooling components ON. The Blackwings there are actually loaned to them by GM vs the vettes they actually own. When I went they even had some preproduction cars in the fleet (you could tell by the steering wheel numbering) and those preproduction cars were missing some of the production car features such as the track map that covers the shift paddle holes on the steering wheel in the 6 speed cars​

 

[AdamUCF]

Late reply here. As I understood it, the 5BW's at the Cadillac V-Performance Academy were bone-stock, steel-rotor models, and they ran all day long without brake cooling issues. Only adjustments they make there is much shorter duration service intervals, whether oil, brakes, or rubber. Now each configuration at Spring Mountain Motor Resort is relatively short and low(er) speeds, but some of the instructors reported running the 5BW's on the connected configuration (4 track segments all together), again with no cooling issues.

I've not run my Blackwing at my home track (COTA) so I can't compare it to my previous V2 wagon. The long roof did need brake cooling on the back straight even with dedicated track pads and rotors, lol.

Pretty sure they install the track cooling bits. They weren't certain when I asked them but the instructors assumed it was installed.

I ended up partially installing the track cooling before a track day at Sebring. I swapped the fronts for the smaller shields but could not for the life of me get the rear caliper bolts off so I just gave up on it. I did add the plastic deflectors in the rear which is relatively easy to do. I didn't get any overheat messages and my front brakes were actually hotter than my rears according to my IR thermometer so I think the rears were cool enough. I left the smaller front shields on and pulled the rear scoops back off and will plan to add/remove them around track days since it's easy. I don't plan on messing with taking the calipers off again anytime soon since the bolts are so tough and I'm mildly incompetent when it comes to wrenching.

 

[CB34]

Late reply here. As I understood it, the 5BW's at the Cadillac V-Performance Academy were bone-stock, steel-rotor models, and they ran all day long without brake cooling issues. Only adjustments they make there is much shorter duration service intervals, whether oil, brakes, or rubber. Now each configuration at Spring Mountain Motor Resort is relatively short and low(er) speeds, but some of the instructors reported running the 5BW's on the connected configuration (4 track segments all together), again with no cooling issues.

I've not run my Blackwing at my home track (COTA) so I can't compare it to my previous V2 wagon. The long roof did need brake cooling on the back straight even with dedicated track pads and rotors, lol.

All of the 5BWs had CCBs when I went in January.