For those who track their cars:

You've undoubtedly noticed the caliper color change, but have you taken a look at the piston dust seal? After just 2 events, the seals in my calipers are cracking, and brittle from the heat. Once the seals are worn thru like this, dust and moisture can enter around the piston, and affect the piston seal. That would be disastrous.

Anyone else notice this? If not, check your calipers the next time you change out pads.

 

Make sure you don't have a pad bragging or a piston sticking.

 

Unlikely. This is my 2nd EVO, and it's happened on both cars.

 

Sorry to hear that. Time for a upgrade ??

 

what happened to the first one?

 

I'm going to try some cooling ducting first, then look into different seals that can withstand the heat better. I was hoping someone had already done it and could tell me what to do...

 

See for yourself...

 

Wow what happened? looks like you t-boned a telephone pole or something.

I have not checked my calipers yet but I was planning to rebuild my front calipers soon anyway. After reading your message I just ordered the rebuild kit from the dealer.

Front rebuild kit retail - $140.76, club DSM price $85.65

It should include new dust seals, I will let you know how it goes.

 

I am not surprized that the dust caps are cracking. Almost all the calipers that I have used crack the dust cap if used on the track (especially so if used with race pads). I drove around for 2 years with cracked dust caps before rebuilding the calipers. But I did stay away from rain and also no winter salt driving.

FYI, the Wilwoods do not even bother putting a dust caps in. They say to rebuild these often, but I did not do so for 3 years (~10K miles without issues) and it was just fine.

Oh, and I seriously doubt that extra cooling ducts will help your dust cap life. The ducts will help your rotors cool off faster, but I doubt it will help your dust seal life...

The solution would be to see if anyone makes high temp dust caps, made from similar material as the caliper piston seal.

 

oh man! is that from brake malfunction due to cracked dust caps??? that looks horible, glad you walked away.

 

Actually, it was a light pole, but yeah, same idea.

Where do you get the Club DSM pricing?

And dolet me know how the install goes, and what is the condition of the seals etc..

 

I was kinda thinking the same thing about the ducting. It might cool the system down a bit, but the contact area is going to get just as hot, and it's still going to be transferred to the calipers/seals, hich will build up heat and retain it. You'd need to direct air right onto the pads to make any difference at all.

 

No, it was from brain malfunction due to cracked open liquor bottles...

(and no, it wasn't me driving - I don't do that)

 

I currently have over 19K with several track days and I drive the car extremely hard on and off the track. I replaced the brake pads at around 10K, the dust caps looked fine at that point. The only thing that I might be doing differently is after every lap session and cool down lap, I keep right on driving for another 10-15min on the roads near the track to let the brakes cool. I believe that the thick, heavy, stock rotors just hold to much heat and a 3-4min cool down is just not enough after severe use.
One time I did not bleed the brakes between track days and managed to boil the brake fluid, I pulled in and did not do my usual cool down. I bleed the brakes and tried to go back out but ended up with pad transference. After properly skimming the rotors and continuing my cool down procedure I have not had another problem like that.
I used Carbotech Panther plus pads back at 10K, they are great on the track and actually dusted less than the stock pads, but they are noisy and after several thousand street miles they eventually ate the rotors. So I am looking for new rotors, once I get them I am switching back to the stock pads and will rebuild the calibers, probably within the next 2wks.
BTW for those who have never done this, caliper rebuilds are very easy to do.

A lot of the Mitsu dealers provide discounted pricing to club DSM members (it's a forum just like this one) http://www.dsm.org/g/ClubDSM.jpg , I believe each dealer has a different discount rate, I found that my local dealer gives a very substantial discount (30-40% depending on the part) . All you have to do is tell them you are with ClubDSM and ask for the discount.

 

Why would a caliper rebuild kit be more that $20-$30?? It's just new dust seals and some grease, right?

For that much money, are they also including new pistons too?