hey all - going around at ~40mph seems to wear out your brakes a lot faster. I am looking for the best brake upgrade for a 2018 E6.
If this has already been discussed please link me. I did a search and didn’t see anything for 2018+
Thanks!
Forward facing JATO pack with the rocket motors wired for individual firings
/first!
Tried that. Still need más power.
@AssyRequired has a spare anchor maybe he will sell
I’ve always wanted to do one of these. It’s more of a parking brake than a stopping/assist brake. Tough to reset.
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These would also be fun, but also a need to get out and reset after every stop. Probably only an emergency thing.
I don’t think anyone has addressed a new brake mod or solution
for the late Generation Gem/WAEV 2016+ machines yet.
I has always baffled me as to why Gem engineers went after the big holed cheese grater cross drilled rotor mod. Sure, it looks cool and has roots from the racing cousins, but that only removes friction surface area needed for the whole “slowing the car down” thing. Yes, it probably also shaves the brake pad faster too. Never mind that the consumable in this design (the brake pad itself) is not much thicker than a soda cracker to begin with.
The cool thing about this forum is that we all get to share these ideas and when someone finds the solution then they can point others to that solution.
@eltakeiteasy - You could be that guy!!
I am not that guy but I have a feeling that you might know that guy?
Without thermal imaging of how the brakes are getting hammered its anyone’s guess. It is a small disc, its going heat up quick when you stomp the brakes.
Could also be a simple as that was what was already in the parts sypply chain. I dont know where the normal gem parts came from. The eM1400’s had 4 wheel cross drilled vented disks before any other gem simply because the eM is based on a Ranger 500 and that what it has. eMs also have a heavy duty brake option, i have them, the pads material is like 1/2"+ thick. But also the eM can haul like 1500 lbs in the bed.
I recall i think it was @LithiumGods talking about ceramics at one time, but i don’t know if he ever implemented them.
Realistically between regen and brakes, unless the gem is fully loaded, you would think you can stop pretty damn quick. If anything, maintaing a rolling contract surface on the rubber to asphalt and not skidding out of control is going to be the difficulty. I feel a gem simply doesnt have the power to pull itself out of a skid. FWD, underpowered, crappy tires, you get one of these drifting sideways youre fvcked.
I believe @Old_Houseboater said he swapped front and rears one time on a pre2004, the pos spun itself it a circle..
It is my understanding that cross drilling does two things.
- It gives water a place to scrape off rather than get stuck in between the disc surface and the pad.
- In extreme stopping conditions, it allows pad gasses a place to go (think racing)
Otherwise, cross drilling does not do much for cooling (I’ll try and find test data).
If a designer was worried about overheating and needed cooling, then you would have thicker rotors and radial vents. (as in HD applications in cars and trucks.)
Did i get it bassackward? Totally possible.
Then it’s for wet weather performance. Which makes more sense.
eM has both vent & cross drilled on one axle. Other is drilled.
One word, regen. I’m not sure how to do this with oem controller, but easy with an aftermarket programmed./like Sevcon.
I believe oem uses a switch on brake pedal if you prefer two pedal driving. I had a cart that e-braked when first touching pedal. Maybe it was the little Zenn.
How are you getting 40mph?
2013 is when Polaris starting using Razer parts on the Gem, it make sense. The cross drilling doesn’t do much for cooling( the slits you sell on rotors does it better) Probably originally done for marketing more than anything. I did the ceramic upgrade to eliminate dust. Had White wheels on the Gem and they would get dirty pretty quick, On all the performance Gems I built I would always add some regen. Even at 40 mph they would stop quick, tires the limiting factor. I forget how much 2013+ Gems are until I work on someone’s pre 2013 and think “what a pos” and hopefully not saying it out loud. Not to mention @JarJarJava favorite 2000 - 2004’s he loves so much. I don’t even want to test drive one of those for a customer.
I was staying away from this because Regen was one of the first questions @eltakeiteasy asked about in his first ever post (17 days ago).
That thread seemed pretty much satisfied.
How are you getting 40mph?
It looks like he is using SpdBx
Didn’t see what battery your are running, but a lithium will add a good amount of regen to your Gem. When you touch the brakes, the low internal resistance of the lithium causes the Gem to regen harder. Almost too hard