Nerd’s Eye View: Rowe Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

,

Here is a better view of the tool.  I’ve never seen one before but it looks like a very simple device used to push the brake pads and pistons apart with the long handles giving leverage.  Look closely and you can see the upper handle is hinged and attached to the thru-rod.  Pull the upper handle away from the lower handle, and it pulls the rod inwards causing the two plates to come together.  Squeeze the upper handle towards the lower handle line in the picture here, and it pushes the rod separating the two plates.  Voi                 la, a simple tool to push apart your pads and pistons making for an easy brake pad swap.

 

Another cutout is used in the wheel well area cool down the muffler.  A mesh screen acts as the rear of the wheel well covering the escape tunnel for air.  On the left edge of the picture is a high pressure air cylinder sitting on a dolly so that it can be wheel around quickly to reduce work time.  The air cylinder can provide air for the lug nut guns and probably the air jacks too.  It’s just another step to make working on the car easier and quicker.  Oh yeah, a set of 6-piston Brembo calipers clamp down on pizza pie size two-piece rotors.  The caliper has the piece of tape on it reading the temperature giving the mechanics a quick read to make sure things are kosher. 

 

Here is a close-up of the left front.  The air duct pumps air to the carbon fiber shroud around the brakes for cooling.  It appears a lot of anti-dive geometry is built into the front suspension.  See the little ‘VL’ written at the top of the KW Motorsports damper?  That identifies this damper as being the front left.  Being organized and able to quickly identify parts is critical to success in racing.  In case of an accident, the team knows exactly which part to grab out of the parts bin.  Or if they have to do any spring rate changes or take the damper off the car, they know exactly where it goes back.

 

I believe the brake ducts grab air from the trapezoid shaped opening next to the upper dive plane.  Another hellafunctional lightweight tow hook is used on the front of the car.

 

The rear brakes use a Brembo 4-piston caliper.  The KW Motorsports rear damper along with the external reservoir sit in the wheel well.  There looks to be a fair amount of anti-squat in the suspension geometry.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*
*