disquieting-muse

No doubt vexed by the power of the new Dodge Viper SRT-10, GM has upped the anti with the launch of the 647 bhp Corvette ZR1. Not the latest Corvettes are lacking, as they have made quite a mark in endurance racing over the past couple of years with the 7-liter Corvette Z06. Instead of getting more power out of that big engine, GM has opted for a new version of the 6.0 liter job, now enlarged to 6.2 liters. Not only that, but this new engine is supercharged to increase power throughout the range, producing 140 bhp more than the Corvette Z06 7.0 liter unit. When the new engine was announced, GM estimated the power output at 620 bhp, but the power has been certified as 647 bhp or 104 bhp per liter! Pretty awesome. What GM calls the all-new LS9 V-8 engine, is in fact just the latest version of the small block design, with aluminum block and heads. It is still an old-fashioned pushrod-ohv unit, though. In naturally aspirated form it develops  430 bhp at 5,900 rpm, but with the supercha...

The Brake caliper is an important brake component. Most of today’s vehicles feature disc-braking system. Although generally used for front wheels, disc brakes are increasingly used in many cars and trucks for rear wheels as well. The brake caliper is fitted over the rotor and helps the vehicle to come to a stop by creating friction with the rotor. Rotors are metal discs attached to the wheels and they spin along them. The brake caliper is clamped over the rotor. Inside the caliper, there are brake pads which are a pair of metal plates.  One of these pads is called the outboard brake pad and the other, inboard brake pad. The outboard pad features towards the outside of the rotors and the inboard is toward the vehicle. When the driver steps on the brake, brake fluid generates hydraulic pressure inside the calipers. This forces the high-friction surfaces of the brake pads against the rotor. As a result, the rotors and the wheels attached to them slow down or come to a stop. The older ...