Some clarity on my Brembo brakes...

[GR_TVR]

Hi all,

I'm looking to change my front discs and pads - they were on the car when I got it so I don't know much about what discs and pads I should be using.

I see talk of Brembo set ups being 324mm, however I'm 90% sure my discs are only 300mm. So a few questions...!

1. Is this possible? Or have I been a numpty and measured it wrong.

2. If 1 is possible, I think the discs are from an ST170 - but what will the pads be from? I don't know if these are the same calipers as a 324mm set up and hence the same pads are used - or not?

3. If they are the same calipers, what would be involved in upping it to 324mm and should I?

Here's a quick photo...



Thanks!

[N7GTX]

Eurocarparts list these Brembo pads for use with ST170 Focus (300mm) discs (use registration number YS03 DPX to find them)

https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Ford_Focus_2.0_...

With 300mm discs and Brembo calipers I think you have all the stopping power you need. The original calipers and discs were far inferior to those you have. If you do go bigger, don't forget the rears will need to be increased to maintain a good brake balance front/rear.

Edited by N7GTX on Tuesday 24th October 09:35

[rigga]

The 324mm discs are off mk1 focus rs with BMW. E38 sourced Brembo calipers, lots use that set up on here, mine have been on probably the longest and have zero issues, neither do you have to upgrade the size of the rears to maintain balance, at 300mm I suggest your calipers may be from another model of car, Brembos were fitted as OE to many different manufacturers, I had some Alfa sourced one's before I settled on my current set up.

[N7GTX]

rigga said:

The 324mm discs are off mk1 focus rs with BMW. E38 sourced Brembo calipers, lots use that set up on here, mine have been on probably the longest and have zero issues, neither do you have to upgrade the size of the rears to maintain balance, at 300mm I suggest your calipers may be from another model of car, Brembos were fitted as OE to many different manufacturers, I had some Alfa sourced one's before I settled on my current set up.

Really? Focus ST170 discs are 300mm as I fitted them to mine and used Mk 3 Mondeo calipers.
The OP is correct when he says he believes they could be from an ST170.

You can get Focus RS Mk1 324 discs from Burton Power among others - Mk 1's use 4 stud fitting.

I would not go to such a large front without increasing the rear braking.

[QBee]

What size wheels are you running? That may define what size brakes you can run

[rigga]

N7GTX said:

rigga said:

The 324mm discs are off mk1 focus rs with BMW. E38 sourced Brembo calipers, lots use that set up on here, mine have been on probably the longest and have zero issues, neither do you have to upgrade the size of the rears to maintain balance, at 300mm I suggest your calipers may be from another model of car, Brembos were fitted as OE to many different manufacturers, I had some Alfa sourced one's before I settled on my current set up.

Really? Focus ST170 discs are 300mm as I fitted them to mine and used Mk 3 Mondeo calipers.
The OP is correct when he says he believes they could be from an ST170.

You can get Focus RS Mk1 324 discs from Burton Power among others - Mk 1's use 4 stud fitting.

I would not go to such a large front without increasing the rear braking.

I never said he DIDNT have st170 discs, I just pointed out where the bigger discs and calipers are sourced from, read it again, its not hard to understand , good for you if you wouldn't run bigger brakes without increasing the rears, many on here have without issues.

[GR_TVR]

I've got 17" RL7s so shouldn't run into any size issues as far as I'm aware.

It sounds like I might have to take the pads out and have a look at them to determine what I've got/need.
If I did measure them correctly at 300mm then I'm pretty sure the ST170 discs will be the ones - however the pads from the ST170 won't fit as I believe they were single pot, whereas my brakes are twin pot and (I think) have 4 pads per caliper.

Guess I'll just have to stop being lazy and have a look

[Classic Chim]

They look similar to mine and mine came off a 7 series BMW and I’m using 7 series pads with Focus 324 mm discs.

Here’s an old pic of mine before fitting.

[Classic Chim]

Or this one

[GR_TVR]

Yep they certainly look the same!

I've probably just measured it wrong

[Classic Chim]

There is a possibility Caprisport who make the brackets can supply them to fit 300mm discs.

Measure twice, buy once

[N7GTX]

rigga said:

N7GTX said:

rigga said:

The 324mm discs are off mk1 focus rs with BMW. E38 sourced Brembo calipers, lots use that set up on here, mine have been on probably the longest and have zero issues, neither do you have to upgrade the size of the rears to maintain balance, at 300mm I suggest your calipers may be from another model of car , Brembos were fitted as OE to many different manufacturers, I had some Alfa sourced one's before I settled on my current set up.

Really? Focus ST170 discs are 300mm as I fitted them to mine and used Mk 3 Mondeo calipers.
The OP is correct when he says he believes they could be from an ST170.

You can get Focus RS Mk1 324 discs from Burton Power among others - Mk 1's use 4 stud fitting.

I would not go to such a large front without increasing the rear braking.

I never said he DIDNT have st170 discs,

yes you did - as highlighted above

I just pointed out where the bigger discs and calipers are sourced from, read it again, its not hard to understand

ha ha ha

, good for you if you wouldn't run bigger brakes without increasing the rears, many on here have without issues.

so YOU must be right then and no one else is allowed an opinion

[rigga]

You certainly like to highlight text, ill give you that, but anyway no, anyone can have an opinion on many things, you carry on.

[N7GTX]

rigga said:

You certainly like to highlight text, ill give you that, but anyway no, anyone can have an opinion on many things, you carry on.

Thank you

[neiljohnson]

Calipers look like fiat coupe ones

[QBee]

Classic Chim said:

They look similar to mine and mine came off a 7 series BMW and I’m using 7 series pads with Focus 324 mm discs.

Here’s an old pic of mine before fitting.

I never thought of bolting my callipers to the disc. Obviously where I have been going wrong....

[Classic Chim]

QBee said:

I never thought of bolting my callipers to the disc. Obviously where I have been going wrong....

There’s mechanics and there’s mechanics
I’m just a bolt on man myself. Nice bolts though

I can also confirm there was zero ill effects from leaving rear brakes as standard.
My car was over braked at the rear and I found out a good few times so on my car this has been a total success. Once I’d greased them up properly they have been silent 95% of the time too.

The Brembo Calipers were sold to a few manufactures so as they were fitted to Ferrari, fiat might well have got hold of them too
I found a red one with Ferrari stamped on it on eBay in the States and it looked identical to my layman’s eyes.

Ive seen what are basically the same caliper but slightly different casting so Brembo did a few versions by the looks of it.
I’ve seen some on a Lotus Esperit that look very similar to mine too.
I watched a guy in a period as is 1999 7 series Beemer around Bedford Autodrome thrashing the ass off it and by Eck it takes some stopping one of those beasts.
On the Tvr they are sublime and effortlessly stop the car.

[GR_TVR]

neiljohnson said:

Calipers look like fiat coupe ones

Think you might be spot on there - images certainly look the same and have the same colour.

I see the discs for a fiat coupe are 305mm - would these likely be the ones fitted to match up with the caliper? Guess the real answer is take it all apart and have a look before ordering!

[roseytvr]

As QBee mentioned earlier, wheels may be a limiting factor. 16 inch estorils will fit with a small spacer however not all 16 inch wheels will. If your running 16 inch wheels other than estorils I would check your wheels will be ok first - try them on someone who has already done the conversion. Best mod I did on mine to be honest, really progressive feel and great stopping power

[wseed]

GR_TVR said:

I see the discs for a fiat coupe are 305mm - would these likely be the ones fitted to match up with the caliper? Guess the real answer is take it all apart and have a look before ordering!

I'm pretty sure no. The disk size is going to be more to do with the spacer that you have just buying discs of the same size isn't the answer. They also have to fit over studs on your car, the FIAT ones probably having a different stud pastern to the Ford ones that where fitted as standard to the Chimaera.