Brake Upgrades
Discussion
I am starting to get a bit too happy with the loud peddle which is great fun until i come to slow down...the discs and pads on my car are all new but the stopping power is about as effective as a cat flap in an elephant house...has anyone got any good recommendations for a brake upgrade...parachutes and anchors are NOT an option!!!
andy-w said:
I am starting to get a bit too happy with the loud peddle which is great fun until i come to slow down...the discs and pads on my car are all new but the stopping power is about as effective as a cat flap in an elephant house...has anyone got any good recommendations for a brake upgrade...parachutes and anchors are NOT an option!!!
Jellison has had the (I Think) Tuscan upgrade, they are Mahoosive and stop the 5.7l Chimvette effectively well...
I think Trinitycall has a very nice set of Brembos on his.
If youv'e got bigger wheels though, i'd max them out.
If anyones interested to buy,i'm pulling my stoppers and wheels of soon and could bring them over to the UK on my next trip,(there's no market for them here),specs on profile.
If youv'e got bigger wheels though, i'd max them out.
If anyones interested to buy,i'm pulling my stoppers and wheels of soon and could bring them over to the UK on my next trip,(there's no market for them here),specs on profile.
stegefal said:
Have you done the basics first? Mine are standard, but arent that bad.
Saying that I have just upgraded my discs and pads to Black Diamond all round and have ordered braided hoses.
Did you make sure you got the correct front pads? The ones listed on their catalogue for the 260mm discs are incorrect (unless they've updated in the last week or so)
Andy, what sort of budget do you have in mind for the upgrade?
If only small then a simple change to fast road pads and performance discs would be best - I've also got B/Diamond 12 groove all round on my Chim - Cost about £290 and fitted by myself. (see breakdown in my profile for further details).
If you've got a bigger budget then an upgrade to 283mm discs and four pot calipers would be a good move.
I can vouch for the Tower View Racing Services front brake upgrade, with 285mm spiral groove discs and caliper mounting kit, fitted with EBC Green Stuff all round and braided hoses. Works extremely well and tolerates heavy punishment without fade (e.g track days / sprints)whilst being grippy enough from cold for road use.
I would agree that the standard set up shouldn't be that inadequate since this is a very light car (and weight is the main determinant of required braking capacity), so if this is causing probs it could suggest that something else is amiss.
The standard brakes certainly look lost in bigger wheels and the upgrade (tho' not that large) does improve the appearance markedly. This set up should be within the £400 budget.
>> Edited by tahiti450 on Wednesday 29th June 20:00
I would agree that the standard set up shouldn't be that inadequate since this is a very light car (and weight is the main determinant of required braking capacity), so if this is causing probs it could suggest that something else is amiss.
The standard brakes certainly look lost in bigger wheels and the upgrade (tho' not that large) does improve the appearance markedly. This set up should be within the £400 budget.
>> Edited by tahiti450 on Wednesday 29th June 20:00
andy-w said:
I am starting to get a bit too happy with the loud peddle which is great fun until i come to slow down...the discs and pads on my car are all new but the stopping power is about as effective as a cat flap in an elephant house...has anyone got any good recommendations for a brake upgrade...parachutes and anchors are NOT an option!!!
New discs and pads take a while to 'bed in' before they're at their best. However, if they're as bad as you say something must be amiss.
The standard brakes on the car should be adequate for every day driving. So, has someone put some daft racing pads in that don't work properly until they're warm? Is your master cylinder on it's way out or brake fluid past its sell-by date? Are your flexible hoses perished? I'd investigate these possibilities first
I have just had mine replaced with standard size (240mm) brake Engineering (made by burton racing I think) disks and ferrodo race pads, finished off with goodrdge hoses and new fluid. It makes a hell of a difference (once the pads have warmed up that is), it cost me 300 quid fitted all in which isn't bad.
well maybe if the weather is good this weekend i shall strip the breaks down...give them a good clean up and change the fluid....see if that makes a difference before splashing out on new discs...they do work, just not that well...if i drive the girlfriends pug 206cc i nearly go through the windscreen when i use the breaks as i am so used to mine!!!
andy-w said:Yep mine are the nuts - Topsparks almost shat his pants when trying them in france, (and he has the RR setup - must be something wrong with them - but all iron) - you need as little unsprung weight as poss.
about £400 to spend on discs and replace any worn pipes / hoses so i might go for the B/diamonds as well..sounds like they should do the trick!!!
Alloy bells really make a difference and only on these and RR Tuscans (not Sarg - but maybe Cerb 4.5)
best thing to do with about 400quid is to get the 285 AP rotor upgrade and a new set of fast road pads on the spaced std calipers and a full set of braided hoses.
Mine are ALOT more that that - nut I REALLY need them.....
Corin Denton said:
It's worth checking the basics, people can go for upgrades without doing the essentials.
First stop has to be Goodridge braided lines coupled with fresh brake fluid, this makes a world of difference.
I agree with Corin here, i recently upgraded (ish) and went for new black diamond pads and discs, and braided hoses from Tim at ACT. I didn't have a huge budget but then new, lets face it, basic set up really made a difference.
mike
tacoma said:
It's worth checking the basics, people can go for upgrades without doing the essentials.
First stop has to be Goodridge braided lines coupled with fresh brake fluid, this makes a world of difference.
I agree with Corin here, i recently upgraded (ish) and went for new black diamond pads and discs, and braided hoses from Tim at ACT. I didn't have a huge budget but then new, lets face it, basic set up really made a difference.
mike
Mike,
Did you manage to get the correct sized pads from B/Diamond in the end? They sent me some for free but as my cars been in the bodyshop for the last 4 weeks (and still is) I haven't had a chance to swap them round.
If so have you noticed a lot of difference in power?
nztrev said:
I think Trinitycall has a very nice set of Brembos on his.
If youv'e got bigger wheels though, i'd max them out.
If anyones interested to buy,i'm pulling my stoppers and wheels of soon and could bring them over to the UK on my next trip,(there's no market for them here),specs on profile.
The above kit is available. It was put together by Steve_T from pistonheads.
They feel fantastic and put the original chimaera brakes to shame.
Can't remember the spec or price, but it's been set out in previous threads on ph.
Regards,
N
Here are your options:
1) Standard system + uprated pads and braided hoses
Guestimate : £200-300 including fitting
2) Uprated standard discs + uprated pads and braided hoses
Guestimate : £300-400 including fitting
3) Sierra Cosworth 4 pot + 283mm discs (needs Cosworth 2wd uprights)
Guestimate : £500-700 (didn't research this that heavily)
3) Towerview 285mm kit (bigger discs and brackets to space your calipers, can't remember if pads and hoses included in this but probably)
I think they said £630 + VAT when I called so £740
4) Godspeed 280mm kit (grooved discs + brackets + 4 pot Brembos + pads + hoses)
Guestimate : £750-800 including fitting
5) Monster setup (300mm plus discs, + 4 or 6 pot calipers + hoses + pads + brackets)
Guestimate £1200 and up, plus you may need 16" or larger wheels
Figures above may not be that accurate, they're only an indication of what you may end up shelling out.
Steve.
>> Edited by Steve_T on Friday 1st July 16:28
1) Standard system + uprated pads and braided hoses
Guestimate : £200-300 including fitting
2) Uprated standard discs + uprated pads and braided hoses
Guestimate : £300-400 including fitting
3) Sierra Cosworth 4 pot + 283mm discs (needs Cosworth 2wd uprights)
Guestimate : £500-700 (didn't research this that heavily)
3) Towerview 285mm kit (bigger discs and brackets to space your calipers, can't remember if pads and hoses included in this but probably)
I think they said £630 + VAT when I called so £740
4) Godspeed 280mm kit (grooved discs + brackets + 4 pot Brembos + pads + hoses)
Guestimate : £750-800 including fitting
5) Monster setup (300mm plus discs, + 4 or 6 pot calipers + hoses + pads + brackets)
Guestimate £1200 and up, plus you may need 16" or larger wheels
Figures above may not be that accurate, they're only an indication of what you may end up shelling out.
Steve.
>> Edited by Steve_T on Friday 1st July 16:28
5) Monster setup (300mm plus discs, + 4 or 6 pot calipers + hoses + pads + brackets)
Guestimate £1200 and up, plus you may need 16" or larger wheels
You can get some conversion that will squeeze these under 15's - but v.tight and need spacers. Just easier on std 16 no spacers still tight when done like this.
Guestimate £1200 and up, plus you may need 16" or larger wheels
You can get some conversion that will squeeze these under 15's - but v.tight and need spacers. Just easier on std 16 no spacers still tight when done like this.
zippee said:
Mike,
Did you manage to get the correct sized pads from B/Diamond in the end? They sent me some for free but as my cars been in the bodyshop for the last 4 weeks (and still is) I haven't had a chance to swap them round.
If so have you noticed a lot of difference in power?
Hey Zip,
Yeah the guys at BD were great and got the correct pads to me the next day! I fitted them on Sunday but didn't get a chance to bed them in. took the car to work yesterday hoping that the brakes would improve throughout the driving-day. Fairly worrying drive into work, but terrifying on the way home, got cut up, honking with rain and just nothing from the brakes! I didn't need to disconnect the hoses so cant think why they were SO VERY BAD! I will look at them again at the weekend, until then I am back in the Discovery.
How you doing anyway?
mike
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