Caliper spacer brackets and pad origin

[CaptiV8ed]

Can anyone advise on where to get the brackets for this type of conversion? I have my own ideas about which discs I'd like to use, but I have been unable to find a supplier for the brackets only.

Also what are the brake pads actually from? Is it RS turbo, Xr4 or .....? I'm bu99ered if I can find out despite searches galore. if it helps, it's for a 99 500!

Many thanks,

Nick

[That Daddy]

what sized discs are you looking at?

[GreenV8S]

If it isn't a standard conversion then you will have to get them made. Various aftermarket brake suppliers/specialists will make them if you give them the spec, I got my current ones made by BG Developments.

[CaptiV8ed]

They're 260mm discs - all standard at them moment.

[symonab]

After many evenings searching the forums for front brake upgrades on my 93 chim I decided being an engineer I could go at it alone.

So I phoned somebody in the know - purely on the off chance - no TVR experience - and started chatting. Ford still use the same Hub Carrier today!

Aha I thought this could be worth investigating. Having 17 inch rims all around front disc size wasnt an issue but I didnt want to go stupid and upset the balance. Therefore the trade off was rather tham spend a small fortune of 4 pot calipers with standard discs I upgraded the discs to 300mm - standard Ford Focus ST170 discs to be exact. You will see below why going for bigger discs was the more sensible option - very empty front wheels - looked like a Kev'd Clio. I then upgraded the calipers to ST170 calipers. Perfect fit - apart from a 13mm offset required to move the caliper out. The mounting bolts have gone from M8 - M10 as well so caliper mounts need drill out. See below link for before and after images
- Before
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/symo
- After
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/symo

Email me for more info if you need.
Symon

[sparkythecat]

symonab said:

After many evenings searching the forums for front brake upgrades on my 93 chim I decided being an engineer I could go at it alone.

So I phoned somebody in the know - purely on the off chance - no TVR experience - and started chatting. Ford still use the same Hub Carrier today!

Aha I thought this could be worth investigating. Having 17 inch rims all around front disc size wasnt an issue but I didnt want to go stupid and upset the balance. Therefore the trade off was rather tham spend a small fortune of 4 pot calipers with standard discs I upgraded the discs to 300mm - standard Ford Focus ST170 discs to be exact. You will see below why going for bigger discs was the more sensible option - very empty front wheels - looked like a Kev'd Clio. I then upgraded the calipers to ST170 calipers. Perfect fit - apart from a 13mm offset required to move the caliper out. The mounting bolts have gone from M8 - M10 as well so caliper mounts need drill out. See below link for before and after images
- Before
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/symo
- After
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/symo

Email me for more info if you need.
Symon

What did your insurers have say about this mod?
Did they ask for an engineers report?

[poorpeet]

So all std kit bar 13mm spacers for the calipers & opening out the mounting holes? Sounds good.
How much did the parts come to?

[symonab]

sparkythecat said:

symonab said:

After many evenings searching the forums for front brake upgrades on my 93 chim I decided being an engineer I could go at it alone.

So I phoned somebody in the know - purely on the off chance - no TVR experience - and started chatting. Ford still use the same Hub Carrier today!

Aha I thought this could be worth investigating. Having 17 inch rims all around front disc size wasnt an issue but I didnt want to go stupid and upset the balance. Therefore the trade off was rather tham spend a small fortune of 4 pot calipers with standard discs I upgraded the discs to 300mm - standard Ford Focus ST170 discs to be exact. You will see below why going for bigger discs was the more sensible option - very empty front wheels - looked like a Kev'd Clio. I then upgraded the calipers to ST170 calipers. Perfect fit - apart from a 13mm offset required to move the caliper out. The mounting bolts have gone from M8 - M10 as well so caliper mounts need drill out. See below link for before and after images
- Before
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/symo
- After
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/symo

Email me for more info if you need.
Symon

What did your insurers have say about this mod?
Did they ask for an engineers report?

Not got around to that part yet - only finished the upgrade on Saturday. I fully appreciate where you are coming from though.

[symonab]

poorpeet said:

So all std kit bar 13mm spacers for the calipers & opening out the mounting holes? Sounds good.
How much did the parts come to?

Once I have put braided hoses all around and new brake fluid £500.

Discs are £80 for a set & calipers are £350 with pads - can source from Ford direct. Spacer was a 25mm Dia rod with a 12mm hole drilled and cut into 13mm lengths.

As above though - insurance is the next job.

Be aware I dont think this will fit under standard TVR wheels.

[poorpeet]

Hmm, what other fords use the same carrier? Just thinking that the v6 Mondeo uses 278mm disks.
These should fit with std wheels if they fit the carrier.

[CaptiV8ed]

Symon,

Do you still have your original 15" wheel? Perhaps you could confirm whether the focus set up definately will / won't fit standard wheels. I like the sound of this conversion! I STILL don't know what the original pads and calipers are from though....

[ads]

If you have a part number of the original calipers I should be able to find out what they are off. I work for Ford!

[That Daddy]

i think you will find pads & callipers and 260mm discs are 2.0i sierra 4x4 around 90/93, and 2.8i/2.9i 4WD sierra around 85/93 front,if thats any use.

Edited by That Daddy on Thursday 7th December 12:01

[CaptiV8ed]

That's a lot of use!

I'm still toying with the idea of sourcing my own discs and pads. I bought a set from rally design when I had my Westie, with any array of drilling and grooves with a good choice of pads for not very much! I'm not over the moon with the price of some of the pre packed kits out there. So Xr4 90- 93 it is!

Many thanks

Nick

[symonab]

sparkythecat said:

What did your insurers have say about this mod?
Did they ask for an engineers report?

Spoke to the insurance company this am. No issues as it hasnt increaed BHP of the unit.

I bought the car with 17 inch rims so not sure - I wonder if the spare is a similar dimension?

I might pop one of the wheels off and try the spare on for size. Can somebody confim that Their spare is the same offset etc as the 15 inch rims. I will also try finding a decent/easy datum to work of and make some measurements.

Sy

[that daddy]

CaptiV8ed,i checked the dimensions & specs from a brake catalogue i have in the w/shop.....but you know what its like,those catalogues can sometimes be misleading so please double check before laying your mons down,i just thought it may be of use to you,and possibly the other mob on here.good luck.

[overhere]

As far as 260mm disks I did some searching, ebay, google, pistonheads and questmead as suggested by tvrbob and of cource there's a huge range of opinions and choices, EBC bad, Mintex good, drilled bad, dimpled good, this, that, and my mates uncle loves his halford disks, my brother can get you a great deal on these used rally disks...

I ended up buying these (ebay item no.) 290058468366, am I confident they are good? No f**ing idea, but lots of good feedback from the company. awaiting delivery. Still looking at pads, questmead told me all "performance" pads have a problem with squeeling, that would drive me mad. I do 5-6 track days a year but the rest of the time I cruise with my wife around the south coast and the occational stomp around hoping not to attract Hampshire's finest law enforcement so thinking of Mintex red box (standard road pads) and hoping the grooved and drilled pads help the brake fade I experience on track days? Or should I plump for Ferodo SD2500s, the best of the performance pads, will they squeel?

There are so many people here that have so much experience, ya get the feedback, ya ballance it up, ya takes yer chance and ya give it a go...

[poorpeet]

On mine with std 15" fronts & 240mm discs, the clearance from the highest part of the caliper to the wheel is 35mm.
So in theory if you went to 300mm Focus discs you should still have 5mm clearance assuming the caliper is the same. Not sure if thats enough for cooling etc though.

[shpub]

I doubt if they will fit. The only 300mm kits that I know off have to use thin callipers, move any internal balance weights to the outside and have to have the wheels checked that they are round and not ever so slightly egg shaped. Even then it is extremely tight.

To be honest from a performance perspective, a 285 mm upgrade is pretty good. Nice balance etc. been running that on the Griff for about 6 years and it has been very good.

[CaptiV8ed]

Mr Heath,

With the 285mm discs you are running (2wd cossie I imagine), are you using your original calipers with the spacers, or something else? I've heard rumours of Granada Cosworth Calipers being used, but God knows. If you are using spacers, where do you get them from (perhaps you could add them to your range of goodies....!)