283mm brake conversion guide (with pics)
Discussion
I’ve just done the normal Chim 283mm/Granny cossie brake upgrade and thought I’d post up a few pics of it; you never know they may help some one in the future.
I managed to pick up second hand callipers from a 24v Mondeo as there the same as the ones fitted to cossie Granada’s (came to £40 of eBay). All you have to look out for is the casting stamp 888 & 887, as people have said before just make sure you get the carriers as well as the callipers (try to get the bolts also, saves hassle afterwards).
A couple of pics showing the difference between the 283mm and the original 240mm
The new callipers compared to the old front callipers. New ones are painted gold; note the 887 & 888 casting numbers
Start by disconnecting brake pipe from chassis
Remove spring clips
Remove rubber caps and undo callipers from carriers, using a 7mm allen key. Mine were really tight and a right git to undo so I used a spanner for extra leverage.
Pic showing the calliper removed leaving the carrier and pads
Remove the two bolts that hold the carrier; I used a tommy bar as the buggers were also really tight.
Drill out the two calliper carrier bolt holes to suit your new bolts (I used a 12mm drill bit on mine)
Hold the new discs in place with a couple of wheel nuts and some spacers while you’re working.
Fit your new carriers, use spacers/shims between the carriers and the uprights (where the carriers bolt on) to centralise the carriers with the disc.
Fit callipers and pads, reconnect brake pipe and bleed.
Finished job
I replaced the rear discs & pads at the same time as the discs were only around £8 each from the same company.
Rather than buying the piston retracing tool for the rear pistons you can use an angle grinders tightening key, mine fitted perfectly.
I bought the discs from this mob http://www.buypartsby.co.uk/ the prices on their site are out of date so the prices end up a little dearer than shown on the site but only by a pound or two. Fronts worked out at £13.80 + vat, rears came to about £8 each + vat and £7.50 p&p
I managed to pick up second hand callipers from a 24v Mondeo as there the same as the ones fitted to cossie Granada’s (came to £40 of eBay). All you have to look out for is the casting stamp 888 & 887, as people have said before just make sure you get the carriers as well as the callipers (try to get the bolts also, saves hassle afterwards).
A couple of pics showing the difference between the 283mm and the original 240mm
The new callipers compared to the old front callipers. New ones are painted gold; note the 887 & 888 casting numbers
Start by disconnecting brake pipe from chassis
Remove spring clips
Remove rubber caps and undo callipers from carriers, using a 7mm allen key. Mine were really tight and a right git to undo so I used a spanner for extra leverage.
Pic showing the calliper removed leaving the carrier and pads
Remove the two bolts that hold the carrier; I used a tommy bar as the buggers were also really tight.
Drill out the two calliper carrier bolt holes to suit your new bolts (I used a 12mm drill bit on mine)
Hold the new discs in place with a couple of wheel nuts and some spacers while you’re working.
Fit your new carriers, use spacers/shims between the carriers and the uprights (where the carriers bolt on) to centralise the carriers with the disc.
Fit callipers and pads, reconnect brake pipe and bleed.
Finished job
I replaced the rear discs & pads at the same time as the discs were only around £8 each from the same company.
Rather than buying the piston retracing tool for the rear pistons you can use an angle grinders tightening key, mine fitted perfectly.
I bought the discs from this mob http://www.buypartsby.co.uk/ the prices on their site are out of date so the prices end up a little dearer than shown on the site but only by a pound or two. Fronts worked out at £13.80 + vat, rears came to about £8 each + vat and £7.50 p&p
Alex, I cleaned and painted the callipers, used an angle grinder with a wire cup and a drill with a wire brush attachment. it's a bit of a messy job though m8, it filled the garage and my lungs with rust dust, do it outside if poss, unless you like coughing up chunks for the next few days (teach me not to wear a mask, lol). I've found the best paint to use is gold "japlac" , as it's heat resistant and drys quick. painted the wifes callipers on her MX5 about 3 years ago with it and they still look as good as the day I painted them.
Obviously Chimjunkies right in saying reconed callipers would be best, alternatively pop the pistons out of their bore check for scoring, if they look ok just fit new seals.
It's also a good time to fit new hoses as you have to remove the front ones anyway and bleed the system, wish I'd ordered mine before doing the job, now got another afternoons work changing the pipes, when I get round to ordering them.
Obviously Chimjunkies right in saying reconed callipers would be best, alternatively pop the pistons out of their bore check for scoring, if they look ok just fit new seals.
It's also a good time to fit new hoses as you have to remove the front ones anyway and bleed the system, wish I'd ordered mine before doing the job, now got another afternoons work changing the pipes, when I get round to ordering them.
Edited by AC BILKO on Saturday 15th November 12:37
Zumbruk, it seems to be a mixture of black under seal and waxoil that the previous owner had spayed on, may just be black waxoil if they make it in black. I scraped all the loose bits off (as you can see in one of the pics of the top wish bone)and I'm gave every thing that aint nailed down a coat of normal waxoil which seems to melt the existing black stuff and merge with it.
Your absolutely right about the pads. the ones in the pic are the old standard TVR ones from my old calipers that I'd removed. at the time of taking the pic i had just temporarily fitted them so i could carry on and bleed the system, i got the proper pads the next day which do cover the whole sweep of the disc.
This conversion fitted easily under the standard 15" front wheels that i was running at the time, got 17" now.
As for the year of the car the calipers came from, i really haven't a clue. i spoke to the bloke on the phone and just asked if they had the right casting numbers, met him in a car park to pick them up so never got to see the car they came from. the guy had advertise them as being off his V6 Mondeo that he was scrapping.
Here's a pic of those pads still fitted to the original discs, you can see the amount of extra sweep you get with the conversion by comparing the pics. They cover the whole of the original discs but look tiny on the new discs .
This conversion fitted easily under the standard 15" front wheels that i was running at the time, got 17" now.
As for the year of the car the calipers came from, i really haven't a clue. i spoke to the bloke on the phone and just asked if they had the right casting numbers, met him in a car park to pick them up so never got to see the car they came from. the guy had advertise them as being off his V6 Mondeo that he was scrapping.
Here's a pic of those pads still fitted to the original discs, you can see the amount of extra sweep you get with the conversion by comparing the pics. They cover the whole of the original discs but look tiny on the new discs .
The 283mm discs for the Ford RS Cosworth 500 ltd edition (part # SG2536) are still showing on that site at just £14.65. maybe you were looking at the EBC price list instead of the standard range disc price.
https://sslrelay.com/buypartsby.co.uk/brake-pads-n...
https://sslrelay.com/buypartsby.co.uk/brake-pads-n...
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff