GPBox Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hi all, thinking about a big brake upgrade for my 2001 SS front brakes.... What are the options ?..i see CC have a £600+ kit...any other routes ? also if I upgrade fronts do rears need upgrading too ?? thanks all, Graham Edited by - gpbox on 30 Aug 2011 20:41:26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 YHM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Are you talking about front-brakes? I don't think you'll do better than the Caterham branded AP 4-pots. They're not as light as some of the others and getting hold of replacement discs can be a bit expensive, but the calipers seem to be fairly indestructible and there are a wealth of parts and knowledge available for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPBox Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 yes front brakes......is there a need to upgrade rear also ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumster Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Don't know what pads you are running but a cheaper upgrade would be to fit Mintex 1144s in the front and leave the rears alone. Coupled with this I upgraded to an AP race master cylinder. Works well for me on the road and for sprinting/hillclimbing. Might be worth considering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative bluenose Posted August 30, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted August 30, 2011 I know they seem to get bad press on here but look at HiSpec. They are fitted to the Levante, Ultima and many other cars and are reasonably priced. I have them fitted to my car and they work fine. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPBox Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hi Aero am already running the Mintex pads.....Nick thanks will look into the HiSpec too....where did you get them from ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Git Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I got Alcons fitted to the fronts by James Whiting and they transformed the car - no need to upgrade the rears or the master cylinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezky Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I run HiSpec brakes on my car linky. Never had a problem and they gave me a discount when I ordered my pads from them It is possible to fit an uprated master cylinder with the standard brake calipers and uprated pads ie M1144 etc. Dicks aka Richard@Summit runs this set-up and believe me his car stops Edited by - Q102 on 30 Aug 2011 22:29:49 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Quoting Q102: I run HiSpec brakes on my car linky. Never had a problem and they gave me a discount when I ordered my pads from them Nice to see a good report about the HiSpecs. I quite fancy them as they use the standard solid disc and seem to be reasonable money for the pad as well. Even if the braking performance is the same, the weight saving would be worth it? I have numerous sets of pads for the standard calipers to get through, so shouldn't really be thinking about upgrading the brakes already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 James Whiting don't do Alcon any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Village Idiot Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 It is possible to fit an uprated master cylinder with the standard brake calipers and uprated pads ie M1144 etc. Dicks aka Richard@Summit runs this set-up and believe me his car stops This, for me personally, end of. Uprated /vented discs with large calipers add weight where you don't want it, don't help turn in. I have a brake bias valve which other people have told me I'm using wrong, however I set it so that the fronts are just locking first to distribute the braking across all 4 wheels, with just a little nose weight to help turn in on tight corners. The only time I boiled my brake fluid was after 50 minutes flat out at Snetterton - maybe vented discs would have helped - are you really driving that far/hard? Dicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TobyCoulson Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I've got Hispec 4 pot with 1144pads on mine and am very pleased with them.I got mine through RiF and he said I didn't need to upgrade the m/cylinder either unless I was going to do track work Edited by - TobyCoulson on 31 Aug 2011 09:29:22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TobyCoulson Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Edited by - TobyCoulson on 31 Aug 2011 09:29:34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z3MCJez Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 All the Supersport/Roadsport/Grad race cars run standard discs. With decent pads and proper brake fluid they will run flat out without fading for 30 minutes anywhere. Top speed for a Supersport is about 116mph, with it a little lower for the screened cars. The R300s have the big brake kit, on the basis that their top speed is that much higher (they hit the limiter in 6th, and so someone can probably tell me what the exact speed is, but it's something over 120mph). I would contend, therefore, that you only need a big brake kit if you've got somethign north of 150bhp, and then only if you want to run on track. If you want sharper feel, the bigger master cylinder or a high-effort pedal will be the easiest ways to achieve this. IMO, anyway 😬 Jez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPBox Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 Jez, good points, I am running a SS with 150bhp (thanks to Oily), enjoy quite a few track days too, so missing that bite I 'think' I could get..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted August 31, 2011 Area Representative Share Posted August 31, 2011 .....so missing that bite I 'think' I could get..... I know of a few people who have sought "bite", but then found themselves loosing progression, and are either locked up, or nothing! Why do you want to upgrade? What is wrong with your current setup? If you're getting a soft pedal after a few laps, then its most likely to be fluid boil in the rear calipers. Changing to a racing brake fluid like Castrol SRF will cure that (its not cheap, but a lot cheaper than 4pots and vented disks!) There are those that complained of a soft pedal, and fitted big fronts, and report it has cured the soft pedal issue. I have another take on that. I'd gues that fitting the big fronts shifts the brake bias towards the front, so making the backs work less, thus the "cure" to boiling fluid in the rears. Don't under estimate how much stopping power the rears add. I have dual master cylinders with a balance bar, and can wind the bias to which ever end I choose. The more rear bias I add, the quicker the car stops! (up to the point that the rears lock before the fronts ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 +1 for how much work the rears do I had times where I was still overheating the rears at Rockingham, despite using AP600 fluid and 4-pots on the front. So I went the route of the race brakes on the back with a race MC and bias lever. Now I get immense stopping power and a firm pedal. It's not for everyone though and brakes are quite a subjective topic. Maybe see if you can drive a couple of different setups before seeing what you like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Biddle Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Another vote for hi Spec, I have seen complaints about service but when i wanted a set of front rotors for my car urgently, I phoned them on a thursday and they had plain ones in stock. i wanted grooved so they machined them on the Friday and i set off to pick them up, but got badly stuck in loads of traffice and was going to be late. They actualy phoned me to ask how i was doing and then arranged for somebody to be there after hours for me to collect. I finally left there with my bits at 7.30 PM! Now that is good service, specialy on a Friday evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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