Brake upgrade

[damienengland]

Hey axistr. Do you mean that you can get the bigger brakes and keep the 14 inch rims on?

[axistr]

Hey axistr. Do you mean that you can get the bigger brakes and keep the 14 inch rims on?

No Damo, the 14" Dragways I had on the hatch had steel outer rim bands/alloy centres. Although they are reasonably large for 14" on the I.D I missed out by 3mm with 287mm rotors so I decided to go for a new set of FR17" Simmons. With 17" rims I didn't have any brake size constraints. The DBA rotors I fitted were listed as 298mm and measure 299.5mm. I rounded up to 300mm. I don't know why they measured 299.5 but that's what turned up and at $45.00 each I didn't bother to ask the question. I have set the calipers out so the pads are 1mm from the O.D of the disc rotor. On an XR8 the calipers sit 3mm less from the rotor O.D so I have picked up an extra 3mm of leverage out of the brakes, its not a lot but if I am going to the trouble then I might as well do it at is most efficient.

Innuendo here is my take on brakes, there is no need for me to go any bigger than 299mm I have. The hatch is a bit heavy due to all the mod cons I have added, its just on 1,400 kg. I was never happy with the brakes I had on it and going to 17" rims made the brakes even less efficient due to more leverage from 17" rims on the HQ style brakes I had. Putting any bigger than 300mm rotors on a Torana/Sandman and you will only achieve an over brake and unbalanced front to rear. Big brake kits bigger than 300mm are just bragging rights down at the local pub or car show. Yes 20" rims benefit from larger rotors but Company's selling bigger than you need brakes for early cars just use numbers as a selling point and can be more dangerous, its also added unsprung weight when going bigger than you need, so just can't see any benefit.

If you have ABS brakes then the benefit of larger performance brakes is less peddle pressure needed, the ABS cuts in in an over brake situation. There are a lot of misconceptions with brakes, six piston calipers are again a bit of a bragging right. The advantage of multi piston calipers is more even pad ware due to pad flex under hard braking rather than any major brake performance. Good for track work but not a major benefit on the street. There is a bit more in it than that and to lengthy to get into here.

I have some good photos of the parts I made and how I did it but still cant find them. I might have some on my phone and will transfer them soon.