Big Brake Conversions

26th January 2012, 10:56

So what are my options? I've searched through and read a few other threads.

Hi-Spec, Wilwood and Brembo seem to be the front runners. So which do people rate the most? I'm leaning towards the Brembo's off the 406 coupe due to the availability and price of pads, but what about disks? Is the 306 GTi ones I go for on the Brembo's?

Can you use other stock disks with the hi-specs and wilwood's? Or do you need special discs? What about pads for these?

Lastly, clearance issues. I know that the Brembo's require 14mm spacers for 'S' wheels, what about the rest? I've seen wilwoods that can go under 14" rims, but don't think I'll be going that small.

Discuss.

26th January 2012, 21:37

266mm hispecs use off the shelf disks, and use lotus elise pads, so are commonly available and quite cheap, fit under s wheels and most 14" wheels

26th January 2012, 21:59

Are you going to be running mental power?

26th January 2012, 23:35

I had hispecs but never ran them, they use Volvo pads and gti6 discs. I'm currently running brembos with gti6 discs, all i can say is the brembos have bigger pistons and are lighter iirc

27th January 2012, 06:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by yr51ocw

266mm hispecs use off the shelf disks, and use lotus elise pads, so are commonly available and quite cheap, fit under s wheels and most 14" wheels

Hmmm, interesting. Any good websites for hi-spec specs?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuZiZZle

Are you going to be running mental power?

Shhhhh

Quote:

Originally Posted by wicked-vtr

I had hispecs but never ran them, they use Volvo pads and gti6 discs. I'm currently running brembos with gti6 discs, all i can say is the brembos have bigger pistons and are lighter iirc

So gti6 discs are the way forward with Brembo's? What are my pad options? I'm thinking standard pads will be ok anyway due to the uprated calipers?

27th January 2012, 08:14

Any pics of wilwoods behind 14s??
pretty certain they wont fit under due to the diameter

Ive had both wilwood and high spec mate had the brembos
they all perform very similarly tbh so its splitting hairs imo go for the ligjtest setup which i think would be the wilwoods

27th January 2012, 11:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshB

Hmmm, interesting. Any good websites for hi-spec specs?

The 266mm Hispecs are only available through me. They are also much much lighter than the Wilwood, 285mm Hispec and Brembo options.

Pm me if you would like more info.

27th January 2012, 11:27

Id say yr51's Hispecs will be more than enough. I have the Hispec 285s on my car, and have hit the brakes only a couple of times in anger, the last on which made my headlight fall out. I wish I was joking but the headlight clips on the AX were a bit worn, so the headlight came out and smashed on the road.

27th January 2012, 14:40

my experience with the hi spec is that the caliper overall design is not as thought out as the others in the league. The pins get stuck in the caliper making the pad changes a fairly laborious task

also the service from hi spec is some what to be desired other than that when it works they are fantastic.

but OEM's don't fit brembos for no reason!

27th January 2012, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabbastard

Id say yr51's Hispecs will be more than enough. I have the Hispec 285s on my car, and have hit the brakes only a couple of times in anger, the last on which made my headlight fall out. I wish I was joking but the headlight clips on the AX were a bit worn, so the headlight came out and smashed on the road.

Eeek, that doesn't sound good! Or maybe it does...
I'm starting to look at gti6 Calipers as well, but are mega heavy!

Quote:

Originally Posted by unreal106

my experience with the hi spec is that the caliper overall design is not as thought out as the others in the league. The pins get stuck in the caliper making the pad changes a fairly laborious task

also the service from hi spec is some what to be desired other than that when it works they are fantastic.

but OEM's don't fit brembos for no reason!

Well that's what I was thinking, Porsche wouldn't fit Brembo Calipers for umpteen years if they were shit.

Due to just the price of the Brembo Calipers I think they are winning. I just wouldn't mind having the option of keeping my S wheels, but spacers cost a fortune.

27th January 2012, 16:54

The brembo oe stuff weighs a tonne though..

27th January 2012, 17:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by KamRacing

The brembo oe stuff weighs a tonne though..

The 406 Brembo's weigh less than a VTS caliper so that's good enough for me. But yeah, the Wilwoods weigh feck all! Mark1311 had some and I couldn't get over how light they were!

27th January 2012, 18:07

get some hispec, 266, there 4pots use standard off self 206 disk and 425 quid posted if you order some in next day or 2 i can maybe get u abit off as i have just ordered a set,

the pads are also quite cheap,

i had the willwood 285mm setup and you can onli buy disk off rally design approz 75quid each, pads (yellow stuff) are around the 80 figure, the disks are very heavy also ALL 4 pots bar hispec 266 you will need 15's. the hispec fit under 14's if its on track it works out at 325quid a set off r888 in 15's your looking at around 450,

also the extra weight of a 15 + disk rotinal weight been x10 vs the lighter caliper disk piston size etc the braking pwer work out about the same just alot cheaper,

all the people i no though work tht run saxo/106/ax use these hispecs.

27th January 2012, 20:04

I was thinking of selling my 285 Hispecs, pm me if youre interested.

27th January 2012, 21:17

i love my brembos, they squeel like fuck but look far better then any other set up so i cant bring myself to change them, you can get a fabled set up to stop the squeel..but tbh the squeel on the 406 and many other cars fitted. keep the shit plates clean and theyll not squeel, mine didnt for about 4k...

the pads arent cheap BTW...the uprated stuff is still really pricey, lots of discs sizes to choose from, im running 288s, if i were to buy again id go for the 266 hispecs to to run 14" rims...this reason only..

my brembos: (stickers sent were wrong size!

)

27th January 2012, 21:35

lol at the massive brembo sticker. I was thinking about measuring up some porsche brembo's from work, maybe some boxster ones may fit

27th January 2012, 21:50

yeah they sent me the wrong size

, they look bad in the close up with no wheel, but really suit the caliper when its on the deck with wheels on, so i left them be

lots of diff brembo set ups fit, just need the right adapter plates making, majority of the 4 pots are the same size/design, just different mounting moulds

27th January 2012, 22:50

BREMBO
lol

28th January 2012, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark1311

get some hispec, 266, there 4pots use standard off self 206 disk and 425 quid posted if you order some in next day or 2 i can maybe get u abit off as i have just ordered a set,

i had the willwood 285mm setup and you can onli buy disk off rally design approz 75quid each, pads (yellow stuff) are around the 80 figure, the disks are very heavy also ALL 4 pots bar hispec 266 you will need 15's. the hispec fit under 14's if its on track it works out at 325quid a set off r888 in 15's your looking at around 450,

also the extra weight of a 15 + disk rotinal weight been x10 vs the lighter caliper disk piston size etc the braking pwer work out about the same just alot cheaper,

Not too fussed about running 14" wheels for cheaper tyres, dont think I'll ever take this on track to be honest Mark, it'll be staying on road tyres. Although the easy fit under any wheel and lighter weight does appeal a bit...

I PM'd yr51ocw, just not prepared to spend that much when you can get brembo's for £150, and discs and pads arent too expensive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackie_2k5

i love my brembos, they squeel like fuck

the pads arent cheap BTW...the uprated stuff is still really pricey,

Yeah, heard about the squeal... hmmmm

I've not really looked at uprated pads yet, was thinking that stock ones would cope as they're good for 210bhp on a 1.5 tonne car..?

What wheels are on your car blackie? TD 1.2's? Have you got spacers on?

28th January 2012, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by adamskiTNR

lol at the massive brembo sticker. I was thinking about measuring up some porsche brembo's from work, maybe some boxster ones may fit

911's carry better calipers. youll have a fight on your hands though theyre very popular i nthe bmw scene

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackie_2k5

yeah they sent me the wrong size

, they look bad in the close up with no wheel, but really suit the caliper when its on the deck with wheels on, so i left them be

lots of diff brembo set ups fit, just need the right adapter plates making, majority of the 4 pots are the same size/design, just different mounting moulds

Your brakes look fat dude!

Clean your aches though

28th January 2012, 11:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabbastard

BREMBO
lol

lmao

incase you forget

28th January 2012, 14:33

i had wilwoods behind 15s on my vtr heres a picture

for the price they are top notch but get plain discs and some decent pads, do stop bloody well though

28th January 2012, 16:25

I'm runnin OE pads now and they're fine, stop menselu well, I'll be going updated next time round, and gibbo the arches will be gettin totally re painted and treated very soon