front brake conversion

[chrisdovey]

what is the best and easiest big brake convesion you can do?


cheers from chris

[Adam]

What size wheels do you have?

[Welsh Dan]

Easiest = 256x24mm (from a 2l16v 'valver') discs and calipers.

Best would be something like the Tarox's that CP has, but realistically you could look at 288mm 'v6' brakes with Mintex 1144 (i think thats the one) pads, or some equivelant Ferodo ones.

[chrisdovey]

are they just a cas of taking my calipers of and putting those on.

what size wheels do i need for them?

[Welsh Dan]

Basically yes, remove the old calipers, then the old discs, put the new discs on, then put the new calipers on and fit the new pads. Remember to degrease the new discs before you start, and to bleed the brakes properly once you're finished.

The 288 and the 256mm sets will fit under most 15 inch wheels.

[Stuart]

imho with the right choice of pad (and std GOOD discs) then the 256mm setup does just as good a job as the 288mm but with way better pedal feel

[GRUNT 16V]

pedal feel can be improved by fitting different rear bias valves ( the ones that come off the master cylinder) if you fit 3/25 it would be better than using 3/45

[Stuart]

they still wont remove the fact you have to put nearly full pedal travel into getting the fronts to do anything on 288+ setups

[GRUNT 16V]

Mine dosent go full travel after fitting these bias valves ???????

[Andy_L]

Can you squeeze 256's behind a 14 inch wheel??

[Stuart]

some you can and some you cant...

[Andy_L]

some you can and some you cant...

Under GTE/GSI 3 spokes???

[craig green]

Typically an aftermarket 14" alloy wheel is 6" wide. The Nova 3 spoke is 5" wide. Cav & Astra 14" alloys are 5.5 width, which is why 256's go behind Astra GTE wheels etc but not Nova 3 spokes.

[Lee H]

They fit behind SR steels as well.

My brake pedal feels the same with the V6 callipers as it did with the 16v ones, just the car stops better.

[Andy_L]

Aha thanks for the information.

So aside from changing the wheels to accomodate bigger brakes (don't really want to do so as I've just bought them) is there anything I can do to upgrade the fronts??

[Lee H]

GSi/GTE brakes are better than the non vented ones you get on lower spec ones.

I ran them on a valver for a bit as I wanted to keep the standard wheels for the sleeper look and they were ok.

[GRUNT 16V]

why not use some 14" cav rims as the 256mm will fit under them

[Adam]

288s felt ****e on mine, work well, but low pedal.
So i went back to 256.

256 JUST fit under 5J black 14" sr steelies, with worn pads.

[Welsh Dan]

http://www.xen0phobiak.f2s.com/novaload/red.jpg

Thats a 256x20mm (Corsa B GSI/Cav 1.7TD) brake setup under a nova 3 spoke, but we did have to shave a little off the caliper to get them to fit, basically about 2mm off the corner. The only reason I did it was because I had new tyres fitted before brakes and I didnt want to waste the just over ?200 i'd spent on rubber lol.

Its actually the ribs behind the spokes that the calipers foul.

[Dar]

Why not just run some spacers if they are only just catching?
If you can't upgrade your breaks then get some decent pads, discs & fluid.

[Andy_L]

Why not just run some spacers if they are only just catching?
If you can't upgrade your brakes then get some decent pads, discs & fluid.

Hmm hadn't thought of this option, but how much extra strain would wheel spacers add to the drive train??

As I'm only running a 1.2 I'll probably just get OE GTE discs and pads, my braking distance estimating can leave a lot to be desired at times :wtf:

Xen0phobiak cheers for the pic thats something for me to bear in mind.

[Welsh Dan]

No problem.

Don't go for el-cheapo or EBC pads, its very worthwhile getting some good pads, the actual GM OEM ones are made by ATE and arent too bad but its worth getting a good mintex/ferodo set or equivelant.

[Dar]

Hmm hadn't thought of this option, but how much extra strain would wheel spacers add to the drive train??

I'm only talking about 3mm or possibly 5mm spacers. So nothing to worry about.:thumb: