20 replies to this topic

[tieclubbyestate]

AP brakes good or bad?

[Cooperman]

AP brakes good or bad?

In what respect do you mean 'good or bad'? AP is a well-respected company for OE products and there is no reason why they could be thought of as 'bad'. However, if you wanted, for example, to use one of their production products for competition that might be another issue.
Please specify in a bit more detail what you mean so that we can advise on suitability for your use of the components you are considering.

[Burnard]

There OE stuff for standard cars is great for a normal road car. But not so much for a competition car.

They race stuff is also really good, and can be used on the road, if a little harsh, might even need warming up more than normal before they work, but that will depend on the pads.


But as cooperman said, need more info.

[MRA]

The AP 4 pots started off as competition items and where adapted for road use on the production Metro up to about 1990 (ish)

Edited by mra-minis.co.uk, 20 March 2011 - 05:37 PM.

[tieclubbyestate]

I have an AP master cylinder and brake set up i was just wondering if it was worth upgrading or keep it as AP for my road car

[AndyMiniMad.]

I think the AP brake set up on the mini is fine for normal road use. Ive put Green Stuff pads in my standard calipers and replaced the 8.4 disks. Its a 1380cc So is quite brisk!! Ive never had any problems pulling up, the fade is minimal even on fast twisty B roads. If you are going to use the car on track days then I suppose you need to upgrade the brakes accordingly. I know a lot of people fit 4 pot callipers and Fiesta conversions etc.. But if you can lock the wheels with the standard brakes, how much more braking do you need???

[Sprocket]

The AP 4 pots started off as competition items and where adapted for road use on the production Metro up to about 1990 (ish)

The Metro 4 pot caliper design was lifted from the Austin Princess, and i'm not sure I have seen any austin Princesses in competition.

Metro caliper



Princess caliper

Edited by Sprocket, 20 March 2011 - 07:45 PM.

[tieclubbyestate]

I think the AP brake set up on the mini is fine for normal road use. Ive put Green Stuff pads in my standard calipers and replaced the 8.4 disks. Its a 1380cc So is quite brisk!! Ive never had any problems pulling up, the fade is minimal even on fast twisty B roads. If you are going to use the car on track days then I suppose you need to upgrade the brakes accordingly. I know a lot of people fit 4 pot callipers and Fiesta conversions etc.. But if you can lock the wheels with the standard brakes, how much more braking do you need???

im not sure, its a rebuild
love your saying by the way "if it aint broke take it apart anyway" hah i took apart my master cylinder today and put it together wrong it was working fine before i started playing with it

Edited by tieclubbyestate, 20 March 2011 - 07:44 PM.

[Cooperman]

I know it's a personal thing and down to how the car is used, but with standard 7.5" Cooper 'S'/GT discs and 2-pot calipers (or the larger 8.4" discs and standard calipers), the brakes on Minis are fine for all road uses and most competition ones. The reason some complain about their brakes is because either the basic system is not at the best it can be because the discs are 'past it' and are scored, or the pads are of poor quality or not suitable for the application. In extreme use the brake fluid can be an issue as well.
I've taken people who think they drive hard out in my rally Mini and they have been amazed at the speed at which it travels along twisty roads at night with no brake problems. However, I use 7.5" discs with the Carbon-Metallic pads as supplied by Mini Spares. Even with the discs glowing dull red they never fade. The brake fluid I use is AP600 race fluid which I change every 2 years.

[AndyMiniMad.]

I think the AP brake set up on the mini is fine for normal road use. Ive put Green Stuff pads in my standard calipers and replaced the 8.4 disks. Its a 1380cc So is quite brisk!! Ive never had any problems pulling up, the fade is minimal even on fast twisty B roads. If you are going to use the car on track days then I suppose you need to upgrade the brakes accordingly. I know a lot of people fit 4 pot callipers and Fiesta conversions etc.. But if you can lock the wheels with the standard brakes, how much more braking do you need???

im not sure, its a rebuild
love your saying by the way "if it aint broke take it apart anyway" hah i took apart my master cylinder today and put it together wrong it was working fine before i started playing with it

Yeah! I do that a lot. It used to drive my dad mental. I used to take everything apart for no good reason.... Some stuff even worked again once i put it back together. Im 48 now and never really got out of the habbit, Athough more stuff works now....

[tieclubbyestate]

I know it's a personal thing and down to how the car is used, but with standard 7.5" Cooper 'S'/GT discs and 2-pot calipers (or the larger 8.4" discs and standard calipers), the brakes on Minis are fine for all road uses and most competition ones. The reason some complain about their brakes is because either the basic system is not at the best it can be because the discs are 'past it' and are scored, or the pads are of poor quality or not suitable for the application. In extreme use the brake fluid can be an issue as well.
I've taken people who think they drive hard out in my rally Mini and they have been amazed at the speed at which it travels along twisty roads at night with no brake problems. However, I use 7.5" discs with the Carbon-Metallic pads as supplied by Mini Spares. Even with the discs glowing dull red they never fade. The brake fluid I use is AP600 race fluid which I change every 2 years.

Does the AP600 race fluid make any difference and im running 8.5s i think

[tieclubbyestate]

I think the AP brake set up on the mini is fine for normal road use. Ive put Green Stuff pads in my standard calipers and replaced the 8.4 disks. Its a 1380cc So is quite brisk!! Ive never had any problems pulling up, the fade is minimal even on fast twisty B roads. If you are going to use the car on track days then I suppose you need to upgrade the brakes accordingly. I know a lot of people fit 4 pot callipers and Fiesta conversions etc.. But if you can lock the wheels with the standard brakes, how much more braking do you need???

im not sure, its a rebuild
love your saying by the way "if it aint broke take it apart anyway" hah i took apart my master cylinder today and put it together wrong it was working fine before i started playing with it

Yeah! I do that a lot. It used to drive my dad mental. I used to take everything apart for no good reason.... Some stuff even worked again once i put it back together. Im 48 now and never really got out of the habbit, Athough more stuff works now....

my dad just laughs at me when i dont out it back together correctly

[Cooperman]

I know it's a personal thing and down to how the car is used, but with standard 7.5" Cooper 'S'/GT discs and 2-pot calipers (or the larger 8.4" discs and standard calipers), the brakes on Minis are fine for all road uses and most competition ones. The reason some complain about their brakes is because either the basic system is not at the best it can be because the discs are 'past it' and are scored, or the pads are of poor quality or not suitable for the application. In extreme use the brake fluid can be an issue as well.
I've taken people who think they drive hard out in my rally Mini and they have been amazed at the speed at which it travels along twisty roads at night with no brake problems. However, I use 7.5" discs with the Carbon-Metallic pads as supplied by Mini Spares. Even with the discs glowing dull red they never fade. The brake fluid I use is AP600 race fluid which I change every 2 years.

Does the AP600 race fluid make any difference and im running 8.5s i think

Unless you are racing or doing serious rallying you won't need AP600, just a good quality DOT4. The difference with AP600 is that its boiling point is very high - 600deg C I think (well, that makes sense I guess).

[tieclubbyestate]

I know it's a personal thing and down to how the car is used, but with standard 7.5" Cooper 'S'/GT discs and 2-pot calipers (or the larger 8.4" discs and standard calipers), the brakes on Minis are fine for all road uses and most competition ones. The reason some complain about their brakes is because either the basic system is not at the best it can be because the discs are 'past it' and are scored, or the pads are of poor quality or not suitable for the application. In extreme use the brake fluid can be an issue as well.
I've taken people who think they drive hard out in my rally Mini and they have been amazed at the speed at which it travels along twisty roads at night with no brake problems. However, I use 7.5" discs with the Carbon-Metallic pads as supplied by Mini Spares. Even with the discs glowing dull red they never fade. The brake fluid I use is AP600 race fluid which I change every 2 years.

Does the AP600 race fluid make any difference and im running 8.5s i think

Unless you are racing or doing serious rallying you won't need AP600, just a good quality DOT4. The difference with AP600 is that its boiling point is very high - 600deg C I think (well, that makes sense I guess).

hah ok somehow i dont think itwill be getting that hot

[Burnard]

I know it's a personal thing and down to how the car is used, but with standard 7.5" Cooper 'S'/GT discs and 2-pot calipers (or the larger 8.4" discs and standard calipers), the brakes on Minis are fine for all road uses and most competition ones. The reason some complain about their brakes is because either the basic system is not at the best it can be because the discs are 'past it' and are scored, or the pads are of poor quality or not suitable for the application. In extreme use the brake fluid can be an issue as well.
I've taken people who think they drive hard out in my rally Mini and they have been amazed at the speed at which it travels along twisty roads at night with no brake problems. However, I use 7.5" discs with the Carbon-Metallic pads as supplied by Mini Spares. Even with the discs glowing dull red they never fade. The brake fluid I use is AP600 race fluid which I change every 2 years.

Does the AP600 race fluid make any difference and im running 8.5s i think

Unless you are racing or doing serious rallying you won't need AP600, just a good quality DOT4. The difference with AP600 is that its boiling point is very high - 600deg C I think (well, that makes sense I guess).

hah ok somehow i dont think itwill be getting that hot

You would be surprised. My dad can get the discs on his mondeo to glow Never tried it on mine, but ive checked them after a drive to find there hotter than my temp gauge can read

Once i have my brakes sorted ill be running racing dot 4, but i will also have significantly more power than a standard mini ever had so it makes sence.