25 replies to this topic

[minivanman8]

I have supercharged van currently running cooper 's' brakes which I want to upgrade.

How much better are alloy 7.5" 4 pot brakes over cooper s brakes? Can you run vented discs with that setup?

Or will I be better biting the bullet and getting metro 4 pots and 12/13" wheels ( I'm not keen on this as the van has quite a lot of front camber on the 10 inch alloys!)

[Tupers]

Remember that the Mini is a very light car, so the braking system only needs to be able to stop around 750 kg loaded weight. Most of the braking issues I've encountered, with the exception of drum brakes and the 997 7" disc brakes, have been caused by poor condition/quality discs and/or 'cheapie' brake pads.
Unless the car is to be used for long-distance racing the standard discs are fine. However, they must be genuine original quality and material, not 'Chinese monkey-metal' ones and if you want top quality pads then Mintex 1144 are best with the 8.5" discs or 'carbon-metallic' ones for the 7.5" 'S' brakes. With 8.4" discs I've used Mintex 1177 material and have even had the discs glowing red hot without any loss of braking capability (you do have to change the wheel bearing grease more often when you do that).
Personally I use AP600 brake fluid in the rally cars, but for road use DOT4 is fine.
The ability to stop the car to the limit of adhesion of the tyres is the most you need, as above, although those actually making a profit from selling the more expensive brakes would have you believe otherwise .

Original source. Clicky

In essence 4 pot brake are very nice and shinny but if you're driving fast enough on the road to need them you should probably have your licence taken away.

Also read here. Clicky

Edited by Tupers, 01 January 2013 - 07:03 PM.

[minivanman8]

Thanks for the reply tupers.....so I need the carbon metallic pads, but which discs are best?

Thanks a lot

[tiger99]

Surely for 10" wheels the best option is Fiesta calipers?

[jonny f]

Surely for 10" wheels the best option is Fiesta calipers?

Why on earth would you say that?!

[The Matt]

The alloy 4-pots work well. KAD if you can afford, Mini spares if uou can't.

I'm using Minisport vented ones 7.5" alloy 4-pots.

[bmcecosse]

I agree -Fiesta calipers make for much better braking (larger pads) - and allow 10" wheels to be retained.

[mk1leg]

I use the KAD 4 pot on 7.5"s with my Swiftune1380........stops real well........

since this pic I have got grooved discs.......

[minivanman8]

I'd love kad calipers, but can't really justify their price! Think I'll try the standard s calipers with carbon met pads. Just need to decide which discs. It has standard discs right now....are there any upgrades on them? Is it worth drilled/grooved discs?

[mattdc2r]

aren't carbon metallic pads a bit rubbish until they are up to temp, and then they cool really quickly as well. So for track use only really. I may be wrong, often am :)

[Cooperman]

My 'S' with standard 7.5" 'S' brakes using best-quality discs and Carbon-Metallic pads is simpky superb. I get totally consistant brake pressures at all operating temperatures right up to the point when the discs are glowing red. Even on long tarmac special stages or on road rallies in Welsh lanes they quite simply never fade at all. I do, however, use AP600 brake fluid to prevent fluid boiling. If 7.5" 'S' brakes are not good enough then either you are doing long distance racing on very twisty circuits, you have sub-standard discs or calliper pistons or pads, or you are not driving accurately but are driving totally 'on your brakes' with constant 'dabbing' on the pedal.

[Cooperman]

aren't carbon metallic pads a bit rubbish until they are up to temp, and then they cool really quickly as well. So for track use only really. I may be wrong, often am :)

No, they are very consistent acrtoss the temperature range. You may be thinking of the old Ferodo DS11 pads which only worked at their best when hot. Even they were OK on the road as we used them in all our rally cars on rallies with long road sections between stages.

[mattdc2r]

cool. learnt 2 things today so far then

[minivanman8]

Thanks for the clarification cooperman! When you say 'best quality' discs, which ones do you mean?

Thanks again

Andy

[jonny f]

My 'S' with standard 7.5" 'S' brakes using best-quality discs and Carbon-Metallic pads is simpky superb. I get totally consistant brake pressures at all operating temperatures right up to the point when the discs are glowing red. Even on long tarmac special stages or on road rallies in Welsh lanes they quite simply never fade at all. I do, however, use AP600 brake fluid to prevent fluid boiling. If 7.5" 'S' brakes are not good enough then either you are doing long distance racing on very twisty circuits, you have sub-standard discs or calliper pistons or pads, or you are not driving accurately but are driving totally 'on your brakes' with constant 'dabbing' on the pedal.

Cooperman, are you using a servo with your brakes?