upgrading brakes

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mundungus

mundungus

Active Member
Posts
754
Location
Essex
My brakes aren't very good. I dont think there's anything wrong (i.e. worn or broken) with them, but just feel that they could/should be better.

What are my options for upgrades?

Looking in the magazines etc, there seems to be some supposed 'upgrade' or 'performance' brake parts available, but I wanted to get an idea off anyone who has upgraded parts of their brakes and get any feedback on particular parts that are good or not worth it and people's general experience.

Its a 1994 300TDI defender 90. Standard height.
 
mundungus said:
My brakes aren't very good. I dont think there's anything wrong (i.e. worn or broken) with them, but just feel that they could/should be better.

What are my options for upgrades?

Looking in the magazines etc, there seems to be some supposed 'upgrade' or 'performance' brake parts available, but I wanted to get an idea off anyone who has upgraded parts of their brakes and get any feedback on particular parts that are good or not worth it and people's general experience.

Its a 1994 300TDI defender 90. Standard height.
Click to expand...

Put drilled and vented upgrade discs on my 90 td5 made it a bit better, was advised not to get the expensive pads (green pads i think they are )but can not remember why? .
Shot my self in the foot when I replaced the discs, had to replace all the calipers as well as they were seized cost me a small fortune in the end.
 
I find that Mintex pads and disc's are good, Sometimes if the flexiable rubber pipes are getting old they sstart to "balloon" under pressure, Change to the stainless steel braided ones, this stops it and gives you a firmer pedal, Check smooth operation of callipers etc,

The big question when was the fluid last changed, Once the fluid only lasted a year in my braking system, so that is worth checking
 
Before doing anything else check that all pistons are all moving out.Remove one pad at a time put a leaver between pistons and disc,have a mate put normal pressure brake peddal both should come out use leaver to push back in,replace pad and do the rest.One stuck piston will considrably reduce brake performance.As Andy mcd says standard Mintex are good,upgrades only help [venteds ect]when driving hard and brakes get hot.
 
Does it have drum brakes at the back or Discs?

Fitting a DISCO back axle and brakes makes a HUGE difference compared to Def drums.

CharlesY
 
i would fit vented ebc disc and pads but not the very high performance pads as these need to be hot to be effective ,vented calipers are only about £50 each nowadays ,i fitted them to my v8 disco really improved braking,especially on a trip round the mountains of north wales ,i used to put specially made spacers in soild calipers tomake them vented width with longer bolts but its as cheap to buy new calipers now
 
CharlesY said:
Does it have drum brakes at the back or Discs?

Fitting a DISCO back axle and brakes makes a HUGE difference compared to Def drums.

CharlesY
Click to expand...

A range rover classic axle will fit anorl. I fitted one to mine, serviced the calipers and flushed the brake fluid though. Brakes are great know and even pulls up in a straight line. :D:D
 
wickford 90, dont you mean did yourself and other road users a favour not shot yourself in the foot when you found calipers siezed.i suppose you wouldnt think twice about spending hundreds on a power upgrade
 
My brakes are excellent. Vented discs all round, new calipers (but standard), new pipes and master cylinder/servo unit. You dont need to upgrade any more than this to get good brakes. I can lock wheel up with ease.
 
Why is locking the wheels up a sign of good brakes? I've got standard late 80's brakes on my Ninety (disks front, drums rear) and they're not brilliant - however, they will still lock if I stomp on the pedal.
Surely, progressive braking, good feedback, and lots of stopping power without locking is what you'd ideally be looking for in a brake setup?
 
mundungus said:
My brakes aren't very good. I dont think there's anything wrong (i.e. worn or broken) with them, but just feel that they could/should be better.

What are my options for upgrades?

Looking in the magazines etc, there seems to be some supposed 'upgrade' or 'performance' brake parts available, but I wanted to get an idea off anyone who has upgraded parts of their brakes and get any feedback on particular parts that are good or not worth it and people's general experience.

Its a 1994 300TDI defender 90. Standard height.
Click to expand...

I have the same landy as you and the brakes on mine are the standard set up. My brake work just fine, plenty of feel and if I push hard enough they will lock up. Compared to the world of modern cars with abs and stability control it is a very different experience. Maybe you are expecting too much from your Landy?
 
I'd go with disc rear axle and I have some lexus calipers I am hoping can be made to fit front as I'm planing 260hp conversion
 
Last edited:
waldershelf said:
I have the same landy as you and the brakes on mine are the standard set up. My brake work just fine, plenty of feel and if I push hard enough they will lock up. Compared to the world of modern cars with abs and stability control it is a very different experience. Maybe you are expecting too much from your Landy?
Click to expand...
I think you misundersood my post - I'm not expecting any more or less from my Ninety - it is what it is. The point I was making was that being able to lock the brakes up doesn't equal a good braking system! :)
 
instantsquid said:
I think you misundersood my post - I'm not expecting any more or less from my Ninety - it is what it is. The point I was making was that being able to lock the brakes up doesn't equal a good braking system! :)
Click to expand...
I know what you mean, Sorry I hadn't seen your post when I made mine, my reply was meant for the OP. Im not sure how we can help the OP, If you have enough braking to lock the wheels then adding more stopping "power" is not going to help, If he wants more feel or control then simply adding bigger calipers, ventillated discs or an axle from a disco etc is not going to help. Maybe different pads is the way to go?
I know if I hit the brakes hard in mine it all gets very scary, too used to the sophisticated set ups on modern saloons I guess.
 
Yup - biggest "aid" to my Landy's braking is leaving a sensible gap between me and the car in front, and always, always, always assume that the muppet at the next junction is going to pull out on me! (Comes from 25 years riding motorbikes!)
 
instant quid, If you have powerful brakes they will lock up. Surely this is a measure of powerful brakes? I have progressive brakes as they are not modified or had anything silly done with them. If your brakes are crap they wont stop you never mind lock up!!!
 
I'm afraid I have to disagree. Locking your wheels up when braking is the last thing you want to happen. When your brakes lock, it means the friction coefficient between the pads and the disk has exceeded the friction coefficient between the tyre and the road. You'll not stop any qucker - in fact, typically you'll take longer to stop if your wheels have locked up.

When I first got my Ninety I could lock the wheels up much easier than I can now as I've fitted better tyres. Does that mean my brakes aren't as powerful anymore? Of course not - for the same braking pressure I am less likely to skid, or to put it another way, I can brake harder than I could before without skidding. And that's without changing anything in the braking system!

That is why being able to lock the wheels does not equal having powerful brakes :)
 
So does that mean that a racing car that has very powerful brakes is crap cos it can lock the brakes up ? I dont think so! Ultimate brakes will have the power to make your tyres lose traction that is why modern cars have ABS and good brakes.
I run General Grabber AT2 tyres. These are hardly an aggressive off road pattern and I can lock them up if I brake hard enogh. This doesnt mean that I do that everytime I jump on the brakes.
Your argument is more about your tyres than the brakes. Crap tyres will alow you to lock the brakes easier.
 
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