rear Brake upgrade

[Abuello]

Hey Guys,
We've all seen the front caliper upgrade kits from one source or another. What's available for the rears?

Ken
Maryland USA

[Mountain King]

Have a look at
http://www.rob-beere-racing.co.uk/newpr ... ventedrear

There are a couple of others out there, just google etype rear brake upgrade kit

[1954Etype]

Ken

there are upgrades available from the usuals - zeus, coopercraft etc but the distilled wisdom is not to bother. Fit greenstuff pads to the standard calipers. I put my original fronts on the rear when I upgraded and have had no issues.

[Abuello]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. When you mention installing your front calipers on the rear, I've of this, but never knew the details. Is the entire caliper a swap to the rear?
Also, do you the "green stuff" pad P/Ns.
Thanks!

[1954Etype]

You have to bolt the pistons to the calipers (front calipers are different to the rear but the mounting is the same). I'd google the greenstuff pads.

[christopher storey]

I am a bit hesitant about the idea of putting front cylinders on the rear calipers. They are larger than the original rear cylinders, and thus exert more braking effect . The risk is that you upset the brake balance, and this can be of some importance when you upgrade the front brakes, because the weight transfer to the front under heavy braking will be greater than with the original brakes . It was no accident that e.g. Minis had to be fitted with pressure limiting valves to minimise rear wheel lock up under heavy braking ( and even so on my Cooper S it still happens and is alarming!) . If you are going to lock wheels under very heavy braking , it is the front rather than the rear which should lock up first, as although this robs you of steerability, it does minimise the tendency for the car to spin

[1954Etype]

Chris,

I was aware of this but have read of a number of people who have done it successfully. I have seriously used my brakes (on the track at Reims for example) without any danger. I can only speak of personal experience.

Angus

[Abuello]

Hi,
I have already upgrade to the Wilwood front calipers, which I find to be a nice improvement along with the better braided re-enforced lines. I am aware of the importance of brake balance as I went through this when did a "make over" of my mustang's brakes. I found, with have a front line pressure of 1000-1100 PSI (70.3? Kp) with a rear pressure of 700-900 PSI (63Kp) it works fine. I guess I would have to take readings to determine the base-line, then go from there.
So we are saying one can simply swap the front cylinders to the rear caliper housings? They bolt in? If this is true, I'm having trouble visualizing how a cylinder have a larger swept area can fit into a housing cylinders have a smaller swept area. What am I missing here guys?

[christopher storey]

Angus : in my experience it is not a problem in the dry. It is in slippery conditions that the fun starts , and it is particularly if one rear locks before the other thatthe danger of a spin arises

[1954Etype]

Agreed but I have driven it hard in the wet (can't remember doing an emergency stop but I haven't been light on the brakes either).

[Heuer]

I have Zeus callipers all round and the rears are clone's of the original Jaguar fronts. Used in combination I have never had a problem in the wet or dry.