My Brake Upgrade

[DeanR33]

I went ahead and upgraded the front brakes on my Series 2 today.

I actually didn't think the brakes were bad at all to begin with, but I had access to a kit of parts at a decent price and thought it was worth a go.

The kit uses R32GTR calipers, 324mm discs (though 330 would fit too I think) and some brackets and spacers.

I've used DS2500 pads.

Here's the calipers after cleaning up.

I decided I wanted something a bit different for the colour. So I went for dark blue smooth hammerite aerosol. I don't believe in these fancy heat resistant brake calipers paints, I just think they are unnecessary.

The S2 brake mounts are M14 as per R34 and because all other prior models are M12, I had ordered some 14mm O/D 1mm wall stainless tube. This just needed cutting to the correct length to use as sleeves inside the caliper mounting holes on the hub carrier. Here you can see those bits and the old 290mm original disc with the new disc.

The original caliper unbolted and disc removed, so that I could weigh up fitment. It turned out that I needed to cut just a little of the bottom leading edge of the disc shield to clear the new caliper.

Here's the adapter bracket fitted ( this is the O/S because I forgot to take a pic of the N/S )

I used R32 GTR flexy hoses and slightly longer hard pipes into the calipers because the Stagea ones would have been too short and also it just seemed sensible to avoid the well known banjo bolt issues. I will be able to braided lines much easier too.

A quick bleed up and the finished article

I took my motor out for a run to bed them in and there is a definate improvement in stopping power, but possibly a little loss of feel, though that may improve with a few more miles.

It took me about 4 and half hours to do the job, but I was slow because I'm still recovering from a broken ankle and I have to keep taking a break.

Overall I think it's worth it, but I'm glad I didn't pay the £400 or so that this sort of kit would normally be because the improvement wouldn't be worth that to me. Though it might be a bigger improvement over S1 brakes.

One other advantage is that the R32 alloy calipers are much lighter than the original iron ones.

[KiwiRS4T]

Well done. Where did you get the kit from and can you just buy the brackets?

[DeanR33]

Well done. Where did you get the kit from and can you just buy the brackets?

It was a used kit on ebay. From measuring the discs, I am almost certain they are 324mm GTR ones.

I've seen similar kits, pretty certain one was on Uniques site, nismo.com.au

I did take a template of the bracket and I measured the spacers too. I could measure the bracket up and do some drawings when I get time.

Dean

[pipster11]

It was a used kit on ebay. From measuring the discs, I am almost certain they are 324mm GTR ones.

I've seen similar kits, pretty certain one was on Uniques site, nismo.com.au

I did take a template of the bracket and I measured the spacers too. I could measure the bracket up and do some drawings when I get time.

Dean

if you could make a cad up it would be amazing or even scan in what you took down

trying to work out how to do the same but with r33 callipers

i wonder what the biggest rotor you could do with a setup like this?

also, what thickness are they? and what material?

thanks

Edited April 13, 2010 by pipster11

[DeanR33]

if you could make a cad up it would be amazing or even scan in what you took down

trying to work out how to do the same but with r33 callipers

i wonder what the biggest rotor you could do with a setup like this?

also, what thickness are they? and what material?

thanks

Sorry I don't have any CAD software, but I'm sure I can sort something out for a drawing.

The R33 calipers will fit, they are the same fittings.The only difference between my R32 GTR calipers and R33GTST ones dimensionally is possibly the width because R32GTR are for 32mm thick discs and R33 are 30mm thick iirc.

The mounting brackets are 15mm thick and the spacers are 25mm thick. All steel I think.

I measured up when I was fitting and the biggest rotor/disc that would fit my setup would be 330mm, in fact I suspect that it is a 330mm setup because I have a little overhang of the pads on the 324mm discs I have.

[pipster11]

can you post up an dimensions you have?

just did some research

thought that 32 gtr was 280 but thicker than the gtst's but its 296 like r33's but 32mm thick

any form of diagram would be awesome, i'm doing engineering so making a cad file is easy for me, and may even have access to some form of computerised cutter