Big Brake upgrade Fronts.

Well i have eventually finished upgrading the front brakes on the coupe. Using the bigger Alfa calipers from the Alfa GT coupled with a 330 x 32 disc, which is just a one piece disc as the first effort at a two piece struxk a few problems in the engineering dept, and stopping power via pagid yellows. Interestingly the same pad exactly that the Aston Martin MP14 Gt endurance car uses.

Cost wise well it aint cheap as you also have to upgrade to 17" wheels at least to fit over the much longer calipers. I had to wait 15 weeks for my Team Dynamics Pro race 1.2's to arrive which is not very good but now that they are here they do look rather tasty with the red LE. The tyres are Pirelli P Zero Corsa's which i haven't used in anger yet so can't comment. So overall costs are:

Calipers £197 new from Alfa 77362677 (off side only so check with parts the near side number)
Pin kits £30 new from Alfa 77362678 (bought them in case the new didn't come with and the other one i had didn't have any so if you are going new then don't bother)
Discs £190 new from 3G
Pads £160 from Competition Braking
Wheels £450 from Evolution R
Tyres £330 from E-bay
Overall Total £1500 ish.

As i said not cheap but a very easy to do mod with very little engineering needed.

So i know you've been waiting for some pictures:

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/sparco71/misc006.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/sparco71/misc005.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/sparco71/misc007.jpg

Forgive the car on the trailer. This is due to a separate turbo problem that will need fixing before i can even bed the brakes in.

Wow, they look good. So if you've already got 17's & tyres, it shouldn't be all that an expensive upgrade really.

Look really good.

Mark

The only thing to watch is to make sure that if you already have 17@s you're confident that they will accomodate the brakes as there isn't a whole lot of room in there just like the standard 20VT set up.

Any plans to do the rears? Pls give me an update when you've had a chance to do some testing - I'm particularly interested in knowing if the rear end gets even lighter than normal under braking with the extra grip on the front. Do the front calipers just bolt on?

£197 for a NEW pair of calipers?!

Yip just bolt straight on mate. I'm itching to test them out.

Thats probably each...

Looking good sparco. Like the wheels dude.

Ross

they look the biz!!

Have just got this upgrade, cant wait to try it,its a easy fit and looks just have to wait to have a working engine to test it

looks good. I have the corsa tires too and they fit barely in the wheel arches. Thank god for my stiff suspension....

good work there Sparco

interestingly, does your Alfa calips fit without any brackets / adapters ??

I had to fit some special brackets that came with an Alfa kit ( from Brembo ) ,then spent some serious dosh on 2 piece floating discs ( F40 conversion )

mine without the alloys almost cost the same

you've done well there....

I was gonna give you a tip, but you've fitted the calipers too quickly....

if you ever buy new ones, REMOVE the pad guides & then fill the cavity with silicone as this will stop the water / brake dust from building up underneath & eventually giving you the dreaded brake squeal

Haven't even used them in anger yet and i've just re-removed the turbo so i'll have some time. Any kind of silicone? So just unscrew the pad guides and fill the cavity then re-fit them.

My caliper came with a bracket attatched which fitted straight on.

I had difficulty with my two piece set-up and actually was looking for you as i phoned the guys who made yours but they need your proper name and possibly an order number to look back their files.

I was getting tow piece ones made for £400 but there was a problem during the manufacture and they had to be binnned so i'm still open to other avenues.

Any cahnce of part numbers please?for the calipers and disks?
did they just fit onto the existing brake pipework

Sparco, was it BG devs you were working with ?

They are good, but made a Minor error, in that I will always have to trim the outer set of pads by about 2mm on a bandsaw to clear the alloy bell....something they would never have spotted, as they were never supplied the pads, just the caliper & the F40 disc

works a treat though

any old silicone will do...

Taz it wasn't BG developments i was working with but when my first attempt didn't happen i did phone them and that's when they asked if i could get your proper name and an order number. If you can PM me your details it would be much appreciated mate.

Coupedummy i will dig out the part numbers etc and post them up. The discs are modified alfa discs and need drilled for four stud fitment and all the pipes just fit straight on.

Looks fantastic, getting quite close to saying no thanks to team dynamics, coz i'm getting tired of their nonsense - sepecially after they asked foranother £150 - after getting the price wrong (suprise suprise)

Just out of interest what size of tyre? they loook huge!

Edit - Acutually I can read it in the pics 225 45 R17

Taz - how long did it take BG to come up with something for you? They are supposed to be doing an AP kit for me, they've had all the parts they need for six weeks and I am getting a bit bored of chasing them on the phone.

Ah that might explain why they were a bit aloof on the phone with me asking for Taz'z inside leg measurement etc. I thought that they would be able to remember doing stuff for a coupe as it's not a very common car!?

YOu're keeping the smaller set-up though Si yes?? I take it it's a two poece set-up?

I've given them a PDF of 17inch team dynamics pro race wheel and said I want two piece front + rear discs with uprated calipers all round - including handbrake operation. Also I've given them suggestions via email of how they might be able to do the handbrake etc. On speaking to them I gave them a free reign and just said I want the car to stop like there's no tomorrow with good balance from the front to the rear of the car.

Sparco, it was done by Barbz for me, but I have the paperwork at home somewhere, see If I can dig it out.

But, yes they should remember doing it, as they even offered me a colour on the anodised bells, I just went for plain olde grey

got any info about part nos yet Taz/Sparco ? are these 4 or 6 pot calipers .........going to fit these if more info is available,the car is of the road just now, so would like to try and organise asap
ta paul

I like that!

Not at all related but ive seen a good few Scoobys and M3s up here with big AP setups all round recently. I've often wondered about a 360mm Rangerover sport brembo setup front, put the front caliper from the 20vt to the back and use a spot caliper for the handbrake

Maybe oneday...

360 mm - now there's a nice dose of overkill for you.

Those are wheels not brakes!

Paul i'll definately dig out some stuff tonight for you.

If only some one thought about doing that, trying to find a caliper that works of a cable for the handbrake and trying to make a new braket to fit on the rear arm for the front brembo, watch this space...

Thanks a lot Sparco..I know it`s a pain in the butt after the event but it would be great if you could,always ment to upgrade the fronts but never found the time to source the bits ..................and yes now wanting to use all your hard found knowledge,hopefully make it up to you one day

Not managed to dig up the receipt yet for the calipers but i'll find that tonight.

However speak to Kev at 3G and tell him you want a set of discs for the Alfa GT caliper like Marco's and he'll sort you out. He will re-drill s standard 5 hole disc with another 4 holes to suit the fiat fitment. make sure that you ask for the 330x32 discs mind.

Unless I'm missing something, you only need to drill 3 holes as the alfa is 5X98 and we are 4X98

V.

Don't be picky Vas!? All we need to know is that the standard Alfa 5x100 i think needs to be drilled to 4x98.

sorry sparco,

I thought that the alfa is 5X98 as I've seen such a conversion (was about to buy it...) and it only had the extra 3 holes.

V.

thanks Marco I`ll order the discs today

Paul i've updated the first post with part nos.

ta very very much

Looks like a good setup, I'll look it up!

This also means I'll have a good excuse to buy 18-inches and leave the 17" for R-tires...

Have you done much to the rears? Sorry I haven't followed your car so intimately..

No just uprated pads for now. Just made sure everything was working 100% and used goodridge hoses all round and motul RBF600 fluid. My backs get quite hot after 10 laps or so.

ordered my calipers today even got myself 15% discount .will get onto 3g tomorrow and organise the discs,then pads too, ta much again Sparco

Great mate and at this rate you'll have driven them in anger before i have. Remember don't skimp on brake fluid!

good point ,not changed mine in a couple of years.

I`ve got the Tarox rear `big brake` conversion fitted too, it will be good to see how the fronts now mate up with it.

BTW if anyone is interested the part no for the near side caliper is the same as the o/s one but just add a 6 to the end of the nos.

As Marco said,as well as the DB9, this caliper/pad combination is also fitted to the new ford GT .

Should be ok for the coupe then

Wait till you see them, i have pagids and they are rather large and thick, just like me.

Sorry sparco - I'm thicker than you. Can you clarify - are these brakes a straight swap ? I've got 18" wheels so clearance shouldn't be a problem.

Je suis un retard!

Yes mate a direct fit.

cheers mate - bigger brakes - here we come!

So heres a question then... What would it take for a 16vt to get these brakes?

I know CarlT often offers everything u need to change up to the brembos so i would guess its everything on his list except the calipers, disks and pins?

I'd think it'd just be 20VT hubs and track rod ends and that'd be it. Not 100% sure though.

Have found carlT's old thread for the conversion and he wanted £100+vat (so £117.50) for the kit without the calipers (and disks i guess).

oooh a very tidy brake conversion then for about £650 all in. (i already have 18" wheels). THats a bargain. might prod carl for a conversion kit at £100 just so i have one ready for January (when i'll be able to afford the rest).

Just a thought I had today sparco; are you intending to add any extra baffling or fit a dry sump to your coupe?

I know it's been discussed before and general consensus was that the coupe sump is pretty well baffled as is but I remember hearing burnsy managed to destroy an engine due to oil surge. Just thought it might be worth considering as I'm sure your car will see some fairly excessive cornering forces.

You must be bloody phsycic as i was just looking at that today but can't find anything to suit the coupe.

Mind you dry sump kits ain't cheap either but would certainly look at it. Do you have anything in mind?

By the way what's that got to do with brakes??

If you are braking hard, you are going to cause the oil to move away from the pick up, as it has been reported by a few members in the past, that's why

What Begbie said, but also I was going to ask you and thought it would be better as an 'on the forum discussion' than a pm. Couldn't think of anywhere better to put it.

could look at an accusump or similar as an alternative

What's that john?

Accusump is a company who do dry sumps, although i'm sure you could have googled that

I think that's what Sedicirich runs on his Tipo. Might be worth enquiring with him, or looking through his thread (I think on Guy Crofts forum ) of his car/engine build.

I run these on my car - fairly simple install, but not straight swap.

Don't bother with the brackets and pipes - they are for the 147/156 GTA which has different struts, so they don't fit.

I think the better option is to buy the kit to do it yourself, or get a garage to make you a new set of hard break lines from the caliper to the existing bracket. They will be pretty much copying the existing ones but making them slightly longer, as the caliper sits a bit further out.

The alfa discs are drilled for 5 stud rather than the coupes 4 stud. You could either get somebody to re-drill the alfa ones, or I baught a set from 3G of the alfa gta 330mm discs, and asked 3g to dril in the additional holes to make 4x98. Hope that helps!

Agree with Paddy and also got 3G to do my discs.

You can get a two piece 330 disc from compbrake that's a direct fit....

Oohh that's what I would go for..

Just remember to make sure that the offset for the disc and caliper is correct as the compbrake one might be different from the alfa one!

Yep, I did on my car. Just the bit that goes from the caliper to the bracket on the suspension. May be you could persaude the old one to fit, but I didn't try.

Yeah, I thought the same think about the two part discs Suba sugested. If the offset is right, then I think they would be a better option, and probavly lighter too.

That said, I've been very pleased with my 3g's

I'n definately getting two piece discs but Paul at Racepads has offered to get them made for me so i assume they will be Brembo items.