Just heard about this from Rog.

Anyone running this Tarox kit?

Where is the best place to get it?

Anyone with a kit for sale?

Cheers

Yup, I was the first to fit this kit, or maybe it was Taz ?

A very good mod, if nothing else, the handbrake actually works.

I thought Rog was a Tarox dealer and supplied the kits ?

As Jimbo says, not cheap, but the handbrake works !, basically, the leverage point of the caliper is moved out & makes all the difference

plus it's also about the smae mass as the old crap, as it's a 2 part disc with alloy bells & disc

How is it to drive? Mine gets squirmy at the back under hard breaking with red stuff pads and slotted discs when up to temp.

No squirming, the car stays more level in braking instead of the nose dive it usually does. If I absolutely stamp on the brakes, the ABS still chirps away on the fronts with no sign of the rears locking up.

With some good quality front discs and pads up front and the Tarox big disc rear with good pads, it makes for a very powerful braking setup.

The MOT tester always comments on the braking effort, he said it equivalent to a 4 ton truck !

I'm always fascinated with rear brake conversions. On the MOT the effort is increased because the ABS is inactive with the vehicle stationary, but that doesn't apply when it's moving... and in general, if the handbrake doesn't work then the rest of the system isn't working.

I'm largely convinced - though as always, I stand to learn better - that replacing with larger discs is simply fixing the faults on the existing system.

The stopping effort of a 4-ton truck at the back end of the coupe is not useful on the road since the proportioning valve - if it's working - will massively reduce that effort... and if it's not working you'll simply lock the back end, rotate, and go backwards through the hedge.

Unless you're a 4-ton truck, of course.

It's the front brakes that does most of the work on a car, we all know that,[cant remember the %] so I'm of the impression that it's the front that I always upgrade, if needed. It's been mentioned before, if you go overboard with the rear, you can sometimes make the car lock up & handle badly, under heavy braking. OK the Coop has ABS, but if on the other hand it's a case of wanting the handbrake to work properly as I see mentioned, I would be investigating the cause, & curing this.

i`ve got the Tarox rear conversion kit too,never had a problem with the rear breaking away under hard braking,but the brakes are definitely stronger,and as mentioned above, it provides you with a good handbrake too,only ever really available, to brand new coupes
I think Jimbo means 4 tons alround braking effort

Hmmm maybe my 4 ton truck description wasn't so clear. On the brake effort rollers, my coupe has a total brake effort equivalent to the truck.

I understand your non belief of the big disc conversion Neil, I too couldn't understand how it would work but by some sort of black magic, it does.

Putting on my engineering head, I believe it's all due to the biasing valve. Normally when you brake hard, the front brakes will be providing 70% of the effort required to stop the car, that means the weight is transfered to the front causing the nose dive you always see.
This nose dive results in the rear suspension to become unloaded and this unloading moves the arm on the biasing valve.
On a big rear disc car, there is more effort provided from the rear so not as much weight transfer to the front, so the nose doesn't dive as much, the biasing valve, although still operating isn't limiting the pressure to the rear brakes and so more overall braking effort.

That is certainly how it feels under hard braking, the car remains very neuteral without a large nose dive, the rears don't lock up as the rear end hasn't gone light through the weight transfer, most importantly, it comes to a halt very quickly indeed.

The only way to demonstrate is to demonstrate really, have a go of a coupe with the conversion and feel your face elongate towards the windscreen, then park on a hill and apply the hand brake. It's sunshine indoors

Good post there Jimbo.Fair points.

Surely the lack of nose diving is also due to your coilovers, as the heavier spring rates will stop the pitch!

It may have an impact but my springs aren't that uprated, probably the same as a set of standard Eibach springs.
Lowered coupes still nose dive although not as much as a standard coupe.

Yabbut... I have *never* had a problem with the handbrake.

If the car is braked - from either end - then there *must* be a 'weight transfer' forwards. The mass of the car wants to keep going forwards, and it's being restrained by the brakes, so the mass of the car rotates around the point midway between the axles.

The point with the proportioning valve - if set up per the design - is that it's intended to reduce the overall brake pressure as that lift reduces the weight on the rear axle to the point where skidding is likely. There's obviously plenty of grip there on a fully working system, or it wouldn't be necessary to reduce the braking effort...

I'd still argue that if you're seeing a difference, you're seeing the difference between a working system and a non-working one, not a big and small brake disk.

That said - if your springs are harder at the front, or dropped in height, you will certainly change the dynamic of the vehicle. With a stiffer, and certainly with a lower, front end, there's not going to be as much dive at that end, and that means that the rear won't lift as much, so the pressure won't be reduced...

I'd love to do the experiment. Standard - but correctly set up - and modified discs, all else being equal. High speed camera, timers, accelerometers in three dimensions, and a nice long runway with room to spin...

I have the Tarox kit and have had for a few years. I'm pretty happy with it. It's quite expensive, but then two part discs are.

I will say though, that fitting bigger brakes at the front is one of the best things I've done to my coupe.

Gents how much is this kit?

Cheers

£632

http://www.gazzellaracing.com/home.php?cat=1706

I thought you were looking at getting some rear brackets made up for the rears Adam - plus using an off the shelf bigger disc?

Group buy on Tarox rear brake conversions any one?

Even coupes with a perfect working brake compensator valve have 'light' squirming when braking hard at very high speeds.

The Tarox kit sorts that and does inspire greater confidence.

Comes at a price though, and i dont think there is a 4x98 brake disc that can be used on the rear for a DIY upgrade.

Neil, what I think is happening based on Jimbo's explanation is that the larger disc and hence greater lever arm are causing a greater torsional reaction between the hub pin and the trailing arm pin. In effect causing the rear of the vehicle to squat under braking.

It's very interesting as it's slightly counter intuitive as the C of G still moves forward.

Its in the pipeline, the pipeline just seems to be getting longer and longer.........

Im looking at a vented rear set up using Seat Leon CupraR rear calipers and a 16vt front disks.Maybe

Rog, how much are these kits now, surely not £630 !?

I'm sure it was just shy of £400 when I fitted mine ?

Not convinced, but I'd like to see the experiment.

I think there was a group buy for about £450

Wouldn't mind a set for £300 or so, but £630?!!!

Wouldn't mind a set for £300 or so, but £630?!!!

Well just do one side then

mattb what set up did you use for the front?

Awesome!

I dont know the current price, it;s normally around £450+ VAT if i remember correctly.