Pulling out the finger on brake upgrade

[up2nogood]

G'day guys,
Finally sick of the Bushranger having totally sh*te brakes and have been hunting for Defender brake calipers with the 46mm piston calipers (not the 41.3mm ones) to go with new DBA slotted and vented rotors. It's still running the Disco calipers with solid rotors on 33's........... So you'll know why I need to do this!

I can get 'em new for 59 pounds each, but the freight is 90 pounds to get 'em to Aus.

I can't find any second hand ones anywhere! Have tried all the usual Rover wreckers and parts suppliers, but no good.

Will go the UK import if I have to, but does anyone know of somewhere I might not have tried? Anyone got any lying around?

Cheers

[KiwiBacon]

I can get 'em new for 59 pounds each, but the freight is 90 pounds to get 'em to Aus.

Do it.

I did and don't regret it at all. Brand new calipers that work perfectly out the box made the swap dead easy.

It's bugger all in the grand scheme of owning a 4wd.

[6.5 rangie]

90pound for postage is utter bull$#it isn't it, who do they think they are!

[KiwiBacon]

90pound for postage is utter bull$#it isn't it, who do they think they are!

I got mine from Paddock Spares.
Postage did cost something large, but I didn't just get brake calipers.
They are heavy though. Email them and ask for a better postage rate, they made have a slower/cheaper option.

[up2nogood]

Post won't take the package. Gotta use freight..........

Looks like it might be newies!

[DL]

Hi learned friends,

Do DBA do slotted solid front rotors for RR veteran Classic? Couldn't find any on the website, but then again I couldn't find those described above on the site either.

TIA, DL

[andrew e]

the cheapest ones i found were from rovacraft in wa. give them a ring on monday.



Andy

[KiwiBacon]

Hi learned friends,

Do DBA do slotted solid front rotors for RR veteran Classic? Couldn't find any on the website, but then again I couldn't find those described above on the site either.

TIA, DL

The RRC rotors are the same as defender and discovery series I rotors. That might help you in your part search.

I went for vented front rotors when I did the brake swap about a year ago.

[advdisco1]

i think graeme coopers might do a adapter kit for your solid (calipers) to fit vented discs. check there web site i think its on there

[up2nogood]

i think graeme coopers might do a adapter kit for your solid (calipers) to fit vented discs. check there web site i think its on there

Thought about that, but the caliper still has the smaller pistons. This thing does not like stopping, so the bigger Defender calipers are necessary.

Will try Rovacraft and All 4x4 at Kotara NSW.

[DaveS3]

Can you post up what you find.

I will be going down the vented path soon, so am interested to hear prices from Aus suppliers before I go to paddocks.

Cheers.

[andrew e]

Actually try Karcraft in silverwater aswell. Theyre the australian Beamach agents and very compeditie on new stuff.



Andy

[Disco1Modified]

I too am interested in what you find. I now run 33" tyres as everyday driver and 35's for the fun stuff and it would be nice to improve the stopping power (and just a tweak, but a proper improvement)

[up2nogood]

Karcraft was 1st port of call. No good on calipers.

Have to actually work today, so haven't chased others yet!

[Lucus]

discovery autos over here in perth have caliper upgrade kits that have the spacer that fits between the two caliper halves and allows you to run the vented disc. Not too sure on price or adr compliance tho...

[andrew e]

but a vented disc makes no difference to stopping power. they just stop the brakes from fading when used repiditevely.

[up2nogood]

Vented brakes do prevent brake fade, not increase stopping power.

But you do get slotted rotors with vented rotors, which do improve stopping power. Don't think you get them with solids?

Also the 46mm piston calipers don't fit the solid rotors, which is the main reason I'm doing this.

[KiwiBacon]

Vented brakes do prevent brake fade, not increase stopping power.

But you do get slotted rotors with vented rotors, which do improve stopping power. Don't think you get them with solids?

Also the 46mm piston calipers don't fit the solid rotors, which is the main reason I'm doing this.

46mm piston calipers are available to fit either solid or vented rotors. If you want part numbers then I have them.

Slotted rotors do not improve stopping power. They shed dirt and water a little better, but that's it.
The only way to get more stopping power is with more aggressive pads or more clamping force. The larger pistons give you more clamping force.

[Reddo]

Tip, also relace the original flexible lines with Goodridge High Performance ones (made in UK too) which make the pedal feel much harder.

I got a set off Ebay for 100 bucks or so........not sure if they are regulars on there, or were surplus ot needs.....

[andrew e]

you can make the defender ones fit non vented discs if you take the spacers out.

I'm currently running 41mm callipers (disco1) with spacers and vented discs. All this talk about changing callipers made me pull out a set of 46mm defender callipers i had laying around and give them a spruce up to put in my county. If you do get a 2nd hand set, make sure they are in good nick and ensure the pistons have NO pitting or flaking under the layer of dirt on the outside. Pistons are $17 each for chrome and $30 for stainless, and seal kits are around $20. So your looking at almost $200 in parts to recondition them. (or near 300 with SS pistons).


Andy

[up2nogood]

That's if you can get the buggers tho!

Down to 59GBP each and 80GBP in freight. Total under $500AUD for a brand new pair. Aussie supplier was considerably more, plus GST + freight. These are coming from Mailorder 4x4. Paddocks also sell them at 60 nicker as well.

Not gonna do brake lines yet. Got this stupid plan of installing 10" travel Bilstein 7100 shocks, lifted springs and a double cardan front and rear drive shafts.........................

Brakes first...... Get the bitch to stop before I make it go.

[Reddo]

If the calipers are stuffed, get the kit (pistons and seals) direct from the UK. Cost me $137 delivered to Tas for the lot - from somewhere in Devon, off Ebay. Took 4 days to get here. Chrome pistons though - but since they were new and we don't have salt on the roads here, SS was not required.

Local price $50 dollar per piston from ABS Brake Service in Hobart and the over counter quote came with the standard blinking eye "Rover f'wit" look for free........