Outer Limits 4x4 Board

After putting 33's on I have noticed the Disco doesn't like stopping quickly. I mean worse than normal!

It's a late '94 Disco with solid front rotors and the master cylinder is the steel tube type with just two pipes coming out of it. This then runs over to the passenger side to a distributor. The vehicle weighs about 2,000kgs. It took three goes to pass the rego brake test as well.

I have heard that Defender calipers with vented rotors is the go, but will I have to change all the brake line plumbing as well? Is it this even true that Defender calipers are better?

Vented rotors aren't the solution, as it's not when the rotors get hot. It's all the time.

Try slotted discs and braided brake lines. Slotted discs work better because when you brake a gas builds up between the disc and the brake pad thereby reducing friction. The slotted disc allows this gas to escape. Normal rubber brake lines flex as the peddle is pushed thus allowing for a slightly spongy feeling. The braided brake line does away with this problem.

I see the slotted DBA rotors come in vented only, is it necessary to fit later model rotors off a car with ventilated brakes as well? Or can the solid rotor caliper accept them?

had this saved in my favourites, they have the DBA rotors slotted in solid type.
hope this helps.

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/discovery/

mark

i fitted vented (not slotted) discs off a defender to my county, and they made stuff all difference.

The conversion was a pain in the ass, you need some calliper spacers (vented discs are bout 10mm wider) off a vented disc rangie which you can buy seccond hand or as a new kit from davis/G-cooper/TRspares etc (i cant remember the new $$ but was obscene). The other option is to buy some complete callipers off a defender, the cheapest i found was 130 each + freight in perth somewhere.

I was lucky and found some callipers off a burnt-to-crisp vouge for 100 the pair and used the spacers in my existing callipers.

but like i said i couldn't notice the difference. Do a 3 circuit system first, I know the defender has a line from the MC to each front wheel and one to the rear with a T piece at the diff. This would be the first option i would be taking, (running extra lines would be the hardest part)

Andy

beware of drilled discs they apparantly develop hairline cracks around the holes from heat build up. Slotted only do not have this problem.

up2nogood wrote:After putting 33's on I have noticed the Disco doesn't like stopping quickly. I mean worse than normal!

Same with my Defender,heavy tyres/rims combo and a diaphragm which seems not to work well anymore.

This should be a more radical improvement:

http://www.hydratechbraking.com/

It's just the $$$ which don't suit my wallet...

An hydraulic cylinder instead of vacuum on a diaphragm
for more braking power...

would it be simple n effective to get a set of the 4 pot calipers from a front end and replace the 2 pot rears,, or will this through the braking balance out

On our 93 D1 we replaced the front discs and calipers with vented ones from a 110, and re-ran the brakes lines to eliminate the second ones. It's a bit fiddly to do, and you have to block up or route one line back into the 'spare' ports on the MC, or you could just get the MC from the 110 and fit that!

This made a huge difference, the thing actually stops now with no fade. Left the rear standard as it was already locking up under hard braking.

The 110 calipers are much bigger, so they now have an much increased swept area which equals better stopping power and much less brake wear - thankfully 'cause the standard pads wore out every 4-5 months.

Caution, if u go down this route, make sure the calipers have not been left lying around cause they'll be rusty, and could cost u heaps to fix. But you can import the full repair kit from the UK for around 130 dollars (all SS pistons and seals inc.). Local cost from Repco/PBR was wait for it......$600!! Why, well the fellow said cause it's Land Rover, that's why.

...Oh and the four pot calipers won't fit the rear - we tried that!

Hey Reddo, Spell ' watch ' 100 times.

JC

I know this isn't the answer your after BUT....

When I put the GQ diffs in my rangie, not only did I get stronger diffs and awsume turning circle, but the brake upgrade was amazing, It use to stop on a dime, Never felt anything as close to it in a 4WD before, and that was on 35's. Just the combo of the 84 RR Master cylinder and stock nissan calipers and rotors.

Looks like County/110 calipers and discs as well as ss brake lines will help. Not doing the Nissan conversion, thanks DAS!

Michele, the Hydratech system is something I like, thanks for bringing that up! That looks awesome and when you consider the cost of replacing a shagged master cyl & booster, it ain't that expensive!

Yup,it sounds very tempting,but the biggest issue is the Italian MoT/insurance company,it's one of those mods which would never be allowed...

(along with many others)


...I have a new replacement brake servo here (whatever it's called,the disc with diapraghm in it),I hope it will solve the trouble for another 9 years...