SRi brake upgrade

[Telegram Sam]

All opinions that I have heard are that it is just not cost-effective to think about "upgrading" the brakes on my '91 SRi. That this would lead to a whole chain of necessary modifications, costly and with knock-on effects. Anyone disagree?

[Mikebmth]

Upgrades are available from V6 models etc which have the bigger disks, believe they are around 280mm..

I still have the standard set up on my 2litre but have bought a decent set of Brembo disks and pads and it stops pretty well to be honest, the only thing I may consider is changing the pads to Ebc Greenstuff as find the road spec Brembos not always upto my heavy right foot..

[Telegram Sam]

Interesting. I have always understood that changing disc sizes (such as for Calibras ? etc) required all kinds of complications and engineering work. Never heard of Brembos myself. Are you saying that these can in effect be swapped over in place of my standard discs for improvement (with or without Ebc Greenstuff pads) without the need for other major alterations??

[Telegram Sam]

I had a quick look at the Brembo web site. It didn't look as if Sport Discs were available for Cavaliers or Vectra B's. Did you have to get yours manufactured specially?

[Cavalier342]

Use V6 or Turbo brakes as Mike said. But it may require you change hubs, if you have 4-stud hubs at the moment.... But that'll be the easiest way to be honest.

[Telegram Sam]

That's what's put me off up to now cos opinions seem to be that as soon as you are into changing hubs and disc sizes etc things get complicated (drive shafts, wheel sizes ..) and no doubt expensive. The implication that I could get some improvement simply by installing same size Brembos - unless I have misunderstood - would seem to get round this.

[Mikebmth]

Have a browse, Fiat coupe or Meriva TD disks are both 4 stud so no need to change hun....These can be combined with larger calipers as many have done on here....

My disks I was told were uprated road spec ones but got them from GSF car parts, to be honest if you go onto Ebay or similar loads of companys sell drilled / grooved disks which are more effective than the standard solid or vented disks..

I also bought new calipers for both sides, wasnt a cheap option at about £75 each but they needed doing pretty badly so just took the dive and replaced both..

[Telegram Sam]

This is getting into foreign territory for me. Is it that any (4-stud) "drilled" or "grooved" discs are going to be better than the standard ones, and / or is there a danger that someone on eBay or wherever might confuse "vented" with drilled / grooved?
And is there some tie-up with "calipers" and a danger that I end up with the wrong combination which could be worse than what I have now (standard set-up)? It's one thing getting non-critical parts from eBay but when it comes to brakes ... I get a bit twitchy.
I haven't researched Brembo in depth beyond seeing that SRi Cav's didn't seem to feature in their offer. It might be that if I ask them direct they can suggest a solution. I take it that they are a reputable lot.

[Mikebmth]

To be honest so many have done the V6 brake upgrade and that is a Cavalier spec'd upgrade as the V6 came with 288mm I think they were and bigger calipers obviously, I have however heard that the brakes can be spongy after the upgrade due to master cylinder etc..

Any drilled / grooved disks and uprated pads will be a significant improvement over standard, worth keeping your eye out on the Cavmk3oc facebook page too as people frequently breaking and posting up parts for sale.

[Super89]

Go for bigger brakes and you will have you get 15'' wheels maybe even 16''

[Telegram Sam]

Yeah the whole idea having read the feedback on this forum was/is to avoid all the hassle and consequences of bigger discs and wheels and things. If getting a more efficient version of the SRi disc / caliper / pads set-up that I now have is possible, and I knew what exactly to specify, I'd be inclined to go for it. But buying something like this "blind" on eBay ... dodgy if you don't know what you're doing.

[Mikebmth]

Yeah the whole idea having read the feedback on this forum was/is to avoid all the hassle and consequences of bigger discs and wheels and things. If getting a more efficient version of the SRi disc / caliper / pads set-up that I now have is possible, and I knew what exactly to specify, I'd be inclined to go for it. But buying something like this "blind" on eBay ... dodgy if you don't know what you're doing.

EBC have a fantastic reputation for decent stoppers, as well as the old big firms like Brembo if you have deep pockets but as these cars age some of the bigger parts suppliers no longer stock upgraded parts for the Cavaliers..

However an Sri spec is still popular and I know for a fact EBC stock Greenstuff for the Sri spec Cav and Demon Tweeks seem to have a good selection of brake parts.

[Telegram Sam]

Great. If there are reputable people around - I'll look up EBC and Demon Tweaks as well as Brembo - that should take some of the hit and miss out of the exercise. Tip appreciated.

[Super89]

Best off getting plain discs and then getting some good fast road type of brake pad.

[Telegram Sam]

Going round in circles?? (sorry about the pun)
What is a good fast type of road pad and how would I recognize one if we met?
Would these give me better results when used with my standard "plain" SRi discs?
Sounds too good to be true ...

[Envoy CDX]

You could do something as simple as 280 meriva discs and use 284 or 288 callipers.
A simple break upgrade / service would do wonders too.

Remind me, does your SRi have ABS?

[Telegram Sam]

Simple to you perhaps but I'd need some guidance (nothing on this in the How2 Index that I could find) ...

Not only does mine have ABS but it's now got another 12 mths MOT (not even any advisories) at first attempt.

I've got the local MOT man quite well trained by now and he was wingeing on about how the car was now so plastered with Rustbuster compound that he couldn't see himself being able to fail me for underbody rust "for the foreseeable future". I hope the same applies to mechanicals such as the brakes.

[Envoy CDX]

What exactly is the issue with the brakes?
When were they last serviced? When was the fluid last changed?

What do you want from the brakes? (if you say to stop and leave it at that, I am going to swear profoundly down the phone at you..)

Basically a general service of the brakes would be to strip them down, clean out the calipers, work back an rust built up in the carriers, clean up the pins, relube them and rebuild. Ideally done every time the pads and / or discs were replaced - alot of people simply do not bother and you end up with less efficient brakes.

The difference it can make is almost night and day.

[Telegram Sam]

Points noted and I will keep in mind when the next service is due.

I've no reason to think that the brakes as is are particularly "bad" though no doubt efficiency improvements are always possible. Rather it is a matter of having something in reserve in the case of emergency situations which hopefully will continue to be the exception. This means, I now understand, that competition pads would not be a sensible idea if they are designed to work best when warmed up by intensive use but at the expense of cold running performance.

[Envoy CDX]

Points noted and I will keep in mind when the next service is due.

I've no reason to think that the brakes as is are particularly "bad" though no doubt efficiency improvements are always possible. Rather it is a matter of having something in reserve in the case of emergency situations which hopefully will continue to be the exception. This means, I now understand, that competition pads would not be a sensible idea if they are designed to work best when warmed up by intensive use but at the expense of cold running performance.

In fairness, stock, genuine parts are more than good enough for the most part. It is not like you drive at a million miles an hour just because you can.
But if it is raising concerns now, looking over it and giving it a basic service it's something that can be easily sorted one night after work if you want to go through it.

[Telegram Sam]

Whilst it's not exactly raising concerns I'll take you up on your offer some convenient evening, tks.

[Envoy CDX]

Whilst it's not exactly raising concerns I'll take you up on your offer some convenient evening, tks.

No problem.

[planetc]

Rather it is a matter of having something in reserve in the case of emergency situations

If you can lock the wheels by braking hard enough (or trigger the abs), then you have all you need for a one off emergency. The benefits of upgrades are of more use when you get into repeated hard use.

[Envoy CDX]

Rather it is a matter of having something in reserve in the case of emergency situations

If you can lock the wheels by braking hard enough (or trigger the abs), then you have all you need for a one off emergency. The benefits of upgrades are of more use when you get into repeated hard use.

[Telegram Sam]

The last time I did this - repeatedly - was when skidding about on ice [actually I've always thought that even 2 wheel drive Cav's were better than many on snow and ice, and I'm not just thinking of Cortinas and BMW's] which doesn't really put the brakes to much of a test. I've always imagined that up-rated pads / discs were less prone to fading during (one-off) prolonged hard braking from high speeds, which does happen sometimes.