Brake Upgrade Suggestions?

[Joe_Black]

Brembo or Wilwood are generally great choices for braking upgrades. When upgrading calipers you not only have to fab brackets and account for offset, but also need to consider the ABS system. I've not personally upgraded an ABS vehicle but have known a few who have and words like "modulation" and "feedback" come to mind. In any case, any one interested in developing a "kit" would be best advised to contact a rep from the aforementioned companies to get on the right track for proper specs and applications. After you have that, it's merely the relatively simple task of fabbing the brackets and finding/adapting an acceptable rotor.

[Hotsauce]

I really don't like the wilwood calipers, I've had problems with them flexing, and wearing pads tapered. Cost no object, I'd go Brembo, or Stoptech.

I've used the PBR calipers on other projects, and have piston area ratios worked out already. I paid less than $200 for new loaded calipers. It appears that no adaptation to brake lines will be needed

John C.

[VehiX]

Originally posted by paultvx
Nope. Most of the braking work is done by the front in all vehicles... regardless of 4wd, or 2wd. That's why you almost never see any big brake upgrade kits for the rear of sports cars.[/i]

Then why do we come stock with bigger brakes in the rear?

Stock Isuzu VX:

Front brake configuration 11.0" ventilated disc
Rear brake configuration 12.3" ventilated disc

It seems to me, if I remember correctly, you would want better braking power on the wheels with the most power going to them? some one correct me if I'm wrong?

That's why most front wheel drive cars have bigger rotors in the front, right?

I would suspect bigger brakes in front would cause more severe nose dive on a vehicle like the VX

Does anyone know for sure with our brake system wether or not the fronts engage first or the rear?

I'm Just asking and being curious, not doubting you

[Joe_Black]

Good question! Rotor DIAMETER is often an accomodation to the wheel assembly the rotor is being mounted to. Go out and take a good look at your front and rear rotors. You'll notice that the swept area (the area contacted by the pads) and the thickness of the front rotor is greater than the rear. You'll always find "beefier" brake components up front. That's where all the weight of a vehicle is concentrated in a stop, irregardless of front or rear drive. Your rear brakes are also somewhat adjustable courtesy of a proportioning valve that reacts usually to the angle of the rear axle to the pavement, dynamically adjusting the pressure available to the rear brake.

So the wheels getting the power don't necessarily get the brakes. Just look at a motorcycle, double discs up front and a single disc or drum at the rear. You almost exclusively use the front brake.

[xdfarrx]

Correct me if I am wrong but I was told there was a bolt on kit from Brembro. I think F40(??) was the brake package, but it has been a while since then so I could be remembering wrong. Same brakes that were fitted on the supercharged Axiom semi-concept set up that was doing the rounds at car shows last year. I could never figure out why we had bigger rotors in the back either, odd but those engineers are definitely in the know.

[SGT.BATGUANO]

Another reason for the larger rear rotors is that they have to accommodate the emergency brake system which uses an internal drum assembly machined into the rotor itself.

[paultvx]

Just say no to Willwood. Willwoods are not meant for street duty. Their calipers do not have dust seals which means they will need complete disassembly and cleaning from time to time. Not something you want to deal with on a daily driver. Racing teams use Willwoods because race cars are stripped down and rebuilt constantly.

Brembo does not have a bolt-on kit. BTW, Stoptech's caliper is pretty much a copy of the Brembo F40 caliper with some of Stoptech's own improvements. What those improvements are no one knows.

You do want bigger brakes in the front because during braking weight is transferred to the front (nose dive). Because of this weight transfer the front tires are compressed and larger than normal contact patches are created with the ground. So... greater the contact patch means greater surface of friction resulting in greater stopping power. This is why the harder you break (increased weight transfer), the quicker you stop... unless you lock up and start skidding... that's why ABS was invented. ABS allows you to brake fast, hard and without skidding. Other ways larger brakes stop the vehicle quicker: 1) larger surface area of contact between rotor and pad. 2) better transfer of kinetic engery into heat... greater surface area means the rotors cool faster allowing more energy transfer. This is also why race cars use carbon disks. Carbon doesn't retain heat... at least not as much as steel. It transfers heat to the atmosphere much quicker.

In case anyone is interested, Porsche Boxter calipers cost $273 for the standard black Boxster calipers. If you want the red ones from the Boxter S, it'll be $453.

If I had the money to spend I'd go with the Stoptech early 1st Gen Eclipse 13" kit... use the provided adapters to make ones that fit or shaved them down to get the right offset... Eclipse is 5 bolt. VX is 6. So you'd have to get different rotor hats for the sexy two piece rotors. If you contact them, you may even be able to convince them to do small run/group buy kit for the VX based on their 1st gen Eclipse kit. All they'd have to do is provide the right rotor hat... and leave the lines and adapter up to you. Or even someone can provide them with the stock brake/rotor offsets they may even have adapters machined.

Out of curiocity... do we share our brakes with the Trooper or the Rodeo? If we do, it'd make an even more convince case for them to provide a kit.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

Just thought I'd throw this site up in case it is useful or of interest
if the Mitsubishi connection with our braking system can be utilized:

http://www.aempower.com/product_brake.asp