| Author | Message | ||
     JEEPETR (Jeepetr) New Member Username: Jeepetr Post Number: 17 Registered: 02-2003 |
Has anyone upgraded their stock Solid front brake rotors to vented rotors from a Defender (not talking about solid cross drilled aftermarket rotors)? It always puzzled me why Land Rover chose to put solid rotors on the front of such a heavy truck, but at least they but decent calipers on the trucks. At any rate, upgrading to the vented rotors requires either swapping the calipers out for Defender or Rangie calipers or splitting the calipers and installing a spacer kit to open them up for the thicker vented rotor. Has anyone made this upgrade, and if so what route did you go (new calipers or spacers)? The Line fittings are different on the Discovery and Defender Calipers (Why I have no idea), but it looks like the short hard line from the caliper can be changed so that I won’t have to have a custom flexible line made. The Spacers are a cheaper alternative, but I’m not sure how involved it is going to be to actually split them and install the spacers, and if I will need to worry about the calipers leaking if I do so (Imperfect match between the face of the spacer and caliper I would imagine would lead to a leak nearly impossible to stop?). If anyone who has been through the process has any thoughts they would like to share, I would be appreciat it. Thanx! ~Scott T. | ||
| Michael Judd (Mrj) New Member Username: Mrj Post Number: 3 Registered: 09-2003 |
Check with Bill @ Great Basin Rovers, he is working on a kit to fit vented rotors to your existing calipers via spacers. | ||
| Mike Bauer (Mikeb) Member Username: Mikeb Post Number: 129 Registered: 02-2003 |
I've been thinking about this same upgrade too. I have been very dissatisfied with the brake setup on my D1 since I bought it. My braking issues got much whose when I added Goodyear 245/75/R16 MT/Rs on steel wheels. I have been looking at the DBA slotted/drilled rotors from Expedition Exchange and I have spoken a couple of times to Bill at Great Basin Rovers about adding spacers to the D1 calipers. A month ago, when my last set of brake pads started to wear out, I called Nathan at Discount Rovers. He talked me into a set of the Mintex brake pads. I really cannot believe the difference over the stock pads. From my very non-scientific testing, I feel that my braking performance has improved by about 1/3 (or more). I used to get a lot of brake fade on a high speed stop (say 75 mph to 0), but not with the new pads. Also, with the stock pads (AP Lockheed), I could not get the ABS to fire off in a panic stop at 30 mph on dry pavement. With the Mintex pads, I can! I know it is still a little early to say that these pads solve all my braking issues, but I'm pretty darn happy. So happy in fact that I am no longer thinking that I need to upgrade my rotors. So, Scott, if you are looking to increase you braking capabilities, this might be an alternative to you too. I would sure like to hear feedback from any others who are using the same brake pads. Thanks, Mike B. | ||
| Todd Phenneger (Toddp) Member Username: Toddp Post Number: 135 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hey guys, I actually provided Bill with the spacers he will be using. He isn't ready for production yet but there is a place in Great Britain that has spacers as well. I run D1 Calipers with spacers and RRC front DBA Slotted/drilled Rotors. VERY Happy with them. Even while towing they can handle way more ehat than stock and have more stopping power to book. I am using the Bendix Pad the Bill at GBR Recommends with them "thats what DBA recomends to him I guess) and am very happy with them. They work well when cold and even better when hot. As for fade resistance, going downhill on a long steep grade (about like most steep Interstate Mountainpasses) I was able to do repeated 80mph - 0mph stops then flooring it all the way to 80 and stopping again for about 3-4 times in a row with no fade. Even at 110mph for the last stop they still grabbed well and stopped the rover quickly. No Fade. "smelled the pads though". I had leaking on ONE Caliper but its fine now. I was not provided with Tightening Torques for the Caliper bolts so I shot for 60lbs and ended up going to 70lbs and have had no leakage since. l8r TOdd | ||
| Peter Sharratt (Gummikuh) Member Username: Gummikuh Post Number: 243 Registered: 02-2003 |
Hi Scorpion racing sell the spacers here in the UK. Or you could get the calipers from a late RR. Pete S | ||
| Michael Judd (Mrj) New Member Username: Mrj Post Number: 4 Registered: 09-2003 |
Bill has the spacers for Disco I's in stock. Give him a call. |
