Jag performance brake parts ?????

hdheritage97 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-08-2003, 09:45 PM

I run Jag suspension up front and the stock brakes on it are horrible. If anyone has had this trouble and solved it or knows where I can get performance brake kits or parts, please get in touch. I'm using E-series stuff and it just can't stop the type of power the car makes.

Thanks,

Cliff

XXQQQME · #2 (**permalink**) 09-09-2003, 11:16 AM

Sounds like the same problem the original "AC"s had. Have you looked into ceramic or kevlar break pads?

hdheritage97 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-09-2003, 01:11 PM

Actually, I was told today to go to the parts store and get the cheapest brakes I cvan find, that the more modern stuff is too hard for my old equipment and that the cheaper brakes would hold better, won't last that long, but softer and won't eat the rotors either. I don't need them to loast a long time, I just need them to stop the damn car....lol.

Cliff

rdorman · #4 (**permalink**) 09-09-2003, 02:14 PM

Well, not necessarily. Soft/Hard should be used regarding wear and rotor friendly decriptions but people often use them to describe torque or coeficient of friction. So depending on the pads you have now, you may be happier, you may not be.

I would be really helpful if you told us what you don't like about your brakes. If you go the aftermarket route, and I am sure you can, you will most likely be happier but then again........

Rick

hdheritage97 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-09-2003, 04:32 PM

Other than that they're great...lol. If I'm going fairly fast, say over 60, then I can stand on them and they won't ever lock, not that I want them to, but the pads don't have any grip. I've read that the Jag stuff from that period just plain sucks and I need to know that if a car pulls out, I can stop...or a deer, they're everywhere here. So that's my issue. Also, my rear rotors are larger than my fronts and that's also an issue that needs to be fixed, larger rotors for the front. My rear is a custom made Ford 9" IRS and the guy that built it used bigger rotors in the back than the jag units up front. I don't have a proportioning valve in it either so the back is doing more work than the front and that's not how it should be. I'd also like to explore putting power brakes in , if it's possible. That's my issues and I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Thanks,

Cliff

mickmate · #6 (**permalink**) 09-09-2003, 07:02 PM

A low dollar upgrade is the 240volvo calipers and pads. They bolt right on to the e-type stuff with a small spacer to centralise them. There are custom rotors and hats that can be matched up and I think you can buy some wilwood stuff to bolt on also. The amount you spend is inversely proportional to your stopping distance!
Good luck with it.
Cheers Nick

richmond · #7 (**permalink**) 09-09-2003, 11:05 PM

Are EBC Green pads available for you setup? They grab much better than most padsand are almost completely dustless

rdorman · #8 (**permalink**) 09-10-2003, 11:37 AM

I have a pair of four pot Girling/Jag calipers with EBC greenstuff pads that are for sale so yes, they are available.

Can you ever lock all four wheels and if so which lock first? Look up the other recent thread where I was trying to help Clois with some of his issues.

Before you go and buy new front brakes you are going to have to work through some items. It sounds to me as though you can not generate enough braking power to stop the car. Aside from changing thing that you really don't want to mess with, your options to increase brake torque include:
- for mechanical advantage you have larger rotors or higher ratio peddles
- Smaller master cylinder bore, higher CF pads, larger caliper pistons (and or more of them)

Things to keep in mind:
- you don't want to mess up the balance. sounds as though you do not have a balance bar set up so you need to be able to lock all four wheels, with no proportioning valve the rears need to lock right after the fronts. otherwise you will need to add a proportioning valve.
- if you increase the CF of your current pads, once again you may have a balance issue if each end is not increased similarly
- if you go to a smaller bore master cylinder then you will increase peddle travel and in extreme cases can exceed the working pressure of the rest of the system (unlikely). higher ratio peddles will basically do the same thing
- you don't say what size rotors you have on the front nor the wheel size but if you are running 15" rims then 12.19 is going to be your max. and that is a maybe.
- you want to shoot for about 75 pounds of peddle pressure to achieve lockup with minimum travel. 75 is easy to do (put a bath scale against a wall with your back to another wall or really heavy piece of furniture and push on the scale, you will see what is comfortable for you)

If you can give me some information then I can make some basic recommendations that will help guide your shopping: rolling diameter of the tires, brand and model of tire, front and rear weight, lever ration of current peddles, master cylinder bore size front and rear, number of caliper pistons, size and how they are mounted (floating or fixed), rotor diameter, pad information specifically brand, model and CF. Some of this information I can do without and assume the part will be replaced, like the pads, some I can not!

First impression is larger rotors for the front (more heat so they will fade quicker than the rear, you can keep what you have but be aware that this will happen), smaller master cylinder (larger calipers) or if you are happy with the amount of travel you have, new higher CF pads. On the pads be aware that above .5CF it is almost impossible to find a pad that is not really dusty.

I have adapted Wilwood to fit MG front ends, I see no reason why it can't be done for Jag. My car had the same issues that yours did, not any more!

Rick

hdheritage97 · #9 (**permalink**) 09-10-2003, 07:48 PM

Wow...I didn't realize I was getting in so deep....lol. I'm using Tilton masters with the Tilton balance bar setup. I have a master for the fronts and one for the backs. The rear brakes are GM calipers and the fronts are Jag E-type, not sure if they are Girling but I'll take a tire off this weekend to find out. I'm running BF Goodrich tires all around 235/60/15's up front and 275/50/15 Drag Radials out back. My masters are 3/4" units by the way. As far as what type of pads I have, I don't have a clue since I've never messed with the brakes yet. I've looked at some Jag sites and there is a Wilwood based kit I can buy that adapts to the Jag stuff. They use the Wilwood Billet units, Wilwood pads of course, but mention nothing of the rotors so I assume they use them on the stock rotor, which I would rather change. I'll print your reply and see if I can't find out all the info you were asking about sometime this weekend. Thanks again for taking the time to help me and I'll post that info ASAP.

Thanks,

Cliff

rdorman · #10 (**permalink**) 09-10-2003, 08:03 PM

Sounds good Cliff. Let me know. It is easy to try some new parts but who knows if you will be happy!

Rick

Eljaro · #11 (**permalink**) 10-12-2003, 04:56 PM

Check out AMP at http://www.cobracountry.com/amp/home.html
they make good front suspension replacements for Jags. My front brakes have Disk diameter 310mm,
Disk bolt circle diameter 175mm,
Disk inner diameter 162mm,
Disk thickness 21,08mm(13/16") and use Willwood Superlite calipers with an adapter plate to fit to the original upright.
Check these pictures

Eljaro · #12 (**permalink**) 10-12-2003, 05:25 PM

Check out my picture gallery.
Two pictures there.
Stefan