Brakes or rather Not..

[D-CEL]

I do also need to comment on the statement that Ant made about the AP being superior to Wilwood, as I have had this discussion more times than I care to remember.

AP makes an excellent product, they work as they should.
However, the cost of a cast, aluminum body, 6 piston AP caliper kit is more than twice the cost of a Wilwood billet aluminum bodied kit. (You can get a billet bodied AP caliper it just comes in a whole different catalogue! And they are a whole lot more expensive. Not that cast doesn’t work, its just has more flex.)
The question I was always asked was:
“Why is the Wilwood so much cheaper than Brand X”
To that I would respond:
“We make money, at the price we sell at, your question should be”
“Why is brand X so expensive?” “what am I getting for my dollars?”

Are they good? Yes. Are they worth twice or three times the money?

That’s your call.
Ant say’s “yes! Because he likes the Yellow logo”

Fyi,
Wilwood does in fact have calipers with dust boots, if you place value on them.
Those are calipers targeted at the “street market” because somebody said “you need them” You will find that in a high temp applications, the boots will burn and fall apart. I have seen it many times in classes where you must use a stock caliper. The guys that must use PBR calipers routinely take them out because they catch fire. They do nothing when it comes to keeping the true enemy out of your brake system, moister. No seal can keep that out completely, that why the fluid must be changed regularly.

By the way, the AP replacement parts make the kit prices seem reasonable

JASON

[Ant]

Jason,

I dont disagree with a lot of what you have said, comparing cast to billet, I dont actually think caliper rigidity is a lot different between the two.
The wiper dirt seals on the AP's are in the piston bore (not exactly visible) and can heat transfer better and arent anywhere near as susceptable at burning off like old style boot seals that were just under the brake pads. Dirt seals arent really that necessary and if you clean the caliper piston before fitting new pads the seals should last a good while.

AP road calipers are of a heavier construction than their race calipers, coupled with the double lip wiper seals are claimed to be more durable, due to the fact they generally see less maintainance than a race caliper which is regularly serviced.

PBR caliper dirt seals and the design that AP makes on these calipers arent really the same thing. Moisture yes its always a good policy to change the fluid every meet.









[quote=D-CEL;935762]I do also need to comment on the statement that Ant made about the AP being superior to Wilwood, as I have had this discussion more times than I care to remember.

AP makes an excellent product, they work as they should.
However, the cost of a cast, aluminum body, 6 piston AP caliper kit is more than twice the cost of a Wilwood billet aluminum bodied kit. (You can get a billet bodied AP caliper it just comes in a whole different catalogue! And they are a whole lot more expensive. Not that cast doesn

[Ant]

Jason,

I originally wanted to use Wilwoods, as I have used the billet Superlite in the past with 1.88/1.62 these are just a little to wide for my application, so I then looked at the 6 pot calipers, I have a space problem and am limited in width, but the narrower SL6 would have worked, then I priced up some AP's (they are about twice the price) but are narrow enough, the upside to that the AP has a bit more pad area, coupled with 330 x 32 front rotors have a bit of heat capibility before parts get cooked. Also looked GN Wilwood but to wide, so I spent more money, which you dont get any prizes for.

You are right the down side with my internal wiper seals would be heat but most likely with my short races and light weight car hopefully not a problem, apart from regular maintainance. Corrosion with the design seal I have these will do nothing to prevent that, so change the brake fluid every full on meeting!