Callipers

[rossybrown]

Some advice please............

I went to sort the front brakes on my Mk3 spit yesterday. All was going well until I went to fit the shiny reconditioned callipers from Quiller. They wouldn't fit so I compared them to the old ones and as you can see in the attached piccie they are different.

Have I got Type 12 instead of 14 or something......?  What type do i need to match the old ones?

Thanks in advance,

Ross

[Clive]

They look like vitesse/gt6 calipers, Type 16 (p,pb or even metric)so wont swap. You would have the bigger uprights, discs, wheelbearings etc. Better in most respects, so unless you wish to downgrade and fit std spitfire stuff, see if you can swap the calipers for fome recon ones that will fit.

This assumes I am correct. Take it all to quiller and explain the problem. They SHOULD help you out, but I don't think they have to as they supplied what you asked for. A good trader will be helpful. Quillers may.

Clive

[rossybrown]

Thanks - sounds like i may have fitted the discs too then, and i have the wrong pads? I went for some cross drilled and grooved spitfire ones. The helpful people at Canley advised that these discs with standard pads and braided hoses gives the best feel.  Unfortunately they had no callipers in so I went to Quiller.

Two suppliers to talk with then.

Can you tell which upright I have from the attached? I know - not an ideal picture by far.

Cheers,

[Richard B]

Definitely looks like a GT6 / Vitesse 2-Litre setup.

Does your vertical link have a bracket bolted to it (with 4 bolts) to which the caliper in turn bolts to? Also the big caliper should have  '16' cast into it somewhere.

You will either have to exchange the calipers and disks for the larger setup, or get Spitfire vertical links, hubs & wheel bearings.

Less unsprung weight in the Spitfire setup, more stopping power in a standard to GT6.

[rossybrown]

Thanks Richard,

Yes there's a bracket for the calliper to bolt to. Blasted and re-painted yesterday as was the upright and all packed with new bearings etc.

The unsprung bit I understand and from your last comment I assume you mean the GT6 set up has the better stopping power?

Think I'll be sticking with the GT6 set up if this is the case and swapping the callipers, pads and discs. I am assuming the pads are different?

Cheers,

Ross

[Richard B]

Yep pad's bigger as well.

The GT6 setup was beefier due to the extra weight of the car and the extra power of the engine.

[rossybrown]

Checked my old ones last night - 16P's.  So i'll swap the type 14 callipers i bought for 16P's and change the discs and pads for gt6 ones

Thanks all

[npanne]

Ross,

If you've still got the old GT6 calipers (ie you haven't exchanged them when you got the new ones) then it might be worth sticking them on ebay. Used GT6 calipers always seem to be in demand, even those in need of a rebuild - where-as used spit ones are of very little value.

[rossybrown]

Thanks - Once the cars complete I am aniticpating having an ebay clear out, i have spare bumpers, light trims, light assemblies, guages all sorts.  I'll add the callipers to the list.