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Princess calipers

elsieolly

By elsieolly
in Running Gear

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elsieolly Explorer

elsieolly

Posted
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Hi Guys
sorry to go back over old stuff but ...
I would like to up grade the brakes on my spit as want to do some track days next year, Do i want 4 pot calipers off a princess and if so where do i get them ?
I have been searching old threads but can't find out the best idea from these.
Somebody mentioned escort euro brakes awhile back but no details.

Anybody point me in a good direction ?

CharlieB Experienced

CharlieB

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They're not 4 pot but they are effective. I have Princess 4 pots on my Spit which I fitted back when you could pick them up cheap. The most important thing is the larger diameter GT6 disk.

GT6DavidMK1 Collaborator

GT6DavidMK1

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Julie's Spitfre has a 2 litre set up at the front, from a GT6 with Goodridge hose's as well.
Brake's work well, plenty of stopping power, with a 1500 spitty engine,fast road cam and a 45 DCOE , 4 branch full sport system.

David.

James Veteran

James

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Changing totally over to GT6 stuff is actually quite expensive if you buy new stuff - if you need to replace it all that's fine - but the cost is probably about the same for a set of 4 pot calipers.

Off the top of my head... hubs...£80 caliper brackets...£50 uprights...£120 stub axles....£50... bearings....£25 brake calipers... £200 - that's pushing £500

you can get a pair of alloy 4-pot calipers and decent pads for £400?

Steve AKA vitessesteve Mentor

Steve AKA vitessesteve

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I suggest you make sure your existing brakes are up to spec first.

If you do not know when the brake fluid was last changed, change it now.

Fit decent pads, some of the stuff available is rubbish.  Not sure about Spitfire but iI am sure a fellow forum member will suggest something.

If the front flexible brake lines look old replace them with steel overbraid rather than rubber.  Should improve the feel as the lines can not expand so the fluid acts on the pads that little bit quicker. I fitted Goodridge Stainless Steel to my Vitesse years ago.  

JohnD Veteran

JohnD

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elsieolly,
I hesitate to offer any advice on brakes these days - I'm still climbing out of my hole (see the materials thread).  But for race or track day use, the problem is not stopping ability but heat build up.
    Try staying with your Spitfire brake, but fit higher temperature pads.    Much cheaper than new kit, and if you decide you need really high temp material, which may not be suited to road use, you can drive to the track on road pads, switch to the race pads and change them again to go home.
Mintex 1155 or 1166, Ferodo 2000/3000 are the choices.

Also, try improving your brake cooling.    Ducting - that expanding length corrugated alloy tubing - from under or from an intake in the front valance, direct to the hub of the brake disc.  Cable tie it to the lower wishbone.
JOhn

Mj17 Community Regular

Mj17

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If you do switch away from Spitfire brakes then don't go to Princess callipers.  You can get modern alloy kit for the same money, possibly less and you will actually be able to go fast enough to need them - fit Princess callipers and the weight of those boat anchors will stop you going fast enough to need the stopping power! :)

GT6Steve Collaborator

GT6Steve

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Mj17 wrote:
If you do switch away from Spitfire brakes then don't go to Princess callipers.  You can get modern alloy kit for the same money, possibly less and you will actually be able to go fast enough to need them - fit Princess callipers and the weight of those boat anchors will stop you going fast enough to need the stopping power! :)


I can vouch that the fastest racing Spitty's in Southern California have ditched the GT6 bits and gone back to original calipers because of the weight.  They don't feel the need for the big calipers with proper pads.  Our rules require OEM calipers so the Wilwoods and such are not an option.

elsieolly Explorer

elsieolly

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So have we made up our mind yet is it to be davesideways bits or just uprate the pads, i have already fitted new calipers and flexibles hoses and do have some of the cheap lucas vetilated discs that was was going to put on but reading all your comments not much nearer a solution ?

Perhaps telling the spec will make things clearer. Mk111 spit only done 40k miles !
Currently running standard engine with extracter exhaust (4-2-1-2) and 1 1/2 Su's but will be going to a stage 3 head ported and gas flowed by mid next year bottom end by close of year planned etc . Should have the front end apart to fit new poly bushes and any mods over xmas was the plan so really need to know soon which way to jump on the brakes as want to buy bits soon if needed?

James Veteran

James

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Ventilated discs - you won't have heat build up on the road - probably more like never getting hot enough!

To test your brakes do some emergency stops from a decent speed a few times in a row - see how many you can do...

There is totally nothing wrong with standard type14s with decent pads on a standard car unles you are braking really really hard everywhere and non-stop.

chrisspe Contributor

chrisspe

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stick with the small brakes and use teh engine.  Seriously though, try some decent pads, new fluid, bled through carefully, and see where that gets you.  I have had a lot of success with decent ferodo pads,  if it doesnt wort then get the fancy stuff, but unless money is not an objective here then id give the current setup a damn good thrash first and re evaluate your situation  (ps, im staying with type 14s and probably solid discs for my rebuild)  and dont think im some sunday driver ive pulled into the drive in the evening before and you could see the discs and calipers glowing bright red.

good luck chris,

oh and i second kevinR  stay away from that silicone rubbish and dont neglect changing brake fluid and bleeding it through properly (been there done that)

Mj17 Community Regular

Mj17

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KevinR wrote:
DOT 5 fluid is Silicone chemistry and is incompatible with DOT3, 4 and 5.1


Not according to Automec (or whoever it is does most of the DOT5 on the market).  Modern DOT5 is compatable with all DOT fluids - you just get the worst of all worlds (so the water absorbtion and paint stripping of DOT3/4/5.1 and the cost and lower boiling point of DOT5.

Deleted User Proficient

Deleted User

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Silicone chemistry DOT5 fluid DOES NOT mix with Poly-glycol chemistry (DOT3, 4 & 5.1) fluid, and anyone trying to use a mixture of silicone and polyglycol in their braking system is a fool.  If you read enough, you will see recommendations about completely draining the system of polyglycol before filling with silicone.  Whether changing the ruber components is also necessary is debateable - but highly adviseable.

Has anyone noted that all the articles on the Automec website extolling the virtues of Silicone fluid are almost 10 years old - a lot has happened in the last 10 years, a lot of negative articles have been written as more experience is gained - I wonder why they are not on the Automec website - go figure.

Ever asked yourself why AP doesn't recommend or sell DOT5 brake fluid.......

Tim Bancroft Grand Master

Tim Bancroft

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Stick with mineral brake fluids.

I experienced a nasty experience with Silicon in 2005 in my mk1 coming down a mountain pass, will not use silicon again.

Think about loosing the brake dust shields and also the design of wheel on your car.

My GT6 has a set of Revs and standard brake components, never experience fade with road driving.

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