Brakes. Pad Types and Choices

I know I keep dragging this one out for an airing but it’s continually ignored by far too many folk - the only way to get the best from what you have is to be totally honest with yourself about your Min’s main usage. Delusions of grandeur cause severe disappointment, and tears before bedtime. Fitting a set of pads to your road Mini because you think you drive like Michael Schumacher, and your Mini’s built around a ‘race’ theme, with ‘race-spec’ brakes is going to get you into severe bother. Nine

Despite a particular pad type having a high ‘Mu’ designate doesn’t mean to say it’ll give you the best braking potential. They’re generally made in a harder compound so may also give unacceptable levels of disc wear, noise output (squeal), or judder. A pad that gives excellent performance at lower temperatures may have unacceptable pad wear, and create excessive corrosive dust.

So what you need is a pad tha...

Brakes - Pads, Function and Parameters

The past few years have witnessed a great deal of activity in the brake-swapping department by Mini enthusiasts world wide. The reasons are quite diverse, ranging from fashion to necessity. Some fit vented Metro 4 pot brakes because it’s the ‘in’ thing to do, giving max pose value. Some believe it’s a performance improvement, usually misguided by a misinformed vendor hell bent on making a sale. Some do it because they’ve been given a Metro, and their Mini’s endowed with drum-brakes. Some fit 7.5” S-type brakes because they want to fit 10” wheels on their late-type Mini. Some fit them because the racing discipline they compete in won’t allow anything else. Some even fit the disastrous 7” Cooper-type because it’s all they have. Whatever the reason or type of disc-brake set-up used, the effectiveness of the installation can be honed to perfection by the type of brake pads fitted. Indeed, using the correct brake pad on a current set-up could out perform any intended swap, such is their in

C-8G8993 - Fitting Instructions - Carbon Metallic brake pads bedding in procedur...

New Brake Discs

Thoroughly clean the new discs with a solvent degreaser such as brake cleaner or cellulose thinners to prevent pad contamination, then follow the following procedure to bed the new brakes in.

1. Perform several light stops (‘snubs’) on the first lap using progressively higher pedal pressure and braking force from higher speeds.

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Plaquette De Freins - Brake Pads

“PLAQUETTES DE FREINS” (BRAKE PADS)

One commonly asked question is in reference to brake pad types best to use, expected lift and characteristics etc.  Especially in reference to race applications, so I shall try and outline the pad types we keep and their “essentials”.
With all things there is always a compromising area, and brake pads are no exception.  Main usage or priority should be the deciding factor, the shortcomings at either end of the spectrum should be tolerated and given due consideration. 
A major part of braking done on road cars is around town, or short distance, multi stops.  The next is braking from cruising speeds, be it when encountering traffic build up, or slowing on off ramps.  The brakes are rarely used in severe and continuo...

Historical Article - Nov 1992 - Plaquette De Freins - Brake Pads

“PLAQUETTES DE FREINS” (BRAKE PADS)

One commonly asked question is in reference to brake pad types best to use, expected lift and characteristics etc.  Especially in reference to race applications, so I shall try and outline the pad types we keep and their “essentials”.
With all things there is always a compromising area, and brake pads are no exception.  Main usage or priority should be the deciding factor, the shortcomings at either end of the spectrum should be tolerated and given due consideration. 
A major part of braking done on road cars is around town, or short distance, multi stops.  The next is braking from cruising speeds, be it when encountering traffic build up, or slowing on off ramps.  The brakes are rarely used in severe and continuo...

SUSPENSION - Basic set-up method

Time to arrange all those agonised over, carefully selected and applied suspension components to give of their best.

Suspension - Basic set-up method

part numbers: TOOL10, TOOL11, HILO, HILO-01

Time to arrange all those agonised over, carefully selected and applied suspension components to give of their best.

This is one of those subjects viewed as a ‘black art’, largely because of lack of understanding and confusion. The confusion part is because folk encompass the whole suspension set-up deal with suspension arrangement and design, lack of understanding instilling terror at the thought of ‘fiddling’ with the suspension components. The latter also fuelled by the knowledge that expensive specialist measuring equipment is needed. Well, there is no black art – you can work the magic. More a case of a long day...

Brakes - How They Work

This time we’re going to look at just how brakes do what they do, and ways to improve them. Without a doubt the most important point to get sorted at the outset is just what makes brakes do their thing - FRICTION. The sole purpose of the brake set-up on any vehicle .....

Brakes - Fundamental Considerations

When looking to increase their cars performance, most folks immediately turn to considering higher engine power outputs. Because of this pre-occupation brakes tend to slide down the improvements priority list. However, they are far more important - being able to accelerate at warp speed to hyper-space in the twinkling of an eye is all very well, but disastrous if you can’t stop. You will make a very big hole in the scenery, and possibly end up wearing an wooden over-coat. Getting the braking system sorted out can help to make the car quicker, as you will be able to more confidently, therefore maximising speed in any given situation. Being one of those ‘sciences’ used in the automotive industry I hope to shed some light on the subject as it's another of those where many questions from confused and mislead folks that clog up my e-mail board. The advent of the Metro, and the brakes used on it has spawned a lot of activity in this direction. It was soon discovered that they could b

Brakes - Rear brake bias adjustment

When altering the front brake set-up away from the standard installation, it invariably alters the amount of rear brake bias needed to re-balance the cars brake balance.

The problems start occurring when folk graft alternative brake set-ups onto the front of their Minis. Be this 7.5" discs onto a previously drum-braked model, or going from current standard disc set-ups to one of the 4-pot varieties. The question then is 'what bore size rear wheel-cylinders do I need?' Unfortunately this isn't straightforward. Actually, that's not strictly true - more on this later. The pressure developed in the lines determines brake effectiveness - aside from disc size, pad type, co-efficient of friction, etc. that is. Understanding this may assist in choosing which way you should go for your particular set-up.

The basic facts you need to remember when dealing with brake pressures is how they are affected by the components you use.

Brakes - Silicone brake Fluid

To use or not to use - that is the question! BRAKES - Silicone brake fluid, to use or not to use - that is the question! Over more recent years I've had affair number of discussions on the use of silicone brake fluid as opposed to the more common type. I have to say some folk are vehemence in their belief that this stuff is 'the answer' to all kinds of brake maladies. Some time ago I contacted the two major brake specialists in this country (UK) to see what they had to say. Their reactions was as vehemence as those believers above. For what it's worth, I thought I'd spread the word according to the manufacturers - which happens to be similar to my limited experience with this 'liquid savior'. Some has heralded silicone-based brake fluid as being the last word in brake fluid, yet also brings a look of horror onto the faces of some. The classic car folk swear by it, particularly for vehicles that are not used much where brake seal failure can be experienced, and because it does not

Rocker gear - General compendium

Whether you’re building a solid road performer or fire-breathing monster, the main goal is to improve air/fuel flow into the engine. The more you can get in, the more power you can get out. Cheapest chunk of power improvement comes from sorting the asthmatic manifolding and exhaust by applying a stage one kit. Then what? Considering the ‘get more in to get more out’ theme, the main restriction - all else being equal - is the valves and their behavior. How big they are, how efficient they are and how long they’re open for determines how much gets in with each gulp each bore/piston makes. Modified cylinder heads are popularly next, although it has to be said that although a well modified cylinder head will improve performance, the gain against cost is nowhere near that given by the ‘stage one’ kit application. A good stage one kit’s improvement verses cost is around £12.50 per 1 hp, a decent modified head typically £30 per 1hp - dependent on application. Hmm.

Performance Tuning - Overall considerations

Throughout my admittedly fairly short journalistic career writing for the specialist Mini magazines I've tried my very best to enlighten as many of you as possible about the most common topics put forward by others, but within a magazine there's always limited space and there's always the desire for more.

SILICONE VALLEY

For some reason, I have recently had a spate of queries about this stuff. So I thought I'd do a quick tech thing on it, seeing as most of the little available information is seemingly misleading.

'Into the valley of death, rode the six hundred.........' No, this isn't about silicone microchips, or anything about computers at all. Having just done that stuff on disc brakes, it prompted me into thinking about the braking systems as a whole, one thing lead to another, and, well, and brake fluid. More exactly, silicone based brake fluid. For some reason, I have recently had a spate of queries about this stuff. So I thought I'd do a quick tech thing on it, seeing as most of the little available information is seemingly misleading. Silicone based brake fluid has been heralded by some as being the last word in brake fluid, yet also brings a look of horror onto the faces of some. Strange, eh?

C-AEA526 DUAL VALVE SPRING FITTING INSTRUCTIONS.

This valve spring set has been developed to fit standard sized top caps, and cope with fast road/rally rpm and high valve lifts, without crushing, of up to 0.49

Wheels & tyres - Bigger wheel fitment consideration

Predominantly 13-inchers, but 12s as well, the main thrust of the questions being 'what do I need to do?'

This subject is a regular visitor to the message board and 'Knowledge' section of Mini Magazine for whom I write - fitting bigger wheels. Predominantly 13-inchers, but 12s as well, the main thrust of the questions being 'what do I need to do?' along with 'which wheel arch extensions will I need?' The answer has always been somewhat 'clipped' purely because of the space availability issues both in the magazine and on the message board, so something a little more detailed was required. Although the Mini suspension was designed around the use of 10-inch wheels with cross-ply tyres, a quick dash through history reveals that fitment of these bigger wheel sizes isn't a recent, 'modern' application.

MINI ENGINE STABILISER MSSK1300

1. This is an auxiliary steady bar kit and should not be used to replace any other standard fitment parts that have broken.

2. Remove the radiator support bracket from the radiator and the thermostat housing.

3. Slacken the nut retaining the exhaust manifold at the radiator end of the engine. Remove the exhaust manifold stud by tighterning another nut against the original manifold nut and then screwing the nut out of the cylinder head.

4. Remove the three bolts securing the bulkhead blanking plate as shown in the diagram. If the car has a heater pipe as indicated on the diagram then this should be disconnected at the engine.

C-AJJ4029 Vented disc/Caliper conversion kit

For use when converting cars which already have hubs fitted that hold calipers except 997/998 Cooper which will also require larger Constant velocity joints and Timken bearings, If you have brake shoe front drum brakes a kit C-AJJ4029A is available which contains all parts required..

The contents of this kit ...

C-AJJ4023 4 POT ALLOY CALIPER CONVERSION KIT

These calipers are intended for use on 10”wheels with 7.5”diameter solid brake discs.

The kit contains:-

2 calipers, one right and one left hand. Please ensure that they are installed correctly with the bleed screws in the vertical position (i.e. at the top)
4 longer hub fixing bolts(53K1049)
4 bolt washers(21017Z
4 round spacers (AN1380) which go between hub and caliper where the fixing bolts locate. Bolts and spacers not required when fitting to vented discs
1 set of brake pad split pins (GBK1025) BUT NO BRAKE PADS.

C-AEG645 OFFSET ROCKER POST SET

Combined with the C-AEG644 offset rocker bush set, a further 0.030” valve lift may be attained.

It is not advisable to use just the posts on their own, as the rocker pad may fall off the valve stem at full lift. This will almost certainly occur with the latest sintered type rockers. These rockers are identifiable by their very angular shape and •'5f”AF lock nut.

CONTENTS OF C-AJJ4028 BRAKE 7.5”DISC KIT LESS PROTECTOR SHIELDS

CONTENTS OF C-AJJ4028 BRAKE 7.5”DISC KIT (NO PROTECTOR SHIELDS)

1. 1 x 27H4656 CALIPER GENUINE AP R/H 
2. 1 x 27H4657 CALIPER GENUINE AP L/H 
3. 1 x FAM2390 HUB BARE R/H 
4. 1 x FAM2391 HUB BARE L/H 
5. 2 x 21A1270MS DRIVE FLANGE 
6. 2 x GBD101MS BRAKE DISC. etc.....