#1
Posted 05 February 2012 - 10:54 AM
I'm going to try and arrange them in a way that makes some sense and then if you've experienced some of them, it would be great to get your views.
#1 - The most basic way is to simply improve pads. We all know this and have been doing if for years. The basic premise is to use a standard disc (i count, drilled, grooved or any combinations there of as standard) with a 'performance' pad. options there are things like:
-Pagid RE14-29
-Carbone Lorraine CL5+ or CL6
-Performance Friction 97 or 01 compound
Take your pick, there are plenty of threads on here about it.
Total cost of improvement with plain discs £300
#2 Upgrade disks with bells, keep standard calipers and standard size discs (288mm), use one of the pads from #1. Bells avoid heat transfer from discs to hub and therefore heat up and cool much faster.
- Elise parts do a reasonably priced set (Full set £600, replacement disks £400)
http://www.eliseparts.com/products/show/21/1/aluminium-belled-discs/
- There seems to be a number of 295mm options, which must include spacers for front calipers. Costs are prohibitive
Total cost of improvement with decent set of pads. £800
#3 Upgrade the front calipers, to a 4 pistons set up, which means upgrading front discs to 308mm
-AP Racing, standard fit on exige cup and available on here at the moment for ~£500, and from a variety of other places in various forms it would seam, Seriously Lotus seem to offer a Caparo branded set for example with their own bell.
Can use these with a plain 308mm disk.
Total cost of upgrade (including plain rear discs and new rear pads): ~£800
#4 Upgrade the front calipers in #3 including bells
Seems to be a few options for the bells:
-AP do their own
-Nitron, Seriously lotus do some
http://www.seriouslylotus.com/index.php/braking/brake-discs/alcon-308mm-disc-with-nitron-fixed-bells.html
Total cost (including plain rear discs and new rear pads): ~£1650
#5 Upgrade the rear to keep up with the front, so its a combination of #4 and #2. Using front caliper on the rear.
Total cost including new front pads (the hand brake can have any old rubbish) and rear bells : £2k
My thoughts are that option 4 and 5 look expensive, especially as I'm really not convinced they address all the problems, namely that the slave just isn't specified correctly for such application. Therefore on the basis that anything is a compromise anyway but that some changes to the disk, pad system would be better than option 1, the advantage of 3 is that it can be upgraded to 4 and may be more future proof.
And then my thoughts turn to the similarly priced options 2 and 3. To me the science behind 2 seems better than 3. The idea of trying to address cooling, seems more appropriate for my application than the additional power of a 4 pot.
Your thoughts ladies and gentlemen.
#3
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:10 AM
#1 - The most basic way is to simply improve pads. We all know this and have been doing if for years. The basic premise is to use a standard disk (i count, drilled, grooved or any combinations there of as standard) with a 'performance' pad...
Total cost of improvement with plain disks £300
Are you including fitting and fluid change in this price?
For £200 you can still get a set of OEM spec discs and Mintex 1155s from Camskills (delivered to your door).
Edited by Boombang, 05 February 2012 - 11:10 AM.
#4
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:16 AM
#5
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:17 AM
#6
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:19 AM
Cooling seems to be a big like for you, stick with the std disc and uprated pads and fit the DuccatiSenna brake cooling kit?
Details here
Good point, i'd forgotten about that. though my feeling is that the bells would help a lot more.
Joe has a set for me to copy somewhere.
#7
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:19 AM
#8
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:26 AM
good point - fixedDiscs not disks
Oh and feck me your Saturday nights are fun
I hate to tell you Joe, its Sunday morning.
#9
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:27 AM
#10
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:30 AM
Especially if you're the pilot.Jesus...
You know Its bad when you wake up on the landing...
#11
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:30 AM
#12
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:32 AM
Good thread.
I guess it all comes down to budget.
And what you want to achieve and why.
#13
Posted 05 February 2012 - 11:35 AM
#14
Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:19 PM
#15
Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:19 PM
#16
Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:23 PM
#17
Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:30 PM
#18
Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:33 PM
Standard calipers with decent pads have never lacked stopping power in my opinion and with Ducati Senna's cooling kit, PF Pads, vented discs, braided hoses and a new servo I'm hoping my brakes will be great this year! Just got to work out where all the pipes go
Maybe not Nirvana but a cheaper alternative to improvement
The ABS system utilised in the Lotus Elise platform cars is quite an aged Kelsey Hayes unit, which was first implemented by Lotus on the old Esprits. Although it has some use on road where it provides a degree of safety for the over ambitious driver in poor conditions there are some fundamental floors which can seriously hinder the ultimate braking capabilities of these cars on track. The brake servo that is combined with the ABS unit causes a long pedal and a reduction in pedal feel and many people find its inclusion on these cars an undesirable feature. At Hofmann's we have developed a kit of parts which allows removal of the ABS system and the brake servo allowing for much better track performance and also a much improved brake feel through the pedal. This is a simple bolt on kit and comprises an adaptor plate to mount the brake master cylinder, a new master cylinder plunger of the correct length and a pair of braided steel lines with T-pieces and swaged ends to plump the brake lines after the ABS unit has been removed.
Please be aware, this product is intended for race use only.
Price: £449.99+VAT
#19
Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:36 PM
#20
Posted 05 February 2012 - 12:37 PM
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