disco I front brakes

In a quest to decide whether to keep the current disco and improve it or
whether to replace it with a newer one, I decided to cost the improvements
I'd like to make, and one is to replace the discs and calipers...

This raises couple of questions...

Obviously, if I'm replacing discs and calipers, there's the option to
upgrade to vented discs.

am I right in thinking that to do this, all I need are vented discs and the
right calipers?

Are the brake pads the same as the later-model non-vented ones? Reason for
asking is that I have in stock a set of EBC "green" for the non-vented ones.
If vented ones are different pads, then I have nothing else that these pads
will fit.

Prices for discs and calipers look about the same, so the matter of pads may
be decisive as I've never found that the non-vented kind are really a
disadvantage, although there was obviously a reason for upgrading them when
LR did it. The vehicle doesn't get used for a lot of heavy towing, so the
braking is rarely that critical.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Too Busy: Your mind is like a motorway. Sometimes it can be jammed by
too much traffic. Avoid the jams by never using your mind on a
Bank Holiday weekend.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.

Austin Shackles wrote:
> In a quest to decide whether to keep the current disco and improve it or
> whether to replace it with a newer one, I decided to cost the improvements
> I'd like to make, and one is to replace the discs and calipers...

Is there any reason you want to replace the calipers? A set of seals
(and possibly pistons) should make them good as new for significantly
less cost.

> This raises couple of questions...
>
> Obviously, if I'm replacing discs and calipers, there's the option to
> upgrade to vented discs.
>
> am I right in thinking that to do this, all I need are vented discs and the
> right calipers?

I believe that spacer kits for the calipers are often supplied for this
conversion, in which case the same brake pads will fit.


--
EMB

On or around Fri, 30 Dec 2005 08:31:31 +1300, EMB <[email protected]>
enlightened us thusly:

>Austin Shackles wrote:
>> In a quest to decide whether to keep the current disco and improve it or
>> whether to replace it with a newer one, I decided to cost the improvements
>> I'd like to make, and one is to replace the discs and calipers...
>
>Is there any reason you want to replace the calipers? A set of seals
>(and possibly pistons) should make them good as new for significantly
>less cost.

Just been changing the pads on the rear ones, and the calipers don't look
that impressive. They're only about 50 quid for a complete new one. I
might look at stainless pistons plus new seals, see how they compare. The
rear caliper bodies look a bit rusty, but they're still functional now
they've been unseized, stops quite a lot better, too

Point is, I'm looking at doing either a lot of updating and replacing on
this truck or buying something considerably lower mileage and/or age. Adding
up all the things I could think of on Paddock's handy LR running cost
calculator (aka online shop) comes to just over a grand - and it doesn't all
have to be bought at once, so really, it's a bit of a no-brainer.

that list, BTW:

new brake calipers and discs all round
new side steps
new rear step
new mudflaps
new complete exhaust
rubber mat set all the way through
new driver's side mirror
braided brake hose kit.

I think that was all I listed, but it occurs to me now that I'd intended to
add new road springs and front dampers (rear dampers only just been done)
which adds about another 120 quid, maybe.

So really, no decision. There's not a lot wrong with it, at that, that a
bit of money spent and a bit of work won't cure.

oh, and it needs new tyres soon, but they all need that - and no guarantee
that a second hand one comes with good tyres.
>
>> This raises couple of questions...
>>
>> Obviously, if I'm replacing discs and calipers, there's the option to
>> upgrade to vented discs.
>>
>> am I right in thinking that to do this, all I need are vented discs and the
>> right calipers?
>
>I believe that spacer kits for the calipers are often supplied for this
>conversion, in which case the same brake pads will fit.

hmmm, that's a point. especially if going the rebuild route on the
calipers, rather than new.

The "official" pads are a different number, but that don't necessarily make
'em different pads...
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt"
(confound the men who have made our remarks before us.)
Aelius Donatus (4th Cent.) [St. Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes]

....and Austin Shackles spake unto the tribes of Usenet, saying...

> oh, and it needs new tyres soon, but they all need that - and no
> guarantee that a second hand one comes with good tyres.

This an immutable law of the cosmos. All secondhand vehicles will have
tyres at or below the legal limit. Unless of course you have bought the car
from me, in which case they will be virtually brand new with the little
bibbly bits still on 'em. I sort of factor in an extra 400 notes on any car
I'm looking at, cos I like to have good tyres (ample tread, known not to
have been kerbed etc).

--
Rich
==============================
Disco 300 Tdi auto
S2a 88" SW
Tiggrr (V8 trialler)