Discs & Calipers

Good morning all.
My 200 tdi Defender discs & calipers are getting a bit corroded as the vehicle is used a lot in a salty / Sandy environment. Even though I jet was the underneath thoroughly the ones fitted 2 years ago are really looking bad. Can anyone suggest a good set of quality discs and anew set of calipers with Satan less pistons? There seems to be a big range in price & id rather pay a bit more to get something that’s going to last. I don’t know whether stainless steel discs are available?

if used in salt rich/sandy conditions no steel material will last unless with specialized coatings - even anodized calipers will fail. you could try some of the black coating discs https://ebcbrakes.com/product/3gd-sport-rotors/ , stainless steel discs are not recommend unless highly specialized as std 304/316 st/st has lesser structural load capability which are why they're very rare to find [unless for bike/motorbike use].

maybe continue with a set of 110 AP calipers and 110 vented discs, but change your cleaning process...spray clean with brake cleaner aerosol as this will have greater salt neutralization and little water content. + a good lacquer spray over the calipers will help

My 90 lives in similar conditions. Stainless pistons in the calliper are a good mod. I also find changing the pads before they wear more than half keeps the pistons from being exposed much from the calliper. I prefer the solid discs as there is less place's for the rot to start. A run with a flapwheel on the disc outer edge now and then helps keep the rot at bay before the rust creeps down the disc face.

Salt and sand is a good combination for corrosion and abrasion so discs and pads will have a shorter than normal life. I did a thorough inspection and maintenance on the discs and pads on my Puma during the first lockdown; approaching 8 years old and covered approx 43k miles. All discs in great condition with minimal wear and none of the usual crud on the outer edges, original discs made by Brembo. Original AP front pads in serviceable condition, just replaced the pins and anti rattle springs. Rear pads were still close to full thickness but crumbling, replaced with LOF Road pads. I am fairly light with my use of the brakes. Some muck from a trip into a sandstone quarry (drove through some deep slurry) didn't get fully cleaned out when I pressure washed it and won't have helped the rear pads, plus their age, will have resulted in the crumbling I think. Motor factors such as eurocarparts do the Brembo discs. I also like Pagid brake parts which I have used on other vehicles.

Might be easier in such harsh conditions to just use the cheap callipers and cheap discs, change when needed, rear callipers are 25 quid Iirc?

Have you tried saltaway spray? other makes available.

Cheers all.
I get right underneath the car and make sure I jet wash around the discs and callipers. The vehicle has a galv chassis which was raptored over the top and also a gavl bulkhead and A/B posts so its pretty well covered.... apart from the front discs

I do not think anything will stop salt rotting out a motor, used to see one of the old foden 6x6 council gritters, they were washed and chassis waxed all the time, still rotted out, one even rotted the engine block out, fix was chem metal and get rid of it!
They then got bog standard trucks, and the brakes were a constant issue, seized callipers so bad you could not rebuild them, hubs so rotten they had to be replaced, the list went on, the money obviously did not as all the road repair/gritting work got subbed out!

Yes, a friends TD5 has suffered really badly. I got over 25 years out of the original callipers but can only assume the newer ones are poorer quality. Might have to invest in a set of genuine Landrover ones and stainless pistons

Keeping with the salt theme (sorry) I knew a chap who had worked in a salt mine - Cheshire ?? - anyway, he told me they used landies in the mine itself which never saw the light of day, they stayed down there for years. No rust as the air was so dry, but bring them up to the surface and they would rot out in months.

There was a long time go a feature about the salt mine Landys in one of the 4x4 mag's They and some Transit vans lasted well, all repair/service work done down in the mine. Abrasion wear from the grains of salt on brakes, uj's, seals ect were the main problem.