Puma Front Brake Upgrade No 280mm kits about - which way now?
#1
Posted 03 April 2012 - 12:18 PM
I've recently acquired my daughter's old Puma (1.7, Blue, 120k miles) and have begun turning it into a low or fairly standard spec track-day car. She was a member of this redoubtable forum before me, valued the advice she got and suggested I join. So here I am and, after a bit of lurking, this is my first post.
One of the few mods I want to make is a front-brake upgrade - my experience on track suggests that brakes are where many standard cars are found wanting. The standard Puma set up (mine is the older 240mm disc) is a particularly bad case anfd I don't fancy either wasting track-time while the brakes cool off or regularly extracting the car from the gravel-traps or (worse) the armco.
Having looked at all the info on the forum I decided that a 280mm upgrade, with standard discs but fast-road / competition pads, was the way to go. Accordingly, I went on-line and ordered (pre-paid) a kit from a reputable Puma specialist. Unfortunately, that specialist has now told me that they are having great difficulty sourcing the parts (they recondition old Ford calipers as part of the deal). I'm left wondering what to do next. I don't want to go to the 300mm upgrade as that means using larger, non-standard wheels. I'm not at all sure that the 260mm disc set-up would be much of an improvement (and I took it as significant that the specialist supplier didn't offer me that as an alternative). Meanwhile, e-bay has a few people offering old calipers but nothing looks particularly attractive and, anyway, I'm concerned about my ignorance leading to the wrong purchase.
Which way does the forum suggest I go? Wait for the specialist supplier to come up with something (could be a long time)? Go 260mm ansd hope they will stand the pace? Source the parts ffor a 280mm upgrade from somewhere else, and if so, do you have any ideas about reputable, trustworthy sources?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Kacecar
#2
Posted 03 April 2012 - 01:01 PM
Whilst waiting for someone who knows about this sort of thing this might be an interesting read for youv
http://www.pumapeopl..._Brake_Upgrades
#3
Posted 03 April 2012 - 01:16 PM
#4
Posted 03 April 2012 - 04:50 PM
I went for 300mm as I wanted maximum stopping power, I can also recomend putting discks at the rear, I feel the car now stops atleast as wel if not better then my 2011 Volvo V50 an'd I stil havent sorted out the abs, so that is off atm
Projekt tread http://www.pumapeopl...pic=104790&st=0
Time, is the fire in which we burn
#5
Posted 03 April 2012 - 05:19 PM
I thought about discs at the rear, especially with upgraded fronts. However, I decided against it on the basis that: the rears appear to do little work overall; it costs quite a bit; it requires extra work to get the ABS working. (I don't mind driving without ABS but, as well as me, the car will be driven by several people that haven't previously had much track experience so I thought it was probably useful for them.) With your recommendation I might reconsider after I've got the fronts done. I think it will depend on the balance one gets in the wet with and without the ABS on. And, in any event, perhaps there are other, cheaper ways to improve balance without losing stopping power. I'll find out - and when you see me having tried to emulate a tent-peg into the wall at Paddock you can come and tell me "I told you so!".
#6
Posted 03 April 2012 - 09:22 PM
#7
Posted 03 April 2012 - 09:43 PM
Regards
Chris
Denso Iridium Plugs
Helix Clutch
Mobil 1
#8
Posted 03 April 2012 - 11:18 PM
Now that sounds very interesting - thanks. I'll send you a PM tomorrow (I think I should have cracked "Messenger" by then).
#9
Posted 04 April 2012 - 08:09 AM
#10
Posted 04 April 2012 - 08:19 AM
#11
Posted 04 April 2012 - 12:16 PM
#12
Posted 04 April 2012 - 01:55 PM
Thanks for the info about the bias valve - I was thinking I might go down that route if the balance turned out to be wrong. But, one problem at a time - I'll get the front brakes on first and see what happens.
#13
Posted 05 April 2012 - 08:07 PM
#14
Posted 09 April 2012 - 07:31 PM
Well, I've just bought some brakes on E-bay. Now all I need to do is:
i) check that they are as advertised (i.e. right type, used but working condition);
ii) recondition them;
iii) fit and fettle.
Then it will be off to an airfield somewhere - I'm a bit nervous of testing my DIY where there is something to hit!
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. I'll try and let you know how things go (or should that be "how things stop").
This post has been edited by kacecar: 09 April 2012 - 07:34 PM