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Puma Front Brake Upgrade No 280mm kits about - which way now?

#1 User is offline   kacecar 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 12:18 PM

Hi Everyone

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
kacecar

#2 User is offline   happy-kat 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 01:01 PM

Hi
Whilst waiting for someone who knows about this sort of thing this might be an interesting read for youv :)
http://www.pumapeopl..._Brake_Upgrades
searching is fruitful | I'm a sponge not a mechanic | please do try that if stuck with a Puma problem whilst waiting for a reply | For the Puma fan this read 'The Inside Story Book' is very nice to own sometimes still seen for sale

#3 User is offline   kacecar 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 01:16 PM

Thanks "happy-kat". I saw that article sometime ago while I was deciding which upgrade to go for and know it will now help me track stuff down from e-bay or breakers' yards. I'm not really fussed about which of the various 280mm upgrades I end up with (as long as the price is OK) - if 280mm remains the way to go. Indeed, given the number of options available I'm very surprised that the specialist supplier has been unable to find a source and is now removing the kit from sale.
kacecar

#4 User is offline   CartMan 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 04:50 PM

Hi, try talking to Ben g. he sorted my brakes, and he may be able to help you... Also maybe volcomstone411.... he has plenty of parts ':)

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 :)
1998 Puma 1.7 Replica FRP. innlet nr 138
Projekt tread http://www.pumapeopl...pic=104790&st=0

Time, is the fire in which we burn

#5 User is offline   kacecar 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 05:19 PM

Thanks CartMan. I'll follow up on those contacts - once I've worked out how to do a PM. :wacko:

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!".:)
kacecar

#6 User is offline   happy-kat 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 09:22 PM

ooh another Brands user :)
searching is fruitful | I'm a sponge not a mechanic | please do try that if stuck with a Puma problem whilst waiting for a reply | For the Puma fan this read 'The Inside Story Book' is very nice to own sometimes still seen for sale

#7 User is offline   eldoodarino 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 09:43 PM

pretty sure my dad has a good set of puma calipers available for 280mm...could send you disks, pads and hoses too if you like..

Regards
Chris
Wizards Of Nos 60hp progressive delivery.... yeah baby yeah :-o
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#8 User is offline   kacecar 

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Posted 03 April 2012 - 11:18 PM

Hi Chris.
Now that sounds very interesting - thanks. I'll send you a PM tomorrow (I think I should have cracked "Messenger" by then).
kacecar

#9 User is offline   t783vkj 

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 08:09 AM

Cosworth sierra 4 pots fit with 280mm discs, usually available on the bay cheap.The standard cosworth calipers are cast iron though, and they do weigh a ton.Bought a set myself for £60 from ebay .

#10 User is offline   kacecar 

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 08:19 AM

Thanks t783vkj. Those are good calipers. I'm keeping an eye on e-bay and the price you paid is a useful guide. Did you recondition them before fitting?
kacecar

#11 User is offline   ScubaSteve 

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 12:16 PM

on the subject of rear brakes, my wilwoods inject about 300 pounds of force on the front wheels, per side, the rear on a disc setup are set to about a 60/40 split using a bias valve, thats plenty of force for the rear and you are getting the benefit of less fade

#12 User is offline   kacecar 

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Posted 04 April 2012 - 01:55 PM

Hi ScubaSteve.

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.
kacecar

#13 User is offline   madhillbilly17 

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Posted 05 April 2012 - 08:07 PM

has anyone fitted the cosworth 4 pots on here? i tried and couldnt get them to fit.

#14 User is offline   kacecar 

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Posted 09 April 2012 - 07:31 PM

Hi everyone

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

kacecar

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