I've done a good bit of research and am all but settled on going with Wilwood Dynapro 6 pistons for a track setup. Anybody disagree? The real question. Do you have a good reason for your dissent?
Side note: Are there any considerations to be made with brake boosters, reservoirs, abs module, etc. ? (Going with stainless braided lines)
Hopefully this will be a fun discussion.

 

I'm interested in this as well.

Lots of strong opinions on this topic that I've read... some from experience some from hearsay.

These are expensive items... and I've noticed with these types of purchases... many have opinions based on actually trying different setups on their machines.
The problem is that not too many will have the $$ to replace one setup for another on the SAME CAR for a good comparison since other factors in two different cars setups can inhibit a good comparison.

Also, there is a tendency for humans to place worth or value based on effort-justification or cost-justification following a large outlay of cash in comparison to income.

I've found some pretty pricey stuff out there as well as some that are more reasonable, but still a considerable outlay of cash... from StopTech, Brembo, Sparta, Wilwood, MINI/Brembo, Detroit-tuned, K-Sport... and many others on the "other side of the pond"

Wilwood seems to be a lower priced kit in comparison to some.... and has different features as well... at what point does that relate to our cars and not F1 machines.... do the installation and set up play a role as well.


Will be a great discussion.







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O.K., I'll enter the fray. It all depends on how much experience you have. If you're a serious track junkie and have years of experience, lots of money and your MINI has gobs of hp, then I'll agree the 6-pot BBK set-up has merit. OTOH, if you're like me and like to get the most out of the least, then I'd stay with stock calipers and rotors and some serious race pads like the CARBOTECH XP12's, SS brake lines and most definitely, ducting. For the most part, MINI's are momentum cars and, as such, should be driven using the brakes the least amount possible. It takes a lot of practice but it's very rewarding.

 

Promise you this is no keyboard formula one claim. It's more of a moderately lowered sense of self preservation thing. But I've tried multiple rotor pad combos and still have massive fade... plus I murdered them. The car is currently in pieces for a full makeover. So time isn't necessarily of the essence.

 

Hopefully it will be! We'll just have to wait and see.
I feel there aren't as many r53 tuners left though. Most of the threads I find with good info are about 4-9 years old.

 

FWIW, I've never lost my brakes, much less them getting spongy, running stock rotors and calipers even in hot NC/VA Summer weather. I bleed the brakes religiously no further out than 3 days before an event, just using ATE TYP200. Car has 200 fwhp running mostly at VIR for sometimes 20 to 30 minute sessions, weighs 2750 lb. w/me and a tank of fuel. The secret is using them the least possible amount to get the job done, brake firmly over the shortest possible distance, trail-braking where appropriate.

 

I've seen pad selection/variety as being reasons for choosing.

What are those actual numbers of different pads for the diff mfgs? Where are they similar and where are they different?

I've heard that the Brembo have a greater selection but not exactly where those differences lay in terms of use (street/track) and under what conditions on MINI's specifically they useful.











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Not going to talk you out of it. I love my Wilwoods and been running them for years on my track car and they have been great. Plus Wilwood is a reliable company if you ever need parts again as we have run into issue getting replacement parts for other kits.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/wilwoo...kit-12.88.html

When you do go to the track I would run a harder G-loc pad, but they are easy to swap. And the large rotors really help get rid of the heat.

I also use the Motul RBF600 brake fluid as it has a higher boiling point than the ATE.
https://www.waymotorworks.com/motul-...ake-fluid.html

 

Yuuuup I've tried all the conventional wisdom and techniques. Last build was running roughly 260hp at the wheels. I just over drive them. Idk if being at Colorado altitude makes any difference. But trust me. I kill them.

 

So... It would seem to me that the 13" Wilwoods would match the performance of the other BBK's like Brembo, StopTech, Sparta, etc...



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I would caution you with those 6 pistons, unless you have a way to change brake bias, even with 4 piston wilwoods I could use more rear, I am pad experimenting in the rear again. With 4 piston wilwoods and ST43 pads, on , hoosiers or rs4 I can abs whenever I want there is plenty of torque

my normal tracks are VIR, CMP, CMS, NCCAR.

 

Thank you! I was worried about this. My intended solution (though I'm not sure how effective it will be) was also putting on the wilwood rear BBK and figuring out what else (fluid pressure wise) needs to be beefed up and how. Then installing the tender left foot mod to top it off. Any thoughts on that?

 

Right. I considered Ceika... but wilwood seems to be the safer gamble. Brembos are ridiculously priced. And I don't think I need StopTechs. Or really can have them for that matter. Wallet might implode.

 

Awesome! Thank you for the info. Im a motul fan as well! Although those fluid changes aren't cheap!

 

gloc wear out so fast, and I had one set separate from the backing plate, they stood behind them and replace them for free. I tried 10's and 12's but they just do not last for me. I use ate 200 fluid I've never had a brake issue on the track

I am not aware of any way to change brake bias, with r56 you can code the big brake option with ISTA, it changes the abs settings but not with the r53. Also if piston surface area changes too much the master cylinder size wont work for you. These cars do not need that much anyway I can abs with 225 hoosier r7 at track temp I'm not sure what befit 6 pistons would have.

Thicker rotors would be beneficial to stave off the crazing but fitting them over wheels is challenging, I wish my rotors lasted more than 6 days

 

 

 

 

The Wilwood factory 13" DP6 kit (formerly a TCE listing BTW) is a great value for those seeking "dual purpose" to most extents.

The good: larger castings than the stock rotor for more thermal mass, lighter weight overall, differential bore calipers for better pad wear, powdercoated calipers for long life and visual value, and the most wheel friendly kit on the market seldom requiring any wheel spacers.

The bad: narrower castings than that of our 'race' kits where extreme use places more demands on the rotors heat cycle ability, thin pads not really ideal for long track day use; shorter life and more heat into the caliper body, requires the removal of the caliper from the bracket as well as pin/clips to service the pads (not a 10min job at the track) calipers are powdercoated and retain heat more than anodized models.

For the occasional track day user they will far out pace the stock brakes. And for a price point of about $1100 to the door the value is hard to beat. So hard in fact once it came out I discontinued mine! lol Cannot compete with your own supplier....

For those of you looking for a more dedicated race set up the TCE 13" FSL kit is probably still the benchmark for most buyers. Some years back we came up with an alternate 92HD rotor that boosted rotor mass without compromising wheel clearance like the old 13 x 1.10 kit I used to offer. All that took things to a new level for fit and value.

The smaller 11.75 and 12.2" kits are also viable but with anyone running 17s it's foolish not to run the larger 13" rotor. Even at the expense of the pad thickness. Just my .02 experience here.

And all the Wilwood factory kits regardless of piston qty will be just tick over the stock piston area and net a pedal feel about what you have now. An increase in from bias is part of the deal yes. But the rear brakes don't do a lot no matter what we've tried. Too short a wheelbase and nose heavy car. The TCE 13" FSL kit has a bit less area in an effort to firm up the pedal more to the racer liking and puts a tad more emphasis back onto the rear brakes until you really ramp up the front pad Cf.

 

tod, does anyone make a braket to use a dynaopro on a r53 JCW front rotor? I realize the 7816 have to be trimmed a bit or the 7812 pads

 

 

 

diameter is the same, mine fit fine they are just too inboard, by about 2-3mm, I could stack a few of the supplied washers to make it work but it's so easy to drop those things

 

Yes and no....there's a Radial mount DP that could be used with it I'm sure of that. But....there's no room for the bracket to fit the spindle with that set up. The seating distance of the caliper will interfere with the iron ears of the spindle I believe. Both portions of the bracket fighting for the same piece of real estate as I call it.

I did (and have one still) a DP6 caliper kit for the 316mm rotor. But it's a flat plate making it possible. But not on the smallest 294 rotor. (forgive me if I have the numbers wrong) Same problem we never fit the smaller one; space.

All that said; putting a radial mount on the stock rotor, pads, hoses....and unless you'll machining your own brackets: Why? You'll have as much money almost as a base complete kit. If you did your own R&D and work you might save some money but still have a smaller and heavier rotor. Not wise money in my mind. My DP6 Cal Kit is $741. Or you can do the complete kit for $896. Only reason I do the Cal Kit today is to use up the last of my inventory and have something for those who want to keep their S-lites as it's the only thing that fits those.

 

I was able to use the bracket I have to mount the brakes on the r53 jcw rotors with thick washers.

The reason I want to switch, I use 15" track wheels and I do a lot of track days replacing rotors every month gets old. r53 jcw rotors are 35 $ each and are heavy, they do not crack as fast for me, however jcw pads cost 3 times as much as 7816 st43 pads. I would like to use st43 with the cheap jcw rotors