Has anyone upgraded their brakes, but stayed with 16in wheels?

I've been looking into the different brake options: Brembo, AP racing, MiniMania, Mini-motorsport, etc, and pretty much all say that you have to go up to 17in wheels for a high performance/larger brake setup.

Also, most brake sets are for the front wheels only, leaving you with the option to also buy a rear set OR they offer an additional new larger disk-only set for the rear. It's these new larger disks for use with the stock calipers that intrigue me. Apparently, they come with a bracket that moves the caliper closer to the inside rim of the wheel allowing you to put in larger disks. Couldn't you buy two sets of disks/brackets like this and put them on the front and the rear??

The other option I was thinking about is : staying with the stock calipers, and just getting Green Stuff pads, new oem-size slotted/drilled rotors, and goodridge lines...

 

Brembo kits need 17's to fit, and take a 3 mm spacer to clear S lites. I bthink your EBC/ Goodridge/ Powerslot combination woyuld be solid on 16 inch wheels.

Alex

 

Do you know of a way to stay with the stock calipers but switch to larger disks?

I can't remember which manfacturer it was that I saw offered matching larger disks for the rear wheels that would use the stock calipers... anyone know?

 

John,

The latest issue (June) of European Car magazine has a couple of good articles on brake upgrades. I dont recall if they use a 16" wheel, but some good info in there.

Dave

 

You're right... one of the articles in the June 'european car' mag was what prompted me to ask this question. They reviewed the new 12" AP Racing brake kit, but say 17" wheels recommended. I am trying to find out now if this setup will fit inside any 16" wheels!! - when I find out, I will post here.

By the way, the MINI coverage in european car has been great lately! There are three MINI articles in the June issue! They convinced me to sign up -- I just started my subscription.

 

John , you asked me about the AP kit. per the PDF you left for me, we have very few wheels that fit. In 17" -

ASA KA 3

Sport Edition Fox 5

Millie Migila Spider

No 16's I sell will fit, that caliper has a very large 39 mm extention.
I could not find the post where you'd asked, so I figured this was close enough!

Alex

 

Actually, we are developing a new brake system using directional rotors and Monoblock four piston calipers that are very light, adn will work with our 16" wheel package.

Stay tuned...

 

BMPDesign/ProMini is selling a Tarox kit that will fit 16" - kit includes components for front and rear.

 

Alex,

Oh okay... Thanks for checking!
I'm still set on getting the SSR Comp wheels, as I want to go with the lightest forged available, and I really want to stay with 16".
You didn't mention the 17" SSR's, so I assume the AP kit will not fit on these either. It sound like the main prob is width of the caliper though... would these fit in a 17" SSR Comp with a 5mm spacer?? If not, I will just keep looking for other brake options, and keep waiting for the 16x6.5 SSR Comps.

John.

>>John , you asked me about the AP kit. per the PDF you left for me, we have very few wheels that fit. In 17" -
>>
>>ASA KA 3
>>
>>Sport Edition Fox 5
>>
>>Millie Migila Spider
>>
>>No 16's I sell will fit, that caliper has a very large 39 mm extention.
>>I could not find the post where you'd asked, so I figured this was close enough!
>>
>>Alex

 

>>Actually, we are developing a new brake system using directional rotors and Monoblock four piston calipers that are very light, adn will work with our 16" wheel package.
>>
>>Stay tuned...

Randy,

Any update on this possibility? Seems like the best combination for the MCS. Just seems like overkill to go with the "Big Brake kits" currently available.

 

John,
I had the Helix Stage 1 brake kit put on recently - it consists of the following:

Slotted front rotors, stainless steel lines all around, EBC Greenstuff pads for the front and ATE Super Blue fluid. I also had the Mintex pads put on the rears Saturday. Brake feel is better, response is better, front rotors look nice with the new wheels as well.

-Dan

_________________

 

>>It's these new larger disks for use with the stock calipers that intrigue me. Apparently, they come with a bracket that moves the caliper closer to the inside rim of the wheel allowing you to put in larger disks.
>>

Who is making and selling kits that use the stock calipers with larger and/or thicker rotors? I was considering fabricating brackets of my own (I've done this on "real" race cars) to accomplish such a setup. My thinking is that the stock calipers are likely to be capable enough. The primary shortfall that I've experienced on the track is rotor wear (to be fixed with non-stock pads) and fade.

I'm also interested in the stock pad size (area) versus any of the upgrade pads. Can anyone provide traces of various samples? If the pad area is similar, a larger diameter rotor with increase the swept area improving performance. I also have not yet measured the stock caliper to see what maximium thickness rotor they will accomodate. Has anyone else measured?

I can't see justifying >$1200 for a brake upgrade just for the fronts if similar results can be gotten with larger rotors and caliper brackets.

 

I spoke with Randy Webb about this a few weeks ago. It sounds like he's getting close to having brakes that will fit under 16" wheels, the current problem is that when the pads wear down the backing plate is rubbing against the hub of the rotor. Tight tolerences indeed. Personally I'm not sure I would consider this a big downfall, I check my pads and change then before they get beyond 1/2 way down. If I was doing endurance racing that might be an issue.