Re: Couple questions about brakes

[Alex Kowalski <akowalsk@shrike.depaul.edu>]

Nicholas Menaker wrote:
> 
> On a '86 4KCSQ, what sort of brake mods can be made easilly, and at "relative"
> low cost.?
> 
> Can one go to a bigger rotor, without switching the calipers?
> What about cross drilled?
> 
> What is the cost benefit to these options?
> 
> Anyone with previous experience with brake upgrades, Mark I know you must have
> some?  Did it improve your braking "stopping" markedly?
> 
> What was your cost?
> 
> nick out

Well, soon after I got my '82 Coupe, I switched from the stock 9.6" nonventilated front rotors to 
a set of Brembo X-drilled and ventilated rotors, Repco Metalmaster pads, and stainless steel 
lines (needed new caliper mounting brackets from a later 4000 because of the extra width, which I 
found at a junk yard). They made a HUGE difference, but then, I was starting from the cruddy, 
crappy, irresponsibly conceived, non-ventilated front rotors (which almost burst into flames in 
the mountains near Woodstock, NY, nearly sending me and my passenger flying, with embarrassing 
expressions on our faces, into the Hereafter). 

Your car should have the 10.1" front ventilated rotors already and a set of 9.6" solids on the 
rear. If your front rotors are already pretty worn, you might switch to the cross-drilled 
Brembos, front and rear, a set of new semi-metallic pads (I am not sure if the MetalMasters are 
the best here...), and stainless steel brake lines.  Completly purge the old brake fluid while 
you're at it and replace with a DOT 4 fluid like Castrol LMA. You should be able to find prices 
for these rotor sets and lines in European Car magazine.  

I have to say that I don't really know whether the X-drilling on the Brembos was actually ever 
beneficial, or just soothed me. They worked very well, though, and the system had nice bite and 
progressiveness.  Apparently the drilling works mostly to vent the gas from under the pads 
developed under maximum braking effort and thus prevent them from becoming miniature hovercraft. 
I don't know anything about aftermarket (larger) rotors for your your car, but I presume that 
you'd need different caliper mounting brackets, maybe new calipers, and probably larger wheels 
also (if you're running the stock rims) to clear the calipers if you tried something like that. 
There isn't much clearance left on the 10.1" rotors with the stock wheels.  I also don't know 
about replacing the master cylinder with something that has more leverage, or if this is even 
necessary?