Mk1 Brakes...need help!

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robd

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by robd »

Hi, I need some help with my brakes on my Mk1 MR2 late spec. I'm sure ppl have asked this before so apologies if I'm repeating it! I just wanted to know how good the standard Mk1 brakes really are & whether there is any need to upgrade the brakes? I have been reading lots of different things about brake conversions/upgrades & just wondered what the benefit of upgrading the brakes on a standard Mk1 would be? At the moment my brakes are rubbish & not very responsive at all but I will be checking them tonight with a mate who is more mechanically minded than me! :)

I read about the Celica GT4 165/185 caliper conversions & think I read somewhere that they will fit onto the standard discs, is this right? I would like to modify my car but don't have any plans for masses more power at the moment so just wanted some thoughts on what would be best to do with the brakes. Is it way cheaper to stick to the standard brakes or would it be worth spending a little extra for the extra braking power?

Also depending on whether to replace the standard brakes or upgrade does anyone know how much I will be looking at spending & where I could get them from?

Hope someone can help! :-?

:)


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galea360

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by galea360 »

Robd i would not mind seeing what people say hear, ive heard the best thing you can do is put a brace on the Master Cylinder because it moves a lot apparantly.
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mk1_mods
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Joined: 29/11/07 14:38
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Location: Pontypridd

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by mk1_mods »

http://www.mr2mk1club.com/Bigbrakes.html

i have just put the st205 calipers and disks on mine. Have not tested them yet as i only put them on last night. Massive disks though bit of a pain to have them machined down though. I only did this because i am looking to upgrade to a V6 so will need them. I thought my original brakes for a standard 1.6 where quite good.
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schooleydoo

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by schooleydoo »

If memory serves me right, you will need Celica discs for the 185 conversion, redrilled to fit the mk1 pcd. Cooincedentally, I still have a pair i never fitted if you want them :D

Ive done the single and twinpot conversion, as i needed to overhaul them anyway and found it to be no more money than original stuff.
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robd

Re: Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by robd »

For the Celica brake conversion, is there a difference between the 165 & 185? I'm sure I read somewhere that the 165 2 pots were a direct fit onto the caliper brackets for the MK1, someone did say that doing this would throw off the brake bias though & make it more likely to lock up!! But I guess that would only be if you were pushing the brakes to the limit of locking up....for me just being able to stop would be a good start!! lol :rofl:
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paff

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by paff »

tbh mate as good as a big brake conversion is there is no real immediate need to go that far on a stock mk1.

A decent set of disks and pads and maybe an overhaul of the calipers would be nice and see you good for a few years.

Saying that the 165/185 conversion isn't that hard. If your a member over on tb go to the downloads and theres an excl sheet that will describe the fitments and modifications of a few brake tyes.
The 185 and 165 calipers will bolt straight on but you will need to mod the disk, The 205 while awesome brakes will restrict your choice of wheel and do take a bit more effort to fit.

mk1-mods, where abouts are you in Ponty, I'm up there a fair bit, good choice on the V6 you will not regret it.
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mk1_mods
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Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by mk1_mods »

i agree with paff here if you have no intention of upgrading your power plant then the standard set up in good working order will be more than you need.

if your gonna upgrade though the ST205 are a much better caliper than the 165/185 and are all a direct bolt on. you would be best to try and source parts like these from standard breakers as when i got mine the jap breakers wanted 400 plus but picked them up for 180 disks included.

if i remember paff wasnt it you at Japfest that put the idea of a V6 in my head while we were searching for honey lol. yeah im in llantwit fardre between ponty and llantrisant.
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paff

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by paff »

Ahh yes, that will have been me, I was a bit tired that day tho so my brain has forgotten things (noone ever decide the night before Japfest you need to go pick up an engine and fit it so you can drive your car to the event) :) I try and pursuade as many people as possible so I forget who I've spoken to every so often :) Think I've pursuaded quite a few now, hopefully will start rebuilding mine in the next few weeks :)

£180 thats about what I paid then had the machining on top :(

Oh and Rob, just to add confidence in the stock brakes I was running my V6 around for 6 months on the stock brakes and suspension setup with 17" wheels and still managed to lock up occasionally if I stamped too hard, they are better than people give them credit for. A little different on track but for road use more than adequate.
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robd

Re: Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by robd »

Cool, thanks very much for the info guys. If I stick with the stock brakes would you reckon it would be worth getting grooved discs & better pads or just stick with the standard ones unless I'm gonna go all out for the Celica upgrade?
I think I will be keeping the wheels at 15's so won't be able to have massive brakes under these.

Also does anyone know a good place to get new stock discs/pads or can you recommend a make etc? I have been looking on Fensport's website & they are over £70 for front discs, is this too much or am I just being a skin flint!! :no: lol

Another question(take a deep breath)....what size do the discs need to be to fit on the 165/185 calipers so they just bolt straight on without getting new brackets made up?

I had a 308mm Drilled/Grooved Brembo 4 pot conversion done on my previous Mk2 Turbo & they were sweet, squeezed behind 16's, lol bit of a difference between that then & my braking power now! I think like you said Paff the brakes could prob do with a good clean up as I'm sure they should be better than they are, they really are poor at the moment & don't really respond until the pedal is pushed down further to the floor! :sad:
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paff

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by paff »

AFAIK the size of the disks with the 165\185 calipers are the same as on the celica, the only mod required being the 3 holes drilled so they fit the 4 stud arrangement.

Grooved disks maybe I never did. Better pads, well possibly I usually used off the shelf in halfords jobbies.

As for disks, I always got pattern ones, they seemed to do the job and the cost for both rears was £30 IIRC can't remember the cost of the fronts as I usually have spares lying round that I use instead lol. Give super spanner in Cardiff a shout, they are who I've dealt with in the past and got good prices. Fensport arn't know to be the cheapest so check a few places inc ebay.

Will have to catch up sometime mate, you arn't too far away and be good to get together for a chat. you can take mine out and see if its any different to yours. If you wanted to see the different options of brakes down the workshop I have a set of 205's with the disks and I think Owen might have a set of 185's there. Always welcome to pop down if I'm there, which is most evenings and most of the weekend.
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Topic author
robd

Re: Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by robd »

Cool, thanks very much Paff, I may just take you up on that offer :th: Will PM you on that :wink:
You've got me thinking about brake conversions now....thinking hmmm shall I just go for the upgrade now...spose it won't be a massive deal more expensive than getting standard ones plus I would have the extra braking power. :)

I will phone that place you suggested & look around at different places for some more prices on brakes. Ideally want to get them sorted by next Wed as I'm heading down to reading for 2 days with work, so would be nice to be able to stop while driving down the motorway!! lol

Another question on brakes, do any of the other NA celica's or MR2 MK2's brake calipers fit directly on the Mk1 or is it just the GT4 brakes? Just wondering if I can be a cheap skate & give the brakes a little upgrade from a normal Celica 165/185/MR2 Mk2, but still be better than the standard Mk1 brakes!? :)

Any thoughts? :)
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paff

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by paff »

I belive a few people have tried the na celica brakes but don't think any of them were a direct bolt on.

You can get the mk2 rear brakes to fit but not without mods to the carrier. I can't think off hand of any other brakes that just fit.

If you are definatly thinking of an upgrade of the calipers for the front get over to the gt4oc, theres often people selling them over there, its where I got a set from once.
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Topic author
robd

Re: Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by robd »

Cool, thanks for the advice Paff. I checked the brakes last night with my mates & the front brakes are fine but the back brakes look like they are not working at all!! There are hardly any marks on the discs to show the pad is actually making contact with the disc! :sad:
Didn't manage to see if the pads were worn down as it was dark by then! I'm guessing it's either I need new pads, discs are warped or maybe something wrong with calipers/handbrake. We had a little look to see if there was any damage to thr brake lines but couldn't see anything, willl have to check again 2nite in the light.

Think I will definitely look into the front brake upgrade as it would be nice to have really good brakes, plus I think it would improve my confidence in the car, still getting used to it at the mo! :)
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galea360

Mk1 Brakes...need help!

Post by galea360 »

Prob be calipers, if it was pads they would be screaming and if it was warped discs you would feel it.

are you sure there not working the back do work a little compared to the front thats how you want it.

I replaced a back caliper on my mates because the Hbrake was rubbish it worked fine with foot brake. The piston is the wind back type maybe there just not winding out.

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