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Testimonial
Right, the gearbox, diff and engine oil have been changed, we’ve steam cleaned just about everything possible to steam clean and uprgraded the brakes to rather nice set of EBC discs and pads. To be fair, I think there’s not a true petrolhead on the planet who wouldn’t be pretty damn happy to drive home in this one already, but there’s still a long way to go
before it’ll be ready to give away at TRAX.Anyway, with that in mind, this month I thought I’d get on to one of the most important, if not THE most important, mods on the whole car. I’m talking of course, about the suspension.
Now, I’m not saying the 350Z is comically ‘clown-car’ high as standard, but it’s certainly getting towards some sort of minor circus status. I guess that can be forgiven because it’s more of a GT cruiser than nimble sportscar, but even so, we want to beef up the handling on ours… oh and make it look cooler than a Penguin’s pink bits for the new owner. Our weapon of choice for is a spanky new set of PB Coilovers, and I’ve chosen this particular brand of bouncy bit for a few simple reasons. First, and once again, I’ve used these on a few cars over the years (can you see a theme emerging here? – Sam), and I’ve always found them to perform exceptionally well, much better than many in the same sort of price range. They also offer all the bells and whistles like monotube dampers, multiple spring rates and 30-stage adjustable damping, and the only reason they’re such a bargain is they cut out the middle-man by delivering them straight from their factory. Secondly, they also come ready built-up with alloy top mounts, which means there’s no need to risk life and limb by breaking out the spring compressors. This makes them super-quick to fit if you know what your doing and, even if you’re a bit of a spanner-swinging numpty like myself, you should have no trouble getting these on with basic tools and a jack.
Anyway, I ordered a full kit last month, and they landed in less than a week. They’ve been sitting around in the workshop, waiting until I had a free day, although for once it took substantially less time than I thought to get the job done. It’s actually easier to fit coilovers to a 350Z than you might imagine. I’d been having nightmares for weeks about having to strip out the acres of plastic trim in the boot for the rear dampers but, thanks to the forethought of the kind people at Nissan, they mount under the wheel arches. Installing both the front and rear kit is just a case of dropping the bottom arms, undoing the top mounts, pulling the standard gear off and
bolting up the new stuff. Lovely!The only real problem I had along the way was that the front drop links were knocking more violently than an LAPD SWAT team and needed replacing. The big problem for me was that they absolutely refused to come off. Still, after a lot of swearing and scraped knuckles, out came the grinder and short work was made of those too.
All in all, we got that and a few other bits and pieces (that I’ll get on to in the next issue), done for in time Japfest Donington. Quite obviously, the crowd went wild for it too, but we’re not even remotely finished yet. There’s plenty more to do before I’ll be happy to give it away… well, I say happy, I’ll actually be crying into my cornflakes when I have to hand over the keys to this one!
PB BRAKES BBK KITS From £759
Searching for the undisputed ultimate Christmas gift? Or maybe you’re just looking to treat yourself to some serious stopping-power. Either way, there’s no denying that nothing says “I love you” like wanting to keep someone nice and safe, or just giving the gift of making their car real-world faster.
PB Brakes offer one of the most comprehensive range of big brake kits on the market and, because they come direct from their factory, they always manage to keep the prices at rock-bottom. These also come with a huge choice of customisable options, at least one for every taste, and the sheer performance they serve up is simply epic.
So, what’s the best bit? Well, that’s easy. All their kits look and perform like they cost a damn sight more than you’ll have to pay. After all, that’s what we really want from an Xmas gift, right?
PB COILOVERS From £599
If there’s one truth in the tuning world it’s that a car is not truly modifi ed until it’s been lowered. So, why not make someone’s Xmas by giving them the one mod that everyone actually wants? You know it makes sense!
PB coilovers offer an equal improvement in stance and handling for a price that no one expects, they’re certainly on par with similar chassis products that come in at two or three times the money. Best of all, there’s loads and loads of core applications available too.
Fully height adjustable, with a choice of 30-damping setups, these monotube items have been specifically designed for fast-road use making them far more forgiving than the more common (and rather harsh) race-spec setups. They’ll be at the top of many a Christmas list this year, including ours.
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ASK THE EXPERTS
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED...
Slamming on the Anchors
This month we head over to Taiwan to ask Dan Newton, boss of PB Brakes, all your questions...
What are brake pads made of?
Brake pads can be made from a variety of different materials. Your standard street compound pads are usually a non-metallic composite of various synthetic materials. They offer great cold bite and very low noise, but the drawbacks are they lack friction and will start to fade at relatively low temperatures. At the other end of the scale you have race compounds, which are either fully metallic or ceramic in composition. They offer much higher levels of friction and are a lot less susceptible to fade, but usually need warming up to optimal temperature in order to work properly. The cold bite is poor, they munch down your discs like there's no tomorrow, can be quite noisy, and you'll be lucky to get 1000 miles out of them. Great on the track, awful on the street. A good middle-ground option is a sport compound pad. Made from semi-metallic materials, the cold bite is good, and the warm bite is even better. You may or may not get a little noise depending on the application, but it's a small price to pay for big gains in friction and reduced fade.
What does the DOT mean in brake fluid and what should I look for?
DOT is a system created by the Department Of Transport in the US to arade brake fluids based on their boiling points. DOT4 is the one you want to go for as it's minimum boiling point is 230°C, more than enough for street applications. DOT5 has a higher boiling point, but it's silicone based, which isn't suitable for most braking systems.
Why do all cars have bigger brakes on the front than on the back even when they're rear wheel drive?
The reason for that is the front of the car is usually where the oily bit goes, so it's already heavier than the rear without passengers. Then combine that with the fact that the weight of the vehicle shifts to the front when you brake, and it means you need more stopping power on the front end to slow the car down effectively. This is why the brake bias on most front-engine cars is around about 70-percent front and 30--percent rear.
Can you get uprated drum brakes?
Not really. Drum brakes on passenger cars are pretty much obsolete these days, so they aren't really worth upgrading. You're best off with a disc brake conversion kit instead.
Why is it important to change your brake fluid regularly?
Glycol-based brake fluid is hydroscopic so it loves to absorb moisture, which is always going to find a way into the brake system via micro pores in the cap, lines and seals. This is a bad thing since it dramatically reduces the boiling temperature of the brake fluid - 3-percent water in DOT4 fluid can reduce the boiling point by up to 50-percent! That's dangerous because bubbles are compressible, which causes at best a spongy pedal feeling, and in extreme cases it may go all the way to the floor without actually stopping the car!
Why are bigger discs better than smaller discs?
One word - torque! When you increase the diameter of the disc, the amount of braking torque also exponentially increases. So in theory the bigger the disc, the faster you'll stop. However, there is a limit as to how big you can go. You're limited by how much grip your tyres allow, once your discs are over a certain size you'll brake so hard that the ABS will initiate in order to prevent the tyres from losing traction, and whatever gains you made are out the window. Brake pads can also be a limiting factor as your bog-standard street compound will just melt if subjected to more torque than it can handle. You also need to consider that brake discs are fairly heavy items, and increasing the weight that each wheel needs to rotate is going to have a noticeable effect on your acceleration. This maximum recommend size of discs depends on the car, but generally speaking, heavier cars require larger discs for effective heavier cars require larger discs for effective braking, and lighter cars can get away with running smaller discs.
Why do performance brake discs have grooves and holes in them?
There are a couple of reasons for having drilled holes or slots (or both) in your discs. The friction created between the pads and disc produces a lot of heat, which leads to brake fade. The holes and grooves help the heat to escape and keep the discs nice and cool. They also help to channel water and other unwanted material away from the contact surface to maintain maximum friction. The discs are actually cast plain, then once they have been milled down to a smooth surface the pattern is engraved onto them by CNC machine.
Why do people fit braided hoses?
Braided hoses comprise of a Teflon inner wall, with strands of stainless steel braided on the outside for increased durability. One advantage is that they expand a lot less than your OEM rubber hoses, which allows you a much firmer brake pedal. A firmer brake pedal means more feedback and ultimately better braking. The other big advantage is safety - they're almost bulletproof!
Why are some rotors 1-piece items and others 2-piece?
It all comes down to cost really. Your bog-standard OEM discs are usually cast in one solid piece as this is most cost effective way to manufacture them. 1-piece discs are fine for popping down the shops to pick up some milk, but push them too hard or take them on the track and they will fade within a couple of laps at race speed. When you're flying down the straight at 130mph and you hit the brake pedal, the last thing you want is for it to sink right down to the floor because of fade. The best solution is to upgrade to a set of 2-piece discs with billet aluminium centre caps. The contact area between the actual disc and centre cap is minimal, which greatly improves dissipation by allowing the heat to escape, whereas 1-piece discs tend to retain it. Another advantage of having centre caps is aluminium dissipates heat more effectively than steel, and it's a lot lighter too. The next step up would be 2-piece floating rotors. The centre caps on these have even less contact area with the disc, allowing ridiculously efficient cooling. A little overkill for most street cars, but worth every penny for many a full-blown race weapon.
Why are ceramic brakes silly money?
Ceramic brake discs are made from a compound of carbon and ceramic. The manufacturing process is complicated and lengthy, with one disc taking around a month to produce. That accounts for some of the cost, and the rest? Well, ceramic brakes are usually sold as add-ons for supercars so they're bound to be over-priced - it's not unusual to be charged 3-grand for an electric window motor on these right?
Why are fixed calipers supposed to be better than floating calipers?
Most cars as standard come with floating/ slider calipers that have one, or if you're lucky, two pistons on the inner side of the caliper. So when the hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder forces the piston(s) against the pad, the whole caliper is pulled inward as the pads clamp down on the disc, hence the name 'floating'. One downside of this is the pads on the outer side of the caliper tend to wear unevenly and you end up with something that resembles a door wedge. Another is that since the piston(s) needs to travel so much, the brake pedal can feel spongy and unresponsive. They can also become a bit sticky as they age. On the other hand you have fixed calipers with multiple pistons on either side. Since the pistons are clamping from both sides, the caliper doesn't move and remains 'fixed' in place. This allows for much more even pad wear and a firmer, more responsive pedal feel.
What's a hydraulic handbrake?
A hydraulic handbrake replaces the conventional cable operated unit, connects directly to the main brake system, and uses the same hydraulic pressure to clamp the rear calipers. The advantage of that is it's a lot more powerful than the standard part, but they're illegal for street use and an automatic MOT failure. That's because handbrakes are sometimes referred to as 'emergency brakes', if your main brakes fail it acts as a backup device. The law states that the handbrake must be cable operated and fully independent from the main hydraulic brake system.
How do I perform the perfect handbrake turn to impress the ladies?
I've often pondered the same question. Ask Ken Block and let me know what he says.
What is bleeding brakes and why does it have to be done?
Over time air will find it's way into the brake system, so it needs to be released every couple of years. The problem with having air in the system is, unlike brake fluid, it's compressible. This cause your pedal to become spongy, and if too serious can lead to complete brake failure, so it's really important to bleed the brake lines before it gets to that stage.
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FAST Projects
MIDGE'S AUDI TT 225
MORE ENGINE PROBLEMS FOR THE TT SO IT MUST BE TIME TO STOP!
With my new custom exhaust in place I was kinda hoping I'd have a big, fat power graph to show you after the final mapping. But unfortunately that particular dyno session came to an abrupt halt this month when the TT blew a gasket. Quite literally.
Luckily it was only the small metal item between the tubular manifold and the turbo, so I'll have to get it in the workshop and swap it out as soon as I get half a chance. By the looks of it, it's been blowing for a little while too. I just never noticed, because the straight through-system is pretty loud anyway. It's right bugger of a job though. I'll also need to take off the manifold and turbo to check the faces are flat and there's no cracks. Before getting it all back together and strapped down to finish my mapping session at Sanspeed. All this trouble for six quid's worth of gasket. A few four-letter words were uttered that day I can tell ya!
Anyway, the good news for the month is that my new rear brakes are here and I've got to say that makes me feel a whole lot better about life in general. I ordered these puppies from PB Brakes a couple of weeks ago specifically to match the badass 330mm 6-pot kit on the front. To be honest, the TT already stops on a sixpence (or whatever my old man meant when he used to say that) with just the front sorted, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of modifying overkill - the best performance is 'more' performance and all that. Besides, those standard-sized rear brakes just look a bit, well, shit in comparison. That's nothing a set of monster 304mm rotors and 4-pot calipers can't sort out.
Matching them up is not the only reason I chose another PB kit though. Not only do these guys ship direct from the factory (so you save on the usual extortionate middleman markup). But they're also the only conversions on the market to have a patented line-lock system available. This clever gadget can be specified for just 100 quid over the normal kit price and it's designed specifically to accept the standard handbrake cable. This means I won't have to find an extra spot calliper to get it all working and pass an MoT. Which is nice.
As for the callipers, I've chosen a powdercoated red finish to match the front, but it's worth knowing they offer a whole range of anodised colour and logo options too. They also come with the stainless-steel brake lines and every single fitting needed to get them on. Basically speaking, it takes out all the hassle and comes in at a bargain price - what's not to love?
Speaking of fitting, admittedly I haven't quite got around to that part yet. The truth is I've been a little preoccupied of late. Turn the page and you'll find out why...
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Features
UK Road Legal
Direct Replacement Part
The only solution
Technology is a wonderful thing. I love the fact that all my music is on my phone, I love that your massive 4K Smart TV can be now be nicely curved instead of flat. I love the new Apple Watch (as poncey as that sounds) even though I can’t afford one and, as for my iPad, I never go to bed without it! (I bet you don’t you mucky bugger -- Jules).
The same can be said for new cars. Technology crams our motors with sweet gadgets, they handle better than they used to and just how cool is it that an insurance-friendly 1-litre Fiesta nowadays can be faster than the XR2i your Dad had in the garage 20-years ago?
The thing is though some car manufacturers, not least the German ones, always have to take things a bit far, and that’s because they hate you messing with their creations - especially the brakes.
E-Brakes
Modifying for us is in the blood. When it comes to choosing wheels on the bigger cruisers out there we like them super-wide and fookin’ massive and that means puny little brake discs just won’t cut the mustard. Performance is one thing, but for sheer looks you can’t beat filling you wheels with a huge brake setup, especially on the rear, something that manufactures tend to neglect.
And therein lies the problem. In the UK you need a handbrake to pass an MOT but many modern cars (with plenty more on the way) are now using electronic handbrakes making fitting a rear big disc conversion next to impossible. Just was wrong with a bit of old skool cable eh?
It’s this that makes this patented product from PB Brakes not just a work of engineering genius, but the only solution on the market.
What it does
These electronic line locks have been developed as a direct replacement for the OEM part and require no modification for fitting - they simply slide onto the standard electronic handbrake motor.
By sitting in-between the master cylinder and caliper, when you apply the handbrake it closes a valve forcing fluid into the caliper, causing the pistons to lock up the disc. Simple, effective and, unlike hydraulic handbrakes, totally road legal.
Need a spot caliper?
With most rear brake conversions, particularly on those cars that utilise a conventional cable system, a small secondary ‘spot caliper’ is necessary to lock up the disc for the handbrake. The modifications needed for fitting along with the caliper aren’t necessary cheap, and they’re not especially pretty either. The PB system is the only one where there’s no need for any secondary calipers, it all works through their aftermarket kits.
Don’t worry if your car doesn’t run a new-fangled E-Handbrake either they have the only patented solution for cable handbrakes too.
Applications
This electronic product is brand-spanking-new and, because of all the engineering and testing involved, applications are limited to Audi’s A5/S5, A4/S4, (B8) and A3/S3 (8V) platforms, BMW’s 5-series (F10, F11 and F18) and Z4 (E89), and every single Mk7 Golf. That said they’re developing several new applications which will be available before you know it too. Give ‘em a shout and see what they can do for you.
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FAST PROJECTS
GLENDA'S AUDI A6 AVANT
DON'T STOP ME NOW, I'M HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME, I'M HAVING A BALL...
I'll be honest, progress on the AS has been pretty slow of late but, that's about to change. Over the next few months I'm going to be looking at making some significant changes to my trusty steed in what will be a complete refresh for 2015. Over the coming months my plans include a colour change, some new wheels (hopefully), some interior upgrades and as you can probably guess from these pictures some new stoppers.
In fact, as I write these very words the brakes are on route to me in Bristol all the way from PB Brakes in Taichung City Taiwan.
Main man Dan Newton, at PB even sent me a picture of TNT picking them up for delivery from PBHQ. So, why have I ordered my new brakes from the other side of the world? Well, because buying these direct means no middlemen hiking up the cost and some serious savings for me. If I were to buy brakes of this quality in the UK, they would be well out of my price range.
Obviously you still have to account for delivery and import taxes when buying from abroad, but don't let this put you off as there's still great savings to be made. The main thing is to make sure you buy from a reputable company that you can trust, which is another reason I chose PB Brakes. They recently supplied brakes to our Midge for his Audi TT build and I also dealt with them when I got my 304mm 6-pot brake kit and coilovers for my DC2 a few years back, both of which were awesome.
Aside from the price and quality, another great reason for choosing PB is the amount of choice they have when it comes to deciding on your dream brakes. For rotor sizes you can choose from 286 to 405mm, with either drilled, slotted or a combo discs, and caliper sizes range from 4 to 8-pot. Then there's the colours, choose from 18 anodized finishes or 14 different powder coated options. Nice.
So what have I gone for? Well, I've gone big with a 380mm 8-pot kit with the drilled and slotted disc with red powder coated calipers. Fingers crossed the TNT man will be here soon, maybe if I stare out the window he'll get here a bit quicker...
Ding dong... Well would you Adam 'n' Eve it? Within a few hours of writing the above a very nice man just arrived with a big package for me (oh behave -Midge). From Taiwan to Bristol in just 5 days, amazing!
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FAST PROJECTS
MIDGE'S TT 225
IT'S TIME TO GET THE STARTING AND THE STOPPING SORTED...
Well it's been a long road, but my engine is built. She's in the bay and everything is bolted back together. I'm so close to the start up now I can literally taste the super unleaded and I'm understandably nervous. Very nervous.
Over the last few days I've been on the case ordering all the very best fluids I'll need to get her running. So while I was waiting for those to arrive there was one last big thing on my to-do list - fit my monster front brakes.
The truth is, even when the car was mapped at 260-odd bhp before I didn't trust the stock brakes. It's simple tuning rules right? Put up the power - get better stoppers. With a brand new engine build and a stonking hybrid blower I knew I'd need something a bit more meaty up-front. So I ordered this awesome 6-pot kit from PB months ago. The big box has been sitting there in the corner of the workshop just looking at me. I just couldn't resist it any longer.
Now I haven't had a set of PBs before, but I've heard nothing but good things. I know our Glenn has had a few sets over the years (and raved about them) and plenty of people say you won't get a better kit for the money. I'm guessing that's because they come straight from their factory and not through a dealer. That's why the price is so good - normally kits like this can cost double. They've won more than a few awards in the past couple of years and I also like the fact that they do a bigger range of fitments and anodised or powder-coated calliper colours than anyone else. Being a bit of a traditional chap I've gone for bright Porsche-like red.
Anyway, I basically measured up the biggest set I can fit under my wheels with their handy template and, as it turns out, that was this massive 6-pot 345mm kit (I kinda wish I was running 20s so I could bang on their gargantuan 405mm 8-pot kit though). The quality is spot on and absolutely everything you need is there in the box, right down to the hardcore braided lines, threadlocker and even a little bottle of calliper touch-up paint - a nice, er, touch that.
Fitting is pretty easy too and they look so good. I'm saving some pennies for a rear Mt to match up. I can't wait to get these out on the road and bedded in so I can really see what they can do.
Back to the engine and I've had the long, laborious process of filling stuff up and checking for leaks. My tip of the day would be to do each job one at a time so you don't get confused and put the wrong fluids in the wrong places. That way you won't be a dickhead like me and dump a load of power-steering fluid in the coolant (oh yes he did - Jules), and end up having to flush it all through numerous times. With the coolant filled (three times), power steering and clutch/brakes bled the last couple of jobs were probably the most crucial.
First up, filling the gearbox with the only fluid good enough to do the job, Red Line MT-90. I got mine from the guys at Old Hall Performance - they're UK distributors and they were very helpful in sending over the right amount. Filling an Audi box is a challenge in itself so you really don't want to run out.
Secondly, the engine oil I've gone for Millers Competition Running In mineral oil. It's basically the best money can buy...
... and it's still only 26 quid for five litres. Which is good because over the running-in period I'll be using at least 10 litres of the stuff, followed by their awesome super-high-end Nanotech Synthetic stuff to keep everything in line. Engine oil is probably the most important thing to research when you're doing a build like this and, after doing plenty I'm more than confident this stuff will get me where I need to be.
As for the start up? Well I've cranked it over with no plugs, checked I have good oil pressure (which I have) and refitted all the plugs and coil packs. All I need to do now is turn the key and pray it doesn't blow-up in my face!
THIS MONTH
PARTS
PB Monster 6-pot kit .... £929
Millers Motorsport Running In Oil, 5 litres (x2) .... £52
Red Line MT-90 Gear Oil (3 litres) .... £55.50
Total .... £1,036.50
Contacts
PB Brakes – www.pbbrakes.com
Millers Oil – www.millersoils.co.uk
Old Hall Performance – www.oldhallperformance.com
Read More>>
We're not quite sure how they do it, but the bods at PB Brakes continue to manufacture some super-high quality 4 to 8-pot big brake kits at the fraction of the price of everyone else. It's not just that either, they also offer a bigger choice of anodised and powder-coated caliper options than anywhere else on the market too. If you're hoping to fill your big rims with for reasonable money, then look no further. Read More>>
WTFAQ
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
BRAKES
Here at FC we're often asked technical stuff via the mediums of email, Facebook and being shouted at in the local Maccie Ds. Now obviously we are pretty amazing but, contrary to popular belief, we don't know absolutely everything about everything. Luckily though, we happen to have a team of industry experts on hand to deal with the really tricky stuff. This month we head over to Taiwan to ask Dan Newton, boss of PB Brakes all your questions about stoppers...
Q. Why do people fit braided hoses? What do they do?
A. Braided hoses comprise of a Teflon inner wall, with strands of stainless steel braided on the outside for increased durability. One advantage is that they expand a lot less than your OEM rubber hoses, which allows you a much firmer brake pedal. A firmer brake pedal means more feedback and ultimately better braking. The other big advantage is safety. They're almost bulletproof! Useful if you have problems with people sabotaging your brake lines as you sleep.
Q. Why are bigger discs better than smaller discs?
A. One word: torque! When you increase the diameter of the disc, the amount of braking torque also exponentially increases. So in theory, the bigger the disc, the faster you'll stop. However, there is a limit to how big you can go. You're limited by how much grip your tyres allow. Once your discs are over a certain size you'll brake so hard that the ABS will initiate in order to prevent the tyres from losing traction, and whatever gains you made are out the window. Brake pads can also be a limiting factor as your bog-standard street compound will just melt if subjected to more torque than it can handle. You also need to consider that brake discs are fairly heavy items, and increasing the weight that each wheel needs to rotate is going to have a noticeable effect on your acceleration. This maximum recommend size of discs depends on the car, but generally speaking, heavier cars require larger discs for effective braking, and lighter cars can get away with running smaller discs.
Q. Why do performance brake discs have grooves and holes in them?
A. There are a couple of reasons for having drilled holes or slots (or both) in your brake discs. The friction created between pads and disc produces a lot of heat, which leads to brake fade. The holes and grooves help heat escape and keep the discs nice and cool. They also help to channel water and other unwanted material away from the contact surface to maintain maximum friction.
The discs are actually cast plain, then once they've been milled down to a smooth surface the pattern is engraved onto them by CNC machines. The pattern on most brake discs flows in the same direction as the internal veins, which reduces the strength of the discs. Ours flow in the opposite direction, as we found this doesn't decrease the strength as much without affecting the function.
Q. Why is it important to change your brake fluid regularly?
A. Glycol-based brake fluid is hydroscopic, so it loves to absorb moisture, which is always going to find a way into the brake system via micro-pores in the cap, lines and seals. This is a bad thing as it dramatically reduces the boiling temperature of the brake fluid — three per cent water in DOT4 fluid can reduce the boiling point by up to 50 percent! That's dangerous because bubbles are compressible, which causes at best a spongy pedal feeling, and in extreme cases it may go all the way to the floor without actually stopping the car!
Q. Why are some rotors one-piece and others two-piece?
A. It all comes down to cost really. Your bog-standard OEM discs are usually cast in one solid piece as it's the most cost-effective way to manufacture them. One-piece discs are fine for popping down the shops to pick up some milk, but push them too hard or take them on the track and they will fade within a couple of laps at race speed. When you're flying down the straight at 130mph and you hit the brake pedal, the last thing you want is for it to sink right down to the floor because of fade. The best solution is to upgrade to a set of two-piece discs with billet aluminium centre caps. The contact area between the actual disc and centre cap is minimal, which greatly improves heat dissipation by allowing the heat to escape, whereas one-piece discs tend to retain it. Another advantage of having centre caps is aluminium dissipates heat more effectively than steel, and it's a lot lighter too. The next step up would be two-piece floating rotors. The centre caps on these bad boys have even less contact area with the disc, allowing ridiculously efficient cooling! A lithe bit of an overkill for most street cars, but worth every penny for a full-blown race weapon.
Q. Why are ceramic brakes silly money?
A. Ceramic brake discs are made from a compound of carbon and ceramic. The manufacturing process is complicated and lengthy, with one disc taking around a month to produce. That accounts for some of the cost. And the rest? Well, ceramic brakes are usually sold as add-ons for supercars so they're bound to be over-priced — it's not unusual to be charged three grand for an electric window on these, right?
Q. What does the DOT mean in brake fluid and what should I look for?
A. DOT is a system created by the Department Of Transport in the US to grade brake fluids based on their boiling points. DOT4 is the one you want to go for as its minimum boiling point is 230°C, more than enough for street applications. DOT5 has a higher boiling point, but it's silicone based, which isn't suitable for most braking systems.
Q. What are brake pads made of?
A. Brake pads can be made from a variety of different materials. Your standard street compound pads are usually a nonmetallic composite of various synthetic materials. They offer great cold bite and very low noise, but the drawbacks are they lack friction and will start to fade at relatively low temperatures. At the other end of the scale you have race compounds, which are either fully metallic or ceramic in composition. They offer much higher levels of friction and are a lot less susceptible to fade, but usually need warming up to optimal temperature in order to work properly. The cold bite is poor, they munch down your discs like there's no tomorrow, can be quite noisy, and you'll be lucky to get 1000 miles out of them. Great on the track, awful on the street. A good middle-ground option is a sport compound pad. Made from semi-metallic materials, the cold bite is good, and the warm bite is even better. You may or may not get a little noise, depending on the application, but it's a small price to pay for big gains in friction and reduced fade.
Q. My BMW has an e-brake, but can I still have a big brake conversion?
A. Up until recently, you couldn't upgrade the rear brakes on a car with an electronic handbrake without losing that function, which wouldn't be street legal. However, we have spent the last couple of years developing a new electronic line-lock system that will retain the OEM handbrake on these cars, and it's finally ready! So far we have adapted the system to work with a few Audi models and the new BMW 5 Series F10, but we're working to increase the available applications all the time. You can order it from our website as part of a rear brake kit.
Q. Why are fixed calipers deemed to be better than floating calipers?
A. As standard, most cars come with floating/slider calipers that have one, or if you're lucky, two pistons in the inner side of the caliper only. So when the hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder forces the piston(s) against the pad, the whole caliper is pulled inward as the pads clamp down on the disc, hence the term floating. One downside of this is the pads on the outer side of the caliper tend to wear unevenly and you end up with something that resembles a door wedge. Another is that since the piston(s) needs to travel so much, the brake pedal can feel spongy and unresponsive. They can also become a bit sticky as they age. On the other hand you have fixed calipers with multiple pistons on either side. Since the pistons are clamping from both sides, the caliper doesn't move and remains fixed in place. This allows for much more even pad wear and a firmer, more responsive pedal feel. But the benefits don't end there. Our PB fixed calipers are all forged from aerospace grade 6061 T6 aluminium, which makes them a hell of a lot harder, stiffer and lighter than their cast-iron counterparts. The monster 8-pot calipers that we include with our 405mm kit take toughness to the next level with their monoblock design.
Q. Why do all cars have bigger brakes on the front than on the back even when they're rear-wheel drive?
A. The reason for that is the front of the car is usually where the oily bit goes, so it's already heavier than the rear without passengers. Then combine that with the fact the weight of the vehicle shifts to the front when you brake, and it means you need more stopping power on the front end to slow the car down effectively. This is why the brake bias on most front-engined cars is around 70 percent front and 30 percent rear.
Q. Can you get uprated drum brakes?
A. Not really. Drum brakes on passenger cars are pretty much obsolete these days, so they aren't really worth upgrading. You're best off with a disc brake conversion kit instead.
Q. What's the biggest brakes I can fit on my car?
A. Well, the only real physical obstruction is the size of your wheel, but there is a sensible size limit for every vehicle. Remember that episode of Top Gear where they spent three grand upgrading the brakes on a Renault Avantime, only to find it made the car's lap times slower? That's because they went too big and the car didn't have enough power to handle the added weight and increased wheel diameter. Had they gone for a smaller kit and retained the same wheel size, the lap times would definitely have shown improvement.
Q. I've been told I need a spot caliper for a rear conversion. What is that?
A. Handbrakes on most vehicles still use brake shoes and drums that are integrated into the rear discs. Upgrading the rear brakes with this system is fairly straightforward, as most conversions also have integrated drums fixed to their rear discs. However, recently more and more cars are moving towards systems where rear OEM calipers double-up as handbrakes. One solution is a spot caliper, which is basically a small single-piston caliper that connects directly to your handbrake cable, and must be used in conjunction with your main rear caliper. There are drawbacks, namely they usually don't come with any form of installation hardware, so you have to make a set of custom mounting brackets yourself. They're also pretty expensive. It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect to pay around £300 for parts and labour. Then once it's installed you now have six calipers to buy replacement pads for, rather than four. Fortunately PB Brakes is here to save the day! We have a much more convenient and cost-effective solution, in the form of our patented line-lock system. This allows our rear calipers to act as handbrakes, much like the OEM parts. The line-lock modules come already attached to our caliper mounting brackets, so they are a direct bolt-on and require no modification. And the best part, they are a fraction of the cost at £100 a set!
Q. What's a hydraulic handbrake?
A. A hydraulic handbrake replaces the conventional cable-operated unit, connects directly to the main brake system, and uses the same hydraulic pressure to clamp the rear calipers. The advantage is that it's a lot more powerful than the standard part. But they are illegal for street use and an automatic MoT failure. That's because handbrakes are sometimes referred to as 'emergency brakes', if your main brakes fail it acts as a back-up device. The law states that the handbrake must be cable operated and fully independent from the main hydraulic brake system. With a hydraulic handbrake, if a brake line rupture causes your brakes to fail, then the emergency brake will fail too and before you know it you've wrapped yourself around a tree. Not ideal!
Q. How do I perform the perfect handbrake turn to impress the ladies?
A. I've often pondered the same question. Ask Ken Block and let me know what he says.
FAQ OFF
What is bleeding brakes and why does it have to be done?
Over time, air will find its way into the brake system, so it needs to be released every couple of years. The problem with having air in the system is, unlike brake fluid, it's compressible. This causes your pedal to become spongy and, if too serious, can lead to complete brake failure. So it's really important to bleed the brake lines before it gets to that stage.
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Cubby's Mk2 Focus ST
This month I prepared the ST for its rolling road marathon! We tested the Anembo Engineering inlet plenum along with five different engine maps and the results were very interesting! Take a look in our tech section in next month's issue for the results...
The PB coilovers also arrived this month so I decided to get them on as soon as possible. The swap over was a relatively easy job since the front shocks were already assembled. I removed the old shocks and adjusted the camber tops with as much positive camber as possible as a starting point. One thing to note is, due to the design of the ST, once the shocks are fitted in place it's not possible to adjust the camber since the suspension turret is enclosed. I made sure the ride height was the same on both shocks using a measuring tape then fitted the front struts. I left the height adjusters loose in case I needed to adjust the ride height. I also set the compression settings to 15; this was again a starting point of halfway since there are 30 settings.
The rear setup was even simpler. I removed the pinch bolt that connects the bottom arm to the hub and the one that connects the shock to the hub, allowing me to remove the rear springs. Then the shock can be removed by removing the two 10mm retaining bolts in the inside of the suspension turret. Next job was to set the springs and shocks to the correct height. For the springs it was a bit of guesswork. I made them 20mm lower than the Eibach's since I wanted the car to sit a bit lower at the back. To set the shocks I compressed the lower arm to the point that the hub retaining bolt would fit. I then adjusted the shock to the correct length so the hub retaining bolt for this would also fit. The compression was set to 15 on the rear, just like the fronts.
When I let the car down off the ramp the front sat perfectly but the rear was too low! I then simply lifted the ramp back up, locked the front adjusters and turned the rears up four full turns. To adjust the rear it was easier to take the shock and bottom arm pinch bolts back out and after the second attempt the car set perfectly.
Out on the road the ST felt like a different car! There was no body roll anymore and the car felt so agile and the steering was so responsive. It's been a while since I drove a car on coilovers so it took a little while to get used to. The ride quality felt no different to the Eibach springs I previously had fitted so the kids won't be jumping about in the back and after a week of driving I decided to...
...stiffen the front up to 23 and the rear to 20 making things a little firmer without sacrificing much ride quality.
PB will send these coilovers to Europe for £599 including shipping and for an extra £50 it will add a set of camber adjustable top mounts. It stocks these for a large range of Fords; for more details check out its website A huge thanks to Dan from PB Brakes, these shocks have transformed the ST. Now all I need to do is convince the missus that a Knockhill track night is a good idea!
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