uprating vaxhall viva brakes

I would just learn to drive [1], it's far cheaper, both short term and in the longer term !

[1] or else ask in a mod' group and not in a classic group, you've been reading that comic called Practical Classics again I suspect.....

I'll get my coat.

I dont see a problem in upgrading his brakes especially when all else around you can stop on a six pence with ABS. I replaced every component on my Bedford CA Camper but still found it most worth while when I fitted a remote servo to assist them. She wont go much above 60mph on the flat and everything is accelerating away from me but it is nice to know I can stop when I have to.

Martin P

When you say magnum do you mean 1.8/2.3 litre or a 1256 theres is a difference in the brakes. The 1256 didn't have bad brakes if the discs provided aren't worn --- if they are badly worn they tend to warp, however if you have 1256 you can upgrade to 2.3 disc if you can find them -- me thinks Victor FD parts fit and discs are the same as big engine Viva/Magnums I don't think the same is true of the Victor FE parts. Not sure if the calipers bolt straight on but I know the discs do, --- we used Viva hubs with these 10.25" discs for racing Imps and Davrians even with P14 calipers they give a very good brake provided decent high performance prake pads are used certainly much more than a 1256 Viva could hit them with.

With the bigger engine cars it ain't so easy, the Vauxhall disc pcd (not the wheel stud PCD) is pretty unique, so you may have to resort to vented discs that fit over the hub to hat style - it just a question of finding one deep enough to fit. But do you really need vented discs ? --- the standard discs are the biggest size that will clear alloy 13" wheel provided they are standard thickness and not badly worn they don't warp even under racing conditions -- Firenzas/Magnums won many production salons races over 3 litre Fords because the Vauxhall brakes lasted to the end the Fords were gone after 5 laps .

4 pot calipers also tend to be a blind alley particularly the Princess type -- disc surface area exposed to airflow is more imprtant than caliper size. Princess calipers are a swine to plumb up and bleed and unless mounted absolutely square to the disc surface will give a very sprongey pedal -- they also weigh a ton doing wonders for the unsprung weight. A lot of Capri/Escort guys tried Princess calipers and found them no improvement over M16 calipers.

I bet a non ABS fitted car, sensibly driven, can stop quicker than one with ABS - the point is to drive within the capacity of the car (and drivers ability [1]), if that means driving with more than two feet between you and the car in front so be it....

[1] good brakes don't help bad driving, they just lull people into a fails sense of security.

That's a bit different to 'vented discs' etc., a 1974 Vauxhall Magnum is never going to need vented disc's for normal street driving and I doubt really needs 4 pot callipers.

Can we please nail this myth once and for all? ABS does NOT enable you to stop on a sixpence or any other coin of the realm. What it is meant to do is enable you to brake hard and steer at the same time, so if a child runs out from between parked cars you can do both instead of having to choose between one or the other.

Ron Robinson

Jerry, Dont disagree with any thing you have said except for one small detail, the other driver, I had a good friend sadly no longer with us, old age by the way, who was approaching a roadabout with plenty of braking distance in his Robin Reliant when a modern ABS fitted car past him and braked massively reducing my friends braking distance, my friend attempted to slow harder locked up and ran into the back of the car. He was not speeding had plenty of room until the space was filled. My friend was left with a badly damaged car through no fault of his own, fortunately he had witnesses to the accident so was not found at fault by his insurance company.

Martin P

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*cough*

I hate to have to point this out (again) but cars with ABS take LONGER to stop than those without, if braked correctly.

If you can't drive properly, then ABS does at least allow you to contiune to steer the vehicle whilst you're attempting to lock all 4 wheels with the middle pedal.

Alex

Ok how about "modern braking systems allow a vehicle to stop quicker and with more control in relation to pre 1970's Vehicles" is that better.

I have two vehicles on my drive, both made by GM, both vans, both weight about the same one is a 1969 Bedford CA Camper and the other is a 2004 Vauxhall Vivaro both have very efficient brakes but in a controlled emergency stop I know which vehicle will stop in the shortest distance and it wont be the Bedford.

Martin P Martin

Hmm. I have a 1953 Daimler Conquest with drums all round, mechanical only on rear, and it produces the same poundage effort as a 1992 Vauxhall Senator 3.0 24v DOHC on the brakes. I'd guess the weight the Daimler isn't that much above the Vauxhall.

Ever wondered why commercial vehicles still use drum brakes?

Alex

It was somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember snipped-for-privacy@italiancar.co.uk (SteveH) saying something like:

Although what you say is true, losing the possibility of locking the wheels in a panic stop has allowed makers to fit much more powerful brakes. This isn't noticeable at slow speeds, but certainly is at higher ones.

The braking effort produced on a tester isn't really much of an indication of their performance at speed. I'm willing to bet the Conquest would have a *much* longer stopping distance from its top speed than the Vauxhall from the same speed.

Many have discs.

Alex,

My Vivaro has discs on all four wheels.

Martin P

Earth movers tend to have disks all round, usually with sintered metal pads.

cheers dilbert for your advice, a little more constructive,helpful and a lot more interesting than some of the other replies. the car i mentioned is a magnum and i will take your advice and fit performance pads before i go any further

Comparing non abs cars to give an even playing field--- most FWD hatches don't stop anything like as well as 70s RWD cars because the rear wheels contribute almost sweet fa to the braking and also because the corner weights on the from tend a lot heavier on the right hand side. A Porsche

911 should be able to outbrake anything because the weight distribution under 1g braking is almost exactly 50/50 front to rear

I must admit I quite like the ABS on my Rover 623 but some systems are beter than others the ABS on the Grandad-Scorpio was a bit rough.

Assuming the brakes are correctly balanced, it makes near enough no difference, given that weight effects friction.

Autocar had a test of the latest Astra SRi the other week, and it exceeded

1g by a clear margin.