Hi, I've had a mini mayfair for a few years, so I know my way around a mini - but I'm not a car genius by any means so go easy on me!
I've managed to buy a nice clubby estate in really good condition. It's a 1.1 with chunky 10 inch alloys and I'm thinking of fitting disc brakes if I can - you can certainly notice the difference between the mayfair and this when stopping!
Is there an easy/economical way of doing this? Or even a difficult one? Is there a standard convertion kit or method. Or a guide somewhere maybe?
Since you have 10 inch wheels, you need cooper S 7.5 inch discs and calipers. These are an expensive upgrade. Do not fit 7 inch discs as these are rubbish. The standard 8.4 inch discs (used from the early 80's onwards WILL NOT FIT WITH 10 INCH WHEELS (unless you put 12 inch wheels on.
Hasn't someone produced some 10" wheels that fit over the 8.4" discs and calipers?
You could always try this method from Eric Harrison. I found it on the net a while back when looking for a way to convert to 10" wheels. This was before I bit the bullet and bought a Cooper S set up. (Still haven't told the wife about them).
Cheap Mini 10 inch Disk conversion
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Obtain a pair of fiesta mk1 calipers and securing bolts.
Get a pair of standard metro drive flanges (not MG or HLE)
Remove your standard 8.4" discs and have them machined to 8.1"
Remove your mini calipers and flexy's
Drill out the threads on the mini hubs so that the Fiesta bolts are a clearance fit.
Using a file or grinder remove about 1/8" from the web of the fiesta caliper.By holding it up against the hub it will be obvious how much you need to remove.
Mount the calipers on the front face of the hub with the bolts in from the rear.This is just to make sure they are a good fit prior to final assembly.
Fit the metro flanges to the machined discs and refit.(The metro flanges will move the disc out about 3/8" further than the mini ones)
Refit the calipers.
Now the dificult bit.Connect the brake pipes back up.There are numerous ways just remember that fiesta calipers are metric. Use a ford transit flexy with a banjo bolt at the caliper end.At the other end I had a metric end put on the original brake pipe at the point where it goes through the subframe.
The calipers have stainless steel pistons as standard and very rarely go wrong,however do be carefull if you are using scrap yard calipers as the bleed nipples have a tendency to shear. Refit ones with larger head size to avoid having any problems after they are fitted.
IMHO - go with an 8.4 setup. Can be had for much cheaper and will stop the car better. Espesh if you buy good discs and pads and fit braided hoses all round. I drove my brothers 1380 with the cooper disc setup and it felt a bit wooden and need lots of pedal pressure to stop. I believe the racers machine down vented 8.4"s to 7.9" and fit KAD 4pots, expensive but they go under 10's.
For an everyday car I would just find an 85/86 on mini in a breaker and take the whole hub and brake assembly and fit it to the clubby.
My experience is that 10s handle better than 12s for similar spec cars. You can usually lower a car on 10s more with less modification which is another plus.
In the U.S. the 'S' brakes add as much or more to the value of the car than their purchase price.
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