10 replies to this topic

[Impy]

Hi

I currenty have a 1981 mini, which for the engine I wish to put in will need the drum brakes changed to discs. What I'm interested in knowing is, between the cooper s and metro turbo brakes will offer the better stopping power?

Or is there no difference and it's really down to the pads and discs used?

Thanks in advance

[Ethel]

Not masses of difference, the Metro ones are a bit better, but heavier.

[ibrooks]

All else being equal the Metro Turbo setup will walk all over the Cooper S setup. They have bigger discs so more lever advantage for the same clamping force on the disc. The pads are bigger so more friction area. The calipers are 4-pots so the clamping force is evenly distributed without having massive pistons (which would reduce the force generated from the same master cylinder). The Metro setup is vented so t will resist fade better (the physical mass of the setup also helps this as it takes more energy to heat all that metal up).

Cooper S discs are better than drums. They are small so they get hot easily though. They are lighter than Metro Turbo brakes so reduce unsprung weight which is a good thing for handling. If you ar driving close enough to the limits of handling that the diffference in unsprung weight between the two is an issue then you need to be looking at alloy calipers anyway.

Unless you are desperate to run on 10" wheels the Cooper S setup doesn't make a lot of sense.

Iain

[L400RAS]

Hi

I currenty have a 1981 mini, which for the engine I wish to put in will need the drum brakes changed to discs. What I'm interested in knowing is, between the cooper s and metro turbo brakes will offer the better stopping power?

Or is there no difference and it's really down to the pads and discs used?

Thanks in advance

Brake choice depends on your wheel choice. If you want to be running 10" wheels, you should look at Cooper S 7.5 discs, or 7.9 minisport / minispares etc. For 12" up, standard mini discs (8.4") will be better than drums. If you really need more stopping power, metro 4 pot calipers, Ford fiesta conversion etc.

Edit: what ibrooks said ^^

Metro brakes require a different geometry setup - ie adjustable bottom arms?? - more info from experienced person required for confirmation of this statement.

Edited by L400RAS, 24 January 2011 - 03:46 PM.

[TopCatCustom]

I agree with Iain, the 4 pot metro turbo set ups are miles better than 7.5" S brakes, but the S brakes are miles better than drums! However- on a road car with narrow wheels and standard driving conditions whether you would notice much difference between turbo and S brakes is a different matter

[L400RAS]

What engine have you got in this 1981? Standard I would have thought would be 998cc? If so - standard mini 8.4s would be fine, and dirt cheap, and tehy wont mess up the geometry, involving more changing of parts to adjustable items...

Edited by L400RAS, 24 January 2011 - 03:54 PM.

[Guess-Works.com]

It's metro hubs which do funny things to the suspension geometry not the brakes...

You can fit metro brakes to the mini hub.

[L400RAS]

It's metro hubs which do funny things to the suspension geometry not the brakes...

You can fit metro brakes to the mini hub.

Ah! Thanks for the clarification Mr Guessworks.
Ryan

[Impy]

Thanks for the answers guys

@L400RAS, yes it's got a 998 at the moment, but not for long

@Guess-Works.com, will fitting a conversion kit (from minispares) mess up the suspension geometry, or is that if I take the hubs direct off a metro?

Again thanks for the responses

[MRA]

Metro hubs are really not worth fitting......

Also Metro calipers as for most 4 pots can have an effect on your handling and / or suspension geometry..... I found out years ago that in certain handling conditions the caliper can hit the square section HD tie bars.... causing momentary, effectively severe bump steer..... not good

4 pots are a massive improvement over standard 2 pot brakes..... as I explained sometime ago in a similar topic, brakes are all about converting potential / kinetic energy in to heat energy by the medium of friction. That is all they do, so the more heat removed the more effective the brakes, vented, bigger, better heat transfer etc all help to remove heat. Yo ucould have the biggest brakes in the world (if you came to us that is) but if you have 34BHP it is highly unlikely that you will ever get that much potential energy to get them hot, so a smaller setup will do........

However if the brakes that you have are working well but can't slow you down quick enough then increasing them will normally help reduce your stopping distance.....

Now personally I would rather have too much braking that too little, with too little you stop when you hit something (or drive slower) with too much braking you get used to applying the correct amount of pedal pressure.

[MRA]

Brake choice depends on your wheel choice. If you want to be running 10" wheels, you should look at Cooper S 7.5 discs, or 7.9 minisport / minispares etc. For 12" up, standard mini discs (8.4") will be better than drums. If you really need more stopping power, metro 4 pot calipers, Ford fiesta conversion etc.

Metro brakes require a different geometry setup - ie adjustable bottom arms?? - more info from experienced person required for confirmation of this statement.

Except that ford fiesta brakes offer nothing like the braking power of the AP 4 pots as fitted to Metro and ERA Mini.

If you use Metro hubs you will need adjustable lower arms and tie bars.... the Mini steering arms which will need to be drilled to fit M10 bolts. you will also need to fit the earlier top & bottom swivel pins from early Metro.