Range Rover Classic Performance Brakes

[research]

I have been researching brake upgrades as my car will have 300+ bhp I've narrowed down a couple of options ie 6 pot calipers from Tarox and AP which offer defender systems will these fit without issues? Any alternate suggestions?

[task]

I've got drilled/grooved discs on the CSK with standard calipers and braided brake hoses. Stops pretty well!

[research]

yes I've heard that, however the standard calipers are US, so going to replace so thinking big brakes, the issue I know I am going to have is wheels but will probably have them custom made in the states. Just trying to work out a design at moment will probably be 19 or 20"....

[DaveSIIA]

My Overfinch 570 HSi RRC reputedly cranks out 330bhp from a 350ci Small Block Chevy. Brakes are standard 1992 calipers, ABS, braided hoses, cross drilled and grooved discs with Mintex pads. Braking has never been an issue - even when driven like it's stolen!

Advantage is that standard wheels still fit.

[Snagger]

I fitted EBC drilled and dimpled discs and "green stuff" pads to mine, along with a rebuild of the callipers with Zeus Engineering stainless steel pistons. The brakes are fantastic, but for all legal and insurance purposes are still standard.

[Ally V8]

You obviously don't drive it hard enough ! Back in 1998 I fitted a 502Cu in Rat motor into a 110 CSW running a TH400 against a standard LT230 transfer box.The motor was built to push out approx. 480hp and 550 ft lb, the owner got caught out on how much he was spending on it so it never was fully developed.(His wife made him sell it)

The last two jobs were to insulate the floor as the 3in exhaust was burning the carpets... That and that the brakes could only do one decent stop from over 100mph,after that they just went to a dead pedal and stank the place out.They were RRC axles and brakes,which apart from the brake fade, stood up well to the Chev and its owner.

[task]

I think the difference might be that I am running the later RRC brakes with ABS, which give a massive boost to the pedal pressure. I've never had any issue stopping from high speeds over on the autobhan more than once in a row...

[research]

This is a two door original so no abs etc and I'm looking at a 4.6 lump so 300+ hp although I have been looking at both supercharged ford crates and GM LS7/9 like all these things there is a weight and weight distribution penalty/compromise along with costs because the gearbox etc would also need changing.

[task]

What do you plan to do with the 4.6 lump to get over 300bhp?

[research]

mmh good question gut feeling is its good for 320 but whether thats achievable reliably is a different question. I have this thing that part of me wants to keep it original however part of me thinks just sod it and put a supercharged jag/RR/ford or LS7 lump in it and have 500+

[rrr47]

What kind of gearbox will you be looking to get?

How much power/torque can the standard units take?

[research]

I'm talking to the likes of ashcroft my understanding that the standard unit is set up for up to a couple of hundred however the torque amount is more relevant if going for auto. It will need mapping to match the engine otherwise the shift pattern will be all over the place with the torque converter locking up way too early. If I go for LS or Ford then I'll use a ZF 5 or 6 speed but that creates a whole load of pain in the calibration. Obviously the transfer boxes will need a little bit of work along with half a plan for a rear LSD.

[task]

Cost per BHP is what you need to look at, it won't be cheap to get that sort of power from a rover lump I spent a lot of money building my engine and I'm fairly sure that doesn't go near 320BHP

Gearbox and axle life is directly related to how often and how hard you hit the gas

[research]

Yes I agree, I'm budgeting for about £12-15K for the engine and gearbox so should be enough. This is where my debate about the V8 original comes in. I have some experience in both tuning and hybrid tech I've looked at electric super chargers in particular. The key with any engine you blow is to avoid lean mixes and the rover v8's jacket is super thin so riding it of additional heat leaves you with a few options which get increasingly more technical eg water injection. Electric superchargers are clever little beasts because you can mount them where ever you like (no pulleys) so can just use a modified intake manifold rather than a plenum chamber such as you find on most mechanical ones so you can route air in a much more even way.

[Henry Webster]

110 front calipers are a good value upgrade. Other than that and decent pads there isn't really much wrong with LR brakes. If you are going to the extremes then the calipers are a little heavy compared to motorsport alloy items.

We have regularly braked hard from 100+ mph in vehicles of up to 2 tonne with no real issues. Three or four 100-10mph stops in succession shows a bit of fade using EBC Greenstuff pads. I've got some Mintex 1144 to try now.

H

[nutjob]

Upgraded pads and vented discs (ideally cross drilled and or grooved) should be fine.

Remember the 6 wheel range rover fire engines - with full equipment, full water/fuel tanks, four firemen and their sandwiches - weighed in at over 4 tons!

No problems reported, even when braking from over 100mph to a dead stop in a hurry!

If you have deep pockets, you could go for a set of Brembo's from a Range Rover 5 litre supercharged.

If you still have a heap of cash burning a hole in your pockets, try a custom made brake bell and separate rotors - carbon ceramic if you work in the city.

[Snagger]

You only need massively uprated brakes for racing, where you are repeatedly heavy braking. On the road or on natural surfaces, the brakes shouldnt be getting that much of a heard time to need alteration. Vented disks and good contidion original parts should e all you need - the big engine will help acceerate and keep speed up steep hills, but you should still have the same kintic energy as a standard vehicle because you still have the same speed limit to observe...