Caliper advice

[f1racr]

Hi guys,

Just after some advice from those with more knowledge than me in this area....

I would ideally like to get a full Brembo setup eventually, but given the expense of getting the rest of the car up and running I was wondering if you could advise me on some Willwood calipers I've got access to.

A friend had these on his WRX race car, but unfortunately the car went up in flames and all he could salvage was the brakes, intercooler and carbon undertray from the car. They have obviously got hot at some point but it seems no hotter than in heavy operation. I've sent them away to the local distributor and they say they're all good and can easily rebuild them with new seals and service them for next to nothing and my mate has offered them to me for next to nothing also.

So my question is............. are they a good "mid term" solution rather than running the factory setup ?

Here's the webpage with a full description.

http://www.wilwood.com/CaliperProd.aspx?itemno=120-5691-FS

 

[FXMDBilly]

For what use? Street only, track, etc...?

The stock brakes with good pads and fluid are more than adequate for most drivers. Personally I would just save your money for the Brembos and maybe put stainless steel lines, a good brake fluid like ATE Superblue or Motul and a better pad.

Wilwood is a bit hit or miss and i'm not sure if the caliper brackets or hats would even work for the NSX anyway.

 

[f1racr]

Thanks for the reply.

Plan is that the car will be used for club level events and eventually our Targa event which is a week long road rally.

I can get these on the car for less than $ 500 USD so I thought it someone knew if they'd fit then they'd be cheap enough to put on given that I'll have to replace the rotors and pads from the stock ones anyhow the cost is really insignificant.

The other factor that I wondered about though more importantly is front to rear balance if I went this way and so I wondered if it's normal to upgrade just the fronts or if most people would do the complete kit ?

Does the NSX have a combined rear caliper that covers handbrake and main braking functions or just a normal caliper ?

 

[john@johnhudakracing]

Thanks for the reply.

Plan is that the car will be used for club level events and eventually our Targa event which is a week long road rally.

I can get these on the car for less than $ 500 USD so I thought it someone knew if they'd fit then they'd be cheap enough to put on given that I'll have to replace the rotors and pads from the stock ones anyhow the cost is really insignificant.

Assuming the caliper profile will clear your wheels, there is still the cost to service the calipers (Wilwoods are a race caliper and do not have dust seals, so while they are out you mine as well), then the cost to fabricate custom hats and brackets as there is probably nothing off-the-shelf (which is usually not insignificant). Then size up some lines. Buy new pads. Hopefully the rotors have some good life left.

By the time you are all said and done... it will almost surely cost more (over double) than over-hauling your stock setup. You probably could have been half way toward buying a good BBK.

I would probably just over-haul the stock setup. Easier, cheaper, and it will probably be just fine.

 

[f1racr]

Yeah fair enough, understand what you're saying.

I was just of the hope that these would have had some standard parts available to make them suit and NSX, I suppose that's really what I was asking. I don't want to get into making anything custom, it was just that if it was easy enough I thought it might be a good intermediate step, but it seems it's not.

I'll have to investigate what's required on the stock setup to make things work for my needs or maybe look at the realisms budget wise of getting the Brembo kit or maybe Stoptech which I have on my GTR and love em to bits.