GT3 brake 'upgrade'

[Sparky]

I've done a few upgrades for people, and have of course seen much on the subject on the forum.  In the Summer, the time came to replace discs and pads on my GT3.  I've driven a huge number of Esprits with old brakes and with various upgrades, but never one with new stock discs.  So I thought I'd give it a punt as an experiment, as the risk is only approx. £300 (PNM).  They've been on a couple of months now, and I can report that they're actually very good - better than I expected.

So, if you're looking to improve your old system, and you're not a track demon, and you're concerned about springing for an expensive upgrade, you might be pleasantly surprised if you fit standard replacements.

[andydclements]

Good call Sparky.

Too often when servicing a used car for the first time of ownership, I find calipers either seized on the sliders or pistons partially seized in the calipers along with pads (often nearly new) on sliders with massive rust build-up. I had to have somebody doing while I gave instructions this time but the rears on the Signum (2l Turbo so a fair turn of speed) found one disc with half of the inside face discs covered in rust, along with 1/3 of the outside face, the other side was worse, and all because the brakes were't looked after, standard kit fitted gave a massive improvement on the brakes. Not a Lotus, and I'd hope that a Lotus would be maintained to a better standard but even those need more than just new pads from time to time.

 

 

I'm always amazed that people assume a drilled or slotted disc is an upgrade compared to standard discs, fine if powder from the pads is lubricating the pads, but most of the time we don't get to that stage on road use and drilled or slotted just reduce the area of friction giving either a worse or no better braking performance. 

[Loose Cannon]

I've found the worst brakes are when cars have had a "full dealer service history". Several cars' rears have been completely, utterly seized solid.

What do they actually do on ther £500 visits to these white-tiled-floor palaces?

[Barrykearley]

Free tea and coffee ??

[Sparky]

You get plenty of that at Watford Exotics, without the premium!

[Chillidoggy]

In addition, verbal abuse is free at any of the "Exotics" group of companies.

[Sparky]

Worth noting that the Margate brand uses fewer syllables.

[Barrykearley]

Margate - pfffh - fine as long as you don't want it written down!!!! Not sure they've mastered the pen and that reading stuff yet

[Sparky]

He's got wooden wheels on his Esprit.

[Barrykearley]

Square ones at that .....

[rocket63]

Most probably wooden brakes as well then !