What do ye think of this set up?

no1beemerfan

I'm doing the brakes on my 1997 Laguna 1.8 8v petrol in the next month or so and was thinking of putting on braided hoses all round and putting decent pads on at the front.

These are the pads I'm thinking of:
http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?product=574388

And these are the braided hoses I'm thinking of:
http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/product_info.mhtml?product=3952949

I'm going to leave the rear shoes standard as well as the front discs.

I can't remember 100% but I'm sure it DOT 4.1 brake fluid that I use....are all DOT 4.1 fluids the same or is there a better brand I should go for over others?

Thanks for any help!

ianobrien

I've never heard of the pad manufacturer, and I'm stuck in motorsport....

I've just a quick question. Have you ever gone beyond what the standard brakes can do? Have you ever experienced brake fade/boiling fluid or overheated pads. If not, you're wasting your money fitting fast road stuff.

If I were you, I'd be changing the fluid to Castrol Response, fitting new OEM discs & pads, checking the rubber hoses carefully for bulges etc and when you reach the limit of that setup, then change.

I compete in Night Navigation Trials and they give the brakes a hammering. On the Carina, I've just used Toyota Discs, OEM Mintex pads and Castrol Response Brake Fluid. On 150 miles of hard competition, I didn't have any brake fade or trouble. I had a similar setup on a Citroen AX GT that I used, but I used Motorfactor Discs and Pads.

I've a set of Mintex Fast Road pads on the front of a Mk2 Escort, and while they are "adequate" while cold, they really work when warm. As a result, I do a bit of left foot braking to heat the pads. I'm currently looking at changing the calipers to 4 pots and road pads. Oh, that car is also used in Classic Trials. If it was just a road car, I'd have it with OEM stuff.

no1beemerfan

Thanks for the response...you've given me food for taught!

I don't abuse the car (especially now that it has around 200k miles on her!) but I've never really done anything with the brakes.

I changed the pads and discs a number of years ago and now the front passenger caliper is staying stuck out as the rubber on it has perished....the pads definately need changing that side and the discs could do with changing.

I've standard discs to go on and I'll be getting a caliper this wkend to replace the stuck one.

Also I've the problem on the back wheels in that I bled the brakes approx two yrs ago but both bleeding nipples sheared off on the back and what I did for a quick fix was take off the hub and manually adjusted the brakes.

I want to replace the fluid so while I was sorting the back brakes and the caliper on the front I decided I would upgrade them.

I presume the brake hoses are orginal as I bought the car when it was almost 7 yrs old and its 13 1/2 yrs old now.

The car passed the NCT in April this yr.

So your saying to leave the hoses, oem pads and discs (I'd get these off my local Motor Factors btw) and just change the fluid to the castrol? At the end of the day I want brakes that do their job well!

ianobrien

OP, If the hoses are that old, have a careful look at them. The rubber ones from the Motor factors might only be a few euro (mine were the last time)

Also, get the rear brake nipples sorted. you won't be able to bleed the back brakes otherwise.

If it was me, I'd deffo change the fluid. The Castrol Response is more expensive than regular DOT4.1 (even regular Castrol DOT 4.1) but it really takes the heat well. A fluid change can transform the brakes and pedal feel as well.

I assume that the rear brakes are drums. Have a look at the slave cylinders for leaks etc. I had one fail on me before on a night (it was probably 12 years old) and naturally it failed on approach to a blind hairpin. I've never got the stains out of the pants......

no1beemerfan

I intend to sort out the bleeding issue on the rear drums....also I'd forgotten I'd replaced the slave cylinders about 5 years ago as the orginals were leaking.

I'll go with the fluid you mention and leave everything OEM so!

Thanks for your help!