Mantaboy83 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Can anyone point me in the direction of any old threads with the rear brake disc conversion detailed? I'd like to see how much it costs and how much work is involved. Also, I am currently running Carlton 2.6 litre front vented discs with Vectra SRi calipers. Although the setup is ok and the car stops alot better than before, I am a little worried about the fact the brake pads are wearing a 5mm lip along their top edges. What discs can I buy that are a larger diameter to stop this happening? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowhusaberg Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 audi 80 disc's from a 1991 2.0e have the right offset and diameter to work with the calipers you have got but you will have to get new mounting holes drilled at a 92mm pcd and the hole in the middle opened up to 73mm but no more lip on the pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlantean Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Can anyone point me in the direction of any old threads with the rear brake disc conversion detailed? I'd like to see how much it costs and how much work is involved. Gunman on here has a fair bit of info on this subject - can even supply some parts I believe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 Are there not any GM discs that will fit, or any aftermarket upgrades? I do like the sound of the Audi discs though. Will I have to find an engineering firm to machine & drill them? Ok I will pm Gunman regarding the rear disc conversion. How many of you guys have done it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opel2000 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 At one time Kevin Abbott was producing a rear brake set up for the Manta. The sets he produced were an absolute complete set up and were absolutely brilliant, I was gobsmacked at the thought and the quality of the work that went into these. And to be totally honest he should have been inundated with requests for these, and should have sold loads of these rear brake set ups. But I bet due to lack of interest I bet he has stopped producing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlantean Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 But I bet due to lack of interest I bet he has stopped producing them. What sort of money was he looking for them can you recall Clive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 I'm a bit concerned about fitting larger discs on the front without upgrading the rear drums, as I've heard that it can cause instability under braking as the fronts are doing too much of the work. Will the larger Audi discs be ok to use if I give the rear drums a good overhaul? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I've got a pair of brackets for rear caliper conversion. If I remember right, it takes calipers from a golf. Sticking with drums tho so will be surplus to requirement if I ever find them to shift them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opel2000 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Hi Atlantean. TBH I cannot remember how much he was charging. His top priced kit was supplied with new discs, brake lines, refurbished Calipers with a handbrake facility mounted onto what looked like laser/plasma cut powder coated brackets that bolted onto the flange left after removing the Drum Backplate. For the work that went into these, and simple bolt on completeness of this set up it was worth every penny, it takes a hell of a lot to impress me and these were really impressive. A well thought out and impressive solution to the ugly rear drums without the need for alignment of brackets being welded to the axle. REAR DRUMS As for retaining the rear drums. The drums have a very large surface area for a rear drum set up, if the backplate is cleaned and correctly greased on the flats where the shoes contact it, new rear cylinders are fitted and the adjusters are cleaned, greased and set up properly then the braking effort from the rear is in fact very very good. Attention to detail on the backing plates and making sure everything is working as smooth as it shouls will reap huge benefits with the Manta braking system. When the rears are pulled into line correctly it transforms the braking efficiency of the Manta. I've advised people on this in the past when they thought they had bad front calipers or that they can't seem to bleed the system correctly as the brakes seem crap still. Bigger front Discs.... If worried about over efficient front discs, simply make sure the rear drums are working fine then buy a cheap adjustable brake bias Valve. Use this to run some braking tests, by slamming on the anchors and keep adjusting the valve so that the rears are locking up before the fronts, keep tweeking the valve until the fronts have just started to lock over the rears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 REAR DRUMS As for retaining the rear drums. The drums have a very large surface area for a rear drum set up, if the backplate is cleaned and correctly greased on the flats where the shoes contact it, new rear cylinders are fitted and the adjusters are cleaned, greased and set up properly then the braking effort from the rear is in fact very very good. Attention to detail on the backing plates and making sure everything is working as smooth as it shouls will reap huge benefits with the Manta braking system. When the rears are pulled into line correctly it transforms the braking efficiency of the Manta. I've advised people on this in the past when they thought they had bad front calipers or that they can't seem to bleed the system correctly as the brakes seem crap still. Bigger front Discs.... If worried about over efficient front discs, simply make sure the rear drums are working fine then buy a cheap adjustable brake bias Valve. Use this to run some braking tests, by slamming on the anchors and keep adjusting the valve so that the rears are locking up before the fronts, keep tweeking the valve until the fronts have just started to lock over the rears. Thankyou very much opel2000 you have convinced me to keep my drums and overhaul them. I still have a bit of an issue with the front disc / pad set-up but they've previously passed an MOT, so the lips forming on the upper edges of the pads can't be causing a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opel2000 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Manatboy 83, I'm assuming you may have a bit of pad overhang at the outside edge of the disc, if so simply remove pads and use a sharp knife or some rough emery to remove the overhang, and re-fit the pads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Manatboy 83, I'm assuming you may have a bit of pad overhang at the outside edge of the disc, if so simply remove pads and use a sharp knife or some rough emery to remove the overhang, and re-fit the pads. You can call me Tom if you prefer! Yes indeed I do have a bit of overhang. Conveniently I took my brake calipers off the other week so will extract the pads and do as you say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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