Brakes Upgrade advice...

The Oily Bits S2 Specific Topics
1

I have standard brakes on my S2 Exige with braded hoses.

What would be the next step? Pads, Discs, Fluids? If so what do I need? I don’t want the pads that rattles about because that drove me mad on the Elise.

I know that the full AP 4 pot upgrade kit is the best option But is it to much on a road car? My current brake set up suffered a bit of fade when I was on mountain passes in the alps on the down hill sections.

What sort of replacement costs are pads and discs on the AP set up and how often do they need changing?

Interested in peoples views of what they are like after the upgrade compared to the original brake set up and if it was worth it.

2

Just pad upgrade and upgrade the discs when they need changing should do fine on the brakes. I ran for year hard on track in a 240r with Pagids and it took real effort/abuse to cook them (some people have issues sooner than others before I get shot!). Have now put larger discs on with existing calipers.


For both of your questions I’d recommend you talk to Graham at Plans Motorsport.

There are so many options open to you it’s tough to just give a quick answer as how you drive and how much money you are willing to spend to get smaller but maybe worthwhile improvements.

Just pad upgrade

3

When I up grade the Elise I had to Pagits they rattled like hell and drove me mad, Have they sorted this issue out now?

4

Speak to Graham at Plans. They can put some anti rattle shims in and they will be fine. I have the bigger AP discs, pagids, braided hoses and the go faster brake fluid.

They are fine for most track abuse !

Ex77

5

Exige77

Thanks for that,

What are they like on the road? Do you have to get them warmed up to work?

Are are they like normal brakes cold?

6

The brakes are the single biggest pain in the arse on this car. Especially the SC cars were the braking is totally pants on the track.

If you want to do anything serious i would go straight to the lotus msport set up, i tried to be cheap and have destroyed two sets of discs on my way to accepting this fact.

I find the rs14s’ grabby aswell…hopefully the 42s’ are available in a pad for the msport set up…

7

I have found RS42 pads, larger Ap5000 discs 295/280 and decent brake fluid works very well and does not cost the earth

8

Lotus AP Big brake upgrade or Alcon 4 pot upgrade over the standard??

Any one with experience of ether please can you give some advice.

9

Lotus AP Big brake upgrade or Alcon 4 pot upgrade over the standard??

Any one with experience of ether please can you give some advice.

Not needed, unless you are racing - or you have a car with as much poke as Jamie’s.

Braided hoses, SRF fluid, & some decent pads will give you all the stopping power (without fade) you require.

Spend your dosh on some trackdays & instruction, & really find out what the car is capable of

10

I know that the full AP 4 pot upgrade kit is the best option But is it to much on a road car? My current brake set up suffered a bit of fade when I was on mountain passes in the alps on the down hill sections.

If you are managing to do that on those roads, then I think you should be going for a full 6 point roll cage ; either that or don’t tow a caravan

Seriously, what Mr P says.

11

Or you need to go on a diet Jamie

12

hi Pesky

Spend your dosh on some trackdays & instruction, & really find out what the car is capable of

Done loads of trackdays when I owned a Caterham and had loads of instruction, So driver upgrades have been done.

The problem on the mountain passes is that on 10-20 mile down hill sections with loads of bends and heavy braking with the added weight of the car you feel your brakes slowly losing their ability and that does not feel good when you are part way through a great section of road that is far more interesting and demanding on the brakes than any trackday.

Steve, . There are some upgrades that are harder to achive than others

13

Oi! less about my wieght

I am still on standard calipers all you need is RS42s and Castol SFR job done!

14

Sorry it’s confusing with two Jamies. I meant Snapper Jamie

15

The AP (LMS)front big brake kit works great – significant improvement over the standard setup… [image]http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/Jack_077/P1010186.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/Jack_077/APcaliper.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k78/Jack_077/frontbrakes.jpg[/image]

16

Thanks for that Jackson,

Did you feel that it was money well spent? and how have they performed?

Any down side to them?

17

Hello Jack,

Fancy seeing you here :wink:

Thanks again for your reply about spring rates…


To everyone else, Jack has made me aware of the fact that the forged exige wheels do not fit with these brakes. Its good to know as it means the brake upgrade involves a wheel change in my case.

18

Did you upgrade the Rear As well ???

19

The cup 255 comes from Lotus with std rear calipers but with rs14s’

The piston sizes on the LMS set up are optimized to keep the same brake balance with std rears.

Eliseparts do the same thing or they also do a bigger piston sized caliper that is matched to using the old fronts on the rear, if you know what i mean.

20

The cup 255 comes from Lotus with std rear calipers but with rs14s’

The piston sizes on the LMS set up are optimized to keep the same brake balance with std rears.

Eliseparts do the same thing or they also do a bigger piston sized caliper that is matched to using the old fronts on the rear, if you know what i mean.

Which must mean you loose the handbrake? Or do you have two calipers on the rear?