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Which brake discs?

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brake discs
2K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  CHF 
G
#1 ·
My front discs are warped and the pads are very nearly finished, so I'm going to upgrade them as far as possible without buying new calipers.

What I have in mind is the new brake fluid, DS2500 pads, steel braided hoses and new discs. I'm guessing the best choice of disc would be drilled and/or grooved? The existing ones are vented so that's a deffinite.

Anyway which discs should I go for? Perhaps even new OEM discs? Autodelta do cross-drilled discs for £187 which seems a bit on the expensive side, and Powera|fa have some drilled and grooved discs for £120.

Which option would be the best combination with the Ferodo pads?
 
#2 ·
Shad said:
My front discs are warped and the pads are very nearly finished, so I'm going to upgrade them as far as possible without buying new calipers.

What I have in mind is the new brake fluid, DS2500 pads, steel braided hoses and new discs. I'm guessing the best choice of disc would be drilled and/or grooved? The existing ones are vented so that's a deffinite.

Anyway which discs should I go for? Perhaps even new OEM discs? Autodelta do cross-drilled discs for £187 which seems a bit on the expensive side, and Powera|fa have some drilled and grooved discs for £120.

Which option would be the best combination with the Ferodo pads?
If you go for drilled / grooved discs they will be more noisy than plain discs.

I had a set of Hormann motorsport drilled / grooved discs which were very good - these came with Ferodo pads - great combination - still have the rear discs on my car.

The Ferodo DS2500 pads will make the most difference - far more than fancy discs or steel hoses. These work great with standard Alfa discs.
 
G
#3 ·
Hmm interesting. I'm not too bothered by noise, I'm just after maximum performance. I was thinking the OEM discs would be cheaper, but I've just had a look on the parts CD and they're £80 each! £160 for 2 OEM discs!!!

Anyone else with advice? :confused:
 
#4 ·
Is there any difference in front disc size between 1.6 and 2.0 147's

I know the older 1.8 156's used smaller discs than the 2.0
 
#6 ·
Shad said:
Hmm interesting. I'm not too bothered by noise, I'm just after maximum performance. I was thinking the OEM discs would be cheaper, but I've just had a look on the parts CD and they're £80 each! £160 for 2 OEM discs!!!

Anyone else with advice? :confused:
Try EB Spares 01373 823856. Drilled and grooved disks for about £120. I don't know if there's any difference in material between the various discs on the market but there is certainly a difference in price!!!
 
#7 ·
I'm using Tar-Ox grooved discs. They work very well in combination with new hoses and MotorQuality pads. They are noiser, but like you, I don't mind as long as they get the job done.
 
G
#8 ·
If their are the same as early 156 1.8 ts (nonvented solid disc) I recommend Tarox Jap sport groved/holed with Ferrodo DSperformance pads (do not need to be warmed up first thing in the morning).
This is the set up on my car now. The pads come in a nice red colour.Slightly better braking than normal AR pads and come with sensors.

Overall, greatly improved feel and retardation. The only down side noise and the squeal from the pads, but I think thats because I don`t use them that often ! Four or five hard applications and then silent.

Well recommended :)
 
#10 ·
I would go for standard OEM disks with DS2500 pads.
;)
Will make a huge difference over standard. On the road, the grooved/drilled option won't give you that much added benefit, but you would need to notify the insurers. So should pads in theory, but you would be unlucky if it came to that, where as the drilled disks are an immediate visual giveaway...
:rolleyes:
 
G
#11 ·
Damn the insurers to hell!

Kevin from EB Spares got back to me with a price for 2 of their grooved/drilled/vented discs at £58 each, which seems like good value to me. I think I may as well buy some better performance ones rather than the OEM ones which would cost more... I think the way I drive the car I'll benefit from all the braking I can get ;)

And yes, brake fluid is deffo being changed! :D

How long would it take an Alfa specialist to change the fluid, discs, hoses and pads? An hour?

I'd quite like to get the rears stripped and cleaned, and get all the calipers sprayed Rosso Alfa at the same time :)
 
#13 ·
RicksAlfas said:
Fair enough. But if you ran into my pride and joy - or worse - one of my nearest and dearest and your insurers wouldn't pay out because of undisclosed mods, I would be round with a very large bat.
:tut:
Surely fitting better brakes wouldn't be just cause to invalidate a claim!!! Unless it detrimentally affects the performance of the car I can't see how the insurance company could make a case for non-payment.
 
#14 ·
partyboy1101 said:
Surely fitting better brakes wouldn't be just cause to invalidate a claim!!! Unless it detrimentally affects the performance of the car I can't see how the insurance company could make a case for non-payment.
Because the standard brakes are deemed sufficient for normal road use. Any uprating would be viewed with the assumption that you will be going faster!
;)
I think it's pants too, but all I'm saying is that the car insurers don't like paying out unless they have to, and when they ask if the car has been modified, you should say yes if you've got drilled and grooved disks.
:rolleyes:
 
#15 ·
RicksAlfas said:
Because the standard brakes are deemed sufficient for normal road use. Any uprating would be viewed with the assumption that you will be going faster!
;)
I think it's pants too, but all I'm saying is that the car insurers don't like paying out unless they have to, and when they ask if the car has been modified, you should say yes if you've got drilled and grooved disks.
:rolleyes:
Fair comment!!! I'm still going to fit them though!!!
 
G
#16 ·
When I said damn the insures to hell, I meant that in jest :p

It's a shame we have to be so squeaky clean these days. They'd probably try and nobble me for having high performance tyres so it can go around corners faster :rolleyes:
 
#17 ·
Insurance is all done on statistics. People who have upgraded their brakes must have statistically had more accidents. In general people who make modifications to their cars tend to care more about their cars than the ordinary person and drive more enthusiastically!.
 
G
#19 ·
Liverpool Victoria wouldn't insure me on account of my age unfortunately, and Norwich Union wanted £80 when I changed the exhaust. I'd hate to think how much they'd want for a serious modification :rolleyes:
 
#21 ·
I've been looking for quite sometimes at replacing my discs and pads on a 156 1.8.

Earlier this week in ran into a Brembo Sales Rep. while I had the radiator changed at a local independent garage.

Believe it or not but for a set of Brembo OEM + pads and fitting they quoted £120, of course if you opt for the sport performance drilled or grooved + pads you can double this figure.

Have a look for youself on the Brembo website and try to obtain a quotation from an independent garage near you. You can obtain all PN from the Brembo website !
 
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