Changing the Brakes to Discs Rear and Ventilated Discs to Front

[4129R]

It seems Richard forgot to ask me if the car was an S1/S2 or a T/C-TCS.

The brackets he sent me were for S1/S2, so if you are fitting rear discs, be sure to tell him which type of Europa you have.

[StephenH]

I have a F&R set but only the rears fitted at present, I already have upgraded fronts so not a priority yet.

The rears have provided a really useful improvement (and confidence) in braking performance.
I have dual MC and a balance bar so can wind in as much F/R as I like for the conditions.

Only trouble I have with the rears is that the additional rotational weight has contributed to some vibration.
This isn't the kit's problem, it is from runout on one of the hubs (that I need to replace).
I do suggest anyone ordering is very specific to Richard in regard to stud sizes, PCD required, which uprights are fitted (front, std or GT6) etc.

[4129R]

I had to pack out the two rear hydraulic banjos with copper washers to stop them leaking brake fluid. The thread on the bolt holding the banjo in place is too long so the washers do not get tight.

I also had to pack out the caliper frame mountings (two large bolts) with steel washers (supplied with the kit), to stop them fouling the disc. You have to put the disc on, take the caliper off its two 13mm bolts, offer up the frame to its position and judge how many washers you need to get the frame to be positioned central to the disc when bolted up tight.

To adjust the hand brake cable easier than venturing into the tunnel, pack the outer cable from its housing in the caliper with U spacers to take up the slack, but remember you need both cables attached to the caliper levers, before adjusting to cable slack/tension. Use a screwdriver to move the level against the large spring to get the round pin into position. 

It seems my rear hubs are very unusual being held on to the drive shaft with three keys, not splines. Richard said the hubs were a bitch to drill (very hard) for 108mm PCD. Remember to ask him to supply the 12mm x 1.5 wheel studs. I have ordered Ford 63mm studs.  I hope they are the right length for the Minlite wheels with sleeved nuts.

[Serge]

I have the 63mm ford studs on my hubs as well and they are definitively long enough.

Having the upgraded hubs and stub axles is only a bonus, you will not have to deal with the flying wheel issues!

Serge

[4129R]

More problems encountered:-

1) The 6" Minilite wheels on the front hit the suspension top wishbone. Cure: fit 9mm spacers.

2) The 63mm wheel studs on the rear discs were too long and the wheelnuts didn't tighten. Cure: fit 9mm spacers to the rear.

3) One on the wheel studs kept turning in the hub so I couldn't undo the wheel nut. Cure: dismantle the rear suspension and take the trailing arm, driveshaft, hub assembly with wheel still attached to the local garage to splash a couple of welds on the inside of the turning stud.

4) The wheel studs didn't seat properly in the new 3 spline $1,600 rear hubs. Take both hubs to the local garage and they pressed them as far into the hubs that a 6 tons of press hydraulic could achieve.

5) The hand brake on the discs doesn't work. The local garage says bleed the brakes before assembling the hand brake cables on to the caliper assembly. I took the cables off, bled the brakes. More air came out. Work still in progress to see if the hand brake works, as I had tightened the cables so much that the brakes got very hot on a test drive around the block.

[EuropaTC]

If it's any consolation (probably not ! ) I also had clearance problems with 5x13" Cosmics when I fitted rear discs. I didn't investigate spacers as I had a 2nd plan for 15" wheels, but I think I'd have needed something similar to yours.

Bleeding air out was also a problem for some reason.  In the end I modified the lines with a short braided line before the caliper and now I undo the bolts, stick something between the pads and manipulate it during bleeding to dislodge any bubbles. That works pretty well although it makes it a much longer job, but on the plus side it's not very often it's needed.

Brian

[4129R]

Work in progress continued.......

Having disconnected the hand brake cables, I bled all the air out of both rear calipers, and now the f'ing cables are too tight, the handbrake is stuck half on, so the cable needs adjusting within the black hole.

See new thread on adjusting the hand brake cable.

[4129R]

Road tested the new brakes, and with Yokohama sticky A048 tyres, the car stops amazingly well now.

I wonder if the handbrake will pass the annual MOT test next Saturday..............

[4129R]

Handbrake on new rear discs passed MOT test with flying colours.

BUT

The right rear brake was sticking badly as I had forgotten to wind the piston back in to the caliper so the inside pad was pressing badly on the disc.

Must remember to wind it in next time. At least I have the correct specialist tool for winding the piston back into the caliper. It has had a lot of use recently.

[blasterdad]

Congratulations!
From reading this thread you endured quite a few issues!
Job well done!
I'm looking forward to upgrading ours during the restoration...

[4129R]

If I did it again, it would be so much quicker. Just the usual learning curve.

I have just bought my 5th, so numbers 2-5 should get progressively easier to restore. Only 1 (4129R) gets the full monty of upgraded brakes, and 145bhp.

[BDA]

Fifth!!! Wow, you really are certifiable! 

What are your plans for them? Will they all be stock (except for 4129R of course) or are you going to experiment?

I'd love to see some pictures.

[4129R]

Well.........I have 2420R a Regency red TC, 3089R, a mid brown TCS, 3755R, a black TCS, 4129R, another black TCS, and 4174R another Regency red TCS is hopefully on the way from Florida soon.

Plans, keep the best one, and restore the others to a good original, not concours, standard, as investments. They should not go down in price.

I have 4 sets of Minilites (5.5" and 6" x 13") for 4129R with dry almost slick, dry light tread, intermediate and wet, road legal tyres (Yokohama and Avon), so with ventilated discs, and 145 bhp from 40 DCOEs and QED cams (they are building a new Weber head, awaiting the Europa longer inlet cam to arrive), it should give me some fun in my old age. 

For some reason I cannot post photos as every time I try it tells me my file size is too big (and they say size doesn't matter).

3755R is in bits at the moment awaiting seats recovering and door cards trim. The stock engine from 4129R will go into 3755R, when my 145 lump is ready. When I drained the oil from the engine of 3755R, about 4 pints of water came out, then 4 pints of new clean oil. So when the engine was stripped by a local engineering shop who know Lotus Ford Twin Cams ( in Norfolk the older generation cut their teeth on all things Lotus), they found everything was rusted so I thought if I was having a re-bore, new valves, new cams etc, I would go for the full Monty and keep the new engine for my keeper 4129R.

When I drive 4129R around Norfolk, like I did today, the older generation appreciate it is local stock. I will take it to my local tool shop tomorrow as the man who owns it says it is his favourite car and he hasn't seen one in over 30 years.

As the cars are being renovated under my quadruple car port in my back garden, at least her indoors knows where I am and that I could be up to worst things.

I keep GT40P 2194 in my garage safely locked up. (Roush 5.6L V8, 459bhp)

I still have to break the news to her about #5. When I disappear to Felixstowe (about 80 miles away) in about 10 weeks time with a trailer, she will probably work it out as last time, I picked up both 2420R and 3755R from the docks there the same day.

Confession over. Do I need help?

[pboedker]

Yes, you certainly need help ...

..
..

... And more cars. 

[StrawberryCheesecake]

Well.........I have 2420R a Regency red TC, 3089R, a mid brown TCS, 3755R, a black TCS, 4129R, another black TCS, and 4174R another Regency red TCS is hopefully on the way from Florida soon.

Plans, keep the best one, and restore the others to a good original, not concours, standard, as investments. They should not go down in price.

I have 4 sets of Minilites (5.5" and 6" x 13") for 4129R with dry almost slick, dry light tread, intermediate and wet, road legal tyres (Yokohama and Avon), so with ventilated discs, and 145 bhp from 40 DCOEs and QED cams (they are building a new Weber head, awaiting the Europa longer inlet cam to arrive), it should give me some fun in my old age. 

For some reason I cannot post photos as every time I try it tells me my file size is too big (and they say size doesn't matter).

3755R is in bits at the moment awaiting seats recovering and door cards trim. The stock engine from 4129R will go into 3755R, when my 145 lump is ready. When I drained the oil from the engine of 3755R, about 4 pints of water came out, then 4 pints of new clean oil. So when the engine was stripped by a local engineering shop who know Lotus Ford Twin Cams ( in Norfolk the older generation cut their teeth on all things Lotus), they found everything was rusted so I thought if I was having a re-bore, new valves, new cams etc, I would go for the full Monty and keep the new engine for my keeper 4129R.

When I drive 4129R around Norfolk, like I did today, the older generation appreciate it is local stock. I will take it to my local tool shop tomorrow as the man who owns it says it is his favourite car and he hasn't seen one in over 30 years.

As the cars are being renovated under my quadruple car port in my back garden, at least her indoors knows where I am and that I could be up to worst things.

I keep GT40P 2194 in my garage safely locked up. (Roush 5.6L V8, 459bhp)

I still have to break the news to her about #5. When I disappear to Felixstowe (about 80 miles away) in about 10 weeks time with a trailer, she will probably work it out as last time, I picked up both 2420R and 3755R from the docks there the same day.

Confession over. Do I need help?

Are those your only project cars, or do you have other makes too?

5 project cars seems quite restrained really...