• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

240 brake adapters: OE calipers with larger rotors

BDKR

BDKR

Section 9
Joined
Nov 16, 2003
Location
Horizons Cave
I'm cool with the OE calipers. Heavy, but they're good peices.

Another member has done something along the lines of what I'm after.

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showpost.php?p=4221999&postcount=22

I used BMW E34 rotors re-drilled, size is 302mm X 22mm with hat height 76mm. Gives enough offset to clear most standard wheel spokes as the caliper is moved further out from the hub. I also used standard calipers to make conversion simple. Only added a caliper bracket. Some still left over.
Click to expand...

I've reached out to him, but wanted to know if anyone knows of any other avenues before I make my own.
 
Some random thoughts in random order:

There are lots of other Volvo discs available in larger diameters which would mean not having to re-drill them. One thing to be aware of though is that the studs on 240 hubs have a large shoulder diameter and some Volvo disks don't fit over them. It's still a lot easier to drill out the existing holes in a set of discs than to re-drill a different pattern though.

Some Volvo discs vent to the outside in the middle rather than the normal inside. This is important if you are intending to use them with brake cooling ducts on a track car. Otherwise, unimportant.

If I were going to the trouble of designing and making a caliper bracket then I think I would prefer to change the caliper to a lighter one.
 
crogthomas said:
Some random thoughts in random order:

There are lots of other Volvo discs available in larger diameters which would mean not having to re-drill them. One thing to be aware of though is that the studs on 240 hubs have a large shoulder diameter and some Volvo disks don't fit over them. It's still a lot easier to drill out the existing holes in a set of discs than to re-drill a different pattern though.

Some Volvo discs vent to the outside in the middle rather than the normal inside. This is important if you are intending to use them with brake cooling ducts on a track car. Otherwise, unimportant.
Click to expand...

Thanx for the info

crogthomas said:
If I were going to the trouble of designing and making a caliper bracket then I think I would prefer to change the caliper to a lighter one.
Click to expand...

I hear ya, but after considering the usage, this is a more economical half step if you will. Better performance is a must, but since I'm not planning on racing the car all out performance is not a must.

Thanx again for the info.
 
I think pad fade will be a bigger issue, and pad size isn't increasing... sure the disc will Disapate heat better. But why not increase both?
 
2fast242gt said:
I think pad fade will be a bigger issue, and pad size isn't increasing... sure the disc will Disapate heat better. But why not increase both?
Click to expand...

"I think"? What problem do you think I'm trying to solve? :lol:

I haven't had a fade issue to date and the car isn't going to be used much differently then before. On top of that, the car just had whatever pads were on it when I bought it, but my experience with top end offerings like EBC have always been fade free.

And Tryingbe nailed it. Larger rotors always mean more leverage. Sure, "swept area" isn't increasing but that's not an end of the world thing. Especially if you view your rotors as wear items and are willing / planning on running aggressive pads. I'll be using EBC Yellows.

So if I was building something I was planning on racing, I would def upgrade calipers. But since that's not the case, I still get increased performance without spending even more money.

I would like a set of AP Lockheed calipers tho. :nod:
 
BDKR said:
"I think"? What problem do you think I'm trying to solve? :lol:

I haven't had a fade issue to date and the car isn't going to be used much differently then before. On top of that, the car just had whatever pads were on it when I bought it, but my experience with top end offerings like EBC have always been fade free.

And Tryingbe nailed it. Larger rotors always mean more leverage. Sure, "swept area" isn't increasing but that's not an end of the world thing. Especially if you view your rotors as wear items and are willing / planning on running aggressive pads. I'll be using EBC Yellows.

So if I was building something I was planning on racing, I would def upgrade calipers. But since that's not the case, I still get increased performance without spending even more money.

I would like a set of AP Lockheed calipers tho. :nod:
Click to expand...

You have to remember that brakes like to be hot, not cold. The big rotors with the small pads might take too long to heat up. Aggressive pads don't work well with cold brakes either.

Brake fade usually occurs after multiple periods of long distance braking. Probably won't happen during auto-x or street driving.
 
mopar318 said:
You have to remember that brakes like to be hot, not cold. The big rotors with the small pads might take too long to heat up. Aggressive pads don't work well with cold brakes either.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Which is why I'm not planning on using full race pads either. The Yellow stuff is still acceptable for street use.

Also, I've been in contact with Peeve240r (the guy quoted in the op). It doesn't seem he's had these issues.

mopar318 said:
Brake fade usually occurs after multiple periods of long distance braking. Probably won't happen during auto-x or street driving.
Click to expand...

+1
 
If you haven't used a set of drilled stock rotors before. I would try that first. That is the most economical brake improvement I've experienced. It was so much of an improvement I run them with pbr deluxe pads on my wagon. But on the turbo I use ebc green pads for even more improvement. For the street these setups along with the usual stainless brake lines and blue ate brake fluid has worked very well.
 
Really? There's a noticeable difference in feel with drilled out stock rotors? Did you drill them yourself? Are they vented or solid? THAT is an inexpensive brake upgrade if I've ever heard one.
 
dl242gt said:
If you haven't used a set of drilled stock rotors before. I would try that first. That is the most economical brake improvement I've experienced. It was so much of an improvement I run them with pbr deluxe pads on my wagon. But on the turbo I use ebc green pads for even more improvement. For the street these setups along with the usual stainless brake lines and blue ate brake fluid has worked very well.
Click to expand...

Just so we are on the same page, what are drilled stock rotors? Sounds obvious, but rather be safe then sorry.
 
If you're going to larger rotors why not something like rx7 calipers? It's definitely been done before...and **** you can just buy the adapters from a few sellers on here if you don't want to make your own. Pretty sure you end up using stock Volvo rotors too so no redrilling or anything like that, they've just got an extra inch of rotor.

I finally got a set of rx7 calipers and I've been getting real excited over the prospects of getting these on the car. Don't get me wrong the 240 stops very nicely but after slowing way the hell down real quickly a few times in a row it doesn't like to stop so well anymore. Bigger rotors for more cooling, bigger aluminum calipers which both have more surface area and aren't made of cast iron will cool faster too. (they even sorta have fins) I'm gonna have to rig up some ducting for maximum effect. :oogle:

I should mention perhaps that I'm already using better-than-decent EBC pads, and I still get fade. Slooted and drilled rotors too.

Sorry to come into your thread about not changing the caliper and recommend a change in caliper...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top