Hsv big brake upgrade

[The ron]

Has anyone done this and are they much better than the standard R8 brakes here's the link thanks in advance
http://www.walkinshawperformance.co.uk/wp/uk/produ...

[ARAF]

If they're the ones from the GenF cars, they're absolutely massive. I'm not sure the VE VXR8s need them, as I've always found the brakes to be adequate in all situations - though I know that GaryH had problems with his on track.

[DRC72]

Mine came with them so i can not compare.

Paul has had a set fitted and he says they are a lot better than standard.

[Kiwi1]

I would stay with current setup, and change disc, pad combination.

Calipers fully rebuilt are a massive difference

Fully floating discs

[impVXR888]

Kiwi1 said:

I would stay with current setup, and change disc, pad combination.

Calipers fully rebuilt are a massive difference

Fully floating discs

How close is the edge of the bell to the pad? Looks like it'll be pretty close!!

Does look a great upgrade from standard though. How much are they for a pair?

Isaac

[Kiwi1]

I had these done by a garage down the road called Phoenix Motorsports.

They had the car a couple of days, as there was other stuff been done to the car too.

From memory this setup was around £900.

It works really well

Very happy with it

impVXR888 said:

How close is the edge of the bell to the pad? Looks like it'll be pretty close!!

Does look a great upgrade from standard though. How much are they for a pair?

Isaac

Edited by Kiwi1 on Monday 16th November 16:17

Edited by Kiwi1 on Monday 16th November 16:18

Edited by Kiwi1 on Monday 16th November 16:21

[Kiwi1]

I had these done by a garage down the road called Phoenix Motorsports.

They had the car a couple of days, as there was other stuff been done to the car too.

From memory this setup was around £900.

It works really well

Very happy with it

impVXR888 said:

How close is the edge of the bell to the pad? Looks like it'll be pretty close!!

Does look a great upgrade from standard though. How much are they for a pair?

Isaac

Edited by Kiwi1 on Monday 16th November 16:17

Edited by Kiwi1 on Monday 16th November 16:18

Edited by Kiwi1 on Thursday 19th November 07:58

[pah250]

ARAF said:

If they're the ones from the GenF cars, they're absolutely massive. I'm not sure the VE VXR8s need them, as I've always found the brakes to be adequate in all situations - though I know that GaryH had problems with his on track.

They are not the ones from the Gen-F. I think the Gen-F brakes are cross-drilled 390mm front discs, while the WP big brake kit for the E-series are 380mm slot/grooved front discs.

The big brake kit which WP supply for the E-series was a factory option on the E-series GTS as sold by HSV in Aus. However, the VXR8's sold by Vauxhall have the smaller standard brakes and didn't have the larger brake option. The WP big brake kit is simply a retro-fit of the HSV Aus factory option from the GTS.

The larger GTS brakes also require a 20" wheel, as clearance between the calliper and the 19" wheel on the front axle is too tight.

Nothing wrong with the smaller brakes IMHO for normal and 'spirited' road use. But for track use, they have a tendency to micro-fracture and sometimes crack under repeated extreme heat cycles. I am informed that this is due to the brakes being a half-way house between a road brake design and a race brake design, but the road car wheel arch design doesn't provide the same level of ventilation/air flow that a race car would.

Braking wise, the big brakes will tear your face off. They stop, dead quick. However, I find that as they get hot, they also get a bit 'grabby' and can lead to premature wheel locking and thus ABS activation. But that's perhaps just down to my style of driving when I'm being enthusiastic

I have just had my big brakes removed and the standard ones put back on (my winter wheels/tyres are 19") and I now find the standard brakes to be soft and lacking in stopping power. But that's probably because I'm used to how performant the big brakes were. I'll put them back on again come spring.

Cost wise, the discs and pads are a few hundred quid more to replace when they wear out, but not unreasonably so IMHO.

Note: The rear discs/pads/callipers are the same. No point replacing those if you go for the big brake kit. The only difference between the rear discs/pads/callipers on the standard VXR8 vs the big brake kit is the colour - they are yellow. I simply had my rear callipers painted yellow. I've had my standard front and rear callipers painted yellow, so that no matter which ones I have on the car, they always match

[Wyld Stallyn]

pah250 said:

They are not the ones from the Gen-F. I think the Gen-F brakes are cross-drilled 390mm front discs, while the WP big brake kit for the E-series are 380mm slot/grooved front discs.

The big brake kit which WP supply for the E-series was a factory option on the E-series GTS as sold by HSV in Aus. However, the VXR8's sold by Vauxhall have the smaller standard brakes and didn't have the larger brake option. The WP big brake kit is simply a retro-fit of the HSV Aus factory option from the GTS.

The larger GTS brakes also require a 20" wheel, as clearance between the calliper and the 19" wheel on the front axle is too tight.

Nothing wrong with the smaller brakes IMHO for normal and 'spirited' road use. But for track use, they have a tendency to micro-fracture and sometimes crack under repeated extreme heat cycles. I am informed that this is due to the brakes being a half-way house between a road brake design and a race brake design, but the road car wheel arch design doesn't provide the same level of ventilation/air flow that a race car would.

Braking wise, the big brakes will tear your face off. They stop, dead quick. However, I find that as they get hot, they also get a bit 'grabby' and can lead to premature wheel locking and thus ABS activation. But that's perhaps just down to my style of driving when I'm being enthusiastic

I have just had my big brakes removed and the standard ones put back on (my winter wheels/tyres are 19") and I now find the standard brakes to be soft and lacking in stopping power. But that's probably because I'm used to how performant the big brakes were. I'll put them back on again come spring.

Cost wise, the discs and pads are a few hundred quid more to replace when they wear out, but not unreasonably so IMHO.

Note: The rear discs/pads/callipers are the same. No point replacing those if you go for the big brake kit. The only difference between the rear discs/pads/callipers on the standard VXR8 vs the big brake kit is the colour - they are yellow. I simply had my rear callipers painted yellow. I've had my standard front and rear callipers painted yellow, so that no matter which ones I have on the car, they always match

He Mentioned it Twice, but I Think he got away with it!

[R8VXF]

ARAF said:

If they're the ones from the GenF cars, they're absolutely massive. I'm not sure the VE VXR8s need them, as I've always found the brakes to be adequate in all situations - though I know that GaryH had problems with his on track.

Not the same as the gen-f, 5mm smaller and grooved not vented

[The ron]

Cheers Paul I already have 20inch hsv wheels have you got a picture of what they look like on the car please??

[DRC72]

[badboyburt]

£2,700 and the rear set up is the same just a different colour caliper.

That's a huge cost considering what you actually end up with, a Brake set up which probably only gets used correctly a few times a year if tracked.

Standard set up is fine and more than capable, my new set up seems very similar just a 1/4 of the price of the "Big" set up.

[impVXR888]

Kiwi1 said:

I had these done by a garage down the road called Phoenix Motorsports.

They had the car a couple of days, as there was other stuff been done to the car too.

From memory this setup was around £900.

It works really well

Very happy with it

impVXR888 said:

How close is the edge of the bell to the pad? Looks like it'll be pretty close!!

Does look a great upgrade from standard though. How much are they for a pair?

Isaac

Edited by Kiwi1 on Monday 16th November 16:21

That's great to hear, the only reason I am asking is that I my friend made those bells, and laser etched them. So if anyone else wanted a similar setup then just let me know and I can sort it out. But great to see that it all works, and that you are happy with them.

Isaac

[ARAF]

impVXR888 said:

Kiwi1 said:

I had these done by a garage down the road called Phoenix Motorsports.

They had the car a couple of days, as there was other stuff been done to the car too.

From memory this setup was around £900.

It works really well

Very happy with it

impVXR888 said:

How close is the edge of the bell to the pad? Looks like it'll be pretty close!!

Does look a great upgrade from standard though. How much are they for a pair?

Isaac

Edited by Kiwi1 on Monday 16th November 16:21

That's great to hear, the only reason I am asking is that I my friend made those bells, and laser etched them. So if anyone else wanted a similar setup then just let me know and I can sort it out. But great to see that it all works, and that you are happy with them.

Isaac

Nice work.

[pah250]

The ron said:

Cheers Paul I already have 20inch hsv wheels have you got a picture of what they look like on the car please??

Dale bet me to it, but here's a couple of pics (not my car, but same brakes behind thinner wheels so you can see the brakes better)

[DRC72]

2700 quid sounds a lot for this set up but let's break it down.

Front callipers. £700 pair est
Front Discs. £800 pair est
Front pads. £200

Rear callipers. £500 pair est
Rear Discs. £400 pair est
Rear pads. £100 est


That comes to £2700


So if you just need the fronts it should be very reasonable.

I personally prefer the big brakes on the front as it completes the look and fills the wheels a treat

[stevieturbo]

pah250 said:

But for track use, they have a tendency to micro-fracture and sometimes crack under repeated extreme heat cycles. I am informed that this is due to the brakes being a half-way house between a road brake design and a race brake design, but the road car wheel arch design doesn't provide the same level of ventilation/air flow that a race car would.

I wouldnt be too worried about the small cracks you see. It will take a very long time for them to develop into anything that is a concern. It's just getting your head around the fact the discs are still safe to use.

[EssexVXR8]

badboyburt said:

£2,700 and the rear set up is the same just a different colour caliper.

That's a huge cost considering what you actually end up with, a Brake set up which probably only gets used correctly a few times a year if tracked.

Standard set up is fine and more than capable, my new set up seems very similar just a 1/4 of the price of the "Big" set up.

what new set up have you got ?

[pah250]

stevieturbo said:

pah250 said:

But for track use, they have a tendency to micro-fracture and sometimes crack under repeated extreme heat cycles. I am informed that this is due to the brakes being a half-way house between a road brake design and a race brake design, but the road car wheel arch design doesn't provide the same level of ventilation/air flow that a race car would.

I wouldnt be too worried about the small cracks you see. It will take a very long time for them to develop into anything that is a concern. It's just getting your head around the fact the discs are still safe to use.

It didn't worry me, until this happened!