Sorting out the brakes

[Davemate]

Today I removed he wheels and had a look at the brakes.
I now need some front pads and I would like to fit new discs as they seem a bit thin. How thick are the discs on a mk1 as mine might be ok

Million dollar question
What's the cheapest place or way to renew the brakes on a mk1
Is there a "conversion" that's cheap and easy
If I don't need discs and I only have to get pads then I'm ok  :)

Looks like both front strut gators are split/knackered,is that an MOT fail
Both track rod rubbers are split so again,are they an MOT fail
Other than that things seem ok,just got to relay up the headlights.

Sorry for the poverty plea but cash is a very tight at the moment  :B

[piman]

Hello Dave,

from memory, Mk 1 discs are 3/8" (.375") or approximately 10mm in foreign language, the Mk 2 is 1/2". As I had them I have MK 2 brakes on the front of my car, I kept the Mk 1 rear brakes as they are manually adjusted as opposed to the 'automatic adjusters' on the Mk 2 that don't adjust.

Alec

[mikew]

Stag disks and calipers - cheaper than new mk1 discs often

the boots on the track rod ends do need replacing for an mot, and the gaiters too - you can get new boots on ebay

[Davemate]

Boots on the rack are ok.
Are stag disc and callipers a simple bolt on job
It's the track rod ends and the front suspension insert gator

[mikew]

1344 wrote:

Boots on the rack are ok.
Are stag disc and callipers a simple bolt on job
It's the track rod ends and the front suspension insert gator

stag bits bolt straight on but you may need 14" wheels

track rod end boots are available on ebay

strut gaitors should be replaced but are cheap, but the replacements wont last long either  :o

[Davemate]

Looks like rimmers are the cheapest at £156 for a pair of standard mk1 discs,pads and a set of rear shoes.
Strut gators £18 pair
Track rod ends £18 pair

So about £200 to sort it all out  :(
I'll have a measure up tomorrow,if my discs are fat enough that will save me a lot as pads and shoes come in at £36 add the gators and rod ends = £72  :)

[Davemate]

Mike, if I go down the stag route I'll have to get the callipers as well. I'll keep half an eye out for the stuff for a future upgrade, its just a case of "lack of funds at the moment" so I need to sort it out on the cheap.
Hoping I can just get away with pads and gators !

[DougBGT6]

Strange how tenacious cobwebs are. Drove 400 miles to Mother's and the cobwebs on my modern are still on the wing mirrors. Sorry drifting off there.  :B

[Davemate]

And that's after I'd given them a quick brush off !

[Nick Jones]

mikew wrote:

stag bits bolt straight on but you may need 14" wheels

track rod end boots are available on ebay

strut gaitors should be replaced but are cheap, but the replacements wont last long either  :o

You will need 14" wheels.

I bought some universal rack gaiters and used them instead of strut gaiters as the "proper" strut gaiters I bought fell apart in a few months.

Nick

[Nick Jones]

mikew wrote:

stag bits bolt straight on but you may need 14" wheels

track rod end boots are available on ebay

strut gaitors should be replaced but are cheap, but the replacements wont last long either  :o

You will need 14" wheels.

I bought some universal rack gaiters and used them instead of strut gaiters as the "proper" strut gaiters I bought fell apart in a few months.

Nick

[FloydP]

I just cut the strut gaiters off so there was nothing for the mot tester to see, passed several mot's like that. I've since put some on but there didn't seem to be much damage caused by running without them.

[Davemate]

I have TR6 wheels  ;)

[Davemate]

I have TR6 wheels  ;)

[Alex]

Dave what year is your mk1?
Pre face lift mk1's had thinner discs than post face lift cars.
Post face lift have mk2 size discs and calipers.....

[lloydpiestate]

my mk1 is facelift, it has the thinner discs ??

[dazzer]

Just put the MK2 set up on. The MK1 discs are rubbish. Changed mine to Mk2 discs/calipers etc and they are superb. Thats in competition use as well. My opinion... 14" wheels make the big saloon wooden. I tried it and went back to 13" wheels. Horses for courses. If you want to cruise around 14" wheels( I also tried 15" minilites) also cruising. But if you want handbrake, drive it sideways handling has to be 13" wheels every time.

I await condemnation for my comments!

[Davemate]

Alex wrote:

Dave what year is your mk1?
Pre face lift mk1's had thinner discs than post face lift cars.
Post face lift have mk2 size discs and calipers.....

All I know is its a 1967 !
Spare wheel is on the side and it's got this dash

[Davemate]

Dazzer
  At the moment it's just "get it on the road"and I have to keep costs to a min, I'll post some pics tomorrow for peoples opinions as to what I have

[Alex]

That's a pre facelift, so skinny discs.

[Davemate]

Alex wrote:

That's a pre facelift, so skinny discs.

:(
For now I'll have to live with them,
what's involved in swapping to the mk2,I presume I'll need discs,callipers but what about the "hubs"

[Dougthompson]

Don't bother spending money on original mk 1 disc's  even a  s/h mk2 set up would be better . I might even have some bits left :)
stag set up is best budget option disc's are relatively cheap , but you need stag calipers too

[dazzer]

For MK2 from memory you need hubs, callipers, discs.  I still have the original working MK1 callipers which are free to a good home.

[mikeyb]

I too have passed many MOT's without strut gaitors

[TedTaylor]

On my early Mk1 I wanted to keep the original spec. to be in period.  To improve things a bit 20 years ago I got a pair of new Mk2 discs (second hand ones would have done but got them cheap in an autojumble) and had them machined to the Mk1 spec as per the manual.  

The centre of the later disc where it bolts to the hub is beefier than on an early ones which helps get the heat away and I feel it did help a bit when I was using the car on track in demo runs.  Mind you it would probably be simpler just to acquire a late Mk1/Mk2 set up and use that.

My ambition is to try to blag a TR4 front hub/brake set up from somewhere and see if I can work out how the factory did the mod in 1965 .......!

MUT