Front brake kit....

cadreamn67

Platinum Forum Member
Messages
608
I have not tried this kit, but much wiser, more experienced heads than me have advised me the factory setup can be made to work extremely well.

If you don't mind significant dusting, simply get your rotors a clean-up cut and install Hawk HP Plus Sport/Track dual purpose front pads. Part number HB169N.560. They are not listed for Tigers but fit our Girling calipers perfectly. Among other cars listed, they fit a Datsun 240Z. I got them in connection with my entry into autocrossing this year and could not be more pleased. Along with my rear brake shoe upgrade, I think my brakes are amazing.

I also upgraded my rear brake shoes to vintage racing linings by Porterfield. With any brake system like ours, keeping the rear shoes properly adjusted is very key. If your e-brake lever comes up more than 4 clicks or so, the rears probably need adjusting. (Make sure no cable slack has developed in the e-brake before counting!)

If you really want Wilwood calipers, front and/or back, also check out what is available from Dales Restorations. Frankly, for street and autocrossing, you really don't need them, IMHO. I say give the pad and shoe upgrade a try before spending much more on a Wilwood upgrade.

Cheers,

Gene
 

michael-king

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
4,132
I was just reading my new issue of CLASSIC MOTORSPORTS magazine & came across this about a WILDWOOD brake upgrade.

http://classicmotorsports.net/project-cars/1965-sunbeam-tiger/hold-tiger/

Anyone else tried this swap?

Dale A of Dales restorations in CA sells a wilwood based kit for the front and rear of the tigers, is nicely made and offeres different sizes for the fronts.. is well priced and made. Many members use this kit.. i have it on my car and am happy.
 

michael-king

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
4,132
Jim Ellis tried the volvo setup.. and then there are also the outlaw m16 (or mi16?) callipers that also work.. dont think he is a member of CAT.. but has posted about them on the SAOCA and perhaps TEAE
 

ToyTrainGuy

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
162
I have not tried this kit, but much wiser, more experienced heads than me have advised me the factory setup can be made to work extremely well.

If you don't mind significant dusting, simply get your rotors a clean-up cut and install Hawk HP Plus Sport/Track dual purpose front pads. Part number HB169N.560. They are not listed for Tigers but fit our Girling calipers perfectly. Among other cars listed, they fit a Datsun 240Z. I got them in connection with my entry into autocrossing this year and could not be more pleased. Along with my rear brake shoe upgrade, I think my brakes are amazing.

I also upgraded my rear brake shoes to vintage racing linings by Porterfield. With any brake system like ours, keeping the rear shoes properly adjusted is very key. If your e-brake lever comes up more than 4 clicks or so, the rears probably need adjusting. (Make sure no cable slack has developed in the e-brake before counting!)

If you really want Wilwood calipers, front and/or back, also check out what is available from Dales Restorations. Frankly, for street and autocrossing, you really don't need them, IMHO. I say give the pad and shoe upgrade a try before spending much more on a Wilwood upgrade.

Cheers,

Gene


Gene,

On your mention about rear shoes. Based on a recent tip, I have been thinking of ordering Porterfield shoes & pads for my Datsun 510. Does Porterfield really make a differance on street-only cars? It is a rude awakening driving my wife's new Miata & then hitting the stoppers on the Tiger & the 510. I realize, that the brake systems are 40 years apart & it will be difficult, to reach the level of the new cars, but I am just looking to improve braking as much as possible. thanks.
 

cadreamn67

Platinum Forum Member
Messages
608
The short answer is I went with the Porterfield RD-7 (RD-4?) linings just to try and keep up with the improved braking with the upgraded front pads.

Since the front brakes do so much more of the total braking than the backs, what to use up front was really my first decision in improving my overall braking. I chose Porterfield for the rears based on their website descripition of this lining. I cannot really say how much they do or do not contribute to the overall braking results. I can say subjectively the overall results with the Hawk HP pads in front and Porterfield shoes in back is a massive improvement over what I had before.

You might be interested in how I made my decisions. The more experienced heads I consulted were Tom McDaniel, Buck Trippel. and Doug Jennings. I wanted to improve my regularly street driven car as much as possible for the occasional Solo events I am now running.

I asked Doug about upgrading to rear disks. He said they would be good for bragging purposes if that was important to me, but I did not really need them for great braking. When he was racing, he could out-brake C5 Corvettes by 15% with the Tiger's factory front disk and rear drum setup. The key was to get front pads with great cold bite. He used "Cold Stopper" pads in the front, which are no longer available.

Tom McDaniel suggested I try the Hawk HP pads since the car is driven on the street as well as in events. They do dust significantly, but have a very good cold bite.

Buck Trippel thought my choice of the Porterfield linings for the back was a good choice.

The Porterfield website has some great coefficient of friction versus temperature charts of their various pad materials. Since you are interested in their products, you probably already have seem them. I found the charts very helpful to me. There is no chart for the rear shoe material I chose. I asked and was told that it is not something published. You might want to consider their R4-1 compound for the fronts. I was told they will dust significantly and can squeal. My Hawk pads have a bit less coefficient of friction vs. temperature profile than the R4-1 but a significantly better one than Porterfield's R4-S street pads. My Hawks do dust very noticeably but do not squeal.

I hope somewhere in all of that there is something helpful!

Cheers,

Gene
 

ToyTrainGuy

Gold forum user
CAT Member
Messages
162
The short answer is I went with the Porterfield RD-7 (RD-4?) linings just to try and keep up with the improved braking with the upgraded front pads.

Since the front brakes do so much more of the total braking than the backs, what to use up front was really my first decision in improving my overall braking. I chose Porterfield for the rears based on their website descripition of this lining. I cannot really say how much they do or do not contribute to the overall braking results. I can say subjectively the overall results with the Hawk HP pads in front and Porterfield shoes in back is a massive improvement over what I had before.

You might be interested in how I made my decisions. The more experienced heads I consulted were Tom McDaniel, Buck Trippel. and Doug Jennings. I wanted to improve my regularly street driven car as much as possible for the occasional Solo events I am now running.

I asked Doug about upgrading to rear disks. He said they would be good for bragging purposes if that was important to me, but I did not really need them for great braking. When he was racing, he could out-brake C5 Corvettes by 15% with the Tiger's factory front disk and rear drum setup. The key was to get front pads with great cold bite. He used "Cold Stopper" pads in the front, which are no longer available.

Tom McDaniel suggested I try the Hawk HP pads since the car is driven on the street as well as in events. They do dust significantly, but have a very good cold bite.

Buck Trippel thought my choice of the Porterfield linings for the back was a good choice.

The Porterfield website has some great coefficient of friction versus temperature charts of their various pad materials. Since you are interested in their products, you probably already have seem them. I found the charts very helpful to me. There is no chart for the rear shoe material I chose. I asked and was told that it is not something published. You might want to consider their R4-1 compound for the fronts. I was told they will dust significantly and can squeal. My Hawk pads have a bit less coefficient of friction vs. temperature profile than the R4-1 but a significantly better one than Porterfield's R4-S street pads. My Hawks do dust very noticeably but do not squeal.

I hope somewhere in all of that there is something helpful!

Cheers,

Gene



Gene, thanks for the info. I'll be calling Porterfield on Monday for BOTH cars.
 
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