Hi John,
For a daily driver I'd start with no more than drilled rotors, stainless
steel pistons in the calipers, EBC Green Stuff brake pads and stainless steel
braided brake hoses all the way around. The pads and hoses will give you the
biggest improvment for your $$$s.
I've got slotted & drilled rotors on another car and it perpertually
sounds like I'm driving through a field full of crickets. Drilled rotors I've
used elsewhere haven't made a racket like these do. I've learned to ignore it,
the brakes work well, but I'll think twice before I put slotted discs on
another
street car.
Personally, I like to rebuild all four at the same time, while the fluid
is drained and to keep braking relatively well balanced front to rear. For
rear shoes, I think Mintex are the way to go. I'm using TR6 Alfin brake drums
to
help keep the drums cool. And, I have a set of standard drums I'd like to try
with Racetorations larger fins sometime.
I considered the Toyota 4-pots on my TR4, but will wait and install
Wilwood or Hi-Spec instead, eventually, to reduce weight (unsprung weight at
that.)
At the same time, I plan to install thicker ventilated/drilled disks (which
add some weight, unfortunately).
I think before I'd do any of that, though, I would be more inclined to
install a dual circuit brake system for some margin of error if one or the
other
ever fails. With the current single circuit, if anything ever goes wrong,
we'll find ourselves using our parking brakes to stop our TR4s! (And I'm sure
the
parking brake on my 4 has noticibly more leverage than the one on your 4A.)
If you get serious about changing calipers, keep in mind that not all
will fit in all wheels. With some calipers, spacers are needed behind stock,
steel disk wheels. Wire wheels have a spacer of sorts built in to the adpater
hub,
so work with most upgrade calipers. Minilite replica alloys also accommodate
most calipers without a problem.
Have fun shopping!
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
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What does the group recommend? Based on your responses someone's going
to get richer :-)
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