Brembo Brake Retrofit for VX

[kpv]

Hi guys,
I don't post too often but I have a question. It is time for a brake job and I will likely need rotors as well. Having come from the Porsche community, with their stellar brake performance (made by Brembo), and never having been happy with the braking ability of the VX.......the question is.......
Is there a Brembo big brake upgrade available for the VX?? If not, are there any other big brake upgrade kits available??

[Ruflyf]

I have not heard of a brembo setup for the vx. As for an upgrade I have the stainless lines on mine which everyone here says is a very good upgrade. I cant tell you how it was before & after because they were on when I bought it, but I am very happy with it now. The only thing I plan to really do is go with ceramic pads soon.

[autox-racer]

HI,

I had the same question and talked to a brembo rep I autocross with. He said it is possible to do but it will more than likely require a wheel with a different offset. At that point I decided it required no further investigation because cost of wheels and brakes would be over the top in my opinion.

[mbeach]

I've been all over any fixed caliper brake upgrade, and I haven't found any decent candidates.

Of course you would have to make adapter brackets, to mount the calipers. This is not really a big deal if you've already found the rotors.
The rotors are tough, because of the hubs' bolting to them. Custom hats would be an extraordinary expense, so no big rotors.

The final nail in the coffin was caliper clearance. It really doesn't matter what offset you have, the wheels would have to have significantly dished spokes to clear any calipers larger than the stock floating units.

Baer makes nice floating calipers (think Corvette), that don't require as much clearance, but you'd still be looking for some suitable rotors.

I suppose that the VX brakes are fine for the kind of driving it was designed for. With some quality rotors, pads and maybe some SS lines it could get a little better.

[rowhard]

I agree with mbeach on quality pads and rotors, but stainless steel lines are nothing more the rubber hoses with a steel mesh cover. Less chance of blowing or cutting one, but will have no effect on braking performance.

[Tone]

Stainless lines (flush your fluid if you haven't in a year or more) and performance pads are really all you need unless you are hard core racing or on the track. I would never go with Brembo again (they made the calipers on my ML55) as they refused to sell me new seal kits for the leaking ones I have but would sell me new calipers?


If you want to paint your calipers, here is source where I shop and I can offer you pads a bit cheaper than they have them. I currently run EBC Red Stuff ceramic pads front and rear but beware, ceramics typically make more noise, especially during brake in. http://www.sfxperformance.com/search/auto_subcategory.asp?manufacturer=Isuzu&search=Vehicross&MenuSubCategory=Brake+Caliper+Paint&MainCategory=Brake+Systems&type_id=34

[mbeach]

I agree with mbeach on quality pads and rotors, but stainless steel lines are nothing more the rubber hoses with a steel mesh cover. Less chance of blowing or cutting one, but will have no effect on braking performance.

Good quality SS lines (Goodridge or better) will be lined with Teflon. They will not deform under pressure, and they are abrasion resistant. Good ones will also have a Teflon coating on the outside.
They do make a difference.
Have someone step on your brake pedal while you hold one of your brake lines (reach through a wheel). You can actually feel the hose swell as pressure increases. This translates into a "spongy" feel at your foot.

Tone,
Can't you take the piston dimensions (diameter and o-ring groove) and find some nice replacement rings without going through Brembo?

[Tobert]

Perhaps you've already checked out the pads & rotors on your rig, but the rotors could be trashed. A quick visual inspection through the wheels won't show where the real damage is on mine - the backs of both of my front rotors are destroyed. I'm guessing that's why my pedal feels spongy.

I'm thinking of trying a set of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Magnum-Drilled-Rotors-Isuzu-Amigo-Trooper-Vehicross-SUV_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33564QQitemZ8070244 204QQrdZ1

I know the classic Jeep guys (earlycj5.com) had some good reasons for drilling their drums, but is there really any off-track advantage to drilled rotors?

[Tone]

I could but that would require disassembling a rotor with a possibility of not being able to reassemble it. I asked Brembo for that info as well and they would not supply it. I finally found someone in Germany who had the part numbers (MBUSA did not show anything for them) and got the $10 worth of seals in a week.


The stainless lines from Joe Darlington made a bigger improvement than new slotted rotors and pads on my VX and just the lines on my GF's '01 made me learn to use the brakes differently they were so effective!