Lets talk VS brake upgrades

[Draimond]

What are you concerns about legality? I haven’t gone that far into it. I thought you were holding off on the rears because you’re drifting.
I emailed driftking but no reply. I’ll give them a call to follow up.

Yeah just call them, the bloke there is good. He'll go get his prices and call you back usually. If you don't get a call back same day, give him a follow up call. They're reasonably busy there.

Legal side of dual rear is that you can't weld the flange plate hub thingo that the brakes bolt onto, so to get an extra set of holes for a second set of calipers you'd have to make the whole part out of a single piece of steel, cast or CNC structural steel.

If it's a track car, you just weld some extra meat onto the flange and add the extra holes.

Haha I'll be drifting one day... The car is my daily. I'm not game to give it any while his half turbo half na in the fab process. Long story, but check out the build thread if you're curious.

Build thread here

 

[DG355]

Yeah just call them, the bloke there is good. He'll go get his prices and call you back usually. If you don't get a call back same day, give him a follow up call. They're reasonably busy there.

Legal side of dual rear is that you can't weld the flange plate hub thingo that the brakes bolt onto, so to get an extra set of holes for a second set of calipers you'd have to make the whole part out of a single piece of steel, cast or CNC structural steel.

If it's a track car, you just weld some extra meat onto the flange and add the extra holes.

Haha I'll be drifting one day... The car is my daily. I'm not game to give it any while his half turbo half na in the fab process. Long story, but check out the build thread if you're curious.

Build thread here

Been doing a bit more research and Castlemaine do a 4 piston Wiilwood rear kit for Borg Warner.
They also do a Wiilwood booster/master cylinder replacement They say it’s a good kit with firm brake feel. Has anyone heard anything on these? $495 and look pretty neat.

 

[Having A Break]

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[Draimond]

I didn't need to change my brake booster. Only reason to change it is if it's incorrect for the caliper.
Just get 4 piston wilwoods that match the stock booster. This is where that company I mention can do the work for you can supply a matched set.

$500 for a booster? Why, when the stock one is mechanically correct and suitable? Also, I don't think a firm brake feel is a selling point. Brake pedals have travel for a reason.

If there's any doubt, I can tell you from daily experience that my stock 95 VS booster with matched Wilwood 4 pots works. It's gradual at the top, applies brake pressure immediately, not ever spongy, has a full range of pedal travel that never hits the floor and locks up hard as a mother fkr when you ask for it.

I know there is a rear Wilwood kit, you even keep the stock handbrake because the inside profile of the big rotor actually stays the same as stock. It will be far more than adequate for a commodores weight and tire width.

Probably wrong, but off memory, both Castlemaine and Malwood have the cad files to make adapter brackets for stock to Wilwood 4 pot.

I also think $1,500 is a fair price for a caliper kit. 2 slotted rotors, 2 pairs of good pads, 2 4 pot calipers, shims, adapter brackets, mounting hardware and a pair of street legal braided brake lines.

For comparison I was quoted $6k min for a pair of custom high performance brakes.

 

[DG355]

I didn't need to change my brake booster. Only reason to change it is if it's incorrect for the caliper.
Just get 4 piston wilwoods that match the stock booster. This is where that company I mention can do the work for you can supply a matched set.

$500 for a booster? Why, when the stock one is mechanically correct and suitable? Also, I don't think a firm brake feel is a selling point. Brake pedals have travel for a reason.

If there's any doubt, I can tell you from daily experience that my stock 95 VS booster with matched Wilwood 4 pots works. It's gradual at the top, applies brake pressure immediately, not ever spongy, has a full range of pedal travel that never hits the floor and locks up hard as a mother fkr when you ask for it.

I know there is a rear Wilwood kit, you even keep the stock handbrake because the inside profile of the big rotor actually stays the same as stock. It will be far more than adequate for a commodores weight and tire width.

Probably wrong, but off memory, both Castlemaine and Malwood have the cad files to make adapter brackets for stock to Wilwood 4 pot.

I also think $1,500 is a fair price for a caliper kit. 2 slotted rotors, 2 pairs of good pads, 2 4 pot calipers, shims, adapter brackets, mounting hardware and a pair of street legal braided brake lines.

For comparison I was quoted $6k min for a pair of custom high performance brakes.

I didn't need to change my brake booster. Only reason to change it is if it's incorrect for the caliper.
Just get 4 piston wilwoods that match the stock booster. This is where that company I mention can do the work for you can supply a matched set.

$500 for a booster? Why, when the stock one is mechanically correct and suitable? Also, I don't think a firm brake feel is a selling point. Brake pedals have travel for a reason.

If there's any doubt, I can tell you from daily experience that my stock 95 VS booster with matched Wilwood 4 pots works. It's gradual at the top, applies brake pressure immediately, not ever spongy, has a full range of pedal travel that never hits the floor and locks up hard as a mother fkr when you ask for it.

I know there is a rear Wilwood kit, you even keep the stock handbrake because the inside profile of the big rotor actually stays the same as stock. It will be far more than adequate for a commodores weight and tire width.

Probably wrong, but off memory, both Castlemaine and Malwood have the cad files to make adapter brackets for stock to Wilwood 4 pot.

I also think $1,500 is a fair price for a caliper kit. 2 slotted rotors, 2 pairs of good pads, 2 4 pot calipers, shims, adapter brackets, mounting hardware and a pair of street legal braided brake lines.

For comparison I was quoted $6k min for a pair of custom high performance brakes.

Castlemaine said they don't do the 4 piston Wilwood anymore for the front and only have the 6 piston option for the front and 4 piston for the rear. $4100. I asked about the booster and they didn't specifically say i needed to upgrade it but if I did they had the option available.

Driftking hasn't got back to me from the email I sent but I'll give them a call and Malwood to see if they can supply 4 piston. About $1500 cheaper.

I also tried Hoppers stoppers but they don't do a rear upgrade and racebrakes who's kit required the master cylinder upgrade and they do a4 piton front and 2 piston rear.

Thanks for the info. Appreciated.

 

[stick3]

harrop and lows fabication make a vt-vz rear end conversion for live axles vb-vs as there is more vt-vz brake options

VB-VS Hand brake conversion

VB, VS, axle, conversion, VT, VX, VY ,VZ, Brake upgrade

www.harrop.com.au

VT – VZ Rear Handbrake backing plate upgrade for VB-VS – Lowe Fabrications

www.lowefabrications.com.au

 

[stick3]

scotty from street machine are building a toyota v8 lexan wagon and have fitted a wilwood master cylinder

 

[Draimond]

There's really no need to change the master cylinder on the VS.
The rear end conversion will require a VT master cylinder to suit and then your front brakes will need to match.

I thought Scotty's issue was that he couldn't retain the factory booster because of clearance issues with the toyota V8.

The old Budget way to do it was to cannibalise a VT and change everything on the VS.

These days you can just slap on a pair of wilwood 4 piston calipers on the front in an hour and be done with no other mods. The rear is a little more involved but still easy enough. The results are much better than stock VT parts.

I thought the reason why a larger bore master would be required comes down to fluid displacement and pressure ratios. Holden knew they were headed towards factory hsv big brake kits, 6 pot fronts and 4 pot rears with abs. That's a lot of places that little master cylinder needs apply not only pressure but pedal range. And I'm sure they knew the VS lacked brake performance. It was time for an upgrade anyway, so the VT moved to a larger bore platform.

Fortunately for us VS guys, our cars are lighter and if you stick to 4 pots, the stock matter is still within its range.

In my opinion doing the rear is more for looks and it does look good. But I guess it depends on what you are doing. Straight line breaking or getting a mod plate, just the front is fine. Circuit or Time attack stuff, then yeah balanced brakes front and rear.

I just want you guys to get the best result without spending money unnecessarily.

Take that $500 you'd spend on a master cylinder and put it into big white line sway bars. Install them on the hardest setting. You'll be thanking me after the first corner.

 

[Draimond]

I'd have to have a better look at the construction but I get the feeling that Lowes fabrication handbrake mod isn't Street legal anyway. Unfortunate.

 

[stick3]

I'd have to have a better look at the construction but I get the feeling that Lowes fabrication handbrake mod isn't Street legal anyway. Unfortunate.

markovr (active member) design a rear end vt conversion for vr-vs nearly 10 years ago mainly to get the better/upgraded handbrake https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...it-to-fit-rear-brake-upgrade-to-vb-vs.229056/