VN/VP Brakes

[8rody]

VL/VN/VP Brake Specification

Okay i'm having alittle confusion about the factory brake changes/upgrades between series 1 and series 2 VN's. Furthermore, the difference between VN and VP brakes.

expressed as.. [Front] | [Rear] [Brake System]

VL
L6:
L6 Turbo: 289mm - Finned Caliper |
V8: 289mm - Finned Caliper | Double Booster, 1 inch Master

VN
V6: 270mm |
V6 FE2: 289mm - Finned Caliper | Single Booster, 1 inch Master
V8: 289mm - Finned Caliper | Double Booster, 1 inch Master

VP
V6 S1: 270mm | Single Booster, Stock Master
V6 S2: 289mm - Finned Caliper |
V8: 289mm - Finned Caliper | Double Booster, 1 inch Master


I assume this is correct? Commodore factory spec web pages seem to be disappearing from Google, its getting harder and harder to find info on VP/VN.

The calipers on the VP V8 (have fins on them) look the same as the VS Calipers (upon physical comparison). Is this true?

 

[greenfoam]

Yes from VP series 2 they all run the finned caliper and all FE2/V8 and Series 2 VP (everything) onward cars run the bigger rotors and finned calipers. Also the V8's got the double brake booster (unsure if anything else got that)

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

the reason they are better is the pads will have more surface area to grab the disk with to stop the car."

No, this is not correct, the pads are the same from VB to VS regardless of rotor size. (Not including HSV) the reason the rotors are larger is to do with leverage. The further you get from the centre of a rotor, the less clamping force is required to slow the car, thus making the brakes more efficient.

Oh, and the VL is not a V6.....

 

[8rody]

Yes from VP series 2 they all run the finned caliper and all FE2/V8 and Series 2 VP (everything) onward cars run the bigger rotors and finned calipers. Also the V8's got the double brake booster (unsure if anything else got that)

Thanks greenfoam, i've updated accordingly! V8's Double brake booster?... As in 1" Master Cylinder? I didn't know the Brake booster was different...

No, this is not correct, the pads are the same from VB to VS regardless of rotor size. (Not including HSV) the reason the rotors are larger is to do with leverage. The further you get from the centre of a rotor, the less clamping force is required to slow the car, thus making the brakes more efficient.

Oh, and the VL is not a V6.....

Woops. Sorry about the VL mate, got a bit lazy ..copy/paste, didn't realize till now. Its now corrected. So all the pads are the same VB to VS (surface area wise)?

I did some measuring at the Junkyard, and the contact wear patch on the disc rotor was less between VN S1 and VP S2 (270mm and 289mm rotors). I didn't check the pads though *slaps forehead*... I assumed they would be different.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The pads are all the same, yes DB1085. The only difference is some manufactures put slightly more friction material on the pad, a good example of that is the QFM "police spec" pad which have the total backing plate covered by the friction material.

 

[8rody]

Heh. Well there you go! Thanks mate.

 

[Cheap6]

There was also a change in the calipers sometime around late VN or early VP to allow an increase in disc new thickness (22-23mm) and a decrease in disc scrap thickness (21-20mm) while still allowing the caliper to fit over and not have the pads fall out. The pad backing plates were thicker too: 6mm? from 5.5mm?.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The only change was when they went to the finned caliper. The pads remained the same throughout all the models form VB to VS.

 

[greenfoam]

That's right the pads are the same size right through. But you can run the HQ-Z? pads with a notch ground in it and they are a bigger pad. The _Booster_ on the V8's is a double diaphragm unit the V6 is a single. I think all the FE2 cars run the 1 inch master but unsure if they get the big booster. In fact I suspect most of the guy that complain about their VN-P V8 brakes and go for the VT setup no longer have the right booster because it does make a difference.

You will have to ask someone with a factory S model to confirm the master and booster on those FE2 V6's

 

[centy]

the vp's got the bigger brakes a little before the series 2 was release.
mine is a late 92 just before series2 but has much of the series 2 gear on it.