Big brakes upgrade

[spooks007]

Moring all,

I'm thinking of upgrading my current brakes on my T6.1 T 30.SWB 150bhp with 20" alloys

My current van is mainly used as a day van so not carrying a huge amount of weight and used on a daily commute with a mixture of motorway and A roads.

Gone are days of racing around everywhere

My question is it worth upgrading to the big brakes is there a significant difference in performance over the std set up while just driving around at steady speeds?

 

[dubber36]

My first thought was that Jim Davison was going to be doing an updated snooker quiz game show thing on the telly.

 

[Sasquatch]

I'm a long since retired police class 1 driver and given the mood can hoon around far faster than the average Joe, who doesnt know the difference between fast driving and fast risk-taking. I find the brakes more than adequate on my T28 which permanently carries 300kg of camper conversion.

If you're driving like a normal mortal, as I do if I'm honest, the standard brakes are fine - more than sufficiently powerful and with reasonable feel and modulation. Racing stoppers they ain't, but they're far from the worst brakes you'd find in a car, never mind a van.

If you did decide you want to press-on all the time then some driving tuition would be more effective and less expensive.

 

[Pewt]

Better brakes can only be a good thing. My 6 pot Brembo callipers are personally worth every penny as the breaking performance is incredible compared to standard.

 

[mmi]

the breaking performance is incredible compared to standard.

Any numbers to share - e.g. stopping distance before and after?

 

[The Bear78]

My question is it worth upgrading to the big brakes is there a significant difference in performance over the std set up while just driving around at steady speeds?

I'm with @Sasquatch on this. My LWB T32 has the standard brakes but, even with larger 235/65/17 tyres I've never felt the brakes were lacking in normal use.
Before we bought a pick up truck for towing duties, we would use the van to tow our horse box. With two horses it could be as much as 2200kg and that did make me consider upgrading the brakes. It's a braked trailer and I can feel them activating but there was still a disconcerting amount of mass there!

 

[Pewt]

Any numbers to share - e.g. stopping distance before and after?

Yeah obviously .......i did before and after in wind, rain, sun and ice with 4 different tyre types and different wheel sizes

The response in pedal feel is a vast improvement and the pedal pressure required is a much less. Obviously i've not done any stopping distance tests, who would on anything other that a track based car.

 

[Sasquatch]

I'm with @Sasquatch on this. My LWB T32 has the standard brakes but, even with larger 235/65/17 tyres I've never felt the brakes were lacking in normal use.
Before we bought a pick up truck for towing duties, we would use the van to tow our horse box. With two horses it could be as much as 2200kg and that did make me consider upgrading the brakes. It's a braked trailer and I can feel them activating but there was still a disconcerting amount of mass there!

In normal use I can activate the ABS in the dry when some twunt pulls out on me, so there is little practical need for more if its already exeeding dry braking limit of the tyres.

Aye lad, towing could well be a good reason for upgrading - adding another vans worth of mass or more could well make an upgrade desirable, as much for fade resistance and modulation as actually stopping the mass.

A thought, as I'm still new to all this. Does the T32, with its higher load rating, have different brakes to the other versons?

 

[Pewt]

A thought, as I'm still new to all this. Does the T32, with its higher load rating, have different brakes to the other versons?

Yes T23 generally have 340mm discs with bigger callipers and lower rated vans have 308mm discs.

 

[dubber36]

Let's be honest here. Big brake kits are mostly all about the aesthetics.

 

[Pedro20001]

We had the 340mm bigger brakes fitted to out t6.1. it's a day van but 2022 driving around Europe, particularly Austria and Switzerland I felt the brakes lost some of their bite coming down some of the passes so upgraded and last year they felt fantastic. Not particularly expensive upgrade (£500 all done). I know it's a van but as my daily driver and after having Steve and the boys at CRS fit h & r anti roll bars and koni active shocks I can still have a bit of fun driving around

 

[The Bear78]

A thought, as I'm still new to all this. Does the T32, with its higher load rating, have different brakes to the other versons?

The only thing guaranteed to be higher rated on the T32 is the suspension. As @Pewt mentioned, generally they have the bigger brakes but not all of them. I believe that the 204/197 bhp models do come with 340mm brakes as standard. Below that it must have been an option? Maybe Sportline's did? My Highline definitely does not.

 

[phazer]

In normal use I can activate the ABS in the dry when some twunt pulls out on me, so there is little practical need for more if its already exeeding dry braking limit of the tyres.

There's a coding change in the ABS for the bigger brakes which from experience does make a difference. I'm presuming it changes the ABS behaviour to allow for the increase in braking capability

 

[Sasquatch]

The issue is I can already exceed the tyres limits of adhesion to the road surface when braking, thus causing the ABS to activate. A change in coding won't alter that.

 

[JOG]

I put a set of T32 “big brakes” on my Cali. Yes, I occasionally give the van a bit of welly, but usually I just enjoy the view that my van gives me.

The normal day to day driving feels no different. However, on occasion when I’ve had to “stand on the anchors” because of some other “anchor” on the road, I am suddenly reminded that my braking capability is significantly improved.

I decided to upgrade to “big brakes” as we regularly drag a hoofing great big twin-axle caravan out and about and I feel “safer” having improved stopping power.

None of the above counts for anything if one is running on cheap or defective tyres.

On a side note, switching to @Nutexa Frictions discs and pads make a massive difference. You can forget the Brembo and Pagits that are available for our vans. I’ve had those before, but the @Nutexa Frictions solutions are hands down a better product. Significantly reduced brake dust too. They are a reputed trade member on this forum and actively support with permanent member discounts. @CRS Performance and @Dav-Tec fit them which speaks volumes!

 

[phazer]

The issue is I can already exceed the tyres limits of adhesion to the road surface when braking, thus causing the ABS to activate. A change in coding won't alter that.

Are you running decent tyres? Can't say I've managed that to the point I can recall it and when the mood takes I drive it hard (and that's before the big brake upgrade).

If you're happy with what you have though, fair enough. I upgraded after experiencing some serious fade and that's definitely sorted.

 

[mmi]

The issue is I can already exceed the tyres limits of adhesion to the road surface when braking, thus causing the ABS to activate. A change in coding won't alter that.

Modifying the fronts more "powerful" without the corresponding coding change makes the van more front wheel braked - instead of balanced four-wheel braking as per design.

 

[Steved55]

I have a set of 340.front brakes to fit to my 2016 t32 shuttle when the original 308 discs wear out. I wasn't aware that a coding mod was required after fitting - can the gurus please confirm and advise?
Many thanks

 

[Nutexa Frictions]

We had the 340mm bigger brakes fitted to out t6.1. it's a day van but 2022 driving around Europe, particularly Austria and Switzerland I felt the brakes lost some of their bite coming down some of the passes so upgraded and last year they felt fantastic. Not particularly expensive upgrade (£500 all done). I know it's a van but as my daily driver and after having Steve and the boys at CRS fit h & r anti roll bars and koni active shocks I can still have a bit of fun driving around

Hi, we have various upgrades available for the 308mm & 340mm front and 294mm rear discs & pads, also a 6 pot & 8 pot big brake kit available.

We’re running a Black Friday deal at the moment also on the uprated discs & pads.
We recently had a trip over the French & Swiss alps and out 370mm discs and 8 pot kit made the trips down the long descents a pleasure

 

[Ads_Essex]

Moring all,

I'm thinking of upgrading my current brakes on my T6.1 T 30.SWB 150bhp with 20" alloys

My current van is mainly used as a day van so not carrying a huge amount of weight and used on a daily commute with a mixture of motorway and A roads.

Gone are days of racing around everywhere

My question is it worth upgrading to the big brakes is there a significant difference in performance over the std set up while just driving around at steady speeds?

It depends: what are you actually looking for? Do you find your current brakes wanting or are you just thinking the calipers look a bit lost behind those 20’s?

T28 camper here. I’m sitting at about 2400kg with empty tanks, so have a bit of headroom.

I had @BognorMotors fit some 340mm brakes as trips to the Highlands revealed the (smaller) original brakes are working at their hardest, and these have helped.

I would say the OEM 340mm brake upgrade is worth it if it’s the former. Whilst the 308mm brakes were adequate per se, I feel the bigger brakes certainly bring me to a stop quicker.