Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Brakes

One of the best upgrades to Trad brakes is to use Aeroquip hoses all round. It will give a firmer pedal.

I would be wary about fitting larger front brakes and calipers unless you have a real fire-breathing +8 , as the 4/4 and +4 are slightly "over braked" as standard, and can be made to stop extremely efficiently.

For competition cars like the Roadster or +8, the issue is one of solids discs that warp under heavy, continuous and high loads, so vented discs make sense. Unless you are driving really wildly on the road, you will never need them.

Also forget using disc brakes on the rear, again unless you have a true competition car, it is just not worth the effort, and the handbrake becomes tricky to keep functioning efficiently.

Andy

I agree with you 100% Andy. Very wise advise.

I have some +8 brake parts if anyone is in need...
With the servo, I guess fitted by a previous owner??, I definitely don't need them, can lock all 4 with not much more than a medium tap on the middle pedal
Certainly outbrakes the Polo and most other cars I've owned...

Andy,

I agree, the brakes on my 2009 Roadster are effective, more than enough stopping power. What they lack is feel, especially as they initially bite. I fitted different pads, I forget what, but as reccoended by Williams, better, but lacking in feel.

Our Merc has whatever Mercedes fit as part of their AMG Sport pack, ventilated and drilled discs and 4 pot calipers. Yes, they are amazingly powerful, but where they really score is in feel and progression. I don't want, on the Mog, that sort of stopping power without ABS, but I'd really like the feel.

OK, Aeroquip hoses will help, but I can't help feeling that changing discs and calipers is the answer. Given the car is small and light they don't need to be big! The question is what?

Peter

Peter, I suspect that we've all been 'softened' by the manufacturers development of braking systems and the probable need to 'make' braking 'feel' progressive.

I suspect that Morgans, especially those without servos will always lack the feel of a modern cars braking system.

For what it's worth, my Plus 8 has AP Racing four pot calipers, vented discs and rear brakes. Even with soft road spec pads, the feel' is totally lacking and feels 'dead; much, much more so than when it was standard including a factory fitted servo. But when I need it to stop, it will, particularly of soft rubber. I don't need hard race pads on the road and they will never get up to temperature and unless one is going to have one's foot on the brake pedal all the way down Hot Air Balloon Hill or mountain passes in Snowdonia or Scotland, one never will.

My Tarox 6 pots certainly don't over brake my Roadster but give it a lot more feel and more progression as well. It brakes better in the wet now...I had a couple of heart stopping moments in the rain in the past...with its slotted and vented discs. Those incidentally have cured the annoying shimmy that we never previously had success in sorting.

I agree with David re pads.....you don't need road race or race pads as they will never get up to temperature.

PS. Apart from braided hoses, the best mod you can do in my opinion, is to correctly adjust the rear shoes. That will reduce the pedal travel and give a far better feel to the brakes.

Thanks for all the advice.
I have added rear shoe adjustment to the Aeroquip hoses and new pads and will report back.
The long travel of the pedal is disconcerting and, under emergency braking, the brain's reaction is that nothing is happening in that first split second.
The tendency then is to overbrake, especially if you have jumped out of a car where you just touch the pedal.
Titus

Titus, have you thought about bleeding the brakes? It may be one reason for the long travel. Another reason may be that the brake pushrod (brake pedal to master cylinder) needs adjusting although this should be necessary as long as it was set up correctly and it's not been adjusted to suit another's driving preference.

So how much do Williams charge for the Tarox anchors..?

They used my car to develop the kit so I've no idea what their price will be. I'm sure Lawrie will be along soon to let you know!