Why Better Braking:
Better brakes not only provide higher level of safety, but also allow to bring the car to the not-moving state in much quicker and shorter timeframe - this also means keeping the speed longer before taking that 90 degree turn.
Fact:
The front brakes on Lanos are 236mm (1.5 SOHC) or 256mm (1.6 DOHC). The front rotors are vented to keep the brakes cooler and to slow down the fading process. The rear brakes are of a drum-type. The drums are 240mm mm in diameter.
Options:
The first logical option would be to install better quality, higher friction pads - that means going fully metallic. This would provide crisper braking, but the stock rotors would still be able to cope with that.
Next step is even more fun?some good stuff?like the EBC Green Stuff pads (Part Number DP2760). With the friction coefficient about 30% higher than typical semi-metallic pads and fade point of 550F they provide excellent continuous braking power. However, with this application, better rotors need to be installed to keep the things cool. Standard rotors will not be able to dissipate the extra heat, and as a result brake fading or even warping may occur.
There are three types of brake fade.
? The first is the conventional burning off of resins as the pads are being broken (bedded) in. This is known as green fade and occurs when gases from burnt resins are trapped between the pads and rotors. When this happens the pedal feels firm but the car will not stop.
? The second type of fade is when the pads are forced to work outside their temperature continuum. This is the point at which the resins burn off rapidly, and the pad has accelerated wear.
? The third type of fade is glazing. This is when the resins, which soften during active braking, then cool and solidify on the face of the pads. This glazed surface is hard and slick, and will not give the same coefficient of friction as an unglazed or new pad.
Interestingly, the same brake pads are used in Opel Kadett GSI 16V, Vauxhall Astra GTE 16V? As per http://www.brake-eng.com/ , Opel Astra Mk2 and Lanos use the same callipers (part number).
Early GMF calipers found in Pontiac Lemans/Opel Kadett non GSI
Late ATE (AC Delco) found in Opel Kadett 16V/Lanos
Improved brake feel and reaction can also be obtained by using some braided hoses. Normally, when the brakes are applied, some of the force is wasted by stretching the rubber brake hoses..the ideal upgrade would be installation of some braided brake lines, like the ones from Goodridge.net, part number SVA 0403-4 (US distributors: http://www.goodridge.net/usdistributors_auto.html)
Cooling
The oldest method of brake cooling is the installation of some cooling ducts, with the air intake in the vicinity of the front bumper. As the car moves forward, air will be forced via ducts onto the rotors cooling them down.
Modern disc castings usually use a dual and vented disc design. This alone provides improved cooling over the old-style solid disc design.
Drilled disc are another step forward in their design. While providing better air circulation around the disc, the operating temperature is greatly reduced decreasing the fade effect. Drilling also provide means of escape for the gases generated between the rotor and the brake pad during hard braking.
Disc slotting serves similar purpose to the drilled rotors in terms of removing the boundary gases. The main difference is the fact the slots remove glaze from the pads. The draw-back is the fact slotted disc go through the pads about 15% faster, but braking is always at 100%.
To avoid the inherent tendency of cross drilled rotors to crack, modern performance disks are dimpled rather than drilled, this technology helps keeping the rotor structure ridged and lowers its tendency to crack
The Lanos can use 256mm rotors off Pontiac Lemans 2.0. I got mine Brembo drilled rotors thru Raymond @ http://www.eliteauto.ca The cost was, if I remember properly, $86 CDN/disc. When inquiring, ask for part numbers 09.5148.20
1.3/1.5 SOHC Lanos disc:
1.6 DOHC Lanos disc:
Big Conversion Kit
There are, for sure, many options here using some aftermarket multi-pot calipers?however I am going to talk about another one, commonly used by tuners in Europe (this is based on 99% assumption that the bolt patter on the calipers in Lanos is the same as in Opel?)
The upgrade consists of installing brake rotors and calipers from Opel Vectra V6?
Items needed:
288mm ?V6? Kit
2 x 288mm vented Vauxhall discs, adapted to fit 4 stud hubs (re-drilled to 4-bolt patter 4X100mm)
2 x Vectra V6 calipers
1 x set of pads
2 x spacer rings to compensate for the 70mm center holes of the rotors as the OEM lanos holes are 60mm only
Minimum wheels size: 15?
And installed they look like this:
Whats the catch? Those calipers are not easily found on this side of the ocean?right? WRONG. Saab 900 shares the chassis with the Vectra?so all it takes is to contact the nearest Saab dealer and acquire? (I have done it in Canada?I will be honest - they are EXPENSIVE...you will be better off to get the set from your local scrap yard)?
288mm discs
Rear Brakes
Although there isn?t much that can be done with the rear drums?but they can be replaced with rear discs. Get some used rear disc assemblies off Vauxhall Astra Mk2 GTE/Opel Kadett GSI 16V and voila!! (you will need the E brake cables from the donor car)
The Vauxhall Performance Spares Center carries them - make sure to ask for Astra Mk2 GTE rear discs. They list complete rear disc beam for ?130.
Rear disc:
This is all for now...I will be updating this post as required. Feel free to contact me if you find any incorrect information, or if you have any further questions.
woaw!!! You're makin' me dreamin'...