The best brake set up ??

**8501970** · Saturday 29th October 2011, 21:30

I have been looking for the ultimate set up for my volvo 850 whats the biggest and best set up i have seen a few people run the S60R rear brembos but what is being done about the brake imbalence ?

**Mongo** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 00:27

I have the 48vane ap kit on mine 330 discs 4pot calipers and full race ebc bluestuff ndx pads brilliant setup stop on a 5p i done nurburgring without any brake fade bit pricey tho think there on ebay still around £1500 ive just got standard brakes on the back.

**AndysR** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 00:35

As above, don't think you can do better than the AP's upgrading the rears with AP's already fitted to the front would probably only be for looks as I doubt you acheive any noticeable performance gains.

**Al115** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 08:58

A lot of people don't think about the brake imbalance and just go ahead and fit huge fronts - I don't know the answer but it's definitely worth looking into carefully.

AP fronts are rumoured to be good, you can fit Porsche "Big reds" to the fronts as well, really you want to know the corner weights of the car before working out the brake setup I would think.

**T4Rick** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 09:18

If using the porshe big red set up what discs do you use is it the xc60 or something?

**8501970** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 19:44

Thanks for the replys i was more wondering how people with the v large rears are getting round the problem of not being able to adjust the brake bias on a standard set up .

have seen a few cars with the porsche set up why an earth you would fit those unless you have upgraded your master cylinder is a dangerous game to play with your life !

**Al115** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 21:23

Why on earth would you make DIY brake upgrades yourself without doing the maths and working out the whole setup - or going to a garage you trust and having them do it?

Key bits of the car really.

**Yosser** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 21:41

Originally Posted by Mongo

I have the 48vane ap kit on mine 330 discs 4pot calipers and full race ebc bluestuff ndx pads brilliant setup stop on a 5p i done nurburgring without any brake fade bit pricey tho think there on ebay still around £1500 ive just got standard brakes on the back.

So you rate the bluestuff then?

I'm currently running yellowstuff in my AP calipers but feel they could probably be better.

**Wobbly Dave** · Sunday 30th October 2011, 21:43

Best fast road pads - Ferodo DS2500. No need to change calipers then!

**JezF** · Monday 31st October 2011, 13:15

Also Pagid RS range (have 14's on the Eise) or Carbon Lorraines.

**Flatout Phil** · Monday 31st October 2011, 13:24

In my dreams the AP would be good. It all depends how far you want to go. The conclusion I have come to is that for road use, 302s are the best real-world solution - cheap, easy to maintain (unlike AP!), and work well with the rears. As Dave says, stick a decent pad in and all is good - although TBH the standard Volvo ones are pretty adequate - nothing like needing to brake hard on cold flashy pads! You might as well stick to 280 discs in those circumstances!

**JezF** · Monday 31st October 2011, 14:06

I've been told by more than one person that 302's are a total waste of money unless you track your car.

As I've had red Brembo's before and driven cars with AP's, I'd say AP's all day long - their stopping power is absolutely immense. Horribly expensive to replace disks mind you.

**Flatout Phil** · Monday 31st October 2011, 14:17

Originally Posted by JezF

I've been told by more than one person that 302's are a total waste of money unless you track your car.

As I've had red Brembo's before and driven cars with AP's, I'd say AP's all day long - their stopping power is absolutely immense. Horribly expensive to replace disks mind you.

302s are what were fitted to V70 T5 as standard, and can easily be retrofitted to 850 so long as you don't use Columba alloys (most other 16" plus are fine). Only costs about £200 to do whole conversion and for road use makes a world of difference - first thing I did to the R, having owned a T5 before, and WELL worth it. The history of the 302 is that the Police insisted on improved brakes for the T5 because the 280 was a fairly marginal brake even before it got hot. The 330 on the AP are, perhaps, somewhat excessive for day to day use. But hey, if you can afford them, fit them...

**JezF** · Monday 31st October 2011, 14:56

I know the history, but like I said more than one unrelated person has said don't waste your money and these are people who are well respected on forums and have a lot of knowledge/experience so I'd trust them. I was intending to go for 302's, but just fitted a full set of OEM Volvo ones and they have been very good tbh - all road miles though.

**Flatout Phil** · Monday 31st October 2011, 15:17

Originally Posted by JezF

I know the history, but like I said more than one unrelated person has said don't waste your money and these are people who are well respected on forums and have a lot of knowledge/experience so I'd trust them. I was intending to go for 302's, but just fitted a full set of OEM Volvo ones and they have been very good tbh - all road miles though.

302 are OEM on V70 T5... Just uses the v70 bracket and disc but standard calliper - it's a one hour job and reduces brake fade and increases stopping considerably...it's in the physics

**Al115** · Monday 31st October 2011, 16:17

Originally Posted by JezF

I've been told by more than one person that 302's are a total waste of money unless you track your car.

Total ££££££££. Sorry, but it is!

Though I guess it depends very much on your driving style... and where you live... and...

**t5_monkey** · Monday 31st October 2011, 16:39

Mine runs 302mm and a few people upgrade to the Focus ST 320mm ones (some S40 T5's came with them, some not for some strange reason.)

320mm is enough to not fade on the track.

**S70T5Chris** · Monday 31st October 2011, 17:00

It's not until you drive a P1 with a 'brake upgrade' (such as AP, Porsche, WP Pro, etc etc) that you really see how naff the standard brakes are, be that 280's/302's/volvo pads/ferodo pads/or whatever.

And on a track the standard brakes are just utterly useless IMHO.

**Al115** · Monday 31st October 2011, 17:22

Agreed!

One thing that never gets mentioned, so I thought I'd pitch it in - be sure that the calipers you choose are suitable for road use. Everyone assumes "oh yeah, if they are track calipers they will be more than good enough for the road"... nope. Track calipers a) get properly hot regularly, and b) don't have to put up with road salt, dirt and grit and cack - and for these reasons they often don't have much in the way of seals / protection. I have had a set of "big brakes" fail after a SINGLE winter on a road car.

Brembos / Big Reds would be my choice if I went round again, for that reason. Not sure how the APs would fare, I don't know much about them.

Oh, and the same track vs road distinction applies for pads. Get "fast road" pads and nothing faster, and you should avoid that "first thing in the morning and I can't stop 'cos the brakes are cold" moment"! But you probably know that.

**JezF** · Monday 31st October 2011, 17:47

Originally Posted by Al115

Total ££££££££. Sorry, but it is!

Though I guess it depends very much on your driving style... and where you live... and...

Fair enough but both those people have experience of the 302 upgrade and of more powerful upgrades and in their view it doesn't make a lot of difference. I don't have experience of them so totally accept mine's. third party view; I just just sought their opinion when mine needed replacing. Totally agree re driving style though as I'm fairly light on brakes compared to some and also my car's only lightly modified and an auto so slower anyway.