Sierra / Striker brakes

[JohnEM]

Advice/ opinions please.
Just done my first Hillclimb at Wiscombe Park Devon and was disappointed with my times . I think that I need better brakes, currently have standard Pads on 240mm vented disks, lack off bite on application is making me brake early! I can lock the fronts but it takes a good shove.
Which pads should I go for EBC green stuff or another make, or do I look at a winter upgrade with Willwood's or HiSpec?
The car is road legal and on 13 inch Escort wheels.
Your comments welcome

[adithorp]

Mintex 1144 pads improved my brakes and recommended by loads of people. gave much better feel but I can't vouch for how they'd be for sprinting/hillclimbing. How heavy is the car? If it's light then vented discs probvbably aren't needed and you'[ll posibly not get enough heat into them.

[David]

John

My twopennyworth....

Standard Sierra (M16) callipers and discs will stop a normal Striker more than adequately for sprint/hillclimb use (they were designed to stop a car of well over twice the weight) -- though I would definitely recommend Mintex 1144 pads. Also, of course, make sure they are clean and well bled. That is exactly what I use on my sprint Westy.

If you want to spend lotsa£ on an upgrade to alloy callipers, do so for weight reasons only. I have Bremsport 4-pots on the front of my Striker and HiSpec on the rear -- many kg lighter, but it doesn't stop any better than the Westy.

Incidentally, you'd have to be called something like "Fittipaldi" to come away from your first event without feeling that you could have done much better. We've all been there. Whilst it's tempting to blame the car, I wouldn't start spending serious money yet. You might be amazed at how much better you get after a few events.

HTH

David

[JimSpencer]

Hi John

Must say I agree with Dave.

The Mk3 I run has Chevette solid disks, and the bog standard Girling twin pot calipers, and escort GT drums on the back, doesn't seem short of brakes to me and it's never faded either including doing the odd trackday too, though not really more than half a dozen laps at a time (fuel tank's a bit small for more!)

However pads are critical, tried a few incuding EBC (horrid with them felt like they were made of wood, no bite or feel) and settled on Hawk Plus - been superb with excellent pedal feel.

Though always well worth checking that your calipers are working perfectly as mentioned.

Plus you'll probably find there's much more time in you than there is in anything you can do to the car anyway!

[JohnEM]

Thanks for that I have ordered Mintex M1144 pads from Rally Design.
It was the lack of bite and feel that was missing from the standard Pads which I think are Ferodo.
My first Hillclimb was at Mamhead last month and I achieved a reasonable time, but It's not a hill where brakes are needed, whereas Wiscombe is.
Looking forward now to Clay Pigeon sprint (Mutley Mayhem)on the 3rd Oct.
John