Brake upgrade kit

[Jas]

I have been using some of my spare time making this kit together with Michael from Mio Engineering.

We have made several different kits all using the Wilwood Dynalite caliper, which is a four pot caliper made from aluminium.
The kits are:
- Stand disk size Lotus Elan. For use with std. steel rims.
- Elan +2 disk size. For fast road and track, just fits inside my 13? Minilite rim.
- Ventilated ?260 mm rotor on aluminium hub. For size 14? rims and the serious autocrosser or hard track use.

The kits contain all you need; Wilwood Dynalite calipers, brake disks and pads, specific CNC?ed caliper bracket made from anodized 6082 aluminium, steel brake hoses and bolts and washers.
There is a range of different brake pads for the caliper, to suit all needs.

The kits will fit all cars using the Triumph Herald / Spitfile upright, so Lotus Seven, Elan, Elan +2, Europa and early Esprit?s. We have also made one for the newer Catherham uprigt, which uses a radially mounted caliper.

I have been using the kit with the Elan +2 brake disk for the last year, and it is one of the best upgrades I have ever made. No more sticking vacuum power assist, a very firm pedal with lots of feel and grip, and then there is the massive weight saving of 1.8 kg. pr. wheel, and it?s the good unsprung kind .

We have also made a kit for the Elan?s rear brakes, using the Powerlite caliper with integrated handbrake mechanism.
Just need to do one more iteration on the handbrake aktuation, there wasen't enough gearing in my first attemt.

Please have a look on the website, as you can see there has been put more effort into the parts than the website .
http://www.mio-engineering.dk/index.php?route=common/home

If you are interested please give Michael a call or send him an e-mail.

I have also attached a few pictures of some of the other stuff we have done, eg. centrally mounted clutch cylinder, with adapter to both the std. 4 speed and Lotus 5 speed gearbox.

Cheers
Jannik

[Spyder fan]

Those Willwood calipers are superb. I have Sierra uprights on my cars, so I use ventilated discs, but otherwise exactly the same setup. The difference between the standard calipers with servo and the Willwood calipers without servo is like night and day. The best upgrade you can do IMHO.

Jannik, I think you will get quite a bit of interest in the rear caliper setup as it solves the pesky Lotus handbrake pad issue.


Regards

[holywood3645]

I revived this thread as I have removed the servo and was looking for more braking power, I understand the plus 2 brakes and calipers are a good solution, However, i like the idea if the 4 piston Wilwood on the front.

Will these fit inside 13in minilites?

Are there any updates on performance and durability? And recommendations?

Thanks

James

[Spyder fan]

James,
Jannik does say that they just fit inside his 13 inch Minilites.

The kits are:
- Stand disk size Lotus Elan. For use with std. steel rims.
- Elan +2 disk size. For fast road and track, just fits inside my 13? Minilite rim.
- Ventilated ?260 mm rotor on aluminium hub. For size 14? rims and the serious autocrosser or hard track use.

Regards

Alan

[jimj]

Am I missing something or just a sceptic? The, unservoed, brakes on my S3 are excellent. I don`t race the car, and these mods. wouldn`t be allowed anyway, but I do use the car competitively. I `ve driven many circuits in Europe, more than a dozen, maybe 20, driven over loads of passes; Stelvio, Furka, Grosslockner, etc. and never found the brakes wanting. Well...maybe the handbrake.
Jim

[Spyder fan]

Hi Jim,
well we are in the mods section

the 4 pot calipers and associated pads are very efficient and allow very light pedal pressure akin to using a servo, but without the loss of feel that a servo gives. For extreme use (track days?) the option of using larger discs or even ventilated discs as I have on my S4 gives excellent fade free retardation.

I swear mine are worth a couple of seconds a lap around Castle Combe, if I re-fitted the standard brakes I would probably stuff the car into the barrier at Quarry

[vernon.taylor]

Salut Jannik

I'm more interested in the 5-speed concentric clutch - is this for the Lotus 5-speed 'box or for the type 9 as your website suggests ? Any discount for lotuselan.net members ?

@+

Vernon

[msd1107]

Jas,

Since you are specifying lighter weight components, are you going to source carbon ceramic brake discs?

David
1968 36/7988

[Jas]

Hi James and others

Yes the brake kit with the std. size +2 brake discs fits inside the 13? Minilite rim, but not the std. steel rims, for them you will need the kit with the smaller brake disc.
I have now been using them for three seasons now and Michael for at least six seasons incl. everyday use and serious track days, and we haven't had any issues with them, neither have we had any complains.
I started out using the ?E? compound brake pads but found them to aggressive and the made a lot of brake dust, so I have switched to the standard BP-10 pads they have a nice linear feel, don't squeal and don't make a lot of brake dust.
I have tried master cylinders in both 0.7? and 5/8? size, the 0.7? gives a firmer pedal and I had to press quite hard to lock the wheels, the 5/8? which I use now has more feel, longer travel and locks the wheel with less pressure.

This is one of the upgrades that I am happiest with, the others being the Mick Miller drive shafts and the concentric clutch slave cylinder.

[Jas]

Salut Vernon

The concentric clutch slave cylinder is the same for both the Lotus 5-speed, the 2000e and the Type 9 gear boxes. There is a special adapter to fit the 2000e and the Type 9, but I can see that Michael used the same picture for the both kit.

We renovated my Lotus 5.speed box and for this job we made a new input shaft cover, which you see in the photos, but this job also included other modifications. So this input shaft cover isn't a simple bolt on kit like the other things, but needs more work to fit.

Which gear box do you have?

The kits are already discounted since all the costumers are Lotuselan.net members

- edited to ad picture.

Cheers
Jannik

[Jas]

Jas,

Since you are specifying lighter weight components, are you going to source carbon ceramic brake discs?

David
1968 36/7988

- No I don't drive agressively enough to keep the temperatur up

[msd1107]

Jas said

No I don't drive aggressively enough to keep the temperature up

.

It is the carbon-carbon disks that require high temperatures to be effective.

Several high end sports cars now have a carbon-ceramic option that is quite acceptable for the street (Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and others etc). The question is, where to source these in the smaller size appropriate for our Elans.

David
1968 36/7988

[gherlt]

Hello Jannik,
I have been looking at the web site, and although there is a rear brake handbrake caliper, it does not mention any details about the handbrake.
And another question: I use the Girling 16 (Elan +2) brakes in my Elan S3, with servo. A tight fit, but quite good working, difficult to bleed, but it is OK. Sometimes I miss a bit more stopping power and yours looks good, especially if it fits with the steel wheels. I understand that in other countries installation of this kind of mod is legal or tolerated, in Germany this is a triple no-go: Lotus does not approve it, you wont make a German T?V-certificate and I could not install this on a historic plate (originality required). so far so good. As ever, what is hidden, can't be seen. Your states Willwood all over, is of a modern color, couldn't this be masqueraded a bit more. Painted bronze e.g. ? Look a bit more "old" like the Dynalite "Lucas" alternators ??

Thanks

Guillermo

[Jas]

Hi Guillermo

You are right no certificates and not approved, for racing use only.
I painted my calipers black over the Wilwood mark so it isn't so noticeable.

[Davidb]

I thought I would re-open this thread to see if there are any updates/feedback from users?