40mm rear brake calipers available

[Tom, F&L GoR]

I have some 40mm non-ABS rear calipers available for $630 a pair plus your old cores. These calipers are re-sized OEM 36mm calipers that give you more rear braking for much better front to rear braking balance, helps prevent front tire flat spots, allows greater brake feel, and is 100% compatible with factory pads, uprights, brake lines, wheels, etc.

Some flattering comments from others on the board about these brakes are here. The link also has further links to past posts for even more information.

If you want a quick one-pager info sheet, PM or email me. If you want the 1Mb rebuild instructions to see the guts of what this is, also let me know. The Wizard recently commented that new rear calipers are scarce, so folks might want this how-to picture guide in case you have to rebuild the brakes - the brakes are "not serviceable" according to Dodge so it's not described in the service manual. I can also guide you as to where to get parts you may need.

Advance notice: The normal process is an exchange deal; I first send you calipers that have been re-sized to 40mm and you return your old OEM calipers. Some of you have expressed that you'd like your original calipers redone, but then it's a roughly 4 week wait (shipping to me, machine shop and rebuild, and return shipping.) With the winter coming up and cars hibernating, a few have suggested sending the calipers to me when the car is put away - excellent idea. So it's the First Annual 40mm Group Buy; I'll plan a time (say mid-January) for everyone to send their calipers in and you will get your same calipers back. There might be some economy of scale at the shop; depending on how pristine the calipers are, there might also be some parts that don't need replacing. I have a few interested already, so I'm going to pursue it- let me know if you are interested, too. Thanks.

[Janni]

Installing a set of these on a club member's car this weekend - wil report first drive on Monday. Then, real world track experience mid-December as VCA member returns to home track for a HPDE. He knows his brake points by heart there, so will be able to see how much he can delay braking..... Look for updates.

[Bill B]

Two words: THEY WORK!

[Tom, F&L GoR]

Janni, any feedback before going to VIR?

(I see your member signed up for the Chin Motorsports weekend.)

[FrankBarba]

Tom: if your interested i found 3 sets of rear calipers in my garage that i will be putting up for sale.

[Janni]

Tom,
The installation was easy and straightforward. We did several changes to the brake system, but the main difference is the 40 mm rears. The owner took the car out and wasVERY PLEASED with some 80-0 stops. He said that with the new setup be was braking far MORE (harder) than he was able to in the past without lockup. Some of that was pad as we changed him to a Brakeman #3, but compared to stock, it shouldn't be that much of a change.

VIR event this weekend - and if I am not hungover on Sunday, I might head up there and get a ride and fell them out for myself!

More to come on Monday!

[Steve-Indy]

Janni, any update ???

[Janni]

Steve,
Thanks for asking. Spoke with Stuart last night. Saturday was a cold rain / sleet-out, os his track time was about 6 laps! He left early for he day, knowing that Sunday would be warmer and sunnier.

There are even fewer cars on the track Sunday and the temps were cold but not freezing. He had plenty of track time and was able to try out different lines, etc.

Here are his observations:
1. He put together a few laps within 1/2 second of his personal pest times effortlessly - in cooler weather, and a track with less grip. He, admittedly, was not trying to improve his times.
2. He will still take some time to get to the new level of threshold braking - as he knows he's not getting 100% out of the new rear brake mod. He had SLIGHT lockup once and that was the fronts, so there is no issue about having too much rear brake.
3. The car dives considerably less, keeping more weight transferred to the rear and making corner exits smoother as you have to shift less weight back to the drive wheels.
4. Brakeman #3's are certainly the most brake dusty pad on the market and his ACR wheels are completely black. However, they provide a great pedal feel and modulation.
5. His new brake cooling allowed his brakes to have much less fade in a 45 minute session than he would have expected in a 30 minute one.

So all in all, it's a good mod- along with the others he did - new rotors, cooling, pad change. The real test will be VIR at ViperDays in July - where he'll be pushing the car a little harder and have more encouragement and we'll post more then...

Thanks, Tom - great mod!

[Tom, F&L GoR]

I'm impressed; wish I could do laps within 0.5 seconds of my personal best "effortlessly." Congratulations, Stuart!

[Steve-Indy]

VERY interesting and imppressive !!! Many thanks, Janni, Stuart, and All.