VS Brake Upgrades

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

My VS Senator has the standard holden v8 brakes (289mm single piston vented rotors front / 279mm single piston solid rotors rear), and after my last track day at Lakeside I desperately need a front brake upgrade if I want to keep dabbling in track / sprint days (see thread “Home›Forums›Technical – General›Track Day, Race, or Burn Outs›Lakeside Track / Sprint Day – Second Go!”).

What brake upgrades have you done to your second gen commodore (VN-VS)?

I have looked at the VT / VE upgrades and understand that there was HSV VS brake upgrade (330mm twin fronts – can’t find them anywhere), but my mechanic (more like ‘consultant’) wants to go with new PBR/DBA 330mm twin piston set up, which he says is XR8 spec (braided lines/new master/heat treated rotors)… he’s a good consultant, just wants the money and he’ll work out what you want! He’s quoted $2k installed but reckons I won’t ever need to touch em again…. Seriously tho, he is a legit mechanic, but he doesn’t really like to discuss stuff in detail…

I could just replace with stock but that would be retiring the car from racing :(

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

I went Willwood, 6 piston fronts, 4 piston rears.  I got mine for about $3k from memory.  Very happy with mine, but they are of course on the pricier side.  They are the best could find to fit inside standard HSV 17″ rims, and I was also after something with stopping power that would fit inside a 15″ rear, so if I wanted to get  pair of steelies made up i could run a decent drag radial with some sidewall.  They suit VT-VZ, so it meant either swapping to the later hand brake mechanism (which I did) or you fit a steel ring and tack it in place so it fits the smaller 2nd gen hand brake.

[SSEN8R VS #1081Participant Brisbane, North Side\'97 VS II HSV Senator 185i View build HERE Member since: March 16, 2015 Posts: 227]

Gary, what about master cylinder / booster?

My build thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-ii-senator-185i-1081/
My track day thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/lakeside-track-sprint-day-second-go/
My VS brake upgrade thread - http://www.commodoresplus.com.au/forums/topic/vs-brake-upgrades/

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

I went to the later VT fast fill master and booster from Racebrakes Sydney.

[vt6bangerParticipant west ozvk View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 17]

I got the c4 corvette setup [vr/vs hsv upgrade] from race brakes in Sydney. Was awhile ago, but thought they were an excellent upgrade, far better than the by upgrade. ~$1200 though

Sent from a kickass iPhone using Tapatalk

[sands vsParticipant vs commodore View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 619]

I got the pbr kit basically the vs hsv but brand new very nice kit

 

 

 

[NickVRParticipant AdelaideVR V8 Exec, VR SS, VF Redline Reserve View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 264]

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I want to upgrade the rears on mine to something bigger. I am running the factory 215i 328mm setup on the front and want something a bit bigger to match on the rear. But haven’t found anything as yet. Main issue it maintaining the handbrake without too much modification.

[sands vsParticipant vs commodore View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 619]

Mines the matching rear so has ventilated rear disks etc, the vs hsv premuim vn grpa rears. Both strait on

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

NickVR wrote:

Main issue it maintaining the handbrake without too much modification.

 

You can swap to the VT hand brake assembly so it works with the later discs without having to remove everything.  You still have to grind the lip of the backing plate, but you cut the backing plate so it will slip across and then you bolt it on.  Might be an option.  The other way is a press fit ring into the new drum so it works with the old assembly.

[sands vsParticipant vs commodore View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 619]

There is a guy also selling adapter kits on ebay

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

I am guessing the adaptor kit is the ring?  Its pretty much the only thing that’s different.  There’s some discussion about the legality of them, tbh with the work I have done on engineering I really cant see why or how they would care about how the hand brake assembly works as long as it does.

 

In this pic you can the see how the large diameter VT hand brake assembly is compared to the smaller VR/S on the right.  So you just make a ring the same more as the VR but the same outer diameter as the VT and press it in the back of the later hubs, some people tack it in place so there is no chance of it moving.  To my knowledge that’s all you need to change.

 

[sands vsParticipant vs commodore View build HERE Member since: March 1, 2015 Posts: 619]

http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/vr-vs-holden-commodore-1993-1997/227624-vt-x-y-z-rear-brakes-vr-s-solid-axle.html

[vs manta 218Participant Vs hsv manta View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 796]

I put on some Ksport 8 piston fronts with 356mm 2 piece 32mm  rotors and 4 piston rear with the same 356mm 2 piece 32mm rotors

I hot some yellow stuff pads since

I then put a VT master on and bam big ass brakes that just bolted straight on for under 4grand

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

Wont fit inside a 17″ rim though will they Pete?

[vs manta 218Participant Vs hsv manta View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 796]

Not even close

Some 18s fit just with couple mm to spare

You got your harrops at a good price

[NickVRParticipant AdelaideVR V8 Exec, VR SS, VF Redline Reserve View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 264]

VRSenator065 wrote:

NickVR wrote:

Main issue it maintaining the handbrake without too much modification.

You can swap to the VT hand brake assembly so it works with the later discs without having to remove everything. You still have to grind the lip of the backing plate, but you cut the backing plate so it will slip across and then you bolt it on. Might be an option. The other way is a press fit ring into the new drum so it works with the old assembly.

VRSenator065 wrote:

I am guessing the adaptor kit is the ring? Its pretty much the only thing that’s different. There’s some discussion about the legality of them, tbh with the work I have done on engineering I really cant see why or how they would care about how the hand brake assembly works as long as it does. In this pic you can the see how the large diameter VT hand brake assembly is compared to the smaller VR/S on the right. So you just make a ring the same more as the VR but the same outer diameter as the VT and press it in the back of the later hubs, some people tack it in place so there is no chance of it moving. To my knowledge that’s all you need to change.

 

A bolt in kit is what I was looking for as I didn’t want to modify anything to fit. Plus the legal side of it did concern me too. Might have to look into the VT upgrade for the rear then.

[cava454Moderator 93 VR BT1 View build HERE Member since: February 20, 2015 Posts: 2 390]

I’ve just upgraded my fronts and rebuild my stock rears. Much better then the old VT brakes.

 

If if your gunna track it a bit u might wanna get some Good brakes. Mate runs AP and they just about make u kiss the front window.

[VRSenator065Participant Adelaide SAVR Senator LSx454 1960 Kombi (project) 1921 Nash Hot Rod (future project) View build HERE Member since: February 17, 2015 Posts: 5 777]

The other thing about swapping to the VT hand brake set up is it then gives you lots of options.  Much more choice around to suit VT than the VR/S.  So lets say you swap to the VT HB set up, but go with a minor upgrade for now, later on its easy to upgrade again to something more serious.  That was my thinking anyway

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by  VRSenator065.

[hsv865Participant St ClairVS Senator View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 91]

vt s1 buy whole car for 2.5k lol,wreck it on front lawn,get money back,piss neighbours off too,classic bogan,plus good stopping with pads & braided,win win

back ground;my neighbour hit my car i hate him!!

[NickVRParticipant AdelaideVR V8 Exec, VR SS, VF Redline Reserve View build HERE Member since: March 2, 2015 Posts: 264]

VRSenator065 wrote:

The other thing about swapping to the VT hand brake set up is it then gives you lots of options. Much more choice around to suit VT than the VR/S. So lets say you swap to the VT HB set up, but go with a minor upgrade for now, later on its easy to upgrade again to something more serious. That was my thinking anyway

Yeah the options are far greater for VT, no question there.

cava454 wrote:

I’ve just upgraded my fronts and rebuild my stock rears. Much better then the old VT brakes. If if your gunna track it a bit u might wanna get some Good brakes. Mate runs AP and they just about make u kiss the front window.

More for the looks on mine. Would like them to brake well too though but doesn’t have to be V8 Supercar good.

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