Anyone running S calipers?

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Was curious as to what the braking feel is like with S calipers and a 19mm master cylinder. GOing to be getting my car back on the road soon, would like some impressions before i drive it...

[Brant]

I run S calipers...
on a different car I run Steel A calipers...
and on the car I just sold, It had stock 914 front calipers...

all 3 of these utilize a 19mm mc...

There is nothing wrong or detectably different with the S calipers.
people claim they flex...
you will not be able to feel them flexing..
you might feel the floar flexing...

the 19mm on the S or A's will drop the pedal level incomparison to the 19mm on the stock calipers....

out of all 3 of these cars the Stock calipers with the high pedal feels the best to the layperson who is used to power brakes.. because this set up feels touchy, strong, and instanteneous when you touch the pedal.......

You will get more out of different/better pads then you will out of changing to ro from any of these different caliper set ups...

brant

[Marankie]

Actually I have had a lot of on track experience with the alumimum S calipers together with Poterfield R4 pads. Used to have a lot of problems with leaking caliper seals and they required rebuilding every one to two years. Of course I pooh poohed the idea of caliper flex untill I tried a set of steel SC calipers. Then the difference became evident. Before with the S calipers, when braking hard for a turn, (say turn 3 at WSIR) I would apply pressure to the pedal, and then wait for a reponse and then modulate pressure as required. With the SC calipers no waiting or modulation is required. Needless to say the SC calipers are still on the car, and have not had to have been rebuilt. They are much better, despite the fact that the S calipres accepted the thicker pads, and therefore racing pad expense was a little less.
Martin Jansen
#98 914-6 GTR

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Actually, what Im specifically wanting to know is how much of an improvement over the stock calipers should i expect? Also, I've notice that the stock calipers with a 19mm seems to take more effort to operate. Will this get worse with the S calipers?

[Brant]

Jared,

any stopping improvement is insignificant to the improvement you could notice by different pads...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that a stock caliper with high performance pads, could be better than an S caliper with bad pads....

but yes an S caliper has a bigger pad and bigger pistons so it can be better (just don't skimp on the pads)

The pedal will be lower and will require more effort and will feel less touchy and responsive than a 19mm on the stock calipers.. (sounds like this is what your looking for)...

brant

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I find it very hard to believe any pads would make the stock calipers feel good.

What would you reccomend for the front? I'd like something that will feel good, yet not make a lof noise or burn up in a few months. Granted the 914 usually only gets driven on weekends, but I'd liek the brakes to still be good..

I dont need race pads, perhaps some Ferodos?

[Marankie]

Jared.
You must be a "eigenwijse Gloggy". Recommended set up 19mm MS.
911SC vented rotors and calipers on front, 911 vented rotors and calipers on rear, Poterfield R4 pads all round. Steel brake lines, motul racing fluid. Works great on street and track, although form time to time they squeal a little on the street. Throw away the splash guards. Great pedal modulation and pressure every time. no fade ever.
Martin
#98 914-6 GTR

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

"eigenwijse Gloggy", lol, had to think about that for a bit..

Ik spreekt Nederlands een beetje. Mijn Nederlands is niet te goed.

I dont have SC Calipers, S Calipers are already on the car, I just have to put it all back together. Need to know what pads to run for those...

[Zeke]

I use the Ferados on my S calipers on my 911S. I have been on the track and in the canyons. No problems yet, but the real test has yet to be done, as in a DE.

On my 914 race car I had the Porterfields and the S calipers in front, M's in back with ventilated rotors from a 911. No Ebrake. I also had the 19mm M/C. Very nice feel.

When you go to S or A cals, the 19mm is not any more effort. It is just right. You might want to check your proportioning valve when you install the bigger cals in front with the ventilated rotors. I don't think the preset proportion is quite right for the change. To check this out, buy or borrow a remote pyrometer and go for a spirited run. Pull over and read your rotor temps. I can't tell you off hand what the % of differnece should be, but if they are way different, you are getting too much front brake in relation to the rear.

[Marankie]

When I first installed my new brake set up, I threw out the 914 rear brake proportioning valve. But on the the track I started locking up the rear brakes first. Not to good. So I bought a small adjustable proportioning valve, and mounted it in the same place. After a couple of adjustments (probably 8 years agoc now) the balance was fine, and I have not touched it since.
Martin
#98 914-6GTR

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

In theory, the S calipers with the 19mm MC will give you a slightly softer pedal, with longer pedal travel, than the stock calipers with the 19mm MC. I know that the piston size in the S calipers is larger than the four-cylinder ones, but I don't know the exact sizes... It may, in fact, be comparable to the stock -four setup with the 17mm MC. (Except without that squishy proportioning valve, if you ditch that.)

It may be that there are some S calipers that are flexing, while others are not, or not noticeably. Or it may be that they will only flex enough to really matter on the track. We hear reports both of them flexing and causing poor pedal feel, and of them not causing any problems whatsoever.

What is it you're trying to get out of your brake upgrade, Jared? For good pedal feel, replace the proportioning valve and go with an aftermarket adjustable one. You will need to work out what adjustment is correct, though...

If you're looking for fade resistance, ventilated rotors are Good Things. They're heavy, though, which ain't so good. But they cool significantly better than the solid ones.

If you're looking specifically for five-bolt wheels, then obviously you want the 911 struts with their associated brakes and hubs. (Unless you want to buy Mueller's trick billet hubs... But I don't know when those will actually be ready for sale.) In general, M- or S- or A-calipers will all be more than enough for any reasonable 914 application, so go with what you can get easily. I'd be inclined to find the M-caliper ones, myself, because they tend to be cheaper.

--DD

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I've already got the S Calipers and an entire 1974 911 front end with Adjustable Konis in the car, I just want opinions before I drive the thing. I dont want to end up running over some nuns because my brakes arent set up right.

[J P Stein]

I run S fronts & M rears. I couldn't get proper balance with the stock calipers in the rear...with adjustable bias valve..we don't need no stinkin' E brake,
nohow

The S calipers flex and are very tough to bleed....but they're so light....my pedal is softer than I would like...but they're so light. I use stock 9eleben Pagid pads. They got to stinkin' some at a DE but never faded.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Here's a quick preview. I've since gotten the rear hubs swapped out.. here's a pic

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

one more..

[J P Stein]

Lookin' good.....but you need more tiar. ..........

[no substitute]

I'd forgotten how much I like cookie cutters.