Whoa Brake Kit - Step-by-step Installation Pictures

Pretty neat ! - but a question about the M-clips?

How exactly do they help with pad changes? You still have to retract the pistons to make room for new pads, and I'd think that would still require removing the calipers and all?
 
Wheel size?

Stock 13" or did you bump up to 14"?

Thanks.

TonyK.

Grimsby Ont. Canada.
 
Dave, thanks for a great write-up.

I almost feel like I've been there, and now I have to wipe my hands clean.
An interesting write and nice photos.
Thanks
 
Answers:

Answers:

Eric – Retracting the four (4) pistons for pad changes should be pretty easy, and it appears that it could be done in situ (although I have obviously never yet had the need to try this). Looks to me as if you could simply slide a broad bladed screwdriver in between the rotor and the old worn pad surface, and gently lever the pistons back.

Tony – The wheels are conventional 13” Daytona CD 31’s.

Matt - Each caliper has four (4) bleeder screws, two (2) of which end up pointing down and are not used. (This feature allows the same caliper to be fitted on either side of the car). When bleeding, I started with the top screws farthest away from the center of the car, bleeding these first, and then doing the ones closest to the centerline. Not really a big deal, and it does not take all that much more time or effort than to bleed the single OEM screw.

Having said this, I’ve never been confident that I have purged 100% of the air out of the X’s brake / clutch hydraulic systems. Over my 30 years of owning this car, I’ve repeatedly tried –all- of the known tricks: vacuum sucking at the caliper bleed screw, pressurization at the reservoir inlet cap, jacking one end or the other end of the car up high in the air – you name it, I’ve tried it. In spite of all of these efforts, the brake pedal still seems a bit too soft for my taste. In this regard, the new Wilwood calipers are no better than (nor worse than) the OEM calipers – my theory is that there’s still some tiny air bubbles which get themselves trapped within the master cylinders for the brake and clutch, so this issue is not down to the calipers.

Whoever first thought up the idea of mounting these cylinders up above the foot pedal box should receive a stern scolding.

How about starting a separate Technical thread here to discuss the bleeding of these systems? I’ve heard numerous X owners often complain about the pain-in-the-arse difficulty and frustration involved with this seemingly simple maintenance procedure!

Cheers - DM
 
<How about starting a separate Technical thread here to discuss the bleeding of these systems? I’ve heard numerous X owners often complain about the pain-in-the-arse difficulty and frustration involved with this seemingly simple maintenance procedure!>

AMEN! Like I said before: There has got to be a better, meaning, "more reliable", way of bleeding the hydraulics. It is out of control as it stands and has stood, literally.
 
Dave80GTSi said:
Answers:

Eric – Retracting the four (4) pistons for pad changes should be pretty easy, and it appears that it could be done in situ (although I have obviously never yet had the need to try this). Looks to me as if you could simply slide a broad bladed screwdriver in between the rotor and the old worn pad surface, and gently lever the pistons back.
Click to expand...

YES this is how its done, however it would be easier with a small pry bar instead, the newer cars with multiple piston calipers are like this, pull out the retainer pin, shove a pry bar in there, and press the pistons into place, pull out old pad, shove new pad in, replace retainer pin, and done, just seat the pads and ready to go
 
I have lots of experience with Wilwood brakes as I have crewed a number of racecars equipped with them.

Most race teams make a simple tool that quickly and easily retracts the caliper pistons. The tool is a pair of large "channel lock" pliers with a pair of plates (the basic size and shape of the brake pads), each welded to one of the plier's jaws. To retract the pistons you simply remove the pads and insert the plier's plates into the space where the pads were. Finally, spread the plier's handles to compress all four pistons at once.

The problem with using a pry bar or screwdriver to retract the pistons is pushing one piston in usually pushes another piston out. The tool I described above eliminates this problem by acting on all four pistons at once. In addition, it is possible to damage the pistons with a screwdriver or pry bar.

I have used this tool at countless races for brake pad changes during pit stops of endurance races. It is also the preferred method of retracting the pistons when doing regular maintenance in the paddock.
 
Pedal Feel Adjustment

Hi Dave,

Glad to hear that the Whoa brake conversion went smoothly and as planned. These are incredibly easy kits to work with.

You have probably already tried this, but one of the easiest ways to get better pedal feel on these cars is to adjust the static height of the brake pedal. This is very simple, and accomplished by threading the brake light switch farther into the pedal box, shortening the stroke of the brake pedal and makes for much better feel. This is also the way that you adjust the pedal height to get better "heel-toe" positioning of the pedal.

-M
 
I've always used a different method for retracting caliper pistons like on the willwood 4 piston calipers. leave the caliper bolted on the car. use a pry tool to retract one side (outboard pad)..... slip out the old pad then slip in the new one. Then do the same thing for the inboard pad. move to the other side of the car and do the same thing. then remove the calipers and do whatever else you need to the rotors or whatever.
 
Whoa Brake Kit

That’s grate did you get any shorter stopping distains? Like 60 to 0? How many feet shorter before and after? Do you road race your car and if so is there any better braking performance and in what way.
 
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