JRitt@essex

Hi Guys,
I wanted to gauge interest on something. I know some of the OEM Evo calipers out there are getting a bit long in the tooth after years of hard track use. That is what spurred me to post.

We recently developed a new lightweight racing competition caliper with AP Racing (under 5 lbs). It comes with machined stainless steel pistons, anti-knockback springs, bleed screw and crossover protection, hard anodized finish...the list of features goes on and on. You can see details on our product page. There's an extremely detailed PDF Installation Drawing of the caliper with all of the dimensions....right below the short description at the top of the page.

One of the best features is that it uses an extremely common, inexpensive, 20mm thick pad. While the surface area of the pad is not as large as the OEM Evo pad, it is 4mm thicker. So pad volume is actually not that much lower. The nice thing about this pad is that it is inexpensive. Race pads in this shape are typically half the cost of the OEM Evo shape ($175 vs. $300). That cost difference could add up quickly over the course of a couple seasons for a hardcore track user.

We've been using an axial mount version of this caliper in circle track racing for some time now. The typical Late Model that runs them is roughly 2800lbs. and 550-600 horsepower, so we know they can take a severe beating on a car with similar attributes to an Evo.

The other nice thing about these calipers is that they're relatively inexpensive, particularly for the level of content. They retail for a little over $1,000 a pair. There really isn't anything else out in the consumer market specified to this level. They are dripping with the high-end components we use in professional racing. My guess is that Evo owners could sell their OEM calipers to a 240sx owner or otherwise, and recoup a substantial portion of their investment.

Also, we have a killer AP Racing, 70 vane, heavy duty, J-Hook racing disc in the 325x32mm size that is a great match for this caliper. It is derived from the discs we're using in NASCAR Sprint Cup. The metallurgy on them is incredible, and they take an amazing amount of abuse. They are also quite reasonably priced at $250 retail per iron disc. One of my corvette resellers just created a BBK with this caliper and these discs for SCCA T1 Vette's.

These discs are just a tad larger than the OEM units (320mm x 32mm), but would provide a huge performance increase in terms of airflow, crack resistance, etc. Despite having 70 vanes, these iron discs weigh 15.4 lbs., so you'd be looking at 18-19lb.s when a aluminum hat as added. I'd estimate that's 3-4lbs. lighter than stock, with a massive durability and airflow increase.

The nice thing about a setup like this is that it would add a bunch of benefits without killing wheel fitment. A lot of the kits out there now use ridiculously large discs and calipers that carry a huge weight penalty without many performance improvements. Also, solving problems like heat soak in the brake fluid (SS pistons), pad knockback (springs), cheap race pads, terrible caliper color changes under high heat (painted and powder coat finishes), and dust boots that turn into a fried mess have never been addressed adequately to my knowledge.

After seeing the parts we sell to pro race teams, it seems like all of the top quality racing brake hardware has been withheld from the average enthusiast for one reason or another...primarily price. I thought these bits would open up that door and solve some issues.

I'd even consider putting a complete front kit together if there was enough interest. We'd probably be able to put a complete race-grade kit together and retail it for around $2500.

Anybody interested in these parts? Any Evo's in Charlotte NC that feel like being a guinea pig?

All feedback and questions are welcome. Thanks guys.

awdboosted

iTrader: (30)

Id be interested.. But only if they can take a better beating then the stock Brembos.. Mine get so hot they are just black now.

xtnct

iTrader: (33)

Nice... I would test it (as I think I reached the limits of the stock system) but I don't even have a $1 to spend on this right now.

Biggest complaint of various BBK kits I have heard is that the BIAS gets messed up. Have you done any theoretical calculations how this caliper with this different pad size will affect the stock brake bias?

JRitt@essex

The pad size has essentially nothing to do with brake bias. Disc diameter, piston size, and the pad's coefficient of friction affect bias with all else held equal (stock master cylinder, pedal box, etc.).

Before releasing a kit we would run the calculations and decide upon the proper piston bores to mate up with the stock master cylinder. These are rudimentary calculations, and no problem at all.

EVIL_EV0

iTrader: (6)

Does this caliper work with OEM rotors?

I would be interested in shedding my poobo calipers for something that will not boil fluid as easily.

honki24

iTrader: (23)

Looks like a GREAT option with stocklike rotors. Wish I could afford them (or anything else for my lancer these days)

FYI, My EVO is in the Hampton roads of Virginia so I'm only 15 minutes from the NC border. I'd love to be a test mule. My car is strictly for the track and is currently sitting on stands until I take it to it's next event.

tsi90awd

Jeff,

I'm interested in the kit. I'd volunteer my car for a test fit, but I'm in the Midwest.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

+1 i'd be interested as well. Hows the rebuild on these?

Evolution7GSR

iTrader: (11)

damn im in!

willitas34

iTrader: (4)

It would be awesome if these could fit some of the 2-piece rotors available for the stock brembo calipers

Look forward to more info on these!

JRitt@essex

Shoot me an email please: jeff.ritter@essexparts.com

The initial kit would be designed to work with the OEM discs (or any 2-piece replacment discs designed to work with the factory calipers. It would simply replace the OEM calipers.

Rebuild is fairly simple. We actually have employees who rebuild AP Racing calipers full-time. I just talked to them and they told me it would probably take the average guy 1-2 hours to pull the calipers apart, clean them up, and reassemble.

That said, it would be easier, safer, and more effective to just send them to us and let us do it. We are the official reconditioning center in North America for AP Racing calipers. On a four piston, we charge $75 per caliper for labor. That includes disassembly, ultrasonic cleaning, rockwell hardness testing (to make sure the calipers are not fatigued), high and low cycle pressure testing (to make sure it will hold line pressure), and proper reassembly.

At the time of rebuild we always recommend changing out your seals, which is about $35 per caliper, and new bleed screws (which I think are about $10-$15). Assuming your pistons aren't damaged (which doesn't typically happen unless you've gotten a rock wedged in there, etc.), for about $125 per caliper you'll essentially have a brand new caliper that was professionally tested and reassembled with new parts. The guys doing the work are the same guys who rebuild the calipers for the top NASCAR Sprint Cup and ALMS teams, so they know what they're doing (you sort of have to when you have millions of dollars and Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon's collective *sses on the line ).

I just added the details of this service to the bottom of the 'research' tab on the caliper detail page.

So if you did go with these calipers, you'd have professional long-term service available to make sure they are always in peak operating condition. You could pull them in the off season and have a fresh pair every spring.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

Sweet, i'd be willing to beat the hell out of it down here in our heat as well. So now we need to know what it'll cost in total, and for all 4 wheels (no sense in just doing a front set).

Jeff_Jeske

iTrader: (66)

I would buy a set of calipers today if they were available.

The savings in pads alone would pay for them in no time at all.

You should be telling us when they'll be available rather than asking if we are interested!

goforwand

iTrader: (132)

From a pure brake performance perspective, what are the top 3 advantages that you would expect to see with these calipers over the stock Brembos (all things being equal- pad compound, rotors, venting, etc.)?

Thanks

honki24

iTrader: (23)

Email sent. I'd love to help if possible. My car really should do something more than sit in my driveway....