Brake Modifications

Tarox (Red Dot)  grooved disks and pads were fitted and work superbly. (I actually had to smash the old disks off with a sledge hammer where they had corroded onto the hub. These work very well, even when cold (Normal Ferrodo pads work better when warm) and I haven't got them to fade yet even of long downhill's in the lake district. Feel is better too.

While I was at the brakes I lacquered the Callipers and generally tidied up.

The last brake mod was to replace the rubber brake hoses with Steel Braided Brake lines. This was the best and cheapest mod I have done. It completely transformed the braking, with much more feel and pressure.

Tarox have just brought out a cheaper range of disks for around £75 a pair. These ones are the full price, fast road sets and each set of disks or drums cost about £170 (expensive but worth it) and the pads are £70, At present Tarox do not make rear shoes so I'm using Ferrodo

I originally fitted the 6 groove Tarox Disks (plenty good enough for the road) but have recently upgraded to the 20 groove versions for even more braking power (I can lock the front wheels up at 120mph, if that's enough power). Still running the Tarox fast road pads though. I haven't got wear indicator lights but the pads come with the sensors so you have to cut them off. They are very easy to fit. Just remember to coat any surfaces that move or rub with copper grease, especially the hub to flange and hub to wheel surfaces. As these are steel on aluminium it is very easy to get electrolytic corrosion and weld the disk or wheel on.

Another advantage of the 20 grooves over the 6 is the grooves are visible at all times, the 6 grooves often lined up behind the wheel spokes and it was difficult to notice them

Here is the 20 groove front disks fitted and a new set of pads to go with them. The old ones were just beginning to break up at 4mm thick and had done 25,000 miles ( which is good for me). The old 6 groove Tarox disks still have plenty of wear left in them and have done about 50K miles so they are definitely harder than the ford disks ( I gave them to Brett for his Mondy. He warped them in about 2 weeks!!!!!)

Here is a wider view of 110,000 miles of crud in my arches, you can also see the feeder pipes for the oil cooler (real Earls hose, not that nasty over-sleeving stuff). Also took the opportunity to flush through the whole of the braking fluid to make sure I'm running nice new stuff. Of course I use DOT 5.1 to get a higher boil point. Note the braided lines

Now the Molemobile has drum rears. These work OK and I don't really need (but still want) rear disks. But as I have Tarox disks up front the rears have been outclassed and provide very little braking, especially as they are still the original shoes and drum (Shows you how much work they do), So Tarox to the rescue again. I have fitted their new drum kit, which have the better quality steel and 4 grooves cut in the lining

From this close-up you can see that the machining quality is superb

Would recommend these brake modifications to anyone. The Insurance companies don't seem to mind you doing anything that improves the braking (Still tell them though). The disks last longer than the Fords and give better control and feel.