Philip L Anderson Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 I have a Caterham High Performance Front Brake Kit (4 pot) and AP Racing CP3627-101C (13/16") master cylinder that results in to much front brake. I am considering installing a brake bias valve. I would appreciate any recommendations and thoughts anyone might have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted August 12, 2021 Member Share Posted August 12, 2021 What pads do you have front and rear?Used on road, track, or both?Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip L Anderson Posted August 12, 2021 Author Share Posted August 12, 2021 The front pads are the Ferodo DSPF Performance brake pads that came with the brake kit. The rear caliper are Wilwood Dynalite calipers with unknown pads. The car has a custom fabricated live axle, long story.The car is used on the road an a occasional track day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted August 12, 2021 Area Representative Share Posted August 12, 2021 I would concentrate on making the rears work better rather than reducing the effectiveness of the fronts by installing a bias valve in the front!Rear pads with a higher coefficient of friction would be a better move. (But, front to rear bias is always going to be a little bit of miss with a custom bespoke set up unless whoever designed it really knew what they were doing......) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted August 12, 2021 Area Representative Share Posted August 12, 2021 'just a note on the Caterham supplied lever AP racing bias valve (AP part No CP3550-13).The lever has 7 positions, but, looking at the specification (https://apracing.com/cdn/drawings/886-cp3550-13cd.pdf ), only positions 1 and 2 are likely to have any effect.....To understand the graph showing input and output pressure, you have to have an idea of what pressures you're likely to see...I've been datalogging brake pressure for several years and rarely see pressures much higher than 30bar on sprints and hillclimbs. You're unlikely to see pressures greater than 30bar in road use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Walker Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 Be Aware its illegal to install a brake bias valve in the front circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 I had a similar issue when I upgraded the front brakes (DD) and at the same time fitted "blue" rear pads. The "blue" pads are supposed to have higher friction than the std. pads. I lost faith in the brakes! I then changed the rear pads to CL brakes RC8 and had a brown trousers moment at the end of the long straight - and then fitted a Tilton lever type bias valve on the rears. Works a treat. I now have faith in the brakes again and can adjust depending on being alone or not and rain or not. One advantage is that it's easy to return to a known position that may not be absolutely ideal, but easy to find compared to the continiously adjustable knob type. My car is far from standard, so you may find you have a different outcome than I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timb2117 Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 I have 4 pot front and standard Sierra rear, and find I cant get much heat into fronts but tons in rears. I fitted the aeroquip dial brake bias valve (having played unsuccessfully with pads) and then dialled it in with a lot of trial runs, very flat road warm brakes and stopping to lock up - now the front does work to lock up just prior to rear which is what I understand it should do.However come track days the rears still heat up more but I can definitely feel the fronts doing way more work, and so long as para 2 is happening I am a happy boy. - the bias gave me the control to achieve this and now I just forget it.Totally understand the legality issue though and also if you're going to fit it please make sure its done well. - "it aint the going that hurts you its the stopping!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 I agree that the rear brakes are marginal. For the same reason I'm looking into fitting the discs off a VW Lupo 3L: 15mm vented discs. I will be using them front and rear as they are significantly lighter than the uprated fronts from CC that are way overspecced IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timb2117 Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Rj you may well be right, on my track days I am braking at about the same spot as the single seaters and thats crazy. the fronts I got are JWM and certainly if anything need to get more heat into them, but as I said seem to work well.Only other thing was a mate reckoned an uprated master cylinder to move more volume of fluid, he did not like the pedal however I read lots of threads saying the uprated unit gives a wooden pedal and I think mine has good feel....good job we're all different :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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