Monobloc Calipers & H&H Project Car (Bimmer Magazine)

["Steve D'Gerolamo" <steved3@xxxxxxx>]

Regarding Steve Dinan's comments and other recent queries on monobloc (1pc)
calipers. Racers like monoblocs because they are much lighter than 2pc
units.  They are cast as one piece, there are no heavy steel bolts required
and they often come with titanium pistons.  They also (like many other
pricey calipers) do not have dust seals and will need to be rebuild
throughout the course of the season.

		Porsche switched to a street monobloc caliper on their new 996 cars.
They were getting many complaints in Germany that the 993tt (Big Reds) were
too aggressive and that drivers and passengers were getting thrown about
under heavy braking.  The Porsche monoblocs have less braking force than
the Big Reds with smaller pistons and smaller pads (62sq cm vs 75 sq cm).

		I've also had 3 people ask me about H&H's supercharged E36 with Alcon
6piston calipers.  H&H is well known in Germany but their car's are not
always that reliable.  A customer came into Movit's shop last week to have
their Alcon brakes removed and a set of the Big Reds installed.  Apparently
the customer was going through pads and rotors with great frequency and
with rotors costing 700dm each and pads 600dm per set, this was adding up.
H&H's comment to the customer was........"this is the way a racing brake
system works.  You'll have to live with it."   The customer left the shop
with new brakes but the expensive motor blew on the ride home. 

		Regarding the upgrade on the H&H car to an 850i booster...I don't know
how this is possible (all 850i's use hydraulic boosters, E36's are vacuum
assist) or why this is necessary.  Excessive boost makes it difficult to
modulate the brakes, especially with wet road conditions.  Some of the
seniors on this list that ever drove a 60's vintage Cadillac's with "power
brakes" will remember how sensitive these brakes were.

		One last comment.  The current trend in Europe is running massive road
wheels.  It seems 18" is the norm, even on VW's and many cars are running
20" rims (eg, E38 and E39 owners).  A German 750i customer upgraded to
332mm Porsche cup brakes on his car (with 20" rims) and comments that he
can stop the car with great confidence from 280km cruising speeds on the
Autobahn. At our 55mph highways speeds, you could open the door and stop
with your feet if you had to. SD


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Steve D'Gerolamo - The Ultimate Garage
201-262-0412 / steved3@domain.elided / http://www.ultimategarage.com

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