Bigger brakes

[Aussie Frontier]

I was speaking with an engineer this afternoon on another matter and he showed me what is essentially new larger brakes for the D40. He wants to build a kit up with new calliper and rotor setup that will be a direct bolt up application. Only early days so far but the kit will include new slotted rotors from DBA.

 

[CYDEPX44]

great news! i hope you can put in a word for us with thai built navaras. as spain built nav rotors don't fit the same, maybe they can do development simultaneously. i've been in touch with winton of dba, and it seems they are still a few months off. i was about to settle for stock sized discs when what i really want (and need) are bigger and better brakes.

 

[Leprechaun]

great news! i hope you can put in a word for us with thai built navaras. as spain built nav rotors don't fit the same, maybe they can do development simultaneously. i've been in touch with winton of dba, and it seems they are still a few months off. i was about to settle for stock sized discs when what i really want (and need) are bigger and better brakes.

What's wrong with the Thai built brakes?, they seem more than adequate, I've never had severe fade, and I drive pretty hard.

 

[CYDEPX44]

What's wrong with the Thai built brakes?, they seem more than adequate, I've never had severe fade, and I drive pretty hard.

agreed, the stock brakes are adequate for normal use. in normal use they feel fine but when the temps go up that's where the judders bugger up my steering, tires, etc. also my discs got resurfaced at 25,000 km. new pads went in with the resurfaced rotors and now again at 70,000 km i've managed to chew them up again. i don't tow, but i do drive fairly fast.

 

[zaskarD40]

Aussie - i reckon bigger brakes would be a godsend! I think they are the single worst feature in the Navara's drivetrain. The most obvious spot where the engineers have been overridden!

They only good for one hard stop from 80kph, pedal feel is rubbish, with little feedback and modulation. Pedal travel is also too long. In general they are not up to speed in my opinion. Then there are the issues with the OEM rotors which give up from 20k kms onwards.

Single piston floating discs are just not adequate for this vehicle. Looks at 120 series prado and there 4 pistons on each caliper. The prado's have materially better brakes than the Navara. Yet our car has a higher tow rating.

I'd be very keen to investigate a more powerful caliper setup. Does your engineering mate give any view on whether weak link interms of power is the caliper or the master cylinder?

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I will be hopefully calling him tomorrow and will try to find out more info
Seeing he also has a D40 then he may even be able to do something with 4 wheel disks

Just had a look and maybe something can be done with the brakes from a R51.It looks like the R51 and the D40 Frontier use the same brake components so in theory we should be able to basically take everything from a R51 and bolt it straight onto a D40

 

[zaskarD40]

Discs at the rear would be better, but i given how much of the stop is done by the front brakes, i reckon you would hard pressed to improve stopping distances and brake performance with rear discs.

The v6 navara in the UK...does that use larger front discs?

 

[Old.Tony]

Rear discs would be useful. I was reversing down a very, very steep driveway and had to do it at a snail's pace so that I could ensure I could stop before entering the road.

I don't drive it hard enough for my forward-braking to seem inadequate, but its reverse-braking is dismal at best.

 

[F6 381]

My front disc's need skimming on the next service 80 thou k's but i will be upgrading to the DBA629SL & DBA629SR at $198.00 a disc.

Mine is the D22 06 model and i'm not sure if they are the same disc on the D40. Just trying to find the right pad to suit the new disc's. Don't want brake squeal or too much brake dust.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

The D40 runs different rotors
I went with Ceramic pads with my DBA rotors and good stopping no noise and zero dust

In theory running 4 wheel disks will stop better than rear drums. It may mean adjusting front to rear bios etc .Hardest thing to figure is that with the load limiting valve in the rear it appears like if the nose of the truck dips under heavy breaking then the limiting valve will lessen the rear braking thinking the back of the truck is light.
I remember a few of the guys a while ago tinkered with the limiting valve to get better braking and did have some success.
When I was talking with the engineer he mentioned that we would possibly ditch that valve when going to full disk.
Rough estimates are rear disk conversion would cost about a grand in parts.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I spoke with the guys at the brakes shop this arvo and they raised a few questions someone might be able to help me out with
Are the part numbers for the master Cylinder and ABS unit the same for the Pathy and the Navara?.
I think the brakes themselves will fit but they guys pointed out that the current brakes will put too much oressure to the rear for Disks and it could be the ABS and Master cylinder causing that or sould be same part numbers and we just need to add a diffeent proportioning valve.

 

[grasshopper]

Did these bigger discs and or rear discs get any traction (punn)?

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Havent spoken to the engineer in a while so might pay him a visit.
Disks on the rear I think are still a real chance but just havent had the funds or time to put into that at this time .

 

[grasshopper]

When required, I will be going to DBA slotted rotors and softer pads - probably from Bendix.
The combo has worked very well on my NJ Pajero for about 3.5 yrs now maybe 60 000 Ks

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I run the drilled and slotted rotors from DBA and ceramic pads from Hawke Racing in the US and it certainly works better that the standard crap brakes