Capri Technical Forum:

Hi all, need some advise on converting the front brakes on my capri. Origionally a 2ltr laser, fitted 3ltr front strutts & hubs. Purchased a pair of 2.8 vented discs, which I had to have the centres bored out (about 1.5mm.)as they wouldnt fit the hubs. Purchased the conversion kit for the calipers from burtons but the calipers just wont line up with the discs, there about 1.5 - 2 inches out!, any thoughts??.

ANDY MACK wrote:Hi all, need some advise on converting the front brakes on my capri. Origionally a 2ltr laser, fitted 3ltr front strutts & hubs. Purchased a pair of 2.8 vented discs, which I had to have the centres bored out (about 1.5mm.)as they wouldnt fit the hubs. Purchased the conversion kit for the calipers from burtons but the calipers just wont line up with the discs, there about 1.5 - 2 inches out!, any thoughts??.

What on earth possessed you to fit 3 litre struts?

That's your problem - nothing fits on 3 litre struts and hubs.

look up www.caprisport.com - get some proper struts then you can get some brakes sorted.

One other thing - you should never need to buy anything from Burtons.
They do nothing you can't buy much cheaper from the same place they get it.

Thanks for the reply. I upgraded the front strutts cos I have fitted a 3litre essex. I think ive sussed the problem anyway.The 3 litre hubs come in two sections, a spacer in which the discs mount onto.The hubs I bought off ebay were missing this spacer, so now im stuck. Anyone got a pair of 3 litre hubs for sale????.

Hi mate,
welcome to the forum,

the 3 litre struts are the runt of the capri world,
they are not really helpfull to anyone,
as nothing is interchangeable with the hubs etc,
where as , 1.6, 2.0 and 2.8i hubs are all interchangable which makes doing brake conversions a whole lot easier,
not sure who told you to fit the 3 litre struts cos you fitted the 3 .0 engine,
but now your going to have probs getting it all to work now,

you would of been better off keeping the o/e struts you had 1.6/2.0 putting a set of uprated springs to counteract the weight and then the 2.8i discs would of fitted straight on to the hubs with no machining needed, or doing the Caprisport 260 conversion etc to give you amazing brakes,

you still got your old struts?
if i was me i would look at passing the 3 litre struts on and doing my o/e struts to make future conversions a damn lot easier and cheaper, just my two pence worth.

ANDY MACK wrote:Thanks for the reply. I upgraded the front strutts cos I have fitted a 3litre essex. I think ive sussed the problem anyway.The 3 litre hubs come in two sections, a spacer in which the discs mount onto.The hubs I bought off ebay were missing this spacer, so now im stuck. Anyone got a pair of 3 litre hubs for sale????.

Seems you have been fed a right load of poo!

3 litre hubs are one piece - no spacers.
The disc is very different - quite a tall top hat shape so the friction surfaces are back where they need to be.
They're hard to get and solid - no vented possibility.

As Tony says - get rid by whatever means.

What made you fit a 3 litre? that's worse than paying over the odds for stuff from Burtons!
Even if you were given it, the wise decision is to weigh it in and go down the pub on the proceeds!

Sorry to have a bit of a laugh at your expense - don't get out much.

You realy have been tucked up by the sounds of it - that stops right now
Ask before you do anything else - Right here is where you'll get the full story. Good - bad or ugly but it will be the truth.

Av a nice day

Thanks for the reply. The origional strutts have long gone. By the sound of things I think it'll be easier just to get hold of the 2.8i strutts & hubs.
So the simple brake conversion will not fit the 3 litre strutts?

Anything other than original 3 litre will be fine.

Don't assume 2.8 is the way to go - it's not.

It's likely that you will end up with worn out 2.8 struts which are a problem to sort out.

If you go with 1.6 or 2.0 struts, they will be worn too but changing the inserts means everthing that wears is replaced.
With 2.8 Bilsteins, there are bushes to replace as well as the damper cartrige which will cost you big time.

Go base model with new inserts and it's all good as new - easy.

Remember to get the hubs too.

where can you get the bushes from?
I have the inner cartridge as mine are stuffed but wasn't aware of the bushes.

Not 100% sure but think West Wales Rally Spares might have been mentioned.

Ok, finally fitted a pair of 2 ltr S struts, but still having a mare with the 2.8 brake conversion. When re-fitting the hubs, the 2.8 discs butt up against the back plate ,, no clearance there. What am I doing wrong? ,, any thoughts.
Cheers.

No back plates with vented discs