Nick Jones Posted May 23, 2020 Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 On 22/05/2020 at 07:56, clive said: Ask Nick Jones what he thinks of the new calipers! Buying new seems obvious, but there seem to be some "issues" with at least some of them. My experience of new type 16 calipers (GT6/Vitesse) is entirely negative. I don’t know anyone who’s tried them who was happy with them, but I do know / know of several that weren’t. They don’t self adjust properly so you end up with an unacceptably long pedal. Spitfires use the smaller type 14 calipers, which I have not tried. They are generally straightforward to overhaul. Parts are easily available. I usually get kits from Bigg Red who also do stainless steel pistons. They will do the refurb for you too if you prefer Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted May 23, 2020 Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 1 hour ago, Nick Jones said: My experience of new type 16 calipers (GT6/Vitesse) is entirely negative. I don’t know anyone who’s tried them who was happy with them, This may be too long ago to be relevant but I replaced my GT6's calipers with new after its rebuild, back in 2002, and they've been absolutely fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 23, 2020 Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 In case you do decide to split them, and I must admit it makes getting at the piston bores much easier - remember, if you can, to take the pistons out first whilst the caliper is still in one piece, as they're more difficult to remove from the half without hydraulic or air pressure to assist - the small rubber seal that fits between the two halves to seal the internal fluid pipes can be seen below. I can't remember but I suspect these are 12s and 14s, but in the top pic it's at the very bottom, and in the lower pic, one up from the bottom. Canleys for one sell the seal part number CS1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted May 23, 2020 Report Share Posted May 23, 2020 6 hours ago, NonMember said: This may be too long ago to be relevant but I replaced my GT6's calipers with new after its rebuild, back in 2002, and they've been absolutely fine. I think that might be long enough ago for them to be “proper” ones. Those sold now (or at least the pair I own) have a different shape to the bottom of the seal groove compared to original ones. I’ve tried seals from various sources including genuine Girling ones and none have produced an acceptable result. Best result was from some well-used Girling ones, but pedal was still too long. New Girling seals bound them up solid. Gave up and bought an old pair to refurbish. They work fine. The others are living in a box and free to collect. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted May 25, 2020 Report Share Posted May 25, 2020 Refurbishing wires is risky. When I refurbished the B GT the original wires had collapsed over the years. I bought a set of used wires on eBay and sent them off for full refurbishment to a company that had good refs and that gave a firm price of £60.00 each, but now I think their speciality was more veteran wooden type wheels. Once the car was running wheel balance was an issue. So on advice I took them to MWS in Slough (the wire wheel gurus) for re-balancing. They pointed out to me several spokes that had not been replaced and were not bearing any weight and showed me on their UV rotating machine that the rims on two were half an inch out of true. They said they were not then dangerous and OK for use but needed an eye kept on them. I couldn't afford to replace them all then so bought two new painted wires for the front from MWS, and am so impressed I've bought two more now and kept the best of the rest for the spare. I made sure the others were scrapped. The Spitfire came with new tubeless chrome wires which are not my favourite at all. I took them over to MWS but they were amazingly undamaged in the crash. So I could certainly sell these and go back to the original pressed steel but you know now that the car is on its wheels and I have driven it, I quite like the look. But hate the thought of cleaning them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiajon Posted May 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 I’m having thoughts about changing the wheels though my 6 year old son loves the wires! However as he’s not going to be driving it for at least 12 years I’m not sure his views count! Are the wires on a late 1500 tubeless? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 26, 2020 Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 tubes or not depends whos wheels you have but a simple clue is look at the valve if the valve stem is a tight fitted located like a tough grommet then its tubeless if the valve stem just sticks through a hole then its tubed if its tubed you may find many tyre fitters wont help , as most covers are not made the accept a tube , the harsh interior will chafe and rub the tube , there are liners but it does all get a bit ..less easy to get new tyres fitted ...to non tubeless rims you need to ask first saves going mad Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiajon Posted May 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 The spare is definitely tubed. Flat as a kipper’s fingers and the valve pushes in and pops out like a bike tyre! I’d reckon the others are going to be the same. Any views on knock on alloys? Would save me the pain of changing the hubs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted May 26, 2020 Report Share Posted May 26, 2020 Sorry, I've no experience of knock on alloys but they look great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiajon Posted May 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2020 Thanks for all your advice. Brakes calipers will be refurbished and I've a company doing 14" knock on minilite style wheels. Which may cost a bit (lot) more but will save a huge amount of pain! And my son is happy as he wants to keep the wires. Oh the innocence of youth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 28, 2020 Report Share Posted May 28, 2020 changing the hubs ????? most wires are fitted to a nasty bolt on adaptor, if you can find a spanner that fits the restricted hex of the nuts you reveal the normal standard triumph hub for 4 stud wheels then upgrade to 7/16"unf or 12mm wheel studs very worthwhile upgrade pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiajon Posted May 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2020 That simple? Really? Will the studs need pressing out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Twitchen Posted May 28, 2020 Report Share Posted May 28, 2020 6 minutes ago, Kiajon said: Will the studs need pressing out? If you change to 12mm then yes, but not a difficult job and then draw the new ones (Freelander?) in. A good upgrade as Pete says, and definitely if you go the alloy route; have had Revolutions for the past 15 years after wires, rather than minilites. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted May 28, 2020 Report Share Posted May 28, 2020 10 minutes ago, Dick Twitchen said: If you change to 12mm then yes, but not a difficult job and then draw the new ones (Freelander?) in. A good upgrade as Pete says, and definitely if you go the alloy route; have had Revolutions for the past 15 years after wires, rather than minilites. Dick I have upgraded the wheel studs on my Vitesse , not too difficult , deemed necessary if you use mini lite style rims . Here’s the link to my upgrade , your spitfire will be similar Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiajon Posted May 28, 2020 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2020 25 minutes ago, Paul H said: I have upgraded the wheel studs on my Vitesse , not too difficult , deemed necessary if you use mini lite style rims . Here’s the link to my upgrade , your spitfire will be similar Paul Thanks for that. As I need to get brakes refurbed/refreshed this looks like a useful and not to scary option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted May 28, 2020 Report Share Posted May 28, 2020 If you decide NOT to go for knock on/off alloys, but the standard type, I may have a decent set of minilites going spare in a few months time - I've decided to go back to the original style steels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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