minifins - anyone used them?

[Gr4H4m]

Anyone ever used minifins on the front are they any good... or do I need to save for a 4 pot kit???

[supadupacupa]

They will help if your running into brake fade, if your not then I say put them on only if you get them cheap!!

They do lower the unsprung weight on the corner, so the shocks dont have to work as hard. Again if your racing it, this matters!!.

You don't need to go as mad as 4 pots, a good standard set of S disc's will be fine, just use good pads. After that I'd be looking at either 8.4's with metro calipers or changing my rims to those 10" ones that minispeed sell and fit the standard 8.4 setup.

A good set of S disc's can still be bought for 250-300.

[charlie_mini]

i've got minifins on the back of charlie- not massively over impressed with them, they look good tho, sure i read somewere that its not worth fitting them to front drums tho....
that said think the 4pots would look ace! as supadupacooper said the S discs can be bought for 250-300 but minisport have their own ally 4pots for £314 in a choice of colours! very sxy!
http://www.minisport.com/classic-mini-shop/products/brakes-drivetrain/brake-kits-assemblies/mini-sport-4-pot-alloy-caliper-brake-product.html

:D

[supadupacupa]

I must admit, they do look the biz but unless you have a set of 8.4's disc's sitting about, you have to buy them (I have a set sitting about actually, but that is not a "For sale" comment...... well it could be!!) and if you want to run 10" then you have to get them machined down to 7.9. (I think he does)

It all adds up £££'s

They would be great brakes though.

The rear brkes on a mini hardly work that hard, fitting minifins save weight and look good, you'd be hard pushed to notice any difference.

I have a friend in mini rallying circles that I do respect his advice, once said that he removed the minifins from the rear as all the feeling had gone from his brakes half way through a event, replaced them with the cast drums and had no issues. He would have been really pushing the car though.

[charlie_mini]

i haven't really pushed my rear brakes too hard since i've had the minifins on but they dont seem any better than standard drums! just as well i got mine for less than £30! so i'm not too bothered that it could be wasted ££ sure wouldn't wanna pay £60+ for them! :D

[supadupacupa]

But they always look better than rusty cast drums through the alloys!

[Gr4H4m]

how much thread needs to stick out from the drum? I have got some original minifins without the spacer which I thought would be a straight swap for the front, but the minifins are a little bit wider. I have counted the turns on the wheel nuts with the wheels on... this is to the point where you would have to tighten them up

My standard drums - 8 turns
Minifins - 5 turns

Is 5 safe? or does it need longer studs?

Thanks all

[supadupacupa]

Is the thread flush with the end of the nut when the minifins are fitted and bolted up?

If so, that will be fine, its when the threads of the nut are still showing I would not go any further until you have extended studs.

If that is the case and you do have to buy them, don't go too long. If you have wheel trims on, sometimes they won't seat and it also look's a little odd with alloys on.

[Gr4H4m]

Is the thread flush with the end of the nut when the minifins are fitted and bolted up?

If so, that will be fine, its when the threads of the nut are still showing I would not go any further until you have extended studs.

If that is the case and you do have to buy them, don't go too long. If you have wheel trims on, sometimes they won't seat and it also look's a little odd with alloys on.

Thanks Mate I will see if I can find my original nuts, I'm using the covered type at the mo.

As they are not a straight swap and the effort in changing the studs, I'm going to move to discs using a fiesta conversion....

might sort them for the back and check with my original nuts, or just sell them on and get some 1 inch spacer drums on the back so it matches the front with the disc's on.

Shame as they are originals and look good quality.:( Thanks for your help. :cool:

[TONYELF]

Thanks Mate I will see if I can find my original nuts

I do too Gr4h4m!!!!!!!!!:D

[Gr4H4m]

:d :d :d :d