Thread: Defender Calipers + Rangie

There is no need to upgrade the rear brakes. Depending on the dynamics of your setup, bigger fronts alone can work very well or bigger fronts and removing the proportioning valve.

Thanks for that. As I think you'll know, once you start digging around for information on these sorts of things it can get pretty confusing. I think on one thread Rovercare reckoned you needed all four calipers to keep the front-and-back bias the same, (and I know he had done this conversion), whereas someone else, (was it you?), had only used the fronts.

Originally Posted by Davo

Thanks for that. As I think you'll know, once you start digging around for information on these sorts of things it can get pretty confusing. I think on one thread Rovercare reckoned you needed all four calipers to keep the front-and-back bias the same, (and I know he had done this conversion), whereas someone else, (was it you?), had only used the fronts.

I've got about 7 years on this conversion and I did just the front calipers. Initially with the pressure reducing valve and later without. I prefer it better without.

Stock in heavy braking it would lock up the rears.
With the bigger front calipers and pressure reducing valve I could lockup the fronts in hard braking on damp surfaces. I only did that once. Without the PR valve I don't think I've locked any up.

Keep in mind I have a 4BD1T over the front axle. Your results may vary.

Righto, I get you there. As far as I can remember, cars are designed to lock up the fronts first anyway for safety reasons. So you only used the fronts, and redid the pipework to suit. Thanks again.

Davo,

I just recently done the front on my classic. Things to remember are the calliper bolt sizing is different.
The 83 will have the smaller imperial bolt/thread. The defender calipers will fit but if you utilise the standard (83) imperial bolt it will eventually work its way loose.
I think many drill and tap the diff housing caliper mount to utilise the later style metric bolt/thread.

I am not sure on the rear as I tried to upgrade them (have new calipers) but they did not clear the standard rover disc brake hub section. Have yet to do any more in that regard.

I have a thread in my members build (club section) link for reference;
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/gclro-memb...ml#post1870210

There are other methods. Mine above is just one way to do it. Feeds the rear via the proportioning valve but it has no other feed to proportion with, so in effect is not ding anything as far as I can recall.

EDIT: also note that I am yet to complete the mod, as I have opted to replace the entire front diff housing (rear is done already) to accept the metric calliper bolts.


Cheers
Grimace

I also had to grind the ears on the calipers for clearance on my original diff housing. I have since changed front axle and didn't check if grinding would be necessary to fit the later axle.

Originally Posted by Dougal

I also had to grind the ears on the calipers for clearance on my original diff housing. I have since changed front axle and didn't check if grinding would be necessary to fit the later axle.

Interesting, what year model was your original axle out of?
I did not have to do this. So can confirm 1990 RRC axle does not require the calliper itself to be modded (but the housing itself does have the incorrect imperial bolt/thread).

Originally Posted by Grimace

Interesting, what year model was your original axle out of?
I did not have to do this. So can confirm 1990 RRC axle does not require the calliper itself to be modded (but the housing itself does have the incorrect imperial bolt/thread).

First one was 85 RRC, second one was 97 disco.