I'm totally new to this so bear with me please and this almost certainly has been covered just need some advice ive got a mk2 fabia 1.2htp with 256mm on brakes are useless want some bigger ones like 288s what do I need in terms of calipers, carriers, hubs if needed. I've got some 16" mk1 vrs alloys on atm so just need the space behind filling for looks but most important better stopping power cheers 

Fix the problem(s) with the 256s, they should feel ample for an HTP. Is it the 6-valve or 12-valve variant of HTP?

 

If you do want to go bigger you need the other type of wheel bearing carrier, without the built-in brake carrier. 

 

If the problem with the current set-up is hydraulic or pneumatic you won't be any better off though.

Any warning lights on?  Our HTP suffered a gradual loss of servo assistance due to a PCV valve airleak.  Fixing that returned the brakes to their previous ample functionality and they are only the 239mm size.

The airleak started to generate intermittent lambda faults but only years after the brakes started to get worse.

Brake servo vac hose cracking is another mechanism fro airleaks direct into the servo pneumatics, check it by feel and visually ether side of the one-way valve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would go with Wino on this... I have always found the Fabia's standard brakes to be just fine. The only thing I do, is fit decent branded pads and discs and as I usually do it myself with parts from ECP/CP4L, etc, I change the discs every two pad sets or so. I compared recently, the cost of these parts for the Fabby, against a Sandero Stepway, which is basically a trendy version of the cheapest car available in the UK, where the spares for the Skoda came out quite a bit cheaper!

This is most likely due the the VW/Skoda parts being more "common", therefore freely available and purchased in bulk, sold in larger amounts.

 

Back to the original issue, though, I have found the brakes to be great, completely suitable for the weight and power of the car, with enough stopping power, not grabby, no fade in normal use, etc so for regular driving, I think your issue is elsewhere, unless the pads/discs are worn or contaminated or Wino put you on to the right path.

 

I feel I must add, I do have the rear disc set-up and not rear drums but then, I practice emergency stops quite frequently and can see the nose dive, etc where the fronts simply do provide the bulk of the stopping force.

Edited 7 January, 20215 yr by mrgf

From whats been said ill upgrade the pads discs and hoses to some braided lines EBC pads and brembo discs see if that helps ive gone into abs 4 or 5 times and I'm not really braking that heavy either and they get very hot overhauled the brakes as thought had a sticky caliper put some oem pads and discs on still no different 

17 hours ago, Wino said:

Fix the problem(s) with the 256s, they should feel ample for an HTP. Is it the 6-valve or 12-valve variant of HTP?

 

If you do want to go bigger you need the other type of wheel bearing carrier, without the built-in brake carrier. 

 

If the problem with the current set-up is hydraulic or pneumatic you won't be any better off though.

Any warning lights on?  Our HTP suffered a gradual loss of servo assistance due to a PCV valve airleak.  Fixing that returned the brakes to their previous ample functionality and they are only the 239mm size.

The airleak started to generate intermittent lambda faults but only years after the brakes started to get worse.

Brake servo vac hose cracking is another mechanism fro airleaks direct into the servo pneumatics, check it by feel and visually ether side of the one-way valve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its 12 valve no lights on dash and there rear drums tbh they just suck but as I've said upgrade and see if that helps as Clarkson says "there like milk bottle tops"

So it's a vanity thing more than a function thing. I'm not really interested in that sort of stuff, so I'll leave further guidance to others. 

I have a standard 1.2 htp elegance and the brakes are just fine, even after very hard driving. If you feel they are not on your car I suggest you give them a good service and change discs/pads as appropriate. There is nothing wrong with drum brakes an lower powered cars, in fact they can be a bonus. Rear brakes do not in fact do that much work, which is why you frequently see rear discs as rusty, pitted and seized. My car has covered 103k miles and still has the original drums and shoes.  If your abs is kicking in it suggests you brakes are working just fine but your tyres are loosing grip during braking for whatever reason so I would check your tyres. No point in chucking money and time upgrading brakes when not needed.

Edited 8 January, 20215 yr by Phil866

37 minutes ago, Wino said:

So it's a vanity thing more than a function thing. I'm not really interested in that sort of stuff, so I'll leave further guidance to others. 

Vanity??? I didn't realise over a computer you can diagnose issues if I'm saying the brakes aren't as good as I think they should be then why is that vanity not safety a group thats suppose to help but instead claim your vain 👍

1 minute ago, Phil866 said:

I have a standard 1.2 htp elegance and the brakes are just fine, even after very hard driving. If you feel they are not on your car I suggest you give them a good service and change discs/pads as appropriate. There is nothing wrong with drum brakes an lower powered cars, in fact they can be a bonus. Rear brakes do not in fact do that much work, which is why you frequently see rear discs as rusty, pitted and seized. My car has covered 103k miles and still has the original drums and shoes.  If your abs is kicking in it suggests you brakes are working just fine but your tyres are loosing grip during braking for whatever reason so I would check your tyres. No point in chucking money and time at brakes when not needed.

New tyres although budget only covered 1k miles on them would it be an idea to save get some better ones then I'm guessing just normal driving brakes get very hot which is why I thought brakes and abs kicking in 

Because you mentioned looks in your opening post, and again with the Clarkson reference.  You didn't seem interested in trying to pin down why your existing brakes don't feel adequate (i.e. what's actually wrong in the system) you just want to bolt on some bigger stuff.

 

3 minutes ago, stuberto82 said:

I didn't realise over a computer you can diagnose issues

As far as I'm concerned that 's exactly what I'm here to try to do. 

 

Tata for now.

1 minute ago, Wino said:

Because you mentioned looks in your opening post, and again with the Clarkson reference.  You didn't seem interested in trying to pin down why your existing brakes don't feel adequate (i.e. what's actually wrong in the system) you just want to bolt on some bigger stuff.

 

As far as I'm concerned that 's exactly what I'm here to try to do. 

 

Tata for now.

Aesthetics was a by comment clarkson comment references in my opinion crap brakes but oh well pick and choose as you feel

6 minutes ago, stuberto82 said:

New tyres although budget only covered 1k miles on them would it be an idea to save get some better ones then I'm guessing just normal driving brakes get very hot which is why I thought brakes and abs kicking in 

Tell me off if I'm patronising but new tyres do need a few hundred miles to 'run in' https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/car/all-about-tyres/tyre-change-fitting/changing-tyres/braking-with-new-tyres

and brakes, especially front, will get very hot when used hard (never poke your finger on a hot brake disc, it hurts!) as they have to absorb a lot of energy. As I suggested I would first have your current setup serviced as they may not be up to full efficiency. Owners on here have upgraded their brakes with doner parts from Golf's etc but mostly for aesthetic or track day event reasons. There are several 'how to' threads if you search but it's not a simple take off and bolt on exercise. as I say sorry if I come over a bit patronising and I hope you sort it. 

7 minutes ago, Phil866 said:

Tell me off if I'm patronising but new tyres do need a few hundred miles to 'run in' https://www.continental-tyres.co.uk/car/all-about-tyres/tyre-change-fitting/changing-tyres/braking-with-new-tyres

and brakes, especially front, will get very hot when used hard (never poke your finger on a hot brake disc, it hurts!) as they have to absorb a lot of energy. As I suggested I would first have your current setup serviced as they may not be up to full efficiency. Owners on here have upgraded their brakes with doner parts from Golf's etc but mostly for aesthetic or track day event reasons. There are several 'how to' threads if you search but it's not a simple take off and bolt on exercise. as I say sorry if I come over a bit patronising and I hope you sort it. 

Sound thanks yeah made the mistake of touching them not again haha ill get it booked in ASAP and see how it goes upgrade was better stopping #1 a little for looks 👌 

I put green stuff pads on the front but didn't really notice any difference. They did seem to wear the discs down. I now have Ferodo pads and discs and they seem fine. The brakes are not as good as my old Alfa but that had discs the size of dinner plates. The Alfa brakes had little initial bite so I always left a good distance to the car in front. When pressed hard they really stopped.  

1 minute ago, John Fisher said:

I put green stuff pads on the front but didn't really notice any difference. They did seem to wear the discs down. I now have Ferodo pads and discs and they seem fine. The brakes are not as good as my old Alfa but that had discs the size of dinner plates. The Alfa brakes had little initial bite so I always left a good distance to the car in front. When pressed hard they really stopped.  

Would grooved discs make a difference especially with the hest these seem to produce heard bad things about drilled discs like cracking not going to drive it hard anyway just want a better feel to feel like I'm going to stop not just stop eventually EBC or just something like the ferodo even a matching set of brembos to go with the discs I may get once I've had it looked at properly by someone who knows abit more than me lol

Another thing to ask, is it manual or auto? Auto's have a tendency  to wear brakes quicker due to higher demand to stop (No engine braking) So they will also get hotter too, especially if driven in hilly areas and the brakes are used to correct speed, rather then use the gears to lock down a bit, if you follow my drift!

as I understand things, grooved discs help to prevent brake fade by allowing hot gases to vent from between the pad and the disc. I have only ever had brake fade with my Morris Minor with drum brakes all round. With that car you did use the gears to brake. A bad practice in a modern car as brakes are cheaper than gearboxes. I can recall my driving instructor saying "gears to go, brakes to slow"    

Grooved/drilled disks will reduce glazing a little since there's an edge on the grooves/holes that can scrape off the glazed layer. From a cooling point of view, it comes down to a balance between increased cooling from the larger surface area and reduced heat dissipation from the pads due to the smaller volume of metal available to absorb heat. You're depending on the designer of the disks to have done their job there.

44 minutes ago, chimaera said:

Grooved/drilled disks will reduce glazing a little since there's an edge on the grooves/holes that can scrape off the glazed layer. From a cooling point of view, it comes down to a balance between increased cooling from the larger surface area and reduced heat dissipation from the pads due to the smaller volume of metal available to absorb heat. You're depending on the designer of the disks to have done their job there.

I've taken it to a mates garage discs are shot there are ridges in the discs when you run your finger across them alignment is out so new ferodo pads and discs coming and alignment is being done tomorrow hopefully that'll help🤞👍