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SCP_Austin
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2009
Posts: 366
Location: Tacoma, WA
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 Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 7:37 pm Post subject: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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As the team at SCP continues to drive new product development, we are excited to announce our Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit. These are 4 piston calipers with improved stopping power from our brake it and any of the other kits on the market.
https://smallcar.com/wilwood-front-disc-brake-kit-vanagon/
As Vanagon users, we are always looking for ways to improve, upgrade, explore what is possible. We have a rear kit coming in the next month to round out our performance brakes.
Fitment note:
-works with many 15" wheels (please post your fitment confirmations in the comments here!!)
-we offer a SCP upgrade version for existing G60 style customers
Thank you for the support!
Austin
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9610
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2023 10:41 pm Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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That's nice!
I have Smallcar front and rear brakes from 2009 and am curious about the caliper upgrade kit: https://smallcar.com/wilwood-caliper-upgrade-kit-vanagon/
| Quote: |
| We have a rear kit coming in the next month to round out our performance brakes. |
I need a rear disc brake with a parking brake that will hold a 5,000 lb van.
Not just when the pads are new & hairy, but even after 10,000 miles.
That's kinda difficult with a cable-operated disc brake and I am hopeful !
Also need a motion sensing alarm that screams at me if I drive off with the parking brake pulled.
See I don't have high confidence in the stopping power of a rear disc parking brake.
....but it's possible to hold the van parked, right?
This alarm that i want doesn't have to be tied to the vehicle speed - it can sense any van motion while the parking brake light is on.
Curious what that crooked finger feller thinks about that.  
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wesitarz
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2012
Posts: 1491
Location: Victoria,B.C.Canada
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 12:53 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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| I know what you mean by driving off with the handbrake on. Maybe something simple like signs "Is your handbrake off" Also "Is your anti-theft switch off ". After a while it should become innate. I wonder if that's how I get a nice gouge in the rotor? |
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0cean
Samba Member
Joined: February 29, 2012
Posts: 1149
Location: California
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 5:00 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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This looks like the same kit boxeer was selling a couple years ago. I did all the research and had all the part numbers for this wilwood conversion somewhere, need to find it. Its a good vanagon option and really easy to change the pads.
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E1
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Joined: January 21, 2013
Posts: 6559
Location: Westfalia, Earth
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 5:14 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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| wesitarz wrote: |
| I know what you mean by driving off with the handbrake on. Maybe something simple like signs "Is your handbrake off" Also "Is your anti-theft switch off ". After a while it should become innate. I wonder if that's how I get a nice gouge in the rotor? |
This is similar to what drivers do in racing. There’s enough to focus on that sometimes one thought goes “Poof” as soon as the starter cranks.
One common one is “New pads” to remind you need a few laps to scuff the brakes in.
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
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RGS Paul
Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2007
Posts: 663
Location: Los Alamos, NM
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 7:40 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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It's not like getting quality parts for the stock system is particularly easy these days. They way I approached it was that the aftermarket kits that are out there have good support now and I can't predict availability of any particular replacement part more than a decade out. If the kits I installed get me through the next 10-15 years before becoming obsolete there will probably be new kits on the market then. Replacing the entire brake system every decade and a half doesn't sound like too high a cost to me.
Paul
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vanagondan
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Joined: September 09, 2020
Posts: 73
Location: WA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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| Sodo wrote: |
That's nice!
I have Smallcar front and rear brakes from 2009 and am curious about the caliper upgrade kit: https://smallcar.com/wilwood-caliper-upgrade-kit-vanagon/
| Quote: |
| We have a rear kit coming in the next month to round out our performance brakes. |
I need a rear disc brake with a parking brake that will hold a 5,000 lb van.
Not just when the pads are new & hairy, but even after 10,000 miles.
That's kinda difficult with a cable-operated disc brake and I am hopeful !
Also need a motion sensing alarm that screams at me if I drive off with the parking brake pulled.
See I don't have high confidence in the stopping power of a rear disc parking brake.
....but it's possible to hold the van parked, right?
This alarm that i want doesn't have to be tied to the vehicle speed - it can sense any van motion while the parking brake light is on.
Curious what that crooked finger feller thinks about that. |
I’m the engineer working on the rear brake kit. I’ll keep the alarm request in mind. I’ve got a couple ideas that would be simply to implement. The upgrade kit will be a great option for you. I have not tested the wilwood fronts with the furling style rears yet though. I will soon. You’ll need an adjustable proportioning valve to get optimal performance. In the next weeks I’ll complete testing and have info on the site for setting the proportioning valve appropriately. |
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vanagondan
Samba Member
Joined: September 09, 2020
Posts: 73
Location: WA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:38 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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| djkeev wrote: |
My concern about the brake kits is more into the future.....
The point will come that you need new rotors or brake pads.
Whose? What do you order? From where?
We've already seen older brake mods go the way of the dodo bird..... it is only a matter of time before this one does too.
Instead of buys pads ..... you need to buy the latest brake mod kit?
Maybe the owner who installed the kit will know the parts source, but what about the next or two or three owners into the future? |
The beauty of this kit is that all the wear parts are readily available from us, Wilwood, and other sellers. Calipers and pads are Wilwood, rotors can be sourced through SCP but could easily be found elsewhere, hoses are manufactured by SCP but could be replaced by VW hoses or through SCP, the hubs and bracket are made by SCP but will outlast the van. |
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SCP_Austin
Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2009
Posts: 366
Location: Tacoma, WA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:56 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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I hear the rear e-brake issue come up quite a lot, but I think you guys are getting us confused with our competitors. Our e-brakes work on all kits.
"What about replacement parts?"
This comment comes up a lot. We have done our best to future proof this by manufacturing hubs, brakes lines, and we have rotors made to our specification. Pads and calipers are from Wilwood who is a major player in aftermarket brakes as well. VW Stock left side calipers went out of stock nationally this fall, and we are now in a world where aftermarket parts will start to take over the "stock" replacement parts as they go the way of the Dodo.
We will continue to work hard to bring value to the community and innovate in ways that make a difference.
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djkeev
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RoryGirl
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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| djkeev wrote: |
| Forgive my ignorance, but Ive never heard of Willwood until I read this thread....... |
Link
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djkeev
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SCM
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Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 3118
Location: Bozeman MT
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 4:51 pm Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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| djkeev wrote: |
| RoryGirl wrote: |
| djkeev wrote: |
| Forgive my ignorance, but Ive never heard of Willwood until I read this thread....... |
Link
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Yeah…… probably.
Just out of touch with the aftermarket market. Mainly because the market just makes me yawn……. |
Jay Leno has said he uses Willwoods on all of his resto modded cars ( but maybe you don’t know about him or his extensive car collection). They’re something of a gold standard. If OE calipers are disappearing this option is pretty good news.
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skemems
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Posts: 206
Location: Portland
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| Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 9:36 pm Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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This looks like a solid option especially using wilwood calipers. Nice work!
My only questions is it seems in the photos that the wilwood calipers used are not quite deep enough to maximize the surface area of the rotor. If these are 288mm rotors I would I think you would want to maximize that surface area.
Whats the measurement between the caliper and usable rotor surface?
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vik
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Location: back in Czech
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| Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2023 4:47 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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Wilwood - great idea.
Caliper depth - could this be that SCP used smaller calipers to allow use of 15¨ rims? They seem to be one of the smaller calipers Wilwood offers.
On the other hand - 8 piston carbon-ceramic might be overkill
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Silverghost500
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Joined: August 01, 2018
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Location: Atlanta, GA
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| Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2023 7:51 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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Wilwood is a very good aftermarket brake component vendor. I'm glad to see this kit's availability!
Perhaps Wilwood has a brake booster that might work for the Vanagon platform too.
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tdivan82
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Joined: September 17, 2023
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Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2023 9:12 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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Wilwood is top shelf stuff. Certainly more performant than a floating caliper. Easier to service too. Pads are likely available through any local motorsport shop.
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ledogboy 
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Joined: September 19, 2005
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Location: Scappoose, OR / Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2023 11:19 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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| Silverghost500 wrote: |
Perhaps Wilwood has a brake booster that might work for the Vanagon platform too. |
Fantastic idea!
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0cean
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Joined: February 29, 2012
Posts: 1149
Location: California
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| Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2023 11:28 am Post subject: Re: Wilwood Front Disc Brake Kit: Vanagon |
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If i remember from my reseach, the brake pads can be removed without removing the full caliper. That is a huge pluse in my book. Dont know if its the same with the claipers shown.
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