The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Am I right in thinking that all of our dolly pads are the same? Will the brakes benefit in removing the dust shields from the back? I want to make the brakes a little sharper and more responsive.

Dolomite brakes are s##t. Removing the dust shields means you still have s##t brakes but now everything is covered in dust. Swapping to some decent quality Mintex pads will help a lot uless you want to upgrade to a vented type of setup.

Back when the cars were current the deal was the pads were supposed to match the servo size...

ergo the Sprint got "harder" pads.

Triumph were always a tad "optimistic" about the standard Sprint brakes I reckon. I seriously doubt they were thrashed up and down Stelvio before being
foisted on the public....

Of course most BL garages just fitted the first set of pads they found at the first change...and post end of production you had to really know your stuff
to get the right ones....

I used to kill a set of Moprod pads in 5k miles when I used the Sprint for commuting....

It does indeed pay to shop around or ebay stalk for the right Mintex ones.,...

Jonners

These pads were also used on some fords, i thought capri and some escorts. It widens your search.

Jeroen

SprintMWU773V wrote:Dolomite brakes are s##t. Removing the dust shields means you still have s##t brakes but now everything is covered in dust. Swapping to some decent quality Mintex pads will help a lot uless you want to upgrade to a vented type of setup.

They're OK for a 1500, you hve to press the pedal a bit, but I've never been in a situation were I thought I needed bigger brakes. For a track, you might have issues, but they aren't designed for that.

I know that the Sprint has TR6 drums on the back, but are the Sprint front discs uprated over the lower models?

All Dollys have the same front brakes, incredibly.

Hi,

Standard discs the same across the range (part number 312078) though there are now many options to upgrade them from different discs / pads to full on conversions with different calipers etc.

If i recall correctly the standard pads for 13 15 and 1850 were Unipart GBP 283 (part number) The Sprint was GBP282 i believe but will double check this when home, may be able to cross ref the number.

Cheers

Iain

TKLR wrote:Hi,

Standard discs the same across the range (part number 312078) though there are now many options to upgrade them from different discs / pads to full on conversions with different calipers etc.

If i recall correctly the standard pads for 13 15 and 1850 were Unipart GBP 283 (part number) The Sprint was GBP282 i believe but will double check this when home, may be able to cross ref the number.

Cheers

Iain

So a Sprint has 50BHP more than more car, but the same front brakes? I think I begin to understand the problem.

Hi,

Yes the 1850HL was, i think, 91BHP, and the brakes were adequate at best, add the extra Sprint capacity, and fade a distinct possibility..

from the outset it really should've had vented discs and larger calipers at least i think.. Always tried to drive as defensively as i could with mine, and will do again when she resurfaces from the restoration...

However the roads seem to abound with lunatics that feel an indicator lamp is an optional extra, and even when used feel it also powers up some sort of defensive shield that means you won't hit them.. Mirrors? for checking makeup, hair, or that spot.. not for looking what is coming up behind you at all..

Effective brakes i fear are more of a necessity now however defensively you drive, even with the gift of second sight the swine still catch you out from time to time..

What's the mintex pad number? I've selected the uprated discs from a spitfire but will need to put them in my lathe and turn them down a little then it's the pads that need sourcing.

As we explained higher up the thread...the brakes were model dependent...

Ohv cars have less servo assistance...probably to stop over braking with the lighter front end...

Sprints have a slightly bigger servo and harder pads....as OE.

Brakes are adequate for normal road use, but fade prone on track or long mountain passes.

Jonners

...and it matters not what pads you force up against them if you are running around on wafer thin 40 year old discs that have no heat capacity left whatsoever! OE discs are about 10 mm thick. If your's are now only 4 mm then think about it! Don't measure the visible edge where the pads don't bear either, measure the thickness of the shiny bit!!

spitfire discs will not work, they have the wrong offset.
I would be after either mintex 1144 or probably just as good, NoS asbestos pads (I have a good supply for my spitfire with GT6 brakes I managed to pick up a while ago, and will not be parting with them!)

Brakes are adequate for normal road use.

I must intervene, the standard front brakes are rubbish.
To get decent brakes you must upgrade to something like Ford calipers on VW vented discs, as in a Trackerjack conversion.


To describe Dolomite brakes as adequate is akin to saying you must never exceed 12 or perhaps 13mph,
or to describe a coat as waterproof so long as it doesn't rain,
or to describe a thief as honest so long as he doesn't get caught,
or to describe fried breakfasts as healthy so long as you don't eat them,
etc,etc.



Ian.

sprint95m wrote:

Brakes are adequate for normal road use.

I must intervene, the standard front brakes are rubbish.
To get decent brakes you must upgrade to something like Ford calipers on VW vented discs, as in a Trackerjack conversion.


To describe Dolomite brakes as adequate is akin to saying you must never exceed 12 or perhaps 13mph,
or to describe a coat as waterproof so long as it doesn't rain,
or to describe a thief as honest so long as he doesn't get caught,
or to describe fried breakfasts as healthy so long as you don't eat them,
etc,etc.



Ian.

I think its probably fairer to say that the brakes WERE adequate, when the cars were new! but in those days there were still a respectable number of cars in daily use with rod or cable brakes and many low spec cars (and some fairly powerful ones like the MkII Zodiac) which had drums all round and no servo!
Times have (thankfully) changed and modern braking systems, even on cheap, light cars, are far better than anything made in the 70s.
However this does mean that we have to keep up, either by being better drivers and respecting our cars limitations (probably the best idea but a bit boring) or by uprating our brakes to cope with modern conditions (safer all round since you still never know what the other numptys will do - and more fun as well!)

Steve