fto workshop tips - brakes..

The following information is based on over 30 years in the motor trade and 10 years experience with the sales and servicing of Mitsubishi FTOs. This advice should help you make a more informed decision regarding parts purchase and may also be useful for any DIY'ers out there. 


If you think you need new brake pads, before ordering check the condition of the brake discs. Apart from obvious scoring, look out for corrosion around the centre boss of the disc, the outer edge and the ventilation slots around the periphery. Don't forget to have a look on the inside of the disc as this is often the worst area for rust. Minor vibrations felt through the pedal under braking can often be cured by replacing the brake pads, but more serious dynamic vibration, often felt through the steering wheel as well as the brake pedal, is often down to deterioration of both the brake pads and variations in the surface of the disc itself. These symptoms are often incorrectly referred to as 'warped 'discs. Whatever, the only solution is to change both brake discs and brake pads.

Don't be tempted to save money by refitting used pads with new discs. Brake performance will be compromised and there is the possibility of damaging your new discs and thus affecting service life. 

 upgrading front brakes on a gr, gs or gx..
The Mivec engined  versions of the FTO such as the GPX and GPvR have larger 276mm diameter vented front brake discs compared to those on their lesser powered counterparts, GR, GS, GX, which measure just 256mm. In addition they also have a two piston caliper with larger brake pads instead of the smaller single piston version fitted to the lower powered models. It is fairly easy to upgrade the front brakes of a non mivec FTO. You will need a pair of 276mm front discs, a pair of twin piston calipers complete with carriers/slides and a set of suitable brake pads. These items will fit straight on to GR hubs and drive flanges without modification and the standard brake master cylinder/servo arrangement seems to handle the conversion without any problems. 

This set up is quite satisfactory for most normal road applications, but for track days you will need to consider a change of brake pads to something more suitable. Mintex, Ferodo and Jurid all produce decent products suitable for higher braking temperatures. Drilled or drilled and grooved discs can also aid brake cooling and maintain braking efficiency under more extreme conditions, albeit often at the expense of increased brake pad wear rate and noise. See brake fluid tips below. 

Rear brake discs, calipers and brake pads remain the same throughout the FTO range.

brake fluid..

When changing or uprating your brakes, don't forget to pay attention to your brake fluid. Brake fluid has a service life of approximately 3 years and one of the reasons why it should be changed regularly is that it is hygroscopic, ie it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. This absorption of water can seriously affect the performance of brake fluid at high braking temperatures. 

Excess pedal travel experienced after sustained heavy braking, often incorrectly attributed to 'brake fade', is far more likely to be as a result of the brake fluid's lowered boiling point due to water contamination. 

Use a good quality DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid - and always from a sealed container.

IMPORTANT
Although we have been very careful in the compilation of our advice pages,  we cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage caused if you decide to follow the advice contained herein. Don't tackle any work unless you are confident that you fully understand the complexity of the job you are undertaking. Make sure that you have the correct tools and never, ever work under an unsupported vehicle. If you are not confident that you can complete the job, then it should be entrusted to a specialist.
If you feel that there are any errors on any aspect of this page, or simply wish to comment, please call Malcolm on 0191 586 7724 

or you can email us here



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