Hello,

I'm trying to fit some Ford Sierra rear calipers to my kit car, and am having some trouble getting them onto the mounting plate. Does anyone know what the distance between the two mounting holes on standard Sierra Rear Calipers should be? Were they the same size for all models (except Cosworth), as the holes in the ones I have seem to be about 20mm too far apart. I hope someone can help as I'm not sure it'll get through the SVA with front brakes only! Thanks

... but do you have the big mounting brackets aswell as the calipers?

The calipers mount on a big bracket, which is bolted hard onto the uprights. THe caliper 'floats' on 2 pins located into the bracket.

Apologies if you're already thought of that, but it's often the first thing people forget.

You might not have had these big brackets if you bought just the calipers from a car spares shop.

Regards,
Adam.

are you using the rear hubs from the rear disk car or wanting to fit the disc brake calipers onto a drum braked sierra car's hub? if the latter you need some adapter plates from Darren @ gts.

Ned.

Thanks for your replies.

The calipers are to go onto a drum braked Sierra hub, and I already have an adapter plate which should(!) do this. The basic problem is that the holes in the adapter plate don't match those on the caliper that I've been supplied with (to the tune of about 20mm), but the suppliers of both parts insist that the hole spacing is correct for Sierra rear calipers. The holes in the adapter plate are about 90mm apart, and those on the calipers that I've got are about 110mm apart. Any ideas who's right, or anything else obvious that I've missed?

Thanks,
Matt

Matt,

You don't say who the parts are from. I had a set of GTS's adapter brackets by mistake and they definately line up with the calipers I have from a late abs sierra. one of the holes on the caliper bracket lugs seems offset slightly to the rest if that helps at all.

Ned.

What I meant was not the adapter plate, but a Ford item, which has 4 holes in total:

2 holes to bolt onto the hub (or adapter plate) and 2 other holes to accept the pins on which the caliper sit.

It also has the 'ears' which guide the location of the pads.

Some people call it a caliper 'hanger' I think!?

They're cast / forged, rather than cut from plate like the GTS adapter plates, so they'll be easy to identify.

As far as I remember you NEED a pair of these, there's no way around it. And like I said, they don't come with a pair of recon'd calipers from a car spares shop.

Does that make sense? I know it's not very clear.

It may be these you're missing.

Adam.

Adam,

this is what i meant in my first post. the cast part that the hub/splined spindle fir thorugh. a disc braked car would have these, but converting from a drum braked car to use sierra rear discs you'd need the adapter plate mentioned above.

hope we're all understanding each other correctly !

Ned.

a picture speaks a thousand words gentlemen

this is the part i think we're all talking about. the example in the pic is from a drum brake car. the disc brake version is the same, but the casting behind the hub has 2 lugs on it to hold the brake caliper.

Image deleted by owner

Ned.

Edit: On another note I recall that James got his rear calipers exchange recond' and one of the problems he had is that he was supplied the wrong caliper for one of the back corners


[Edited on 30/6/04 by ned]

Ned,

(I know you all know what you're talking about, so if I sound like I'm condescending anyone, I'm really really not, I'm just trying to explain it as I understand it! Sorry!)

I know what you mean, and I have seen the 2 different hub carriers - the '4hole' ones for drums, and the '6hole' ones for discs.

I also know that the adapter plate takes the place of the '6hole' one is you have drum hubs.

However, there is ANOTHER Ford part, which I don't know if Matt is still missing.

It is the caliper carrier / bracket / hanger which bolts SOLID to the extra 2 holes (on either the adapter plate or the original 'ears' of the hub carrier), and then does 2 things:

1 - mount the caliper on the sliding pins (being a 1pot caliper, the caliper needs to be able to slide in & out as the piston pushes against the fixed disc)

2 - act as an outer guide to the pads.

I wish I had a good photo, but you can almost see it on the 'rear-susp' photo on my archive. You can see the shiny disc, the matt grey caliper (with the handbrake spring showing), and inbetween, a gloss black component (with shiny bolt head showing, as it passes through the '6hole' hub carrier), which is the thing I'm talking about.

I have a suspicion it is this bit that Matt is missing, as it made me scratch my head when I fitted mine.

Again - apologies if that sounds anything other than helpful!!!

Phew - I think my brain needs a rest!

Adam.


P.S. Look in the top right corner of the photo - it's JUST ABOUT visible!

[Edited on 30/6/04 by adampage]

[Edited on 30/6/04 by adampage]

[Edited on 30/6/04 by adampage]

It's 90mm centres for the carrier bolt holes. Got a sierra rear hub in my sweaty hand , and just measured it.
Hope this helps.




Dave.
Rescued attachment rear hub.jpg

here is a pic of the calipers i have that fit my 6 hole type hub carrier thingy. i assumed the bit you're talking about adam is part of the caliper itself?



Ned.

[Edited on 30/6/04 by ned]

Dave,

If the plate you show has 90mm distance, between holes, and Matt has 110mm between his caliper holes, what he is missing is the bit which goes inbetween the adapter plate (which he has) and the caliper.

Matt - I think you need to get to a scrappy, and get a pair of rear caliper hangers / carriers / brackets, depending on what you're scrapman calls them.

Also - you'll need the pins on which they slide, about 40mm-ish long, with a short thread on one end, and a hex hole on the other for an allen key to tighten 'em. You then stick a bit of grease on 'em, and get a couple of little rubber gaitors to keep 'em clean.

HTH,
Adam.

mrh,i m probly goin to the barn tonight,should be some there,il have a look for ya

Just saw your post after typing my last one!

In your photo you can see (on the caliper to the left) just above the piston, there is a 'bridge' shaped bit, which slides in & out relative to the caliper.

It is this bit with the 110mm apart holes and the 90mm apart holes.

If Matt has only the calipers without these bits, he'll only have 110mm apart holes.

HTH a bit more,
Adam.

oops ! my reply went in a bit quick.

The drawing in my prevous post is the plan view of the sierra rear hub. The 90mm dimension is where the brake pad carrier bolts to.
I think you can see what I mean in this photo:

Cheers

Dave
Rescued attachment rear brake.jpg

does this help!

This is my set up using rear end from a sierra GLSi which had rear discs.

On the MK the calipers are set in a different position because the hub carrier was produced for drums set up so take no notice of the position,the caliper carrier bolts onto the two bolt holes on the hub abd the calipers then bolt on and float on the carrier.

bob,

can't open your .art files again

i'm off home now anyway, a 30min walk to waterloo in the rain bloody tube strikes...

Ned.

Sorted, I'm basically missing the linkage between the mounting plate and the caliper body itself then. Thanks guys - saved me a lot of head scratching. Looks like I'll be on my way to pick up some caliper carriers - might actually pass this SVA thing afterall...

Thanks,
Matt

Sorry lads i tried to drag the file from the photo archive and it just came out like that,if you go to my archive its under the title of "rear hubs"