3200/4200 Brake Discs a possible solution...

Maserati V8

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Hi fellow forum members, thought I would share this with you...

Having recently become a 4200 owner I have been doing some research into the elusive brake discs and difficulty in sourcing any but OEMs at ridiculous prices. Having looked through some posts on the subject on another Maserati forum I believe it was agreed that Ferrari 456 discs front and rear fitted our cars but with a couple of slight issues:

1. discs are not drilled on the 456
2. bell mounting flange thickness is 8mm on the 456 discs and 3200/4200's are 7mm

So not an exact replacement but usable if so wish.

I decided to look through all the OEM disc manufacturer (Brembo) technical drawings and I believe I have found what could be our answer...

The discs fitted to the 550 Maranello seem to be exactly the same as ours! Same technical dimensions as the 456's but are drilled and have 7mm thick bell housing mounting flange, not 8mm.

Looking at the 550's callipers they also seem the same and having crossed referenced the pads with a number of retailers they also seem to be the same.

The discs can be purchased for around £70 plus vat for a front one and around £65 for a rear, so considerably cheaper for what appears to be the exact same thing as Maserati at £200 each! Also pads around £28 for front set of 4 and slightly less for rears.

Perhaps worth a little more research from fellow forum members to confirm this is indeed the case and see if you come up with the same results before we get too excited!

Cheers

James
 

Parisien

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James, it has been debated several times.......and we are still trying to get exact OEMs done....but having difficulties....discs I believe can be drilled, am not sure about the whole interfering with or/forcing(?)...the flange part........some members frown completely about any alterations to discs, will await further debate?!


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rs48635

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3,181
Sure we've reached a dead end on another thread with this one. The flange thickness might be only one millimetre difference, but that could put the disk rotor off centre in out caliper.
Maybe it will work, but we need a 550 disk and Trident car to fit it on. Then we can see the offset, if any. On a warmer day I will happily be a guinea pig. Anyone got a 550 front disk?

Think Roberto Grimaldi warned me off 550 disks, for just that (offset) reason.
 

Parisien

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There are ongoing options the forum is exploring, some which may not come to fruition for a few months, but when we know more this forum will be the first to know!!!


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Emtee

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P, Apologies, I know you're waiting on me on this one. Bear with me I haven't forgotten.

Also spoken to Geoff at Shiltech about this and I'm all but certain the 550's are the same (RS, the flange is the same at 7mm). There's a chance the 360's are the same also. James, did you check the 360 drawings?
 

Parisien

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Miles, no probs........you've had your hands full!!

....so 550s are priced at what...fronts/ rears...as MV8 states....plus more importantly the flange definitely the same.......they only need drilled now...........?

Hope to nail this down Miles/guys!


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Emtee

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Miles, no probs........you've had your hands full!!

....so 550s are priced at what...fronts/ rears...as MV8 states....plus more importantly the flange definitely the same.......they only need drilled now...........?

Hope to nail this down Miles/guys!


P

550's are drilled. Check out Enzo's here.. (week 4)

http://enzocars.com/550/
 

Emtee

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Getting there I think P. I'll pop round to see Geoff before the week is out to chat further. Oh, by the way, I have my old clutch now if that's of any use?
 

Parisien

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Ok...will check with Loz.......and see how hes getting on with his enquiry........good stuff re Geoff....hoping it finally comes to a happy conclusion!


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Maserati V8

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I will check the Brembo CAD drawings for the 360, but think it is only the 550's which match. As said in my first post of this thread they are the correct 7mm thickness and are already drilled from Brembo as OEM specs.

Also the technical drawings show that there is a tollerance factor built into production of a value of around .4 or .5 of a mm (from memory as I'm at work at the moment and dont have drawings with me). This applies to disc thickness and the much debated offset, so that would explane why the 456 discs (debated on the other forum when checked by a member were found to be around that sort of difference and dismissed them). I am 99.9% sure the 550's are a direct OEM sepc fit but obviously branded ferrari and not maserati.As mentioned the pads and calliper also look to match. Makes ense as the 550 is around the same weight but faster top speed around 199mph.

I may well purchase a disc and use a CMM (coordinate measuring machine) to take exact datums for 100% conclusive evidence for any sceptics out there. CMM's measure to fractions of microns - not that dics are produced that accurate in the first place - the evidence is in the Brembo drawings.

If the above is the case then there is no need for anyone to go to the expense of producing their own when a solution has been there all the time!

Cheers

James
 

Parisien

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James......we await your return with your findings..............if all works out....you can be the forums Santa Claus for 2010...:)

Excellent stuff...keep up the good work!


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Danny

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442
The discs can be purchased for around £70 plus vat for a front one and around £65 for a rear, so considerably cheaper for what appears to be the exact same thing as Maserati at £200 each! Also pads around £28 for front set of 4 and slightly less for rears.

This could be very good news indeed. But Where did you get the above prices from? I checked Eurospares and 550 discs are exactly the same price as 3200 discs.
 

Parisien

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I think ebay or a similar online shop Danny.....we've waited and awful long time for this to be resolved!!!!


Greengripper pads though at £70 fronts and backs incl postage from BBrakes are a must too!


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Maserati V8

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Discs from www.nextdaybrakes.com are £121 each (Brembo) for fronts in high carbon content and in the new pillar vane technology version (basically Brembo's way of channelling air through the rotor for better cooling dynamics), rears are price on request, or from Brakes International are £78.69 plus vat per front and £62.42 plus vat per rear, but not sure what the brand is - could be Brembo's because of Brakes International buying power as one of Europe's largest brake distributors so can offer very competitive prices as buying direct from distributor and not after market tuning shops with their top slice added. Alternatively they might be another make such as BremTech so a phone call would confirm I'm sure. Whatever the make, they will be to the same specification. I have used Brakes International a few time before for discs on previous restoration projects and both the discs and pads supplied were excellent and to full OEM specification including pad compounds. Don't be afraid to use them because they seem cheap, people assume cheap price means cheap sub standard products, the truth is we believe paying more buys better, not the case, its more a fact that we are happy to be ripped off by a premium price for exactly the same thing. Oh and before anyone asks, I am nothing to do with Brakes International! I work in High Performance Engineering/Motorsport for a University. Pads are £24.26 plus vat for front set 4 pads and £19.74 plus vat for set of 4 pads for rear - again Brakes international.

I'll be purchasing a front and rear disc from them and will fully check specifications, but this probably will not be until after Christmas when I get more free time and warmer to work on car outside of garage (which is too tight a space to work inside in the comfort of a heater!).
 

Parisien

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So to recap..............all the above are OEM equivalents....no ifs...or buts.......has BI....confirmed this MaseratiV8?

Link for BI?

Are we all in business for a hugmungous saving?!....:)


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Danny

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442
Excellent research James. I think we will all be waiting anxiously for your conclusions after Christmas!