RC_Feen

My Feedback: (1)

With only having rear brakes I've been thinking of installing some front brakes. I know the cable front brakes are cheaper but what is a better set-up, cable or hydro? Also once I get some front brakes would it be worth it to install the cable or hyro brakes on the rear depending on which set-up I go with? I did a search on this topic but found very little info. Thanks!

mike_humphreys

Hiya RC_Feen, In my opinion Hydraulic brakes are the way to go. I race a leopard off road and run a super truck on road, I use K.P. Designs brakes on both, (kp mk2 brakes on the front of the off roader and the rear of the truck and kp mk3 on the front of the truck). The performance out weighs any little niggles you might have setting them up but as long as you follow the instructions they're far superior to cable brakes. You should (if your wallet/wife allows) use alloy uprights on the front and as for the rear I'd just use the layshaft brake as is, 99% of the off road racers I know in the Uk and Europe don't bother with hydros or cable brakes on the rear as the standard is quite sufficient......... Hope this helps

Mike

RC_Feen

My Feedback: (1)

mike...Do you have a link were I can get some kp mk2 brakes? I'm not sure if anyone in the states that sells these.

dazzahughesuk

http://www.kp-designs.co.uk/index.html
But you can't order from them direct, you have to go through King Cobra (www.kingcobra.co.uk) or sgmodels.com. Both are in the UK.

Darren

mike_humphreys

You didn't say what toy car you're putting them on or if you race/bash.

Mike

RC_Feen

My Feedback: (1)

I would be putting the brakes on a FG Marder Race/beetle. I only bash right now.

jimbo1890

I have a marder race with front cable front brakes that work well when adjusted but I seem to forever be adjusting, as often both sides don't pull up equally which spins her round braking hard. Mabe they will get better as I fine tune them but if money doesn't come into it i'd be buying hydraulics

daytona7

Can you get just the brakes without the master cylinder?

RC_Feen

My Feedback: (1)

jimbo...If I figured it right, there is about a $100 difference between the cable and the hydro front brake set-up? Does that sound about right? I don't know a lot about hydraulics but I would think you would have more equal braking between the left & right brakes using hydro brakes.

gonsped69

My Feedback: (6)

As for cable/hydro brake uogrades for the FG Sporstline it comes to U$100 for cable vs. U$275 for the hydro. This is for one pair. A full set would double the price. There are other brands of hydros but they are more expensive.

Cables for less than a Competition chassis, will tweak it while in operation - i.e. it will slightly bend the front and rear chassis every time you do moderate to hard braking.

It takes significantly more effort to adjust cable brakes as there is endless variations for the screws holding the brake pads together, how much of the bowden cable was tightened, etc. This has to be done on every wheel which does get a bit tiresome. Another note is some modification will be needed to be performed on the brake level to prevent it scraping the inner wheel. Reliability is pretty good but its harder to achieve precision braking. The stock steel/rubber pads aren't very strong stopping power but the optional GFK fibre/aluminum pads are very very good. Less servo strength required, much stronger stopping power.

With hydros, you have the precision, easeness of adjustibility and serious stopping power - at a price. If you've got the money, go for the hydros, easy to set up and maintain plus its very reliable.

original.mb

hydros are the way but i must say that i have just installed fg cable brakes on my front end of mb and they were a treat to install no probs and they work and adjust easier than i had first thought

gonsped69

My Feedback: (6)

Cables are not that difficult to install and adjust - but once running, there is a tendency to keep readjusting and rechecking.

For the money and more than decent performance, cables are the way to go, for ultimate performance and peace of mind - hydros are your best bet

R/C Modelsport

original.mb

i would love a set of kp mark3 hydros but i have heard that hydros have a tendency to leak is this true?

mike_humphreys

I've never had a hint of trouble with any KP brakes.

Mike

daytona7

Can you get just the hydro breaks without the master cylinder?

Automan

Without the master cylinder the rest of the discbrake system wouldn't work at all. The master cylinder is where the pressure comes from out trough the leads to finally push the pistons against the discpads and the pads closes in on the disc making it harder to turn, all that is controlled by how hard you push the master cylinder, the harder you push the master cylinder, the harder the pistons will push the discpads etc.

If your question was if you already have a master cylinder and just want the discbrakes etc, then i would say i think you will probably be able to use the old master cylinder with the new discsystem, there should not be any problems with that.
Should be able to look at spare parts and get what you want and just not choose the master cylinder, but i do think buying spare parts to cover everything exept master cylinder will be more expensive then to choose a complete set.

daytona7

Recently found a master cylinder from some cars that I had sold a while back and thought it was with them. Computer crashed and I lost the info on who purchased my stuff so I e-mailed several names that seemed to possibly be the buyers about 3 weeks ago with no reply. A friend has hydros on his 1/4 scale but does not like the master and inquired as to buying mine but do not know what to charge.