Martin J Stirling

Hoppy,

as always, thank you for your comments. My opinions are made on the basis of the extra features being supplied by the Hi Spec setup over those available from the AP stuff, and the positive comments and experiences that I have noticed from happy customers.

You are making strong negative statements with regard to the quality and performance of the HI Spec gear, which of course you are entitled to. May I ask though, with what evidence and justification are you making these assumptions?

Also why are you being so defensive and even confrontational regarding Hi Spec? I am having difficulty understanding why you are going out of your way to make such negative comments. Have HI Spec wronged you in some way?

Please help me to understand,

MS

Martin J Stirling

Hi Pete,

thank you for your constructive comments.

From what I understand, Hi Spec have only been making this new caliper design for a short while, as before they more commonly used Willwood stuff.

With regard to the differential pistons, I am no expert but will try and explain what I understand from having spoken to Geoff at Hi Spec. In Geoff's opinion, the issue of uneven pad wear is resolved by using offset pistons, which have a similar effect to the unequal sized piston design.

It is the opinion of Hi Spec, that the slightly larger piston size offers improved braking efficiency over the equivalent AP 4 pot, whilst maintaining the integrity of the pad. However, should you wish to go along the traditional route and opt for differential pistons, Hi Spec are quite willing to manufacture these too. The main attraction of these kits is that they are entirely CUSTOMIZEABLE.

My comments with regard to AP, are in no way intentioned to discredit or be derogatory in any way. I am merely comparing the products from both manufacturers and highlighting the features which in my opinion mean that Hi Spec are able to offer a superior product.

Essentially, my comments are only based on my summation of the information that I have gathered, and are neither wrong or right - just my opinion. If you prefer AP then fine, don't buy a HI Spec kit. I don't see why people have seen this group buy as some sort of conspiracy against AP!?

To all:-

If you prefer AP/Brembo/Willwood or Godspeed, then fine. This is not, and was never intended to be a 'which is best' post. I have merely done the leg work in an attempt to offer people the opportunity to buy a brake setup which claims to offer AP 4 pot beating braking at a fraction of the price.

That's all.

Please do not read anymore than that into this.

Blimey, what a palava..

MS

Hoppy

Martin, I have no axe to grind.

I have NOT made negative statements about Hi-Spec. It is you that have made inflated, unsubstantiated and repeated assertions that Hi-Spec brake kits are better than APR's, and at a fraction of the cost. This is absolutely not true, ALTHOUGH THAT DOES NOT PRECLUDE HI-SPEC FROM BEING EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY. I hope that's clear.

Pete Croney has also just explained why unequal pistons are important and that piston size has nothing to do with ultimate clamping power, more to do with pedal travel. I would add that a few grams saved in weight is neither here nor there, and method of manufacture does not absolutely dictate caliper strength.

Furthermore, you have not addressed my point about the discs being at the heart of a top quality braking system, which should consist of components carefully matched to eachother and to the car. To simply say that you can have any specification of disc you like misses the point, and if taken literally, is also untrue. I would want discs of identical specification to APR's and you cannot supply them, unless of course they have an APR part number on them. I suspect this would then have an upward impact on the price. APR discs are expensive for a reason.

It is YOU that are being confrontational by stating that these brake kits are both better and cheaper than the best available. APR are world leaders. There is nothing better and their technology is unique, closely guarded and patented. That's why Brembo bought them last year for £62m.

Good luck with your Group Buy. Just turn down the sensationalism. I did not want to get drawn into this debate, but you invited me and a couple of other ScoobyNet members have mailed me off-line for my views.

Just for clarity, I have no interest whatsoever in APR, Brembo or anyother brake manufacturer. But I do like to deal in facts.

Best regards,

Richard.

pob on the job

Sorry Martin, my unreserved apologies,
I thought your tart comment was directed at me. It makes me more comfortable to know that it was directed at all potential AP and Brembo buyers.

So, tell me more, the Hi spec brakes offer extra features over and above that of APR's. Does it make the car stop any quicker? I have to admit, ( being on drugs and all) it would be nice for a brake set up to play god bless america each time I applied the brake pedal, but doesn't help it stop any better. There is little to choose between the AP 4 pot and 6 pot set up so what are you saying? Does hi spec brakes with additional features, over and above that of the APR4 pots come into the same league as the APR 6pots?

Chill man, and take another toke on your pipe.

bren@apex

iTrader: (20)

Martin,

You seem to be taking an extraordinary amount of flak for a person that appears to have done a lot of work for, you say, zero gain. You seem to be un-appriciated, maybe you should simply drop the whole thing and let people who want APs buy APs and people who want Hi-Spec pay full price for Hi-Spec.

I like Scoobynet immensely and although I dont post very often do check it daily. There seems to be a great number of people on here who like nothing better than to rip things to bits, be it a special offer, idea or promotion. Lots of testostarone floating about I think. Maybe we should organise a good old manly game of rugby and get it our of our systems

Regards, Bren (waiting for the masses to jump down my throat )

pob on the job

Yeah, come on guys give Martin a break. Part with £700 of your hard earned and pay bit more for pads and hoses and you can have an AP beater, unless you're a tart like me!

Nigel Bowles

Just been up to HiSpec and run through all the options.
Jeff, the owner has spent a long time developing these calipers. He has also developed the bells and rotors for road use, a bit heavier but none of the cracked disk problems that I know some other people have experienced.
He will supply you any of the other big name race setups if you want but has built his own to combine the strength, weight and power of the race calipers with the quality and longevity required for the road. Things like all the fluid is run withing the caliper (no outside pipes), bellow style dust guards for the pistons to stop corrosion.
The calipers are very low profile allowing for larger disks to be fitted under the wheels.

Mine are being fitted at the end of this week and should be on the car for Monday at Brands Hatch. Won't be on the track but feel free to check out the new setup whilst I'm there. (L reg, silver with cage)

Make your own minds up, but in my opinion -
If you are racing then use a race setup.
If you are on the road, get an upgraded road setupo that will last.

Danny Fisher

Pete, the kit was supplied by Rally Design in Faversham. They suppllied me the wrong calipers and then didnt want to know about the problem. Crap company.

I then visited Geoff at Hi-Spec and he sorted the problem out. I swapped to AP 4 pot calipers, and havent looked back since. Geoff has done all my brake work since that point.

Dan

PS. The calipers I was sold by Rally Design were the early Wilwoods that flexed.

Martin J Stirling

As this topic has digressed to the point of no return, I suggest we leave this one here. I have opened a fresh topic for those of us who want to buy a decent brake kit but cant afford AP or Brembo.

I will leave you to discuss the merits of AP stuff here if you will.

Thanks,

MS

PS - Bren, thank you for your sympathy.

gofastrob

Hi Martin, i think that after all the effort you have gone to to sort out this group buy you deserve more respect than you are getting. ignore these plonkers with wallets bursting at the seems and why the subaru rally team has been brought into the equasion i just do not know because they do not have the budget you and i do so unless they are a few pages short of a book of course they are going to go with the bigger and better known companies with the relavent insurance policies. As i am not the subaru Rally team with a big budget i am thrilled at this offer and hope your effort doesnt go to waste so you can count me in as 1 of the 15. As for Pete, Hoppy and pob instead of telling us your unwanted opinions why not turn your knowledge into something good for the SN boys and sort out a group buy on AP or Brembo brake kits or are you just posting to P1ss off the guys that are prepaired to put martins hard work to use??? i would also like to thank these class 1 idiots for making this so difficult for the majority of us who are interested in these. Martin you have my respect for your hard work and if you do get a chance to sort this one out without being grilled by @ssholes let me know!

DaveBeck

iTrader: (12)

Ive got a strange feeling this is dead mate. look at the dates

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Blimey..........a resurected thread with a Pete Croney post in it LOL

not just dead.........a Monty Python Blue Parrot

Shaun

bigarf

iTrader: (67)

bloody hell where did he dig that one up from.