Alfa Pages

[Martini]

Hi!
I have the possibility to buy new rear disk brakes from an ABS equiped 33 that was destroyed by fire. How much work is it to convert from drums to disks and which parts do I need to swap?

I need to change the rear brakes so the work has to be done anyway.

I would guess it is the bearings, calipers, pads and disks that i need?

Unfortuneately i found no good pictures of the rear disk brakes in the 33 Nuevo manual for comparison of parts.

Thanks
Martin

[lesthegringo]

what car are you putting it into?

Les

[Laki]

As I konw no problem it can be done on series 3 A33 model....I can cheked it out since I did not do it but one of my friends did.....I will keep you posted
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-- ALFA ROMEO 33 Q4 --

[Martini]

I have a series 3 16v -91 and the donor is a -90 with ABS

Thanks

[Gary Smith]

Friend. I have a peugeot 406 estate (3 years old) which has disk brakes on the back with the handbrake operating a pair of handbrake shoes in the middle of the drum/disk assembly. Basically it's complete rubbish and I am seriously considering canging this abortion of a system which does not work to proper rear drum brakes.
The problem is that the rear disks are hardly used and they glaze up (I had to use an angle grinder to remove the glaze from the disk surfaces, both inside and out before they would actually work). The handbrake is totally ineffective as the drum is small in diameter and since you never use the brake whilst in motion the drum surfaces rust up (angle grinder again). To prevent the car rolling away you have to pull the handbrake up with both hands (a force of about 30kgs) and it's almost impossible to release again. You have been warned, disks for the front, drums for the rear.

[Martini]

I see your point. Serious braking is needed if disks should be worth anything at the rear. I will use the car mainly on the road but also on track days in the future so thats why i considered adding some breaking performance.

Does the alfa 33 also use a separate system for hand braking?

All the best
Martin

[Matt Stolton]

I have a non ABS P4, so does feature discs all round. The handbrake lever actuates the movement of an extra arm on the caliper, which acts on the pads on the rear discs, and does work fine.

It sounds like the 406 has a horrible setup, but there is nothing wrong with discs all round, if done properly.

IF you are going for improved braking, seriously consider larger discs (at the front) with an extra piston or 2. I have had a set done, which use an Alfa 75 Brembo twin pot (don't bother with this caliper as spares don't exist, aftermarket would be simpler) with 285mm vented grooved discs, up from the standard 230mm. It involves fashioning a brackjet to move the position of the caliper, relative to the hub, and a disc, that looks suspiciously like a 145 Cloverleaf disc.

Much as rear discs will be an improvement over drums, bigger fronts will make more of a difference. However, to keep the ratio of front to back braking effect, why not do both???
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Regards

Matt

Ex Alfa 33 'GTA' (P4 with Knobs On)
Now cruising in a 166 3.2 Ti!!

[Eddie W]

Hi Matt, how is the braking with the new setup? Are the 145 discs bigger than the 33s? You've got me wondering now about the discs off a 4stud 155 ( I think there was one with the 2.0TS wasn't there?) as the heavier car surely must have a beefier setup. I presume that if one was lucky enough to come across some alloy 4 pots that the master cyl dia might need to be changed to match.
Regards Eddie
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A LITTLE FURTHER A LITTLE FASTER

[Guest]

Hi

155TS 8v has a 4 bolt disk, and looks suspiciously suitable. I will compare them in the evening (33 16v vs 155), I have both of them in garage.

Both are worn out, but can get them measured.

TimoJ, 155TS and loved 33 project.

Ps. Will compare the calipers when next time remove one from 155-- soon. Best 155 brake(V6) has 54mm dia piston, it could help alittle.

[Guest]

At my supplier I see there are two different front disk radii available for the 145 2.0. Apart from original ventilated brembo these grooved disks are also avaliable:

257x20mm Brembo Max (slitsad) 02-09.5870.75 895:-
284x22mm Brembo Max (slitsad) 02-09.5058.75 1404:-

£1=14SEK. There is also a 145 2.0 grooved alternative for the rear available.

I nearly mounted new parts for the drums yesterday but was too tired so I still have the choice to swap to disks. I'm afraid I have to do an extra "rebuilt car registration" for the swap though.

/Martin

[james]

Alfa 145 rear brakes are the same as fiat uno turbo fronts. If that helps at all.


James
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Umm thinking of getting a Alfa 33 P4 16v cloverleaf.

I would have done but i could not see any nice ones, so on the end i went for a 145 QV. Very happy with it

But still looking for a nice cheep 33 cloverleaf.

[Guest]

Hi

Lost the 155 disks, they were rear..

Anyway, found pictures of both disks and it seems that 155 disk could fit on 33 hub. It will be 5,45mm more out from hub, but I think that can be compensated by an adapter for caliper.

The 155 inner dia is some 1,05mm smaller from the inside of disk "cylinder", going to measure 33 hub to see if it matters.

http://www.brembo.com/CatalogoBrembo/Templates/SearchGray.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=%2fENG%2fMarket%2fCatalogue%2fSearchCars%2ehtm&NRNODEGUID=%7b17D7BCC8-5414-40CA-9D35-30F3CABF4BA3%7d&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest

This is the link to Brembo cataloque, when find the disk, select the partnumber and it opens the picture of the disk with measurements.

Hope this helps You

TimoJ