Brakes

Perhaps some kind soul can help? Under heavy braking, NOT emergency stop style, my front wheels keep locking, unless I am on the last 20 metres of approach to a junction where the tarmac is like sand-paper.

I have a "Sejoc ltd" receipt from 2 years ago, from previos owner, and the car has the following: EBCGD159 Turbogroove discs (20mm) @ £63 each, EBCDP2426 Greenstuff pads @ £32 a pair on the front and EBCDP489 kevlar street pads @ £16 a pair on the rear. I have checked all 4 hubs, and this tallys with the invoice. Wheels and tyre sizes are as original, Yokohamas on rear and Goodyear Eagle NCT 2s on the front. I think I have 32-34 psi all round.

The car does not really "dive" and it seems to be both fronts that lock up together and the car continues in a straight line, even with a full load of fuel.

Well I half imagine that the front tyres have poor grip/rear tyres good grip OR, the front pads are too good/rear pads are poor, maybe its the brake regulator???.

Is this normal ? or should I be changing something somewhere to reset the balance of the car under braking. I am planning to go to Croix, so would like to get the car set up before the day.

Any ideas or recomendations or suggestions ???

This is the way they are under hard braking, and good pads and discs is going to increase it. The front end doesnt dive because the way the front suspension is set up. The front setup is inclined forwards 5 degrees (anti-dive geometry) to stop the front dipping under braking. Bigger wheels will help, (a) by adding more weight to the front and (b) by upgrading to 205 or 215 profile at the front.

It may be worth checking that the rears are pulling up as they should anyway though...

Simon,

How old are your tyres? GTA fronts will last 5 years or so from my experience, and at that age start to become hard and easier to lock.

The front pressures sound high also. The manual suggests 1.8 and 2.4 bar (front and rear) equating to 26 and 34.8 psi, so you might want to let some air out of the fronts.
(The rear Yokohamas should be run at a slightly lower pressure than standard which accounts for why most GTA owners wear the middle out first)

Also keep the window washer reservoir topped up..... its enormous and its location well forward of the fuel tank makes a big diference to the weight on the nose.

Darren

[stephendell]

ABS Option

Thanks Stephen, "ABS Option", Mmmmm ..... Thanks but No Thanks !!!

Thanks Darren, From previous owner, who hardly used the car more than 1k miles pa, front tyres were replaced in the summer of 96, 8 years old and still about 6-8mm tread left. I will check the pressures as you suggest, and yes the rears are wearing mostly in the centre line.
I have the emergency spare in the front boot so I guess that helps on the weight distribution, as does the full tank of fuel. I did fill up the washer resovoir a while ago but found that after the first RH corner it was syphoning itself via the venting pipe. I think I will remove the venting pipe and tape the pipe hole over, I'll just add a pin prick for breathing purposes.

I'll let you know after my next test drive.

Thanks again ....... Simon.

Found these comments on a website. I also had NCT 2's on a Nova GTE years ago, and I didnt rate them.


Eagle NCT2
Tyre Eagle NCT2
Manufacturer Goodyear
Web site


Reviews
Name Adam
Sizes 195/60/14 front
Mileage About 10 if that (miles that is... not thousands)
Comment Only fit these if you're suicidal!

They were recommended by a back street tyre dealer in Binfield - naming no names but I seriously doubt their ability to recommend tyres for any MR2 let alone an early MkII.

In the wet, at the first roundabout I came to, doing perhaps 25 mph the car just went straight! Seriously low traction in the wet - DANGEROUSLY so.

I turned around and limped the car back to them and told them to change them for the Dunlop SP200's I've also reviewed. Both types aren't suited to the MR2 - avoid at all costs!

I would have rated this tyre as a ZERO or lower - but the lowest option is 1
Rating 1

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Name Ben Formesyn
Sizes 205 60R14, 195 60R14
Mileage 20,000 miles (rears)
Comment Really, _really_ bad on a Mk2.

I had these on a Mk2 Coupe. They'd lock up on the front under moderate braking - after causing a serious brown trowser moment they got binned and replaced with Yoko A520's which were MUCH better.

The NCT-2s on the rear had a bit more weight over them and so weren't so bad, but they would come loose.

Luckily they don't make the NCT-2 any more ... steer clear of them on a Mk2 ..
Rating 1

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Name Simon Craske
Sizes 205/60 R14
Mileage ~4000
Comment Ideal if you never have to turn a corner. Traction in a straight line is fine, however busy T junctions are particularly hairy, verging on impossible in the wet.
Rating 1

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Name Kev Crane
Sizes 185/60/14
Mileage
Comment I agree with the rest I have just bought a mk1 with these on .They a fine in a straight line but in the wet on cornering hard they are dangerous.Have changed to potenzas after 1 day !
Rating 2

Darren, I checked the tyre pressures, I have in fact got 26 in the front and 32 in the rear, so should be ok. I have adjusted the washer resivoir vent pipe and fulled it to the brim, another 5 litres, which is 5KG. .......Same situation, fronts locking up.

Thanks Technics, what tyres do you/others run on the front?
I might need to change them by the looks of those MR2 owners' comments.

My current tyres are Hankook Ventus K102. I didnt choose them, they came as part of a package deal. Here's some reviews of this tyre.
I like them, and I've never had a problem, although im running 18" Rear and 17" front.


Hankook Ventus K102
Tyre Hankook Ventus K102
Manufacturer Hankook
Web site


Reviews
Name M-M
Sizes 225/50 VR15
Mileage Just bought
Comment I bought these tryes from mytyres.net about 2 weeks ago. They only cost me £108 for the pair so I assumed they'd be quite crap. However, I am pleasantly suprised. They are fairly grippy in the wet with a progressive breakaway. They also grip well in the dry, I've yet to lose the back without loads of provocation. I'll stop tempting fate now!

In my opinion, for the money these are bloody excellent.
Rating 7

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Name Vince Santini
Sizes 165/55 15 & 225/50 15
Mileage 7,000
Comment For a cheap tyre there great! I don't drive too wildly, but they hold well in the dry and fairly well in the wet! Hard wearing and if driven carefuly will get quite high mileage. I had these on my Supra turbo too. Great!
Rating 8

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Name mat briggs
Sizes 195/55/15 V
Mileage <1000
Comment Just replaced my SO2's with these K102 Ventus's. I admit, I was a little skeptical at first, taking into account the quality of the Bridgestones, but these tyres are excellent for the price. Road handling is well above average, I struggled to slide the car around corners even in the wet. The price in no way reflects the quality of these tyres - £55 per tyre.

If you don't want to spend a lot of money but still want quality (and I have heard distance) then try these babies, I can't endorse them enough.

Hope you don't mind me putting this review on seeing as I haven't got an MR2 myself.

Cheers

mat
Rating 8

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Name Matt
Sizes 225/50/15
Mileage
Comment i'd say these make the car feel very sure footed. planted, you could say, in the road. mind you planted would also suggest they prevented the car from moving which they blatantly do not. wheel clamps do that though. i advise against fitting kwit fits own wheel clamps to your car.

seriously though.. good tyre. good price. even though i got a nail in my rear two days after buying it and need another one.

life eh? don't talk to me about it.

ps. kwit fit wanted £174 for ONE tyre of this size. if you buy from kwik fit you are insane. i'd rather eat flaming hedgehogs. whole.
Rating 8

I have these Hankook's on my car too (17's all round). Hasn't had much use but found them fine. Personally the best tyre I have had on my GTA were Yokahoma AVS's on 7.5 x 16 fronts. The turn in and grip was incredible. I picked the Hankooks because they had a similar tread pattern.

I also have 215 x 50 x 16 Yokohamas on the front of mine and find they have plenty of grip, wet and dry.. even on track. Mind you it maybe I'm just not going fast enough , but my Europa does lock at scarily low speeds on 10 year old Grand Pix S's !!