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It's come to my attention that there are in fact many 'new' MINI owners who have no idea who I am, what I do, or what my business has offered the community over the past dozen or so years. Let's fix that!
I'm Todd. Owner of TCE Performance Products. You've no doubt heard "ask Todd" when it comes to many of your big brake questions and mainly those surrounding the Wilwood brand. Why? Because my shop has been a dealer (a real one, not a 'reseller') for 23yrs. Long before the term 'big brake kit' was around even.
TCE was the first to produce track worthy TCE/Wilwood 13" Big Brake Kits using Wilwood four piston FSL calipers. We did this in co development with Wilwood the same time they released the first FACTORY kit in about 2003. They took the smaller market and we the larger. Over the years we have expanded that listing to cater to many bbk owner needs.
The Wilwood factory "race" kit was often underwhelming for many (despite fitting 15" wheels) so we took it to the next level and are the only company offering 11.75 x 1.00 HD rotors on this kit. A true TCE exclusive.
TCE is also the original designer/builder of the first REAR kit for your MINI. We had and do offer both rear up sized rotor kits (to match front kits) as well as the designer of the parking brake kit as early as 2003. That kit is now produce 'in house' by Wilwood thus it is a bit less money. (and leaves me with a box of worthless radial brackets...sigh)
We also added 14" front kit and even a few custom 13" rear kits!
Later TCE was the designer/builder of the first DP6 13" front kit for the MINI. That also was later taken over by Wilwood and is now a factory kit.
The addition of the Countryman and Paceman took us to new levels with 13 and 14" kits that the factory does not offer and are somewhat limited in the market for big brakes. We've shipped these now worldwide. Very cool.
Lastly by request we have produce (yet cancelled) a number of Caliper Kits for your oe rotors- both 294 and 316mm sizes. We'd make 2pc hats and rotor for Brembos....sold repair parts for other companies no longer in business...offer ss hose kits...and on and on.
Let's take a look at the total menu and where we stand today on front kits:
Caliper kits- No longer offered
SS flex hose kits- limited supply, not renewing sales of them
11.75 Wilwood kits- race kits- ss pistons HD rotors etc at very low price; under $1000- fit 15" wheels
TCE 11.75 Kits- a modified version of the above using custom 1" wide heavier rotors. About $1100
12.2" Wilwood kits- the most customizable listing- choice of rotor style, color, pistons, even diameter can be 11.75 for bling loaded and smaller wheels. A bargain that can be had for under $800.
13" TCE/Wilwood FSL kits- the mac daddy of value for light to moderate track day use offering full size calipers, 20mm pads and a modest .810 rotor. Custom built to .920 for more mass without sacrificing wheel fit. All that for about $1200
13" TCE/Wilwood competition kit- very limited production of a custom FSL four pot using 1.10" wide rotors found on other 'big name' kits. A lot of rotor here folks..way more than most need. And plays hell with wheel fit.
13" TCE/Wilwood DP6 kits- now replaced by the Wilwood factory kit of the same (12.88 rotor actually) but we have a few true TCE 13s left. A bargain value in factory form for anyone with 17s....bling optional, powder coat colors included it's cheaper to sell you this one around $1100 than to tell you why you should pay me $1400 to use my hats and rotors....
14" TCE/Wilwood FNSL6 kits- got 18s or more? This one will fill that sucker up. And with differential bores full 1.10" wide discs it's really a killer deal in the $1600 range.
In addition:
TCE rear 11.75" rear rotor kits. This is the matchy-matchy 2pc hat and rotor set up for your car that relocates the stock caliper on a larger disc and pairs it with a matching hat and rotor with either Wilwood or TCE hats and rotors. Confusing? Not really, I just know what you're expecting. Most of the time it's spot on. Set you back about $600
Wilwood 11.75 rear big brake kits. These, like the above, include the Wilwood combo caliper as part of the deal. Again in color and matching rotor styles they are under a grand. If you must have red rear calipers....this is your baby.
Folks...when it comes to brakes for this car I've been up one side and down the other. I'm not the only option, just the most complete (ie. sometimes confusing) one!
Let's throw up some 'throw back' pictures! Included here are some of THE VERY FIRST 13" kits (note the older 8 bolt hats) and THE very first rear parking brake kit ever on a MINI- green car owned by the CNC shop who makes my rotor hats still today. The car? His son has it still today with our 13" front kit in CT. That silver car with the R90 wheels: THE first TCE 13" front kit EVER produced. Driven today in Scottsdale.
Shop around. Ask around. You'll come around. Right back to TCE for your big brake kit needs.
I've mentioned a number of them above and you need to know what they are.
The Wilwood factory 11.75 and 11.2" kits use what we call a DPR or Dyna Pro Radial mount. This is a compact, low profile, square bore design four pot. All pistons are the same size. They use a rather small 7816 pad but offer a number of pad options for street and track. The caliper can be had with 'dust boots' for those who choose v the standard SS pistons of most calipers. We use this same caliper on the custom 1" wide small kit too.
Next on the menu is the Wilwood and TCE/Wilwood 13" kits which use a DP6, that's Dyna Pro Six. A very low profile caliper, thin but medium foot print pad, is no longer top loading thus requires the caliper be removed to service the pads. They are differential bore - alternate size pistons for longer pad wear and less taper. They are only available in pre applied powder coat finish (an up charge on the DPR) They were very popular on our caliper kits due to the low profile. In fact I believe on a 316mm stock disc it was the only such caliper to clear the S-lites!
Moving up the food chain is the FSL or Forged Super Lite (now FSLi for internal cross over) which is fit to our 13" kits both .810 wide, optional .920 and the big track kit of 1.10" wide. The FSL is a track track day work hoarse. The pads are massive compared to the others at 20mm thick. They will last for many weekends. The calipers are black anodized only unless custom powder coated. We can get black and red from Wilwood for about $125 or have done locally like we did years ago in nearly any color. A simple but effective caliper, crash it...it's cheap to replace it also at about $175ea. Tons of pad options for these as well from dozens of suppliers.
Lastly the larger 14" kits use what's called the FNSL6 which is Forged Narrow Super Lite Six. A mix of both the FSL and DP6 it has differential bore but a larger 16MM pad like that of the FSL only a bit thinner. It's also radial mount only (brackets with studs) and comes pre applied powder coat for the bling factor. The costs for this and the bracket drive the costs up as well as the need for larger discs. Speaking of which are now at this spec only 1.10" wide. A great kit, killer looks but needs 18s to work.
Like everything in life there are PROS and CONS to all of these. At TCE we tailor the build to the custom with three basic questions;
1. Wheel size
2. Intended use
3. Budget
I always say "pick two" and you'll zero in on your options! There's a bit of something for everyone!
TCE was the first and still only vendor to produce a direct replacement rear rotor 'kit'- larger than stock. This kit is an 11.75 x .375 solid rotor fit to either a TCE or Wilwood hat to match your front purchase. (cross drilled optional) The kit include 2pc hats and rotors, caliper relocation brackets and ss brake hoses. Why do this? Two reasons; first of course it visually ties the front and rear together. We can all get that. The second value however is durability for open track day use. We found early that many track folks were boiling their rear fluid due to the small rear discs from the factory. With our kit you can run the stock pad and still pick up some brake torque (larger disc) and you'll never boil the rear fluid again! Today this kit runs $597.
Not long after this the new "combo" caliper was released from Wilwood. TCE was the designer of this rear kit and for about 3yrs the sole source for your rear kit MINI needs. The kit includes the basics of the above kit (allowing former customers to 'upgrade' to the caliper) as well as the dual action caliper and radial mount brackets.
Wilwood began production of this kit on the R56 having test fit it to the aluminum trailing arms. In fact for some time they didn't know there were steel arms...or if they would fit. (they do) The small change to the newer Wilwood factory kit is that they have fit a vented, not solid, disc to the kit. A nice touch albeit a bit heavy.
Both the ROTOR KIT and the COMPLETE KIT are available today. The Rotor kit only from TCE however.
A recent REAR KIT purchase had questions regarding the parking brake cable. Let's look at the options.
If you have a pre 2007 vehicle with steel trailing arms (R50-53) then we have rear kits (and 4X Four Corner Kits) priced WITHOUT CABLE KITS. We do this as it's been proven to fit with use of the stock rear cables you have now. I know...I've done a few.
The early kits can use the stock cables by way of popping the retainer clips off the body and getting a bit of "slack" out of the cable jacket. We also found that you can get near perfect alignment by grinding or filing a 'cup' in the top of the steel trailing arm housing as shown above on our prototype rear kit. Look close at the 90 degree bend and you can see the shiny filing marks. We can then supply you a barrel spacer and clip for you cable jacket to simulate the thickness of the stock caliper. Easy-peasy and 'done' it works fine. (cable is tight at full droop but has slack at ride height)
If you have an R56+ and aluminum trailing arms you are better off sucking it up and using the Wilwood cable kits. Albeit about $120 to do so.
The butt-kicker on the cable kits is that while they may fit the CALIPER better and be a bit longer they are going to be a nightmare to install. Be warned.
Lastly ALL the cables, oem or Wilwood will not be quite a 'firm' in pull as the stock stuff. That stamped steel plate on the caliper it NOT as firm as the oem caliper. Pull it up 5-8 clicks and the car should hold on a hill fine. You can however pull it more...and bend the bracket.
Wilwood parking brake kits are NOT TURNING BRAKE quality design. Please DO NOT plan on doing your best Rockford with these.
Let's talk Stainless Steel hose kits for a moment.
All Wilwood and TCE/Wilwood kits come with stainless steel flex hoses. These not only improve pedal feel and response but are necessary for the use of most Wilwood calipers- which use 1/8NPT thread inlet fittings.
With the exception of the Wilwood 13" DP6 kit, which is now sold 'hoses included' directly from Wilwood, our TCE flex lines do NOT USE hardline or chassis adapter fittings. We use only only dedicated BMW style hose ends engineered specifically for the MINI. Few others offer this level of fit and finish.
In addition to the PROPER HOSE END our kits also come with BMW/MINI round bubble retainers for the center anchor. Not grommets that fail. And adding to that all TCE supplied hose kits use only STRAIGHT caliper fittings and ANGLED hose end. Not 90 degree pipe thread fitting! The reason is simple; it's a safer installation and allows for easy fit. When you use a 90 degree in a caliper you have to rotate it and 'point' it where you want it to go, that can mean less than proper thread engagement or possible broken fittings when turned that last half turn...at the least it 'saws' on the thread while you play with it! Our kits offer simply indexing where you want it by swiveling the hose end while you tighten it.
Our rear hoses kits for the Combo caliper also come with proper chassis ends and prefit banjos for the calipers. Unlike the hoses sold by other suppliers offering Wilwood factory hose kit- they are a mess of fittings and adapters. Far more complicated and prone to leaking.
Our TCE hose kits are by design DOT compliant. Wilwood and others with multiple fittings are not. *There is no such thing as "DOT Approved" btw.
All TCE sold and produced kits off a wide range of options for rotors:
Plain on 11.75, 12.2" kits
Slotted on 11.75, 12.2, 13, 14" kits
Drilled/slotted on 11.75, 12.2, 13, 14" kits
TCE can produce a wide variety of options for the buyer. We can take a basic Wilwood factory kit and spruce it up with drilled/slotted discs or we can set you up with slotted only discs for our 14" kit customers..whatever you feel is best for you!
Street: any of these options will be fine.
Track use; I'd suggest slotted.
Re: Drilled rotors- they look nice, save weight and all but they are not ideal for track use due to their expansion and contraction properties. In short; you'll crack them. Now if you run larger 13 or 14" discs the amount of abuse they will tolerate will be greater so you might get away with it for a light track day use a couple times a year. Smaller 11.75 and 12.2" discs I discourage this use.
Custom orders/builds can also include plain rotors on 13" kits as well as drilled only finishes on 12.2 and 13" kits. Please allow 2-3wks for such things but yes it can be done!
Anyone looking for a last minute Christmas gift for your MINI?
I have one set of BLACK DP6 calipers for your stock 316mm shod car. Been kicking around the shop for a few months and it's time to put them on your car!
Normally $719...this kit and this kit only: $650 (to the door)
Let's see who's first to jump on this....I'll send a payable invoice. email me: toddandchris1@***.net
Speaking with prospective buyers the past week or so one thing comes to mind: "why TCE?"
Well...I'm first to admit you can shop openly for your Wilwood needs. And in fact you 'might' save a buck or two. I get it. But what you won't find on the Google shopping listing are few who truly know the product! Sure you can "buy it now" and get "free shipping" and "points"..blah, blah, blah. So what? When you have a technical question who do you call?? The back room laptop retailer who drop ships all day from Atech usually knows little about the product except for what is on their own web page. They refer you to Wilwood. Or in some cases (yes really) to ME!
I've not only been a Wilwood dealer for 23yrs but the designer of many of the kits you have today for the MINI and a custom builder for work they pass onto me. Why? Because I know the product. I ask the tough questions. I work with the customer to get them what the need, not what's on my shelf or makes me the most money. TCE is here to help you get a quality build, fair price and customer service.
Small, Medium, Large or Extra Large. You have choices.
Please note that this IS a full 5 lug application and has some limitations (5 x 112mm) **Does not fit Countryman and Paceman- however TCE does have kits for that vehicle.
Matching rear kits are in process as well. And it will be sold with ss flex lines and cables.
11-03-2015 | 05:44 PM
