Are Astra GTE brakes Identical

[E18N SE]

I've been told off Pure Lotus in Weatherby that the brakes on the M100 are exactly the same as an Astra GTE. Can anyone confirm this as I dont want to fit the wrong brakes on my new little baby.

thanks
Chris

[WillB]

Front:- Discs/pads yes, calipers no

[E18N SE]

Thanks WillB

that should save a few quid.

[L.G.]

Chris,

Can you give a bit more info on this astra gte? What year are we talking about etc. I googled it and came up with 1988-1989 models, I think thats right but just wanted to ask to be sure. I am asking because I have to change pads; if I can't find these gte things I'll have to get them shipped from UK I suppose.

Thanks,
L.G.

[E18N SE]

I believe that the discs are Vauxhall cavalier (part # BG2443) and the pads are quite common on all vauxhalls (part# LP585).

I hope these are right as I have bought them for my car and i am fitting them tomorrow. I'll let you know when i've fit them. And if I done reply then the brakes have probably not worked!!

[Russc]

Apparently this is what is on mine. The calipers are from the gte as well so i`m told. The previous owner told me he thinks it was from a `91 model.

[WillB]

Apparently this is what is on mine. The calipers are from the gte as well so i'm told. The previous owner told me he thinks it was from a `91 model.

Calipers are not from an Astra AFAIK

[E18N SE]

I have just finished putting the new brakes on my car and found out that the discs are from the GTE but the pads are from an early 1.3 astra belmont. Aparantly!!!! I got them from Dndrew Page and they were an exact match.

My car can now stop without driving in lead diving boots!

[L.G.]

Thanks for the update on that.

Happy driving,
L.G.

[Russc]

Apparently this is what is on mine. The calipers are from the gte as well so i'm told. The previous owner told me he thinks it was from a `91 model.

Calipers are not from an Astra AFAIK

Checked witht he guy who owned it before me and he does tell me that they are from an astra GSI. He noted them on the original sale e-mail as well. http://lotuselancentral.com/forum/viewt ... ght=#74852

Not sure whether they are a direct replacement or not or whether he had to do anything else to them. Happy to take piccies/get details (if i know where to look) to help out.

Russ

[Russc]

Apparently this is what is on mine. The calipers are from the gte as well so i'm told. The previous owner told me he thinks it was from a `91 model.

Calipers are not from an Astra AFAIK

Checked witht he guy who owned it before me and he does tell me that they are from an astra GSI. He noted them on the original sale e-mail as well. http://lotuselancentral.com/forum/viewt ... ght=#74852

Not sure whether they are a direct replacement or not or whether he had to do anything else to them. Happy to take piccies/get details (if i know where to look) if that helps.

Russ

[ailwyn]

Pads for the front are the same as a '91 Cavalier amongst other VX marques, so it may well be Astre GTE also.

I therefore assume that if the pad fits, in all likelyhood the caliper will be the same also.

When I last went to a VX dealer to pick up a header tank we had a brief chat about the brakes and he advised caution on getting Cavalier/Astra pads as the specs for the Lotus ones may have been higher, he mentioned that where the police have had VX cars, the specified pads are different to the generic (and have a different part no) because the pads are a different composition.

A.

[Russc]

That`s a very good point. At the moment i`m using greenstuff pads but i`m soon changing them as they are not particually good.

Although they do grip when pushed i`m probably going to go down the upgrade route somepoint later in the year anyway.

[Paul.P]

Was told by Pat Thomas of Kelvedon Motors, that the GM calipers have a wrong angle on them, its not much, but wrong, & that the lotus calipers are specific only to lotus, this is only what ive been told, but he does know his stuff on the M100 !

[ailwyn]

Paul,

That's fair enough, just know that the pads are the same shape as Cavalier etc, as that's what EBC stamp on the box for the M100 pads.

Ailwyn

[WillB]

Yep, as I said, pads/discs are identical, calipers are not

[dapinky]

Just to throw a spanner into the works.....

it is my understanding that the callipers MAY be a vauxhall part (don't know which one, yet)

BUT

its the slider bracket which is different on the elan, and so if you source a VX part, you still need to use the lotus bracket/slider.

As that is the part which causes most grief, i'm not sure what the advantage would be (unless the seals in your calliper are cr@p, or you just want new ones.

(of course, i could be totally wrong, again!)

[Russc]

Yep, as I said, pads/discs are identical, calipers are not

Yes Will you did, however i also said that i`ve been told by the person who fitted them that mine are from an astra GSI, and i do mean the callipers. In fact i may even have the bill for them, i`ll try and dig it out.

Also very very bizzare, the post i linked to was there this morning in the "for sale section". But now it appears to have dissapeared. It showed my car for sale and under the mods undertaken was the calipers.

[John_W]

I can't believe I'm about to do this, but I believe it's the lesser of two evils. Rather than have two long rambling threads about what does and doesn't sort of fit, interested parties should have a read at THIS THREAD ABOUT VAUXHALL BRAKES.

It's a discussion nine pages long, which is a bit ironic when the thread's called "Front Brake Replacement FOUND". That should tell you something about how straightforward brake swaps are.

Happy reading,
John

[Paul.P]

Gotta find out boys if any GM calipers fit the Elan, cause wanna know if Pat Thomas is as clever as makes out, he was adamant no other calipers were the same !