What brake pads will fit the front of my Caterham?

[pethier]

What brake pads will fit the front of my Caterham?

 

I am unsure what calipers these are.  The car is a 1991 1700 Super Sprint.  It seems to be the same car as a Prisoner Special Edition.

 

I would think maybe they would be the same as a Triumph Spitfire or maybe a Triumph GT6.

[IamScotticus]

You most likely have the Triumph Type 14 LF. Mk4 Spitfire calipers. But you may want softer compounds for a 7. EBC brand?  

You can have DeDion rear with Sierra rear brakes and Triumph brakes up front with Ford PCD hubs.

Or you might have uprated front brakes. 

Need pictures to be sure.

 

I just read my 95 and 96 build manuals. Although there are differences in uprights between LA and DD, there isn't any mention of any other front brake calipers used other than the Spitfire Mk4, "with the exception of the brake pads".

I interpret this to mean Cat uses different pads.  Perhaps Cat supplied a special compound?

Yes, this is what Weale states in his book, that regular Spit pads are not appropriate.

 

The notes on pads I have taken from members recommendations:

GBP574

Ferodo DS11 Comp 512539

Mntex 1144

pn:GBP574MINTEX

Pagids RS15

EBC Green Stuff

pn: PADGREEN1

(a lot of hate for EBC out there)

Carbotech

Shims:

BHM7057

 

Edited August 10 by IamScotticus

[DavidL]

I have almost the same car, a 1990 Carterham SuperSprint (1700, DeDion), and installed EBC greenstuff pads all around a couple of years ago.  I'm not at home so I can't dig up where I got them, but I can next week.  They work well for street driving.  I also used them to great effect on my old TCS Europa, which used pretty similar if not identical front calipers.

 

 

Edited August 10 by DavidL

[pethier]

I had a Renault-engine Europa.  The calipers were seized.  Back then, you could order calipers for a Spitfire at a regular parts store.  While I was at it, I bought stainless pistons and put them in the new calipers.

[jbcollier]

Albeit driving hard and descending on a precipitous mountain pass, I have had the green stuff pads fade on me.  It was quite exciting.  I switched to Mintex 1144.

[slowdude]

You have triumph spitfire front brakes.

 

I run EBC green stuff. Stops the car very well.

[CBuff]

59 minutes ago, slowdude said:

You have triumph spitfire front brakes.

 

I run EBC green stuff. Stops the car very well.

It’s the go you have trouble with. 

[IamScotticus]

OK,

Im getting a set of Mintex 1144 compound and binning the new pads I have as I don't know anything about them.

Who do I get Mintex from?

 

Here is a gem:

https://www.triumphexp.com/forum/spitfire-and-gt6-forum.8/mintex-brake-pads-yes-virginia-they-do.1792317/

What you need to know per Stephen Spandorf:

"Looking at the Spitfire:
The part number MGB533[M1144] is for the type 14 caliper as fitted to the Mk3 onwards."

https://www.burtonpower.com/brake-pads-hi-spec-sva-ultralite-2-caliper-mgb535m1144-hi.html

 

Edited August 17 by IamScotticus

[jbcollier]

Google "Mintex 1144 for Triumph Spitfire" for a variety of options.  Moss, for one, carries them.

[IamScotticus]

Hopefully this answers the pad question. 

Now, can we have a good row over dampers?  Is it stiff shocks and soft springs, or soft shocks and stiff springs?

[speedwagon]

10 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

Hopefully this answers the pad question. 

Now, can we have a good row over dampers?  Is it stiff shocks and soft springs, or soft shocks and stiff springs?

Balance my boy! When you loose balance you lose control.  

[IamScotticus]

3 hours ago, speedwagon said:

Balance my boy! When you loose balance you lose control.  

I lost control a long time ago!

Balance may become something I work on eventually,  but for now and the foreseeable future, I can only accomplish just getting the car back on the road with a few upgrades thrown in. Spring rates, brake bias, corner balance,  yea, fun stuff waiting for me to play with later on.

Edited August 17 by IamScotticus

[IamScotticus]

20 hours ago, jbcollier said:

Google "Mintex 1144 for Triumph Spitfire" for a variety of options.  Moss, for one, carries them.

Not finding MGB533 M1144 for Spit on Mosssy.  Greenies, yes.

And there's an interesting alloy 4 pot upgrade for 14 types. Need to know the OE pad pattern and seals for those. 

 

Edited August 17 by IamScotticus

[jbcollier]

They've changed up their numbers and material offerings.  The new number is MGB533.  They are available.

[jbcollier]

I run a set of BCC calipers on my Europa.  Work well, vert well.  And, fit under the stock 13" steel wheels.   No plans to convert the Seven as of yet.

[slowdude]

On 8/14/2025 at 7:59 PM, CBuff said:

It’s the go you have trouble with. 

Hahahaha incredible. Replacement wideband came in this afternoon. Going to go out and fiddle with the self mapping feature on the emerald.

[pethier]

19 hours ago, IamScotticus said:

Hopefully this answers the pad question. 

Now, can we have a good row over dampers?  Is it stiff shocks and soft springs, or soft shocks and stiff springs?

Deserves its own thread.

[pethier]

1 hour ago, jbcollier said:

They've changed up their numbers and material offerings.  The new number is MGB533.  They are available.

MGB533 gives me nothing on Moss.

[IamScotticus]

Have to call Moss this week

[jbcollier]

nope, 

 

Moss is no longer carrying them.  Google "Mintex MGB533".