Purchased a small French lightweight hot hatch - Renault Clio 172 Cup & NOW 182 Trophy
Hi m8
1. So if I buy genuine rear disc, those come with new wheel bearings included? Do the Brembo rears include rear bearing too? As I see Renault genuine rear disc include it but also have an ABS ring, whereas Brembo mention bearing been included but no ABS ring and should purchase separately. I don't have ABS.
2. So a pair of front Brembo HC disc, DS2500 all round, braided lines all round and a brake fluid flush.
The above will give a full brake refresh essentially and just give the calipers a good clean, I do spot a rear caliper is brand new, its bright silver, whereas the other three are black/dirty.
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Remembering when I stuck some Brembo HC discs, yellowstuff pads and braided lines on the front of my old 172, went from stopping well to stopping better 
.
Wife didn’t like it after that though, said it felt like it broke ‘too hard’
I loved my old phase 1, wish I’d been able to keep that at the time.
Part of me would like another, but not sure if it’s a case of remembering it being better than it was! (Plus I’d have to actually find a decent one, no easy task).
Did have a lot of fun in that car.
.Wife didn’t like it after that though, said it felt like it broke ‘too hard’
I loved my old phase 1, wish I’d been able to keep that at the time.
Part of me would like another, but not sure if it’s a case of remembering it being better than it was! (Plus I’d have to actually find a decent one, no easy task).
Did have a lot of fun in that car.
Remembering when I stuck some Brembo HC discs, yellowstuff pads and braided lines on the front of my old 172, went from stopping well to stopping better
Wife didn’t like it after that though, said it felt like it broke ‘too hard’
I loved my old phase 1, wish I’d been able to keep that at the time.
Part of me would like another, but not sure if it’s a case of remembering it being better than it was! (Plus I’d have to actually find a decent one, no easy task).
Did have a lot of fun in that car.
It is a lot of fun, just given it a full on paint cleanse, polish, wax and then sealant, plus all door hinges and stops etc.
Then took it for a drive, it is huge amount of fun for sure, has some quirky handling characteristics due to the 4 miss matched tyres, particular in fast right hand corners you can feel the front tyre been pulled of the rim with it been a soft winter tyre on front passenger side, still fun.
Yes shall probably use EBC yellows too, I'd not normally recommend such a brand but I've always found the yellows to be a great pad, excellent road manners, low noise, low dust work great from cold but are also pretty good for track work too.
Hi there
No real work progress on the car today as no parts arrived, still waiting on upper engine mount and a new number plate lens for rear bumper, probably land next week whilst I am in Germany.
So today it was time to properly clean the car further, so washed all the hard to get places like boot shuts, door shuts etc.
Then the car had the following process, all by hand:
1. Meguiars paint cleanse
2. Meguiars polish
3. Autobrite filler wax
4. Carplan no.1 sealeant
The car has gained so much more depth to the paint, not only that the paint is full of a pearl effect that was not showing so much when I collected the car, but now it really pops in the sun:
Then decided to go and drive some of my favourite roads, can really make the tyres squeal for life when throwing the car around corners, it skips, understeers and then just holds on like crazy, the best word to use is fun. Then driving home I parked up and grabbed a few more quick photos:
The miss matched tyres can certainly be felt, fast right hand corners the car is less stable, no doubt caused by the soft winter tyre on the front left which also has a smaller contact patch. Also a little squirmy under heavy braking again no doubt the tyres and no doubt same reason for torque steer. The brakes are good though, as I think there is maybe a wheel bearing issue am planning to just fit Brembo HC disc all round, the rears come with new bearings and fit EBC yellow all round.
Once rest of bushes, wishbones and track rods are done, with wheels refurbished with some stickier rubber should be even more fun.
No real work progress on the car today as no parts arrived, still waiting on upper engine mount and a new number plate lens for rear bumper, probably land next week whilst I am in Germany.
So today it was time to properly clean the car further, so washed all the hard to get places like boot shuts, door shuts etc.
Then the car had the following process, all by hand:
1. Meguiars paint cleanse
2. Meguiars polish
3. Autobrite filler wax
4. Carplan no.1 sealeant
The car has gained so much more depth to the paint, not only that the paint is full of a pearl effect that was not showing so much when I collected the car, but now it really pops in the sun:
Then decided to go and drive some of my favourite roads, can really make the tyres squeal for life when throwing the car around corners, it skips, understeers and then just holds on like crazy, the best word to use is fun. Then driving home I parked up and grabbed a few more quick photos:
The miss matched tyres can certainly be felt, fast right hand corners the car is less stable, no doubt caused by the soft winter tyre on the front left which also has a smaller contact patch. Also a little squirmy under heavy braking again no doubt the tyres and no doubt same reason for torque steer. The brakes are good though, as I think there is maybe a wheel bearing issue am planning to just fit Brembo HC disc all round, the rears come with new bearings and fit EBC yellow all round.
Once rest of bushes, wishbones and track rods are done, with wheels refurbished with some stickier rubber should be even more fun.
Caporegime
Have you moved house or just cleaned it on a neighbours driveway?
Or have you secretly acquired another Jaaaaaaaaag?
Epic work, keep it up.
Or have you secretly acquired another Jaaaaaaaaag?
Epic work, keep it up.
Soldato
Had a 172 back in 2002, loved it, one of the most fun cars I've ever had and exactly the right amount of performance to play with on UK roads.
Still hanker for another one really!
Nice choice Gibbo
Still hanker for another one really!
Nice choice Gibbo
Soldato
Gibbo, interested to know if hooning around in this today made you question/rethink your approach to choosing your more expensive car at all?
Having owned a Clio 182 previously, and then owning/driving more powerful cars since I still haven't had as much fun on a drive as I experienced on a daily basis in the Clio. Just curious as to whether you still enjoy the big powered Jag/Mustangs as much now on the roads. Sinking your foot to the floor and reaching instant ban speeds within seconds can't be as exciting as throwing this cup around at legal-ish speeds can it?
Having owned a Clio 182 previously, and then owning/driving more powerful cars since I still haven't had as much fun on a drive as I experienced on a daily basis in the Clio. Just curious as to whether you still enjoy the big powered Jag/Mustangs as much now on the roads. Sinking your foot to the floor and reaching instant ban speeds within seconds can't be as exciting as throwing this cup around at legal-ish speeds can it?
Caporegime
- Joined
- 13 Nov 2006
- Posts
- 26,238
I found this in cars with less than half the power of the cars you've mentioned. What you've also outlined is the reasoning behind buying an MX-5 and GT-86.
Fun doesn't have to be fast... especially on public roads.
There are different aspects of fun, not one single car can give you everything, let me try and summarise the three cars:
Clio: a small twisty back road, National speed limits and even roundabouts. Your in the throttle so much longer, your driving way beyond grip nearly all the time and generally throwing it around like a go kart. Yes it’s lacking on the straight bits even though it’s not slow hits 60 in around 6.5s and pulls to a 100 quite well. But on a back road your on it 110% and it’s a thrilling ride, it’s just the right amount of raw to compare it with a Caterham, but still OK to cruise. Best of all it cost a couple of grand and can pull 50mpg on a run plus it’s not bad when thrashing it. Fun factor on a country road is epic and your generally around the speed limit. The Clio attracts no attention apart from annoyed pedestrians giving you hand jestures for having the tyres screaming for mercy, I respond with a thumbs up which just puzzles them.
The fun come from how it revels to be driven so hard and is such an enjoyment to do so and of course it’s easier and more fun at low speeds, it’s rare you break into triple digits.
M3: the induction noise is on another level, it so firm, so flat, yet rides better than Clio but that is the result of expensive coilovers they ride better on the road and perform better. Doing skids, drifts and the sequential gearbox all make it such an incredible car but on the road it’s more a wet weather fun car to keep speeds lower and to enjoy some sideways action. The M3 has incredible ability but is also silly fast, but as a track car it’s amazing but it should be I’ve spent thousands on it. The M3 also gets a lot of recognition and respect from other motorist which I guess shows what a recognised pedigree of car the M3 is.
SVR: The looks, noise it’s a car that is shouty and gets a lot of recognition from all road users and pedestrians, it’s on a par with the Mustang there. It’s ability is insane, it handles like an EVO but goes like a GTR, but it’s playful so you don’t need to drive flat out all the time. The acceleration is mind boggling and the whole theatre of the car on another level, plus it’s an incredible place to sit.
That’s a quick summary, they all deliver in different ways but they should as one is AWD V8, RWD S6 and a FWD 4 pot.
P.S. can’t write much as in the airport.
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Associate
Sorry for the delay getting back to you!
Yeah I'd recommend going with genuine on the discs as they have the bearings built in and will last. A lot of the cheaper bearings don't last too long. Alternatively you can try and find the discs made by SNR as they make the gen bearings.
One thing I did notice from the engine bay pics is the positive battery terminal cover is broken. I know you like the little details so when you get round to it -
https://www.kamracing.co.uk/car-tun...lt-oe-battery-terminal-cover-rs172-rs182.html
or
https://www.renaultpartsdirect.co.u...clio-172-182-battery-positive-terminal-cover/
I remember replacing mine, tugging at the hub - yeah this isn't ******* coming off. Getting angrier, can't put it back together to take to a garage as it's kinda off a little. On the floor pulling for a final attempt, just suddenly flies off and me at the same time. Ended up on the floor with a hub on top of me
The genuine disc have the ABS ring included though, so are they the same?
Assume I can just remove the ABS ring?
So would you recommend then:
Front Brembo HC disc with yellow stuff
Rear genuine disc with yellow stuff
Ate blue fluid
Goodridge hoses
Rear disc bearing spacers
Rear hub nuts
Missed anything?
Yep noticed battery cover was leaving the little touches until last like that
Associate
The genuine disc have the ABS ring included though, so are they the same?
Assume I can just remove the ABS ring?
So would you recommend then:
Front Brembo HC disc with yellow stuff
Rear genuine disc with yellow stuff
Ate blue fluid
Goodridge hoses
Rear disc bearing spacers
Rear hub nuts
Missed anything?
Yep noticed battery cover was leaving the little touches until last like that
Yeah they are the same, just leave the ABS ring on it won't do anything.
Looks good, I've never used EBC pads so up to you on that. Rear pads I would just run standard as they record so little effort its not really worth uprating. Can get Pagid rears for about £17.
Your old rear discs should already have the spacer already behind them and they are reusable.
Get the hub nuts, torquing to 175nm is essential.
Ok don’t need to worry about brake balance by running a track pad up front and a standard pad in rear?
Assume you ran DS2500 front and stock pad in rear then?
Also I see Brembo fronts that are grooves or drilled, same size but double the price so are these just same disc but with holes for twice the money or is there more to them than that?
Associate
I run substantially more aggressive than even DS2500s on the front (DS.11's) and standard ECP Pagids on the back which has been fine for track work. Just read up on the MOT issue with rear brake efficiency on the Cups to see how little braking force they apply.
Similarly on discs there is very little benefit to grooved/drilled as they are essentially the same discs. In fact most of the drilled ones you see on eBay are plain Brembos with holes drilled by a third party. One less thing to fail as far as I'm concerned.
I run plain HC's, sometimes up to 30 min sessions on track in this summer weather and they continue to work absolutely fine. No judder etc.
Good to know then. Have you ran DS2500 on the Clio or just the DS.11’s? I know DS is a track pad and can be noisy.
Just want the brakes to be very confident, good modulation and powerful. As they are now they are just OK but for all I know it’s got cheapo pads and cheapo disc and is probably running 15yr brake fluid.
Front pad choice needs to be a quietish pad, not too much dust and the best stopping and modulation I can get. So guess it’s a choice between DS2500 and EBC yellow.
For rear I’ll do as you say, stock rear disc/bearings with factory Renault pads too.
Soldato
Nearly bought a 182 2 years ago, now wish I had reading your write up about the drive. Maybe next year instead of chopping the Mazda6 in in favour of a fast estate, keep the 6 for commute and pick up one of these for all the jollies down the cracking A roads on my doorstep...
