Mike, I bought mine on eBay, from a salvage yard in Southern California. The ones I'm using are actually the second pair I received from the same seller. The first pair arrived with broken electrical connectors. If the calipers are not packed carefully, with particular attention paid to the connectors, they will likely arrive broken and unusable.
I see there is a right and left caliper. Does that matter on this retrofit? Are there specific years or models that are best suited?
Thanks!
There was a recall on Tesla Model S parking brake's with 53,000 vehicles impacted, there has been some caution that take off's have ended up on eBay for sale.
Mike, the leading and trailing sides of the caliper have different styles of mounting. I'm not sure why they make them this way but it's probably best to mount them on the side the caliper was designed to mount on. You could physically mount them on either side though. I believe all years of caliper are the same.
I've also heard rumors of 2016 model year "recalled" EPBs finding their way onto eBay but I've never come across anyone that has actually purchased one (or a pair). Perhaps Jon would have a better idea.
Joules is correct, the reason that the Tesla / Brembo calipers are available is that a small percentage of gear breaks rendering the caliper in operative.
Attached is the NHTSA safety report and a publication from Tesla.
We setup a "Test to Destruction" using a EPB controller and some lab equipment to cycle the caliper constantly and without allowing the caliper to move which places excessive stress on the mechanism. After hundreds of cycles the motor pinon gear sheared off the motor shaft, but I don't believe that was the failure mode that caused the recall.
I have disassembled (1) field failed caliper and found the lead screw and follower assembly was the failure mechanism which is not the same as the safety report.
Just as many mechanisms there are failures but in perspective it is not severe and the benefits out weight this issue.
I know of a Pantera owners that purchased calipers from Ebay that had failures as received but bought additional calipers and still felt it was worth while.
We would not have spent the time and resources to design several controllers if we didn't feel that this wasn't a safe and useful brake system.
Attachments
Files (2)
A source for Tesla calipers:
http://www.autobahnparts.com/p...s/tesla-parts/brakes
Autobahn
444 Vernon Way
El Cajon, CA. 92020.
Info about Tesla rotor:
Tesla Model 3 Rear Ventilated Brake Rotor Size:
Diameter rear: 365mm (14.37")
Rotor Thickness:
New - 28mm (1.10")
Service limit - 26mm (1.02")
Electric Parking Brake (EPB) Pad Thickness.
(excluding back plate)
New - 5.5mm (0.216")
Service Limit - 1 mm (0.039")
Thanks to everyone for all the great info.
My P-car is still at the paint shop so the EPB project is still a few months away. Jon, I will contact you when closer to that part of the project.
Does anyone know the cost of new EBP calipers?
Thanks for the feedback!
I happened to be looking at available hat offsets for the race car and see Wilwood now make a range of EPB''s for rotors up to 1.25" thick;
Thanks Joules. I contacted Wilwood months ago and got the impression that they hadn't sorted out their controller at that time. Seem like they have a finished product now.