MM TCE Front Plus 1 Kit

[Eric91Z]

I have a couple quick questions on the Plus 1 Kit for the Marauder. On the TCE website, it says that the Plus 1 Kit fits under the stock wheel, but with the supplied spacer.

1) Does it actually need the spacer to fit or not?
2) Also, do the Wilwood calipers have dust shields on the pistons for daily driver use?
3) If you add the rear setup, does it require spacers, too?

[Todd TCE]

1: Yes the spacers are needed. They are about .065" thick. SS plates actually.

2: These calipers are NON booted parts. To do them in a booted from you'd need to do a 14" kit.

3: No, as the whole assembly sits much farther inboard.

[Eric91Z]

1: Yes the spacers are needed. They are about .065" thick. SS plates actually.

2: These calipers are NON booted parts. To do them in a booted from you'd need to do a 14" kit.

3: No, as the whole assembly sits much farther inboard.

Any concerns running the setup on a daily driven car in Iowa weather which sees a full 4 seasons each year?

[Todd TCE]

As log as you keep the pads up and pistons retracted in the foul weather months the parts will not see excessive contamination due to the non booted caliper design. Most problems occur after the season when folks quickly jam the pistons back without taking time to clean things.

However...if you are seriously considering the booted calipers for you needs I can make that work for you as well. I can work up a four pot booted caliper for you if you wish. Going to be a price bump due to the caliper cost and the radial bracket cost. But yes, it can be done.

[Fourth Horseman]

As log as you keep the pads up and pistons retracted in the foul weather months the parts will not see excessive contamination due to the non booted caliper design. Most problems occur after the season when folks quickly jam the pistons back without taking time to clean things.

Good things I'm learning here. So it sounds like maybe, needed or not, it might not be a bad idea to put new pads in during the fall before things get messy. That or pad wear spacers, I guess. I assume for clean up of the pistons I'd just take the pads out and use a clean rag to wipe around the part of the piston that's sticking out of the caliper body.

When contaminiation does occur, are we talking about just fouling the brake fluid, or is it more a piston wear issue?

[Todd TCE]

You're 100% on all accts.

Fitting wear plates is never a bad thing other then fogetting to check pad material and running down to the plate....

A dab of silicone between them will prevent them from rattling.

Contamination around the piston can easily be cleaned with some brake cleaner and a tooth brush. Retracted inward the can pit the wall of the caliper, the piston or cause a cavity in the O ring seal.

Few do as much dusty driving as I do and I admit; I don't dwell on this stuff.

[Eric91Z]

You're 100% on all accts.

Fitting wear plates is never a bad thing other then fogetting to check pad material and running down to the plate....

A dab of silicone between them will prevent them from rattling.

Contamination around the piston can easily be cleaned with some brake cleaner and a tooth brush. Retracted inward the can pit the wall of the caliper, the piston or cause a cavity in the O ring seal.

Few do as much dusty driving as I do and I admit; I don't dwell on this stuff.


My biggest concern wouldn't be dust from the spring/summer/fall, but more the sand and dirty that could get in there during the winter driving - as long as the car remains a year round daily driver like it is now. I just look at the amount of dirt and sand on the wheels and in the wheel wells and imagine that getting on a piston and causing problems. Then again, the 16" steel wheels are much more closed up than the factory wheels.

But then again, I assume that the brake kit will not work with the 16" CVPI steel wheels I have on for the winter. If that is the case, the car will get retired from winter driving if it gets a brake upgrade...

[Fourth Horseman]

Thanks for all the great support and tech advice, Todd. I really couldn't be more pleased with my TCE brake kit!

[Todd TCE]

Eric, you would assume correctly; no 16s.

The amount of dust and dirt, lack of cleaning, poor maintenance etc. is certianly something to consider. However if like most owners of such cars and parts you probably take better care of it than a Geo Metro. The value of the kits performance and overall work has to be gauged against such concerns. For most folks it's a no brainer- I honestly sold no BBKs this year specificly with booted calipers other than the MINI kits with the smaller DynaPro caliper coming with them. Perhaps it because only the only way to do this is radial mount and I do not have a mount for that application.

If you'd like to consider doing a 13 with them we can look into it. The down side however is that the cost will elevate about $450 or so rough guess.

[Eric91Z]

Thanks for the information, Todd. I guess the realistic viewpoint is that if I do a BBK, then I have to be ready to have a dedicated winter car as I will not drive the Marauder in the winter with the stock wheels or tires. And I do want a BBK. I am already looking around for what will be my winter beater for next year, but will have to stay with what I have for now with the Marauder as the daily driver. Then figure out what I want to do next year.