Cody1112

I am gettting ready to upgrade the front brakes on my 99 C5. Right now I am stuck between Wilwood and Baer. It's going to be mostly on the street most of the time, but I plan on doing some autocrossing as well. Apart from figuring out what company to go with, should I go with a stock sized rotor or is it worth it to upgrade to a bigger rotor as well?

Zee916

I personally would go with a different company than both of those.

Stoptech FTW.

John Shiels

LG wilwood kit or they have stoptech if you want to spend more and have 18" wheels. LG caliper have thicker pads which is better.

Gray Ghost GS

I recently went with the LG Wilwood SL6 front brake kit and WOW! Much thicker pads - very robust design - easy to bleed and change pads. Definitely worth the cost! I already had 18" wheels with the correct offset to clear the wider calipers. Definitely worth looking into. Mike

FasterIsBetter

I did the LG Wilwood SL6 fronts and SL4 rear upgrade last year. Wow is exactly the right way to describe it. It makes an incredible difference in braking. The kit came with Wilwood rotors with aluminum hats, stainless braided brake lines and Wilwood H pads. It is an easy installation, definitely DIY, if you're at all handy. I have the stock 17" fronts and 18" rears, and the rotors and calipers fit perfectly.

On the track, braking performance is beyond excellent. With the stock brakes, I was going through a set of brake pads in two track days, and a set of rotors every 3rd to 5th event. With the Wilwoods, I have run 5 track events already, and the rotors look like new and the pads are still over 90%.

Absolutely the best money I've ever spent.

snitz

John: You run Wilwood's correct?

I had the Wilwood Kit and could get them to perform A OK with H compound pads, which weren't really useable on the street. With their aggressive street pad options I got too much brake fade and went thru pads rather quickly.

I eventually went to Brembos with Hawk Black pads which I can also street. Those pads, as the H compound hold and perform great.

Have you had similar experience with the Wilwoods. Do you find you need to track them with different pads than on the street?

Adam Boca

Tom,

I meant to ask when we talked about this...Did you have the full width calipers?

Adam

Cody1112

I assume you guys didn't get the GSTOP package that LG makes. Does anyone know have any experience with that package? Also, what size rotors are you running up front with the wilwoods?

Gray Ghost GS

I went with the GStop package that uses the stock rotors.

96CollectorSport

If you are looking for the best "bang for the buck" you can't beat the LG G-stop kit, you don't have to change wheels (although you may need a spacer) and you can use stock rotors, if you decide that you are going through rotors too quickly it's your option to try an upgraded rotor. Since the G-stop works with the stock rotor you have many more options in aftermarket rotors, Wilwood, StopTech, Brembo, Baer,all make stock size 2-piece rotors.
However I have found that no matter what 13" rotor you go with you just can't beat a 14" rotor for life. There is more mass and they will just plain last longer. But replacement rings are also right around $250 each for 14" vs about $175 each for 13".
I have several customers who run at Road America and we have gone through a couple of different systems, the BBK I think performs the best is the StopTech 14" (355mm x 32mm) with there ST-40 4-piston caliper, we are still trying to find the right pads for this combo but the rotors have lasted over 1 full season (18-20 track days) on 3 different cars. Now you will have to change wheels, and you are stuck with the $250 replacement rotors.
I guess it comes down to what you are comfortable spending, the G-stop gives you the most options but StopTech will require less maintenance.
If your having trouble deciding take a look at the cost of consumables, how much are replacement pads and rotors (and how long will they last).
The G-stop pads are probably some of the cheapest track pads you can find plus they last longer than most, however you will be going through rotors. The StopTech rotors last a good long time but you will be changing pads every 3 to 4 track days (Hawk DTC-70) we are still looking for a longer lasting pad now we are looking at Pagid and Cobalt.

Aren't decisions fun?
I guess when it comes down to it you just have to decide what fits you best, the G-stop kit gives you the most options and

Adam Boca

What maintenance does the GStop/Wilwood need?

Thanks!

Adam Boca

Wicked Weasel

I track my wilwood with H compound, but change for the street. The H are horrible on the street because of the noise. OUtside of that they still stop you.

On the street I use what wilwood sent with the kit. They really show little wear on the street and stopping is fine.

Wicked Weasel

not sure what is meant by maintenance, but here is why I like the wilwood with 13in rotors

1. I can keep my 17in wheels
2. changing the pads only takes 1 hex bolt to be removed.
3. changing the rotors only takes 2 11mm 12 point nuts to be removed.
4. Flushing the system is easy (though it was easy with stock).

What I wish I didnt have to do is safety wire the rotors. That takes time and required me to buy an extra set of hats and rotors so that I have them in case one goes on the track.

Eventually I will give up the 17in wheels and then go to a 14in setup, but for now I really like the performance of the wilwoods.

Bob

Wah

Anybody with C5 considering CTS-V brakes ?

I just got price quotes for the front ones (rears still in research). The Brembo calipers bolt onto the C5 spindle/knuckle (need some simple bushings to take up the slack in the caliper holes). The rotor is 14" plain and 6-lug, but with redrilling it can be used. You can use the more-expensive C6 Z06 14" rotor but you don't need to redrill it and it got, uh, holes.

The quote I got is from a Chevy dealer. The Brembo caliper is $129.15 each, the V rotor is $87.84 each and the pads are $100.82 (one axle kit). My calculator shows under $535 for the front.

Adam Boca

Wouldn't yu have to upgrade your wheels & tires to 18s? For me that is track set and street set...VERY expensive upgrade when you are all said and done...

John Shiels

Stoptechs don't need to be safety wired which is a big plus. I can run 13" Stoptech or NAPAs if stuck for a rotors. LG Wilwood is a great setup. You can shim the pads and place insulator shims also.

John Shiels

that is why the LG set up is sweet.

Wah

My wheels are already 18" all around.

95jersey

LG Kit using stock NAPA rotors is the way to go! If it were any better if would give you a bl#w job while you bleed them. This alone makes me want to buy my C5 back.

Stoptechs are great, but more than double. I and many others ran the LG kit hard for a while...so it's a tried true real world tested product.

Adam Boca

Yeah I agree!