CorvetteZ51Racer

So I broke down and ordered Stoptech Trophy brakes for my Z - the 355mm front kit. The rears showed up today, and I decided to take a close look at the similarities and differences between them and the stockers. I'll update this to include the fronts when they arrive.

So the first thing that is commonly discussed with BBKs relative to stock is that they're lighter. Piece of advice #1 - read the literature carefully. For Stoptech, they don't state that. Also, where you see caliper weights, those are WITHOUT pads.

So first off - OEM rear caliper with pads


Second - Stoptech rear caliper with pads and mount (note, with the radial mount, you need to include the bracket to make it apples to apples:


WHAT?? They're heavier???
Well, hold just a second. Let's look at the relative pad swept area.



HOLY INFERIORITY COMPLEX BATMAN!!

Only a 5oz difference (and in the interests of full disclosure, the O&M pads are used about 25%, so the delta is actually less), but you get that much more swept area for stopping power and that much more pad volume for heat dissipation.

Next - let's check the rotors. Stock iron rotors vs Stoptech 2pc AeroRotors. First off - let's point out that the OE rotors are 13.4" vs the Stoptech 14", and the OE rotors are 25mm thick vs the Stoptech 30mm.

OEM (used - w/ 45k miles on them)


Stoptech


So a new rotor assembly, with integral parking brake hat, that's 25% thicker, over 1/2" larger in diameter (almost all in the swept area) weighs the same as a 45k mile old OE rotor.

While the expectation was admittedly for weight savings at each corner, which I didn't get with the rear kit, it is pretty clear that there is more material in the firepath of the rotor, more pad area and volume, so I think a definite plus.

Stay tuned for the fronts.

el es tu

AU N EGL

the real difference will be ON the track for stopping and Replacements of pads and rotors do to wear.

Good Luck

JMB92

You're going to love these!

We have StopTech Trophy brakes on our SCCA T1 Race Car 355mm Front / 328mm Rear.

In case your worried about performance, they stop consistently a 3600 lbs car running 2:22 laps at Road America lap after lap, session after session.

jvp

What he said. That was the reason I replaced my Z06's brakes with StopTechs originally. Not for weight reduction but for a better braking package. Stiffer, thicker calipers, thicker pads, and better rotors.

Were I doing it again, I'd probably punt on the StopTechs and get Brembos instead.

jas

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

Nice set up, you will really like these and the pads are about $100 cheaper to replace.

froggy47

I had the same WTF moment when I got CCW 14's (granted they were 1.5 inch wider) when they scaled over 2 lbs HEAVIER than stock c5z rims.

Some game playin' going on with the weights of a lot of aftermarket equipment.



Excuse the drift.

Kubs

That is a cool comparison! I would have guess the Stoptechs would be a lot lighter, but Im sure they are much more rigid.

Can you do me a favor? How thick is the mounting bracket for the Stoptech caliper, where the studs are screwed in (ie how much thread engagement)? Is that bracket steel or aluminum?

rmackintosh

Loved my Stoptech fronts.....for the 40 minutes that I drove on them in the Camaro. HEHE

They are now sitting on the shelf ready to go on the Vette, and I have all the new rotors/brackets and also the rears to match as well. Should be a sweet setup!

Will post pics when I get there!

CorvetteZ51Racer

Adam, thanks. The funny thing is that I have a close friend who is a Carbotech dealer, and he had the pads waiting for me a month before I got the brakes.

95jersey

Is that trophy caliper in the picture a rear or front caliper?

96CollectorSport

Second sentence of the OP

CorvetteZ51Racer

Yes. The rears are 4 piston with 355mmx30mm discs.

intheboost

Any updates on the fronts?

Last C5

I don't see the stock abutments on that scale???

repman

I am going to order brakes and was going to get the stoptechs but your statement is giving me pause. Having had stoptechs why would you buy Brembo if you had to do it again? Thanks for any input.

Larry

red1vette

yooper

MarkDFW

0Anthony @ LGMotorsports

Couple of things I have noticed over the years.

The majority of the weight savings is going to come from the front kit. The OEM rotor should come in around 26-27 lbs and the StopTech rotor (same size) should be 18.8-19.4 lbs assembled. so there is the biggest weight savings.

The front calipers are going to be slightly more because you do have to deal with the added hardware of the bracket, studs, nuts, and also the bridge assembly on the caliper itself.

Pads are a huge difference as you have already seen with the 4 pot caliper on the back of the car but you are also gaining 5mm each side on the front pads so there is going to be much improved pad life, as well as heat protection to the caliper itself.

The rears...they would be lighter if they made a smaller rotor on the back of the car. They do, but you have to remove the parking brake as there is no way to use their attachment hardware between the rotor and the hat and retain the parking brake drum on the back of the car. Our race cars used their 13" rear package, but again it takes a bit more modifications that most street car customer do not want to do.



JVP and I have went over brakes a number of times over the years

Bang for the buck and replacement part costs figured in, I would still pick StopTech over Brembo for most people. As with anything there are benefits and drawbacks to each. Jason's biggest issue with the Stoptechs if I remember right was the bridge assembly. If you overtighten those bridge bolts you can pull the heli-coils out of the caliper and have a very hard, if not impossible time removing the bridge so pad changes now require caliper removal just like a stock one.

There is a lot going on with doing a brake upgrade and as I have said before, all things remaining equal (roughly same rotor size, and same pad compound) you will not stop any quicker than that you did before. The entire purpose here is to maintain that same braking point time and time again on track. It is all about reliability and consistent brakes so the driver knows that the pedal will be there every time he stands on it.

We ran StopTechs on the challenge cars from 2004-2007 straight out of the box as a normal street kit and won a number of races with them and Cobalt Friction pads. Still a very proven product and setup today.