MongoZ06

I'm looking to upgrade the brakes on my car and I might be able to get a set of C6 calipers and rotors for a great price however I wanted to get feedback first to see if there are any major draw backs to going this route versus spending more and getting a BBK from Stoptech/AP/Wilwood/etc...

I don't race the car so I don't have any rules to follow and I do about 3-4 HPDEs a year at this time so I'm thinking I don't need the baddest most lightweight braking kit out there but I do want something more than what I have.

JerryTX

For hardcore track abuse, they suck. You can search and find great info about them but in brief:
- the multiple padlets (hard to find cheap good track worthy options)
- for single piece pads you still have limited choices
- its not easy to change pads
- the caliper guide pins back out and gouge the backside of your wheel, - you can't change pads easily
- they don't cool well
- Nothing track worthy or track oriented about them other than they fact that they have 6 pistons.

They may work if your slow or new; as you pick up speed or add lots of power, your track day and your track sessions will be cut short due to overheating and worn out pads. <-- tell me, how much did you really save when you took the time/$$ to get to the track and you stop early. Add lines, fluid and pads to your existing setup and stop. OR, IF you are reaching behind your back to pull out your wallet, do it once and just go for the Stoptech ST60 trophy kit up front (no need to do the rear unless you want matching pads/rotors). Do not stop at 4 piston APs or 6 piston wilwoods unless you are bolting them to 14" floating rotors. I tried all of them and finally stopped spending when I got to the Stoptech, learn from my $$ mistakes.

RedLS1GTO

I don't agree with that at all. The AP T1 setup or the new AP options from Essex with some cooling should be MORE than sufficient for any HPDE car. If not, you're doing something wrong. The AP kits will also fit under stock C5 wheels if need be, where as the StopTech will not. If your car is dual use street/track, you can also use stock rotors for the street as opposed to another $$$$ set of rotors to swap back and forth. I am not easy on brakes and have zero issue with my AP T1 setup on my C5Z.

In addition to being cheaper to begin with, the AP calipers use a way more common backing plate as opposed to the $$$$$$$ dollar pad options for the ST-60. As an example, the Ferodo Ferodo DS1.11 endurance pads that I run on my car are about $200 for the D50 Radial Depth ($185 for "normal" depth) as opposed to well over $600 a set for the same compound for the ST-60. Your "street" pads would also be much cheaper. Both are 20mm pad thickness.

People are all over the place on pad life, but on "average" I am seeing about 6 HPDE days per set on BOTH the AP as well as the StopTech pads so it is not a matter of them lasting 3 times as long to justify the cost.

Don't get me wrong, I am not in any way shape or form knocking the StopTechs. If you want to spend the cash or if you are racing for prize money, go for it. My argument is that for HPDE in a C5, the AP is more than sufficient and way cheaper.

Bill Dearborn

Don't rule out the Wilwoods either. If you go with the W6A/W4A combo the pad selections can be somewhat limited but Wilwood has some good track pads in the $200 range and you can get other compounds from Porterfield. The advantage of the W6A/W4A combo is they use the same pad shape front and rear so you can swap pads around. The Wilwoods will run between the cost of the Z06 brakes and the Stop Techs. It is very easy to change pads in the Wilwood calipers. Push the pistons back, remove two spring clips and the two pins the clips hold in place, pull the old pads out, insert new ones and reinstall the pins and spring clips.

Bill

RedLS1GTO

I had the Wilwoods on C4. With 500+hp and a whole lot of weight, that car was brutal on brakes. I had nothing but good experience with them. I was actually looking for a set for the C5Z when I found a good deal on the AP setup or I would have used them again. The AP CP8350 uses that same backing plate. Currently for the street in my C5, I am actually using the set of pads that came with the Wilwood C4 kit.

On that same note, pad changes on the AP are easy as well.

Bad Karma

I'm fairly new. But I went with the Wilwood. W6A caliper upgrade on my C5Z I use C6 Z51 rotors (13.4") behind C5Z factory wheels. When I step up to an 18" front wheel the same kit can use C6Z 14" rotors. For what its worth I'm very happy with it and it gives me room to upgrade.

Socko

Are people against the sl6 gstop setup? That is my plan as i can use stock rotors that are super cheap and keep stock, cheap and light rims. Pads are pretty cheap and 20mm so last a real long time. Only downside i have heard is rotor cracking, which at $50 a pop isn't a huge deal imo, ill just carry a spare or 2. From what I've read, as I am on street tires still, cracking shouldn't be a huge issue anyways.

Socko

I didn't realize this was an option, so you are saying the w6a fits behind the stock 17"? I thought you had to have 18" stockers on the front to run them?

Bad Karma

P/N: 140-12629
W6A calipers and brackets you buy a factory C6 Z51 13.4" rotor and it fits behind the C5Z 17" wheel... barely. The clearance. Is very tight, but it fits.

I think the W6A kit with wilwood rotors is too big for 17's. But this is just a caliper kit.

Bad Karma

I guess I did upload one picture of it:

95jersey

C6Z brakes while cheap to buy up front, will cost you a ton of money on the back end. Pads are the most expensive of all the calipers mentioned and you will eat through a set every 2 track days. You will wind up spending more money than a BBK in less than 2 years (if that). One of the advantage of the BBK's are the thicker and cheaper pads that seem to last longer than any pad that is available for the C6Z caliper. Don't do it, ask me how I know.

JRitt@essex

Agreed with some of the other comments here. Leave the rear brake calipers and discs alone, and go with an upgraded pad and some SS brake lines in the back.

The C6 Z06 brake system has too many compromises and quibbles to be valid consideration if you track the car. If you were ONLY using it for the street, then it's not a terrible option.

I believe our Sprint Kit will give you the most bang for the buck. It offers a tremendous blend of performance, flexibility, and price. It fits stock wheels, can swap with OEM style discs, offers inexpensive spare pads and discs for low running costs, and we have excellent customer service to back up the product. Also, AP Racing is a premium brand that holds its value well for resale when you part with the car. Based on your needs, I don't think you need to spend any more than that, and I don't think you'd ever have to buy anything else after that.

FASTFATBOY

Is this a fixed or floating caliper?

Cost?

Picture of the bracket?

Bad Karma

Fixed caliper 6 piston; I don't have a picture of the bracket (at least not uploaded), but here's a picture from Wileood's site:


Summit sells it for $930

You then buy whatever C6 Z51 rotors you(13.4") want. Or if you want and have at least 18's up front you can buy C6 Z06 rotors (14").

MR Turco

How does it fit both rotors? does it have mult brackets?

Bad Karma

Comes with a spacer for the studs; leave it off for Z51 rotor put it on for Z06.