wallyman424

Lets start off with the set up, and why I decided to change my brakes:

1. stock brakes taper pads very badly
2. tapered pads lead to poor pedal feel
3. stock pads need to be changed frequently

So, this past weekend I was at Slummit Point racing with NASA. The previous weekend I had installed my LG Wilwood kit.

Here are the main plusses of this kit:

- uses stock rotors
- fits under 17" wheels (behind CCW's with a 3/8" spacer)
- pads are 2x as thick as stockers
- properly sized pistons to alleviate taper

Here are the things I noticed on track:

- Pedal feel is INCREDIBLE. Not only is the pedal firm and short, it is consistant. There is no change throughout the race, or from day to day. The biggest problem I had with the stock brakes, was that after a race (and occasionally during), my pedal would feel like a wet sponge.
- Pads show hardly any wear after 2 VERY hard races, 2 qual and 2 practice sessions. This usage would show taper and 1/3 wear on a stock style wilwood H pad.
- Knockback becomes more prevalent, but a slight tap on the brake pedal with the left foot fixes that.
- I had to rethink my braking strategy with this newfound confidence. I could brake at the latest point every single lap and not overcook the corner. This was a new feeling for me.

Overall I am very impressed with what this kit has to offer.

Oh, and Jody, you werent joking when you said the cool suit is a "very pleasant experience." I put it on for the first practice session and was so distracted by how good it felt. I can't see how I raced without it.

yellow01

Awesome! I love mine.

You are right though, I learned about knockback with these calipers but that's a small price to pay.

This is a very great bang for the buck brake mod!

John Shiels

You summed it up. I beat the crap out of mine and they are great! Worth 50 at least.

gkmccready

What's the difference between the LG bracket and the regular Wilwood 13" rotor bracket?

CHJ In Virginia

Please give us a little more info on "Knockback". I am seriously thinking about this kit myself. Do you have to tap the pedal to push the pads out to the rotors prior to full application or what ??

wallyman424

LG bracket lets you retain the stock $22 rotors, while the normal wilwood kit has the super pricey ones. Also, the LG kit uses the larger caliper, allowing for humungous pads.

knockback occurs after going through a brakeless section of track where there are a lot of high G turns. For example the carousel area at Summit. Its like 3-4 high G left-right turns that require no braking. What happens is that the hubs flex a bit, and the rotor pushes the pads back, thus pushing the pistons into the caliper. On the stock c5 setup it happens, but since the calipers are floating, the effect isnt as great as with the fixed body wilwoods.

Yes, the tap just puts the fluid back into the calipers, pushing the pads back on the rotor face. This makes the pedal hard/short for the next braking zone. If you dont do this, the pedal will drop farther than normal. Not dangerously so, but for performance sake its a good thing to tap the pedal.

gkmccready

I'm still not sure I get it. Why wouldn't the 13" Wilwood bracket work with the 13" NAPA rotor?

Falcon

I figured you'd like it. It sure makes a difference in the heat.

BTW, how'd you do in the race?

davidfarmer

I'd be concerned with knock-back, never had it on any setup, and never want to. It is usually associated with flex in the system, but the GM hubs/spindles/rotors don't flex enough to cause it. Usually a problem in old vintage race cars.

wallyman424

the backspacing is different. aka the clearance from the front of the rotor to the rotor's friction surface

I got 3rd both days. I hate to use the tires excuse but I'm going to. Its so clear to me that I need to get some new tires next year. Both days I had 2nd and was up with Kaiser for a couple laps, and then my tires would start to give and it'd become a slip 'n slide.

Saturday I qual'd 2nd, and Gary Wolfe passed me in traffic on the 2nd to last lap.

Sunday I qual'd 3rd, passed Gary on the 2nd lap, held that for about 1/2 the race, and the tires just became absolute crap.

The Kumhos I was on had 25+ heat cycles on them. They were the "garbage" tires I ran at the NCM event. I really think that tires will get me up there with the big guys. Theres only one way to find out right?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...32320111&hl=en

Thats sundays video if you want to watch.

Oyishdog

well i guess this is on the list...thanks wally for making my wallet thinner


Oh, do the stock c5 z06 wheels fit without a spacer?

wallyman424

I might add that my left front hub is dying, and will be replaced. If you watch that video you will notice a distinct vibration/shake of death under braking. Yeah, thats the hub.

I can physically jiggle the hub when the wheel is on there.

wallyman424

according to some you need a super small spacer. Some say the backspacing changed slightly when they swapped from alcoa to speedline. I dont know which needs the spacer though. Either way no big deal.

Falcon

25 cycles? That's crazy. Go ahead and buy a new set and you can get by 3 or 4 weekends with them.

You're already up there with the big guys, so that new set will put you over the top and they'll all be chasing you.

I agree with David, that knock-back would be worrisome.

wallyman424

just saw these pics. my rotors are glowing.

more awesome pics:

Falcon

Maybe that's the cause of the knock-back.

Z06cool

Thanks for the review... What kind of pads are these? Are there other choices for these double-thick pads for this setup (i.e. Carbotech, PF, etc.)?

wallyman424

I run wilwood H's, but yeah every manufacturer makes pads for this caliper.

MUKAK

very nice shots!!

AU N EGL

damn, So that is how you put 3 cars in space for 2 1/2 cars.....