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The Aero6 is better from the point of not dealing with pad changes and pad costs. Back to back for most new drivers I'm not certain you'd find a huge difference in pedal feel. Both have similar piston area and when fit with the same pad compound would be very similar in overall performance. I don't believe you'd make a change to any caliper on the market, all else being the same, and expect to see stopping distance reduced by any huge amount.
The former W6A variation of this caliper did offer "top loading" pads in which only the pins were removed for pad install and retraction. The new Aero series caliper is now fit with a fixed bridge design that prevents this. Some had complained that the wide bridge and pad window was a compromise and integrity and allowed too much caliper flex. The new caliper fixes any of that (debated by many who felt the W series functioned just fine) but the price is ease of pad change.
To change pads it must be removed from the radial mount and serviced from the inside. Not overly hard as the studs allow for easy removal, but clearly more work.
The Aero6 kits fit both 13.4 and the larger 14" Z06 rotor with the brackets supplied. At TCE we offer this alone as a single axle kit (pm for price) or we can put them in a complete four wheel kit with a similar FNSL4 rear caliper kit for a very competitive price.
I have Todd's W6A front kit and the W4A rear kit on my Z. In the front I can use stock rotors, AFX/Coleman two piece stock replacement rotors or a set of Wilwood two piece replacement rotors. That provides a lot of flexibility on rotor choice and spares. Right now I have the Wilwoods mounted on the car but take along two well used GM rotors for spares at a track event.
If you are HPDE only, you will likely be fine with the stock calipers, just upgrade the brake fluid to 500 or 600 degree non silicone type bleed the system out well. Hawk makes 1 piece pads for the stock calipers. I ran them for 1 season of racing and then upgraded to AP calipers, mainly for the thicker pads available. Pads are the best investment and the lowest cost for now. Just a thought if budget is a concern.
On the front, I run Coleman two piece (hats) rotors with CarboTech pads front and rear. They have given me great performance and longevity. Stock calipers front and back.
vz
I struggled with the stock calipers for 3 seasons of instructor level HPDE. I should have listened to everybody who told me to upgrade to an aftermarket kit the first day I took the car to the track. I would have spent less money and wouldn't have had as much excitement when something went wrong. I did the DRM Piston upgrade, upgraded brake pads and two piece rotor things. All that got me was a lot of hassle. I upgraded the fronts to W6As in 2012 and upgraded the rears to W4As in 2013. The Aeros replace the ones I am using and are probably a stronger caliper due to the fixed bridge but my calipers haven't had any issues due to spreading. The calipers are reasonably priced, the pads cost about half what it costs to run aftermarket pads in the stock calipers and they last longer.
For what I spent on pads, caliper upgrades and caliper rebuilding I could have purchased the Wilwoods at the outset and been money ahead. You can do what I did and wait but if you can afford the upfront upgrade cost do it now as you will save overall.
I struggled with the stock calipers for 3 seasons of instructor level HPDE. I should have listened to everybody who told me to upgrade to an aftermarket kit the first day I took the car to the track. I would have spent less money and wouldn't have had as much excitement when something went wrong. I did the DRM Piston upgrade, upgraded brake pads and two piece rotor things. All that got me was a lot of hassle. I upgraded the fronts to W6As in 2012 and upgraded the rears to W4As in 2013. The Aeros replace the ones I am using and are probably a stronger caliper due to the fixed bridge but my calipers haven't had any issues due to spreading. The calipers are reasonably priced, the pads cost about half what it costs to run aftermarket pads in the stock calipers and they last longer.
For what I spent on pads, caliper upgrades and caliper rebuilding I could have purchased the Wilwoods at the outset and been money ahead. You can do what I did and wait but if you can afford the upfront upgrade cost do it now as you will save overall.
Bill
I did the same thing as Bill and used the therm lock pistons on a F/R c5 with the W6a and W4a. going from a stock c5 caliper, it was like stepping into the 21st century. very precise, predictable, and consistent. search Todd tce
1) can i just change the front calipers but keep stock Z06 rears? Yes. I do it and so do several others on the forum.
2) are Wilwood AERO6 calipers an improvement over stock Z06 calipers and padlets? I have the W6As, the predecessor to the AERO06s and I am very pleased. The principal benefits being ease of pad change and thicker pads.
As for the budget, if you are going to do a couple/few events a year, I would stick with the OEM setup. Add better, cheaper and easier to change 1 piece HP+ pads to cut down on pad costs. A set for the fronts are about $240 but can occasionally be had for ~$210. They won't last as long as the thicker WW pads but I'm guessing the additional you'll pay for pads will not exceed the cost of the calipers for several years. You will need to change the fluid and I would suggest SS lines but you will have to do those with the Wilwoods so these are no additional cost.
On the other hand, if you plan to track the car regularly, then by all means take the advice above and skip the hassle of the stock setup. I didn't and regretted it. Learn from our mistake.
Definitely agree with going to a one piece pad from the stock padlets as a starting point - much easier to change especially if you use the car as a DD and want to switch from track pads (HP Plus) to street pads (HPS).
If you interested in a complete kit or putting together components as you go, please feel free to call, PM or email us anytime with questions! We appreciate your support and we'll talk to you soon!
While many are moving to the Aero6 for their caliper kit needs we can still fill a few orders with the former W6A parts for those of you who desire the ease of top loading the pads.
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
I struggled with the stock calipers for 3 seasons of instructor level HPDE. I should have listened to everybody who told me to upgrade to an aftermarket kit the first day I took the car to the track. I would have spent less money and wouldn't have had as much excitement when something went wrong.
For what I spent on pads, caliper upgrades and caliper rebuilding I could have purchased the Wilwoods at the outset and been money ahead. You can do what I did and wait but if you can afford the upfront upgrade cost do it now as you will save overall.
so what calipers would everyone recommend for the fronts? (C6Z)
i want to be able to use stock rotors,
cheaper and thicker pads would be a bonus. i also want them to be future proof, ie i plan to keep the car 10-15 years and dont want to run into issues with pad availability.
i do a HPDE every month and not much street driving.
so what calipers would everyone recommend for the fronts? (C6Z)
i want to be able to use stock rotors,
cheaper and thicker pads would be a bonus. i also want them to be future proof, ie i plan to keep the car 10-15 years and dont want to run into issues with pad availability.
i do a HPDE every month and not much street driving.
AP Racing calipers AND rotors . Rotors are just as important if not more so than the calipers. They are the primary means of cooling the brakes. The up front cost may seem high, but if you're keeping your car that long it will more than pay for itself in the long run. Plus you'll have peace of mind knowing you have the best brakes out there on your car. No fade, long pad and rotor life, no issues, consistent performance, light weight.
Very good recommendations in above replies re this subject.
I drive a 2010 Z06, use Coleman 2 pc rotors, Carbotech pads, and get excellent performance. I do 2 or more track events per month, plus private lessons several times a year. Adam at AMP - Carbotech XP12 Front, XP10 Rear - Coleman Don or Bob at Performance AFX Front 2 pc rotors 231 plus nut kit. Stock calipers.
Good luck, and be safe
Doc
so what calipers would everyone recommend for the fronts? (C6Z)
i want to be able to use stock rotors,
cheaper and thicker pads would be a bonus. i also want them to be future proof, ie i plan to keep the car 10-15 years and dont want to run into issues with pad availability.
i do a HPDE every month and not much street driving.
If your goal is to keep the the stock front rotors (ie. one piece disposables) then the Wilwood Aero6 front Cal Kit fills that bill exactly.
The pads are not as fat as some of the other options for calipers but still have about 10% more cubic inches than the common 7420 and don't compromise wheel clearance as much as a wider caliper pad/bodies do. (you have to house those pads somewhere)
There are plenty of proven compounds in the 6617 pad including the popular Poly H pad from Wilwood. At about $200 a set they are priced nice for race pads. The parts and pads..they aren't going anywhere.
The base kits today are the close bridge Aero6 as I stated above. There may be some option for the top loading W series caliper yet also. *Some prefer one vs the other...it's a stiffness vs ease of service issue here.
They can be had in black or red powder coat standard. Nickel pate for a few bucks more. Thermlock insulated race pistons...and even with the Color Wheel if you just gotta have green calipers with red logos.
Personally I'd suggest Nickel for a dedicated track car rather than powder coat. And I'd consider the insulated pistons..but Ti heat shields can be had for far less also.
All off that can be had from from less than $900 with new ss flex hoses on all four corners included. And shipped. *Variations, options..the price goes up a bit.
so what calipers would everyone recommend for the fronts? (C6Z)
i want to be able to use stock rotors,
cheaper and thicker pads would be a bonus. i also want them to be future proof, ie i plan to keep the car 10-15 years and dont want to run into issues with pad availability.
i do a HPDE every month and not much street driving.
With our CP5060/355mm Competition Brake Kit, we have had numerous customers swap between our AP Racing discs and OEM style discs. While our recommendation is very much in line with Redtopz's, it can be done. I'd suggest using the AP Racing discs for the heavy lifting, and the OEM-style for the hard-parking.
Using OEM-Style C6 Z06 Discs with our System
We've had a number of customers ask if they can run an OEM-style C6 Z06 disc with our system, since they have the same overall dimensions as the AP Racing discs in our kit (355x32mm). The answer is yes, it will work with a slight modification. That said, we always recommend using our complete system with the AP Racing discs that are included. These parts are designed to work together for superior results. We do recognize however, that some customers may have been running OEM-style discs for a number of years and could have a considerable quantity of spares on hand, might need a spare disc in a pinch at the track, etc. Please note however, OEM replacement discs from various manufacturers tend to vary in size and tolerance, and Essex cannot guarantee the fitment or performance of any disc other than the ones included with our kit. The data below is for informational purposes only!
The offsets on the discs in our system are slightly different than stock, so to fit an OEM-style disc with our calipers, you would need to install a very small shim (0.032" or 0.81mm) between the caliper bracket and the upright, moving the caliper out towards the wheel spokes. One shim is used around each caliper bracket mounting bolt for a total of 4 on the front axle. You can see one of the shims circled red in the images below. The shim goes between the bracket and the suspension upright, and this does not require the use of a longer bolt. Adding the shims centers the OEM-style disc within the caliper. These shims can be found here. If you decide to do this, please note that wheel fitment will change, and allow for an extra 1 mm of clearance when using our wheel fitment template.
Also note that we will not sell our big brake kits without discs, so please don't ask! Again, we recommend our complete system including the AP Racing discs for maximum performance and reliability.
Below is the OEM style disc installed without a shim. You can see that the disc is not completely centered in the caliper:
In this pic you can see a shim installed, circled in red.
With the small shim installed, the disc is centered in the caliper.
01-29-2015, 03:51 PM
C6 Z06 front caliper upgrade
