13" Brakes
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Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Hillsborough NJ
13" Brakes
Today, I noticed that one of my front calipers is leaking. Time for new brakes. I would like 13" rotors. What are my options? Precision Brakes sells a kit, but over $3k seems a lot for brakes when the calipers are under a grand.
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Unless you are into some serious racing, I see no need to upgrade the brakes on these cars. Unless of course you want the WOW factor from other or you just like making your own stuff. These brakes are good enough to stop your car. You really can't beat a 4 piston caliper unless you got to 6 or 8 piston.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,812
Likes: 4
From: Gig Harbor Wa
If you don't want to spend the 3K, then you are pretty much on your own for making brackets and using coleman hubs and rotors like TT said. Your other option is to use C5 rotors and calipers. Again you would have to make brackets and they are only marginally better than a properly operating stock system. Not really worth the trouble unless you want the wow factor as Van Steel said.
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Superlite 4 calipers ...$300 each
13" rotors ...............$150 Each
Hubs from VBP .........$150 each
Brackets ..................$50 each
( approximate prices)
Total $650 per side $1200 in parts
plus new flex Hoses adapters etc $100
Not cheap
13" rotors ...............$150 Each
Hubs from VBP .........$150 each
Brackets ..................$50 each
( approximate prices)
Total $650 per side $1200 in parts
plus new flex Hoses adapters etc $100
Not cheap
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Originally Posted by jamesx0
What about SSBC Force-10s. They would be a lot cheaper, especially since I can use my stock rotors. The weight savings is what I am looking at here. What do you guys think?
Those are good calipers. They bolt right on. Give you better stopping power. They are aluminum(light weight) and use bigger pistons. The weight savings on those is 20 lbs if you buy all 4 BUT they are also expensive. $750 for a set of 2.
http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...&SubGroup=1917
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 904
Likes: 0
From: Seymour Indiana
I was looking around for options and found this thread from a while back. Sounds like VBP is working on C5 brake to C3 chassis kit, anyone ever hear more about that?
http://tinyurl.com/5vwtu
http://tinyurl.com/5vwtu
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Originally Posted by Van Steel
Those are good calipers. They bolt right on. Give you better stopping power. They are aluminum(light weight) and use bigger pistons. The weight savings on those is 20 lbs if you buy all 4 BUT they are also expensive. $750 for a set of 2.
http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...&SubGroup=1917
http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fu...&SubGroup=1917
definitly not bigger unless they added a new model.
How much do those things weigh?
Pro
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 592
Likes: 4
From: Denmark
Originally Posted by 427V8
I thought the Standard Force 10's were smaller pistons and only the more $$ ones were the same size as stock fronts??
definitly not bigger unless they added a new model.
definitly not bigger unless they added a new model.
I got the Force 10 calibers, good quality and light weight.
The standard Force 10 has the same piston size as the stock caliber, but you can buy a larger model aswell.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 3
From: Clinton IL
The guys at touring classics came up with a killer Billet bracket to adapt C5 brakes to a first gen Camaro. I was able to turn down my hub just a tad and drop the conversion right in place. It is awesome! I am really hoping somebody else comes up with this for the C2 & C3 as it is really such a simple piece to make it all go.
Why? When you run huge on large rims with narrow spokes, the little stock rotor just doesn't do it for me. I am running 17" front and 18" rear on the Camaro, so the big brakes were a natural choice, plus the price was VERY reasonable ($80 for the bracket kit, then everything else was over the counter GM parts or Ebay, etc).
Here is a pic of the C5 stuff shanked on the 1st Gen Camaro. Man...I hope they make this for our C3 Soon!!!!!!!!!
Why? When you run huge on large rims with narrow spokes, the little stock rotor just doesn't do it for me. I am running 17" front and 18" rear on the Camaro, so the big brakes were a natural choice, plus the price was VERY reasonable ($80 for the bracket kit, then everything else was over the counter GM parts or Ebay, etc).
Here is a pic of the C5 stuff shanked on the 1st Gen Camaro. Man...I hope they make this for our C3 Soon!!!!!!!!!
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 70
From: Clearwater FL
Originally Posted by 70 LS1
Have you tested these yet against another vette w/the stock 4 piston or Force 10 aluminum calipers? I still have trouble believing that a 2 psiton caliper can stop better than a 4 piston caliper.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 602
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From: Atlanta GA
take a look at this:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...454&forum_id=3
planning on doing it, just waiting for the $.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...454&forum_id=3
planning on doing it, just waiting for the $.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,812
Likes: 4
From: Gig Harbor Wa
Originally Posted by Van Steel
Have you tested these yet against another vette w/the stock 4 piston or Force 10 aluminum calipers? I still have trouble believing that a 2 psiton caliper can stop better than a 4 piston caliper.
After breaking out the ol physics book and doing some calculations, it shouldn't matter if they are 2 or 4 piston due to the design.
With the same line pressure and the same piston diameter the pistons will exert the same force onto the pad regardless if 2 or 4 piston. This is because the pressure pushing the piston is also pushing back on the sliding caliper applying force the the other pad.
The C5 pistons are larger than the C3 pistons meaning the C5 calipers would give more clamping power for the same line pressure.
Now the down side. By going to larger pistons in the calipers, you would require a smaller master cylinder bore to get the same line pressure to actually increase your braking. This explains why my pedal effort was more with the C5 calipers.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 917
Likes: 0
From: Vernon British Columbia
St. Jude Donor '05
First C3 General Poster!
Well if money isnt an option for you guys, the best brake company in the world (arguably) MoveIt Brakes, makes a full on kit for C3s, unfortunately if you want to do front and back, it will cost you $5000 EUROS hahahaha. You will have the best brakes ever put on a C3 though... 
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Originally Posted by 70 LS1
I am still working out the master cylinder.
After breaking out the ol physics book and doing some calculations, it shouldn't matter if they are 2 or 4 piston due to the design.
With the same line pressure and the same piston diameter the pistons will exert the same force onto the pad regardless if 2 or 4 piston. This is because the pressure pushing the piston is also pushing back on the sliding caliper applying force the the other pad.
The C5 pistons are larger than the C3 pistons meaning the C5 calipers would give more clamping power for the same line pressure.
Now the down side. By going to larger pistons in the calipers, you would require a smaller master cylinder bore to get the same line pressure to actually increase your braking. This explains why my pedal effort was more with the C5 calipers.
After breaking out the ol physics book and doing some calculations, it shouldn't matter if they are 2 or 4 piston due to the design.
With the same line pressure and the same piston diameter the pistons will exert the same force onto the pad regardless if 2 or 4 piston. This is because the pressure pushing the piston is also pushing back on the sliding caliper applying force the the other pad.
The C5 pistons are larger than the C3 pistons meaning the C5 calipers would give more clamping power for the same line pressure.
Now the down side. By going to larger pistons in the calipers, you would require a smaller master cylinder bore to get the same line pressure to actually increase your braking. This explains why my pedal effort was more with the C5 calipers.
PSI is PSI it's not an inverse relationship. Design your MC for 1000psi at 150lbs force on the pedal and you will be close. In other words more piston area means a larger MC. I think you are calculating your piston area wrong.
There are also some formulas that can tell you exactly what you brake torque is and what it should be ( ~2200 ft/lbs for the front of a Vette )
Add up the piston area of one side of the 4 piston caliper and compare that to the single piston caliper.