C3 Brake Upgrades?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,812
Likes: 4
From: Gig Harbor Wa
The problem with Baer is they use the same calipers as the C5's. The pistons are too small and they need a different master cylinder.
The C3 brakes actually have quite large pistons and are a good 4 piston design. The only down side of the system is they are so damn heavy and prone to leaks.
Hydraboost is only a way to reduce pedal feel. You could do the same thing by changing your pedal ratio.
The C3 brakes actually have quite large pistons and are a good 4 piston design. The only down side of the system is they are so damn heavy and prone to leaks.
Hydraboost is only a way to reduce pedal feel. You could do the same thing by changing your pedal ratio.
C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Originally Posted by yellow73sb
i plan on using 2 peice rotors and maybe switching to superlites
13" ( or even bigger ) rotors can be custom made by Coleman.
I have brackets that will fit3.5" mount calipers to the 13" rotor. Thats what I'm running.
The 13" rotor and aluminum hub is the same weight as the stock hub and rotor.
If you have them drilled they'd be even lighter
Not the cheapest solution, but a whole lot cheaper than buying a kit for any other car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by Taijutsu
Yellow 73: How much will that cost?
Rick
Rick
427v8 pics?
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,345
Likes: 3
I've been fighting brake problems on my '69 doe 29 years. I had muliple master cylinders and calipers. I even bought a complete new set of brakes from GM in '77 in hopes of curing the leak and pedal problems.
I am now running SSBC aluminum brake calipers. They provide an excellent pedal and feel. I have had a couple of small leaks on one caliper, but at least they have fixed it both times at no cost, and they seem to be holding up well now.
NEVER ever consider Zero Tolerance O-ring brake pistons - they cost me a year and I never got them to work - when the brake pedal was released, the brake pistons in the calipers retracted so I could not get a pedal.
The brake system is CLEARLY the WEAKEST link in the C3 Corvette!
I am now running SSBC aluminum brake calipers. They provide an excellent pedal and feel. I have had a couple of small leaks on one caliper, but at least they have fixed it both times at no cost, and they seem to be holding up well now.
NEVER ever consider Zero Tolerance O-ring brake pistons - they cost me a year and I never got them to work - when the brake pedal was released, the brake pistons in the calipers retracted so I could not get a pedal.
The brake system is CLEARLY the WEAKEST link in the C3 Corvette!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by 427V8
Vette brakes does make a decent aluminum hub that takes a bolt on rotor.
13" ( or even bigger ) rotors can be custom made by Coleman.
I have brackets that will fit3.5" mount calipers to the 13" rotor. Thats what I'm running.
The 13" rotor and aluminum hub is the same weight as the stock hub and rotor.
If you have them drilled they'd be even lighter
Not the cheapest solution, but a whole lot cheaper than buying a kit for any other car.
13" ( or even bigger ) rotors can be custom made by Coleman.
I have brackets that will fit3.5" mount calipers to the 13" rotor. Thats what I'm running.
The 13" rotor and aluminum hub is the same weight as the stock hub and rotor.
If you have them drilled they'd be even lighter
Not the cheapest solution, but a whole lot cheaper than buying a kit for any other car.
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C6 the C5 of tomorrow
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,665
Likes: 2
From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Originally Posted by DropTopBigBlock
Planning on going with the Wilwood system; just doing wheels/tiers first.
427V8, got any photos?
427V8, got any photos?
It's a rough life 
Don't worry about the double lines coming off of the caliper. the top line is used for brake fluid recirculators. Basically it bleeds your brakes everytime you press on the pedal,
Normally the calipers have two upper bleed screws just like the stock calipers.
These are the 4 piston superlite calipers.
This is what they look like on the stock rotors. It's a superlite 6 which I don't recommend. Not enough piston area for the Vette Brake system. the Superlite 4's look almost exactly the same.
Last edited by 427V8; Jul 1, 2005 at 08:23 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Taijutsu
Yellow 73: How much will that cost?
Rick
Rick
The centers or hats cost me $100 per piece of rough stock and again hours of machining.
You could buy all this from Coleman in 12 inch much cheaper.
This is the stock rotor beside the new 14 inch.
couldn't believe the difference 2 inches makes in size.
The edges are lined up in this shot
That is a stock rotor on the right
Last edited by norvalwilhelm; Jul 1, 2005 at 08:49 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,434
Likes: 0
St. Jude Donor '07
Originally Posted by 427V8
Yea Sorry for the delay, the wife met me at the door in a miniskirt and forced me to go to happy hour with her It's a rough life
Don't worry about the double lines coming off of the caliper. the top line is used for brake fluid recirculators. Basically it bleeds your brakes everytime you press on the pedal,
Normally the calipers have two upper bleed screws just like the stock calipers.
These are the 4 piston superlite calipers.
This is what they look like on the stock rotors. It's a superlite 6 which I don't recommend. Not enough piston area for the Vette Brake system. the Superlite 4's look almost exactly the same.
It's a rough life Don't worry about the double lines coming off of the caliper. the top line is used for brake fluid recirculators. Basically it bleeds your brakes everytime you press on the pedal,
Normally the calipers have two upper bleed screws just like the stock calipers.
These are the 4 piston superlite calipers.
This is what they look like on the stock rotors. It's a superlite 6 which I don't recommend. Not enough piston area for the Vette Brake system. the Superlite 4's look almost exactly the same.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,020
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City , Oregon USA
I can't figure out why nobody makes a bigger brake setup for c2 and c3 corvettes thats plug and play. If you want a Baer kit for an 82 malibu, no problem. Got a pickup? Hey we got you covered. I'm sure there are a lot of people autocrossing those. I'm interested mostly in the aesthetics of the larger rotors and would like slotted/cross drilled because of the look. The stock system works pretty good but when you add larger diameter wheels they look pretty puny in there. Also there is the advantage of the greater leverage larger rotors provide. It lets you modulate the braking with greater precision. As for the hydraboost they are just adapting it from one automotive use to another so the pressure they produce shouldn't be a factor. If it works on a one model of car it should be ok on another. I've never heard of any pressure related problems if the system is in good condition. When you want to use tall valve covers on a big block car with power brakes your options become limited and that system gives you one more option.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,812
Likes: 4
From: Gig Harbor Wa
Originally Posted by hermit
I can't figure out why nobody makes a bigger brake setup for c2 and c3 corvettes thats plug and play.
Designing a system with these limitations costs a lot in R&D and the big companies just don't see the benefit for a relatively small market. The reason there are kits for 82 malibu's is the malibu's use the same components as most other GM cars making the system cheap to manufacture.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,020
Likes: 0
From: Oregon City , Oregon USA
A kit that would use the stock style calipers and bigger rotors would even be ok. Or you could go to the force 10's. If you saw the episode of overhaulin where they did the C2 they used what they called a prototype setup from Baer. If they had a system engineered already that fit that car how much could it cost to get it to the production stage? I would think that companies like ssbc and vette brakes have shown that there is a good size market for C2-C3 upgrades.
