After the Saturday Big Basin run, I wanted to have a look at my brakes. They worked but on a very steep and winding road, I did experience some fade and they just didn't "feel right." I found that one of my rear calipers has a leak. I've long since converted to o-ring, sleeved calipers but when I took this one apart, I found that the stainless sleeve hadn't been pushed in all the way. Thought the bore looked clean and smooth, it was definitely leaking. I'd love to post pics but my desktop is down and I don't currently have a way of downloading pics.

In any case, I was just going to call and get a new caliper but then I thought about converting to Wilwood D8's. These are supposed to be direct bolt in replacements but all seem to come with new hoses. Are they or are they not direct bolt in?

My second question: since the D8 piston size is the same as the current OEM ones, do I have to replace both rear calipers or can I change one for now? Am I insane for even considering this option?

While I'm not enthusiastic about spending more than twice as much for the same part, I like the idea of loosing some unsprung weight and would enjoy not having to deal with the corrosion on stock calipers.

My last question is about pads. I've got cheep, organic pads on now and would love to upgrade. Since there is fluid on the rears, I need to ditch them anyways. I can certainly put better ones up front and move the fronts to the back. What I don't understand is why the recommendation is to have better pads on the front than on the rear. This seems counterintuitive to me. Please explain.

 

You have to change both... or one will grab different than the other... the D8-4s come with new pads... so...just use them...

I too need new calipers all the way around... and since i dont have rebuildable cores... the stock are almost the same price as the wilwoods... so it a no brainer for me...

 

When braking the weight distribution of the car shifts forward putting more stress on the front brakes thus the better pads. Why arent you considering replacing the one caliper, installing better pads and going to Dot-4 or Dot 5-1 brake fluid? Seems that would be much cheaper.

 

I am considering that as well. Just seems to be a good time to look at converting. My core should be fine so it would be much cheeper to replace the one caliper and get a nice set of EBC or Hawk pads than to convert to D8s.

Muskegon Bake has a rear set for around $500 and I could replace the one and get a set of pads for around $170. Pretty big difference so I would definately want to notice it.

Also. long since converted to Motul RBF 600 DOT 4 brake fluid. I doubt that's the issue.

 

Here's an article I did for Auto Enthusiast in this month's edition that might help a little.

Page 84

http://editions.amospublishing.com/K...spx?d=20111101


JIM

 

CA-Legal, I installed a set of the Wilwood D8-4's on my '63 that is going through a body-off after 36 years of storage. I decided to convert the fronts only to disc because of a few hair-raising experiences back in the day with this car. Since the vast majority of breaking force is applied by the fronts I went with them only which allows me to keep a real parking (emergency?) brake on the rear.

I picked up a set of the Wilwoods when they first became available through Vansteel. They hadn't yet offered the D8-6's or I would likely have gone with them. While I haven't yet had the opportunity to try them out operationally, I can say that their quality and construction is everything I had hoped for. And they are truly a direct replacement.

Vansteel was very accommodating when it came to swapping out components for upgrade. Their kit does come with the braided lines. I have no doubt that Muskegon Bake would be just as accommodating.

Good luck... GUSTO

 

I was sold before.... but after reading your article... its a no brainer...thanks man...

 

I have a full car set of D8-4's on the shelf ready to ship immediately if you are so inclined...

Andrew
800-442-0335

 

In my Vette experience. I had the best SS O-ringed stock iron calipers with some of the best pads made. the carbon metalic. Hard on the rotor life and very dirty wheels. I used the highest temp fluids and changed it often. I had 17 inch wheels with plenty of air flow.

They would overheat and boil the fluid within two laps on the local road racing course or I could drive slower and save the brakes to last a 20 - 30 minute session. I gave up on trying to race until I found a cure.

the cure is not cheap and really comes down to two things. First of all the pad has to have a thermal barrier so the piston and caliper housing don't get hot in the first place. The second thing is a calipers body ability to shed heat faster.

Jim, tested the D's for Auto Enthusiast. I did not compare D's piston area to our stock vette calipers to see if the D's have superior clamping power. But I would say that the aluminum construction even with equal piston size has some thermal advantages.

The question you have to ask yourself is a small step going to fix your problem. IMO - just changing the rears is not going to fix the problem. I suspect that the fronts were what was over heating. Maybe in part to a slight loss of braking on just that one rear

 

I had the same experience with my Porterfield race pads.

Hard on the rotors, stock o-ringed calipers, dirty wheels and worked great!!

//Ricky.