Anyone Using C5 Brake Calipers?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Anyone Using C5 Brake Calipers?
I am sure someone is using C5 brake calipers on the C3 but I have tried searching for the threads but have not came across anything yet. Seems like I remember someone was making an adapter that would allow their use but that has been a long time ago.
What size wheels are need to do the swap. I am thinking the 15" wheels have to go to use the C5 brakes.
Thanks for any help.
Eddie
What size wheels are need to do the swap. I am thinking the 15" wheels have to go to use the C5 brakes.
Thanks for any help.
Eddie
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 23
From: Prescott AZ
Hi Eddie,
I've not heard of anyone using C5 brake on a C3 and not really sure why you would want to. The C5 front brake calipers are only 2 pistons and the rears are only 1. As far as wheel size, I'm fairly certain you would have to bump up to a 17" wheel since the rotors are 13" for the front and at that you have to be careful which 1" wheels you use.
Rob
I've not heard of anyone using C5 brake on a C3 and not really sure why you would want to. The C5 front brake calipers are only 2 pistons and the rears are only 1. As far as wheel size, I'm fairly certain you would have to bump up to a 17" wheel since the rotors are 13" for the front and at that you have to be careful which 1" wheels you use.
Rob
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 258
Likes: 1
From: Memphis TN
Hi Eddie,
I've not heard of anyone using C5 brake on a C3 and not really sure why you would want to. The C5 front brake calipers are only 2 pistons and the rears are only 1. As far as wheel size, I'm fairly certain you would have to bump up to a 17" wheel since the rotors are 13" for the front and at that you have to be careful which 1" wheels you use.
Rob
I've not heard of anyone using C5 brake on a C3 and not really sure why you would want to. The C5 front brake calipers are only 2 pistons and the rears are only 1. As far as wheel size, I'm fairly certain you would have to bump up to a 17" wheel since the rotors are 13" for the front and at that you have to be careful which 1" wheels you use.
Rob
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
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From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Have you checked these out?
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WIL-120-10525
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WIL-120-10525
Keep the shiny side up!
Scott
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 23
From: Prescott AZ
Rob
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,625
Likes: 4
From: Miami FL
I have them on Kaos/Killer. Chris did the write-up and install. I got some pics from when he installed them. Let me know if you need additional info and I will see what I can provide. I have not had a chance to auto-x it yet or really dial in the front vs rear pressure to get max braking ability.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 258
Likes: 1
From: Memphis TN
I have to agree that the rotor is larger and the caliper is aluminum which is lighter but I'm not sure if it would really improve braking. I don't know what your intentions are with your car. If it is just for pleasure or show, either set up would be fine. If you intend to race, which can really heat up the brakes, the C4 & C5 calipers tend to spread causing the pads to not contact the rotors evenly resulting in a brake fade feeling. The wilwood caliper sounds like a good replacement to allow lighter weight and still utilize stock size wheels if desired.
Rob
Rob
Pro
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 503
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville FL
I think Vansteel is ready with their C5 brake kit for C3s too. I always recommend them because of the way they have treated me.
I asked Paul why the C5 brakes instead of the Wilwood setup and the answer is that many people want the caliper that sez Corvette on it.
At first that seemed crazy but it really makes some sense to me now. There are alot of us who want to upgrade our cars with something different and eye catching and having those big brakes, in a bright color with the word Corvette on them looks really cool.
I'm a racer who wants the best working brakes for the money if and when I make a conversion so I would go with the Wilwood who can't put the word Corvette on them.
Right now I want to run my 200S wheels I have been saving for the last 25 years so will stick with fresh reman O ringed stock units from Vansteel.
I have seen how much better the C5 brakes worked on the front of a 500+ HP C4 compared with the stock brakes and equal pads so know for the overwhelming majority of C3s the C5 brakes would be a great improvement. Just remember to check your rear brake proportioning if you keep stock rear brakes, the balance might change a bit.
Locke
North Florida Corvette Association, NCCC
Buccaneer Region, SCCA
Jacksonville, FL
I asked Paul why the C5 brakes instead of the Wilwood setup and the answer is that many people want the caliper that sez Corvette on it.
At first that seemed crazy but it really makes some sense to me now. There are alot of us who want to upgrade our cars with something different and eye catching and having those big brakes, in a bright color with the word Corvette on them looks really cool.
I'm a racer who wants the best working brakes for the money if and when I make a conversion so I would go with the Wilwood who can't put the word Corvette on them.
Right now I want to run my 200S wheels I have been saving for the last 25 years so will stick with fresh reman O ringed stock units from Vansteel.
I have seen how much better the C5 brakes worked on the front of a 500+ HP C4 compared with the stock brakes and equal pads so know for the overwhelming majority of C3s the C5 brakes would be a great improvement. Just remember to check your rear brake proportioning if you keep stock rear brakes, the balance might change a bit.
Locke
North Florida Corvette Association, NCCC
Buccaneer Region, SCCA
Jacksonville, FL
Last edited by Locke; Feb 20, 2012 at 08:48 PM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 23
From: Prescott AZ
I've got 1993 C4 ZR1 suspension which has the 13" front slotted rotors with the aluminum calipers that say "corvette" and the 12" rears that I will be removing to install the wilwoods if anyone is interested.
Rob
Rob
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,445
Likes: 971
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
I must agree with some that I don't know why anyone would feel the need to change the C3 brakes unless they race and I mean really race, not just lapping. The C3 brakes were state of the art in 1965 when they were introduced and still are pretty phenomenal today! Where can you find 4 piston calipers at each wheel, front and back(fixed calipers btw, not floating calipers which were derived and used even today in racing), and 12 inch discs at each wheel (ok 11.75 for those that are ****)?
The C4 brakes were a giant step backwards and the C5 with 2 piston floating front caliper and single piston rear caliper is also inferior except for the weight difference. As noted above, the real advantage to the C5 brakes is only in the front using a 13 inch rotor.
Personally, for 99% of the driving that most people do with C3's, a properly functioning C3 brake system is excellent especially with a Performance brake pad like Performance Friction or Hawk HPS, and braided Stainless steel brake hoses to compensate for rubber brake line expansion under severe braking. To me the simplest way to upgrade the C3 brakes is for someone to make a bracket that would use the OEM caliper with 13 inch rotors. Barring that, Wilwood would be the way to go! I would forget the C4/C5 brakes, the C6 is totally different and the first Vette generation to really exceed the C3's brakes!
The C4 brakes were a giant step backwards and the C5 with 2 piston floating front caliper and single piston rear caliper is also inferior except for the weight difference. As noted above, the real advantage to the C5 brakes is only in the front using a 13 inch rotor.
Personally, for 99% of the driving that most people do with C3's, a properly functioning C3 brake system is excellent especially with a Performance brake pad like Performance Friction or Hawk HPS, and braided Stainless steel brake hoses to compensate for rubber brake line expansion under severe braking. To me the simplest way to upgrade the C3 brakes is for someone to make a bracket that would use the OEM caliper with 13 inch rotors. Barring that, Wilwood would be the way to go! I would forget the C4/C5 brakes, the C6 is totally different and the first Vette generation to really exceed the C3's brakes!
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
C6 comparison
I'm about to install a complete Wilwood D8-6 and D8-4 aluminum brake caliper system and their rotors on my car. Decided I needed to do some baseline 60-0 testing to see how my old stock stuff is actually doing.
My car has pure stock manual brakes on it that have actually served well over the years. They've always had a great pedal and have hauled this 3750lb (race weight) hulk down from 140+mph on many a drag strip. Some quite short!
I made quite a few back to back stops and didn't have any fade issues. The biggest variances were with how hard I actually worked it to make it stop.
1- 151 ft- nice quick stop but not anywhere near full brake application to get an idea of how hard I could push it on that surface.
2- 123 ft- Worked it much harder-no brake lockup or drama.
3- 118 ft- back to back-but now I knew I could work it harder.
4- 109 ft- hit it hard and kept it right on the edge of lockup.
5- 135 ft- real hard and locked up front wheels early and rears near the end.
6- 111 ft- very similar to test 4.
7- 113 ft- another good one!
I am planning some major HP and speed increases in the future and want to make sure the brakes are up to snuff to handle it, hence the new system. I'm sticking with stock sized pieces so I can continue to use my 15" wheels and tires.
Though I always felt it stopped well, I was pretty impressed with how it did considering the tires are nothing sticky at all...just stock street rubber. The fronts are skinny, drag suspension, heavy weight etc. etc.
The bad boy Z06 Corvette's of a couple of years ago do 60-0 in the 105-110 ft range and the newest baddest of the bad ZR-1 Vette's with 15.5" carbon rotors and huge tires can get down in the sub 100 foot range. But of course they are a few hundred lbs lighter too!
More to come!
JIM
My car has pure stock manual brakes on it that have actually served well over the years. They've always had a great pedal and have hauled this 3750lb (race weight) hulk down from 140+mph on many a drag strip. Some quite short!
I made quite a few back to back stops and didn't have any fade issues. The biggest variances were with how hard I actually worked it to make it stop.
1- 151 ft- nice quick stop but not anywhere near full brake application to get an idea of how hard I could push it on that surface.
2- 123 ft- Worked it much harder-no brake lockup or drama.
3- 118 ft- back to back-but now I knew I could work it harder.
4- 109 ft- hit it hard and kept it right on the edge of lockup.
5- 135 ft- real hard and locked up front wheels early and rears near the end.
6- 111 ft- very similar to test 4.
7- 113 ft- another good one!
I am planning some major HP and speed increases in the future and want to make sure the brakes are up to snuff to handle it, hence the new system. I'm sticking with stock sized pieces so I can continue to use my 15" wheels and tires.
Though I always felt it stopped well, I was pretty impressed with how it did considering the tires are nothing sticky at all...just stock street rubber. The fronts are skinny, drag suspension, heavy weight etc. etc.
The bad boy Z06 Corvette's of a couple of years ago do 60-0 in the 105-110 ft range and the newest baddest of the bad ZR-1 Vette's with 15.5" carbon rotors and huge tires can get down in the sub 100 foot range. But of course they are a few hundred lbs lighter too!
More to come!
JIM
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,445
Likes: 971
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
Noonie-Exactly my point!
BTW-My 78 uses all the OEM components with SS brake lines, Performance Friction pad, and 255/45/17 ZR Ultra high Performance Summer only tires-the braking is awesome. I would think the OP would be better off optimizing the OEM C3 brakes and losing some pounds on the weight of the car than C5/C4 brakes-aluminum radiator, aluminum water pump, no pollution control equipment, No A/C compressor, no t tops in the car, a fiberglass rear spring, lighter battery etc-aluminum, heads!
I do have a 2010 Z06 and the brakes are better than the C3's but not that much!
On the other hand, I am upgrading the brakes on my 94 Mustang GT convertible but that car is worth doing-11 inch front rotors with single piston calipers and 10 inch rear rotors with a small single piston floating caliper-junk! I am about to put on the 94 Cobra brakes. The kit has 2 front double piston Cobra floating calipers with 13 inch rotors, SS brake lines and a Cobra master cylinder. No change in the rear. I expect that change will be BIG!
BTW-My 78 uses all the OEM components with SS brake lines, Performance Friction pad, and 255/45/17 ZR Ultra high Performance Summer only tires-the braking is awesome. I would think the OP would be better off optimizing the OEM C3 brakes and losing some pounds on the weight of the car than C5/C4 brakes-aluminum radiator, aluminum water pump, no pollution control equipment, No A/C compressor, no t tops in the car, a fiberglass rear spring, lighter battery etc-aluminum, heads!
I do have a 2010 Z06 and the brakes are better than the C3's but not that much!
On the other hand, I am upgrading the brakes on my 94 Mustang GT convertible but that car is worth doing-11 inch front rotors with single piston calipers and 10 inch rear rotors with a small single piston floating caliper-junk! I am about to put on the 94 Cobra brakes. The kit has 2 front double piston Cobra floating calipers with 13 inch rotors, SS brake lines and a Cobra master cylinder. No change in the rear. I expect that change will be BIG!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 23
From: Prescott AZ
I must agree with some that I don't know why anyone would feel the need to change the C3 brakes unless they race and I mean really race, not just lapping. The C3 brakes were state of the art in 1965 when they were introduced and still are pretty phenomenal today! Where can you find 4 piston calipers at each wheel, front and back(fixed calipers btw, not floating calipers which were derived and used even today in racing), and 12 inch discs at each wheel (ok 11.75 for those that are ****)?
The C4 brakes were a giant step backwards and the C5 with 2 piston floating front caliper and single piston rear caliper is also inferior except for the weight difference. As noted above, the real advantage to the C5 brakes is only in the front using a 13 inch rotor.
Personally, for 99% of the driving that most people do with C3's, a properly functioning C3 brake system is excellent especially with a Performance brake pad like Performance Friction or Hawk HPS, and braided Stainless steel brake hoses to compensate for rubber brake line expansion under severe braking. To me the simplest way to upgrade the C3 brakes is for someone to make a bracket that would use the OEM caliper with 13 inch rotors. Barring that, Wilwood would be the way to go! I would forget the C4/C5 brakes, the C6 is totally different and the first Vette generation to really exceed the C3's brakes!
The C4 brakes were a giant step backwards and the C5 with 2 piston floating front caliper and single piston rear caliper is also inferior except for the weight difference. As noted above, the real advantage to the C5 brakes is only in the front using a 13 inch rotor.
Personally, for 99% of the driving that most people do with C3's, a properly functioning C3 brake system is excellent especially with a Performance brake pad like Performance Friction or Hawk HPS, and braided Stainless steel brake hoses to compensate for rubber brake line expansion under severe braking. To me the simplest way to upgrade the C3 brakes is for someone to make a bracket that would use the OEM caliper with 13 inch rotors. Barring that, Wilwood would be the way to go! I would forget the C4/C5 brakes, the C6 is totally different and the first Vette generation to really exceed the C3's brakes!
http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ies/iagree.gif
I fully agree
