Brake recommendation
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,906
Likes: 0
From: Berlin
Brake recommendation
I want to upgrade the brakes on my car - stock brakes have too much fade. I heard somewhere that there's a kit to upgrade to C5 brakes. Is this true? Or are there better options? I have C4 wheels.
Also, are has anyone done brake ducting? How well does it work? I think that I could scavenge the air from the spoiler (previous owner converted the body to 80-82 style, and then added an LT body kit minus wing - see ecklers), and send it out the side vents. The side vents are useless, right?
Also, are has anyone done brake ducting? How well does it work? I think that I could scavenge the air from the spoiler (previous owner converted the body to 80-82 style, and then added an LT body kit minus wing - see ecklers), and send it out the side vents. The side vents are useless, right?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,906
Likes: 0
From: Berlin
Re: Brake recommendation (Pacin'California)
I actually needed new pads anyway. I hadn't thought that they would help much with the fade though. The rotors and calipers would still get very hot. I suppose if the pads are just more immune to temp changes it would work.
I like pushing the car hard through twisty country roads, so fade resistance needs to be much better than what I have now. Pads seem like a somewhat limited solution (maybe I'm wrong). Some tracks in california (just moved from there) apparently won't let old stock vettes on because their brakes are so poor!
I like pushing the car hard through twisty country roads, so fade resistance needs to be much better than what I have now. Pads seem like a somewhat limited solution (maybe I'm wrong). Some tracks in california (just moved from there) apparently won't let old stock vettes on because their brakes are so poor!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: Brake recommendation (aharte)
A stock C-3's brakes are actually very good. They stop better than a lot of today's cars. A lot depends on the pad. Performance friction work great except they are prone to screech. Bendix or A/C delco pads are good for everyday driving. I do not know where some people get the idea that our cars have terrible brakes. :confused: :confused:
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: Brake recommendation (aharte)
Since when is it an UPGRADE to a thinner rotor??? if you look at the race vettes and caddys you see 1.25 inch thick rotors...about 2 inches larger than ours at ~11.5 inches....but point is they are THICK compared to that tissue paper on the stock C4-5 vettes....any of our problems are corrected with pads or forgetaboutit...the cost would be many thousands of bux....
GENE
GENE
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Re: Brake recommendation (aharte)
First of all Welcome to PA. I was just at Carlisle last week and stopped at the VBP booth to purchase a Performance Plus kit for my 74. While I was there I talked to their tech people about brakes. They told me that soon, as in next years catalog, there will be a conversion kit for C5 brakes. The kit would contain rotor, caliper and bracket and spacers for wheel upgrade. Although they would not give any indication of pricing I would assume it cost a couple grand plus the wheel/tire upgrade to 17-18 inch. As I am starting a complete frame-off resto, I should be ready to shop for a brake system in the beginning of the year and this will give me another option. I don’t think the stock brake system is that bad but the tolerances to make it work properly are so close that I personally do not have the equipment nor the knowledge to continue to fight it. After owning the car for 20 years when I am finished I just want to drive and enjoy it!
There is also a tech site on here that talks about our brakes as well as upgrades. There is a good article in last months (I think) Car and Driver that compares after market upgrade performance. The upgrade was to a WRX up I thought it was interesting that Brembo was the most expensive but not necessarily the best.
Just my .02
There is also a tech site on here that talks about our brakes as well as upgrades. There is a good article in last months (I think) Car and Driver that compares after market upgrade performance. The upgrade was to a WRX up I thought it was interesting that Brembo was the most expensive but not necessarily the best.
Just my .02
Abby Normal
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 53,435
Likes: 92
From: Press "2" for English
Re: Brake recommendation (silvervetteman)
A stock C-3's brakes are actually very good. They stop better than a lot of today's cars. A lot depends on the pad. Performance friction work great except they are prone to screech. Bendix or A/C delco pads are good for everyday driving. I do not know where some people get the idea that our cars have terrible brakes. :confused: :confused:
start with good pads, i'm running over the counter performance friction carbon metallic pads and they are so much better than factory organics. switch out the old, soggy rubber flexible lines with some braided ones like the russels sold in some of the catalogs. also, switch the fluid in the system (i'm running blue oval dot 3, very high dry boiling point) and change the fluid EVERY SINGLE YEAR. really, it's not that expensive and the brake response and service life of the parts makes it worth it. install an adjustable proportioning valve in line on the back brake line. c-3's have a tendancy to get a little light in the back when you brake really hard. when they do, the rear brakes want to lock up and the on board computer (your brain) hears this and backs off the pedal. put a valve on and adjust it so the front brakes lock up just a hair before the rears do. this will allow you to go in deeper and harder and apply more pedal when you need it. and yes, you can put brake ducting on a c-3. i spent about $6, and some old stuff lying around the house, to put ducts to the front brakes of mine (which sees considerable track time) and it has helped emmensly. i have pictures but no way to host them, if you want send me an e-mail or IM and i can e-mail them to you so you can see how a cheesy duct system looks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver BC, Canada
Re: Brake recommendation (clutchdust)
A stock C-3's brakes are actually very good. They stop better than a lot of today's cars. A lot depends on the pad. Performance friction work great except they are prone to screech. Bendix or A/C delco pads are good for everyday driving. I do not know where some people get the idea that our cars have terrible brakes. :confused: :confused:
agreed. there is nothing wrong at all with the design and performance of the c-3 brake system, only the weight of it. if you look closely at any of the racing calipers sold by brembo, baer, et al., you will notice a striking similarity in the design of these racing calipers. the difference? mainly weight, and cost.
start with good pads, i'm running over the counter performance friction carbon metallic pads and they are so much better than factory organics. switch out the old, soggy rubber flexible lines with some braided ones like the russels sold in some of the catalogs. also, switch the fluid in the system (i'm running blue oval dot 3, very high dry boiling point) and change the fluid EVERY SINGLE YEAR. really, it's not that expensive and the brake response and service life of the parts makes it worth it. install an adjustable proportioning valve in line on the back brake line. c-3's have a tendancy to get a little light in the back when you brake really hard. when they do, the rear brakes want to lock up and the on board computer (your brain) hears this and backs off the pedal. put a valve on and adjust it so the front brakes lock up just a hair before the rears do. this will allow you to go in deeper and harder and apply more pedal when you need it. and yes, you can put brake ducting on a c-3. i spent about $6, and some old stuff lying around the house, to put ducts to the front brakes of mine (which sees considerable track time) and it has helped emmensly. i have pictures but no way to host them, if you want send me an e-mail or IM and i can e-mail them to you so you can see how a cheesy duct system looks.
agreed. there is nothing wrong at all with the design and performance of the c-3 brake system, only the weight of it. if you look closely at any of the racing calipers sold by brembo, baer, et al., you will notice a striking similarity in the design of these racing calipers. the difference? mainly weight, and cost.
start with good pads, i'm running over the counter performance friction carbon metallic pads and they are so much better than factory organics. switch out the old, soggy rubber flexible lines with some braided ones like the russels sold in some of the catalogs. also, switch the fluid in the system (i'm running blue oval dot 3, very high dry boiling point) and change the fluid EVERY SINGLE YEAR. really, it's not that expensive and the brake response and service life of the parts makes it worth it. install an adjustable proportioning valve in line on the back brake line. c-3's have a tendancy to get a little light in the back when you brake really hard. when they do, the rear brakes want to lock up and the on board computer (your brain) hears this and backs off the pedal. put a valve on and adjust it so the front brakes lock up just a hair before the rears do. this will allow you to go in deeper and harder and apply more pedal when you need it. and yes, you can put brake ducting on a c-3. i spent about $6, and some old stuff lying around the house, to put ducts to the front brakes of mine (which sees considerable track time) and it has helped emmensly. i have pictures but no way to host them, if you want send me an e-mail or IM and i can e-mail them to you so you can see how a cheesy duct system looks.
Good tips here. An aftermarket slotted rotor, with proper heat treatment will aslo help. Research the engineering behind it, as some slotted rotors are just for 'show'.
Brake pad selection is essential the only factor that allows you to change the peformance of stock brakes as the friction coeficient is a function of pad material. But more importantly, the relationship between friction coefficent vs temperature is what is really important with repsect to brake fade. You will have to compromise with gives you the best performance and accetable noise.
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