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Anbody kind of east of the Rocky Mountains just don't understand "Mountainous roads" You from Florida, you don't realize mountains with such steep long grades that they build truck run off areas. 6 and 10 % grades. I've shut off my Vette and coasted in neutral before at up to 90 mph continually hitting my brakes for 14 miles. Locally I've come off the hill in my 4X4 and it fills the cab with burning brake smell
It is a @4500 foot drop from the mountain top to the valley floor. My 3000 pound vette does very well with bigger thermal barrier caliper brakes
(pssst: I bought my '69 in Alaska when I lived there. This car (and I) have thousands, yes thousands, of winding mountain road miles of experience, from Fairbanks on down to the south central coast.)
Oh.. yea,... when we do our canyon runs up 6000 and down the guys with stock brakes are tost... brakes gone completely or locked up... can not handle the heat
Since I started this thread I thought it might be nice to give an update.
I purchased the Wilwood 6 piston front and 4 piston rear calipers, black powder coated and new wilwood drilled and slotted rotors all around. Wilwood told me that once my motor is done and I know what vacuum I'll have from the 496, they will set me up with the new master cylinder and anything else I will need. When I did the fit check with my new 15" wheels and the Wilwood set up, I found the 15" wheels did fit and even though Wilwood and my wheel manufacture told me the tolerance between the wheels and calipers was sufficient I felt it was a little tight, so I sent back the 15" and purchased a set of the same wheels in 17".
I'm in, only problem I had is their brake line kits for the big brakes do not work. Lines are too short but I'm sure the brake line kits works fine for factory replacement calipers. 18" rims
Last edited by spedaleden; 03-21-2017 at 03:19 PM.
What you need, if you want to stop faster... is the Wildwood adjustable distribution valve with the knee brake point...
Currently you only have about 30% stopping power in your rear wheels, this is due to the distribution/proportioning valve, This stopes your rear wheels from locking up and putting your car into a spin.
it is well under powered so as the rear wheel will never lock up and any standard combination of tires will work and GM will never get sued.
This proportion is way off for safety, and then you go put wider tires on the rear and then its even further off
When you add this valve and adjust it correctly, it will in fact shorten your stopping distance.. the size of the brakes will never have anything to do with stopping distance... just how long you can use them before they fade..
I'd be more interested in this. When I installed the new units, I noticed the fronts were just about gone, yet the rears looked new. I suspect it might even be 20% rear or so.
I'd be more interested in this. When I installed the new units, I noticed the fronts were just about gone, yet the rears looked new. I suspect it might even be 20% rear or so.
Now you're getting it, now you see it, you'll be amazed how much quicker you can get a C3 to stop with this:-)
03-19-2017, 05:13 PM
