bradf_nc

I just finished upgrading my front calipers and rotors to J55 heavy duty 13 inch equipment.While I was at it....i replaced the rubber lines on all 4 calipers with braided stainless steel lines and installed speed bleeders. I thought I was gonna have monster, new stopping power. Gee what a dissapointment. I cant tell any difference really.

Aardwolf

A lot of brake upgrades are going to help with heat. At the track the bigger brakes will fade less.

BADDUCK

What pads did you use?

bradf_nc

Semi metallic

Z-07 freak

Bullseye.

That was the designer's intention for the J55s.

runner140*

Its all in the combination of rotor and pads. I have 13" rotors and used several combinations before one that worked great for me. I'm using
Hawk Racing slotted rotors and Hawk HPS pads. Sure that theres zero air in the lines (total bleed)?

AUTO_X_AL

The DRM ss pistons helped us out a bit. I have had the rotors glowing and only ever had minor brake fade but I think that was due to the pads being about 600* above operating temp. Good choice and good luck!

Al

tlong

Somethin' ain't right. You should have about 5 or 6 hundred dollars worth difference. It felt better going from stock J55 to upgraded J55 and ss lines.

Aardwolf

From what I have seen in magazine specs the 70 - 0 mph brake distance isn't any different, the J55 is just a little better on the track with fade. SS lines improve brake feel, not decrease brake distance.

VetNutJim

Heck darn,

You'd think the extra inch added to the 'arm' of the braking force would add some additional stopping power.

I'm interested in more 'Lbs Per Ounce' of braking power, not fade resistance.

If my stock brakes exert "X" force with 40 LBS of 'leg pressure' I want to upgrade to a brake that will exert "X x 1.5) force with the same 40 LBS of 'leg pressure'.

Increasing the radius of the applied force further away from the center
of the circle SHOULD increase the braking force.

Is a 1" increase not enough to make 'ANY' difference?

VetNutJim

I HOPE you're right.

Any speculation on what his problem might be?


EDIT: I HAD semi-metallic pads on my '91 awhile back. They worked GREAT when they were HOT. Worked pizz poor when thye were cold.
Not long after I put them on there , about a thousand miles or so, a lady pulled out RIGHT IN FRONT of me. Brakes cold, it seemed to take FOREVER and I almost broke my leg pressing on the brake pedal. Traffic precluded me driving AROUND her.
I avoided the accident, not by good brakes, but, by great reflexes.
It was almost as if I had no brakes at all. Tried them immediately afterwards and they'd throw you thru the windshield.
What the $%#%#Q%?????? Yep, worked GREAT HOT. Pizz poor when cold.

I $%^# (testify) the stopping distance on the suckers was about TWICE as much when they were COLD over when they were HOT.

What temperature will they most likely be when you REALLY need them on the STREET???? Most likely COLD.

The sumbeeeches were deemed DANGEROUS by me and they came off there the NEXT DAY and INTO THE GARBAGE CAN they went!!!!


I replaced them with ORGANIC PADS. ORGANIC pads are easier on your brake rotors too. I'd rather wear out PADS than ROTORS.

I've got some DuraStop Ceramic pads on there now. They stop cold or hot the same. I put them on to reduce brake dust and they are WONDERFUL for that AND stop pretty good too.
When I need them in an emergency stop, they'll be there.

IMHO our Corvettes have WEAK brakes anyway. The TWO C4's I've got do for sure. I'm sure some of you out there have fantastic brakes on your C4's but I can state by experience they ALL DON'T!
Don't do ANYTHING to reduce what little braking power you've already got. IMHO an ORGANIC pad, on the street, is the thing to run or Ceramic.

Sage advice here boys: Save the metallic for sure and the semi-metallic pads for the track.

bradf_nc

The rotors are larger but the brake pads themselves are the same pads as with the 12 inch set up. I did not stop to think about that before i upgraded to J55.