C5 brakes for C4
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Originally Posted by purplemajesty
Have you tried the DRM bias spring? I have C5 calipers ready to go on and was wondering if it actually helped.
Larger displacement front calipers and larger diameter rotor means less braking to the rears. You need the performance bias spring to get your rear bias back.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: lake stevens wa
Originally Posted by QuikZilver
There are a couple of sites that sell the rear adaptors, but the rear adaptors are EXPENSIVE!!! (Front adaptors from Ed, mentioned above are less than $150, rears I have seen run over $300 and you lose your e-brake). At that cost, I would paint the rears and get rotors to match the front. Or, you can do what I did, upgrade the C4 to a Z06. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,270
Likes: 3
From: Seattle Area WA
Just a note of caution on the swapping fronts to rear. You have to be sure you have a good bias otherwise everytime you brake you will spin. Just something to look into for those considering it.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,397
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From: Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffin glue Orlando
Originally Posted by crheinish
very cool
As you can see in the pics it’s a REAL close fit. You can’t even stick your finger between the caliper and the wheel it’s so close
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,295
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From: I'm the walkin dude I can see all of the world...
St. Jude Donor '03
Originally Posted by IBEAM700
I think I was the first to perform the C5 brakes on an 88-90 with stock wheels. I asked peeps on the forum if the stock wheels would clear or not and I got a 50/50 response of people saying they would or wouldn’t clear, so WTF ill just buy em and try em.
As you can see in the pics it’s a REAL close fit. You can’t even stick your finger between the caliper and the wheel it’s so close
As you can see in the pics it’s a REAL close fit. You can’t even stick your finger between the caliper and the wheel it’s so close
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Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,397
Likes: 0
From: Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffin glue Orlando
Originally Posted by VictorRussell'92
No matter what they (stock sawblades, 90 wheels) will work with spacers.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 25,295
Likes: 4
From: I'm the walkin dude I can see all of the world...
St. Jude Donor '03
Originally Posted by 4bblC4
I think he meant putting the z06 fronts on all 4's.... not putting the c4 fronts on the back, and z06's on the front.....
didn't he?
didn't he?
No...all Z06 front brakes would be a bad combo. The idea is the old 12in fronts from the C4 would be moved to the back. I've been thinking and you would definitly have to get a proportioning valve or something. I'd love to hear any more info on this.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
Here's the way to guesstimate if you'll need a proportioning valve.
Figure this out:
(Front caliper piston bore X no.of pistons) X (Front rotor diameter)
Then do the same for the rear.
Divide the front/rear to get a ratio for the stock brakes.
Get close to this ratio with your new setup, and you won't need to mess with the bias or proportioning valve.
Figuring out if your master cylinder is large enough is a whole different calculation. I'm not gonna get into crack points, swept area, brake torque, now, but I plan on writing something up. There's way too many people just doing guesswork on brake setups. (I did the same) The whole thing has to be planned out as a package.
Figure this out:
(Front caliper piston bore X no.of pistons) X (Front rotor diameter)
Then do the same for the rear.
Divide the front/rear to get a ratio for the stock brakes.
Get close to this ratio with your new setup, and you won't need to mess with the bias or proportioning valve.
Figuring out if your master cylinder is large enough is a whole different calculation. I'm not gonna get into crack points, swept area, brake torque, now, but I plan on writing something up. There's way too many people just doing guesswork on brake setups. (I did the same) The whole thing has to be planned out as a package.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,490
Likes: 2
From: Oviedo FL
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
Here's the way to guesstimate if you'll need a proportioning valve.
Figure this out:
(Front caliper piston bore X no.of pistons) X (Front rotor diameter)
Then do the same for the rear.
Divide the front/rear to get a ratio for the stock brakes.
Get close to this ratio with your new setup, and you won't need to mess with the bias or proportioning valve.
Figuring out if your master cylinder is large enough is a whole different calculation. I'm not gonna get into crack points, swept area, brake torque, now, but I plan on writing something up. There's way too many people just doing guesswork on brake setups. (I did the same) The whole thing has to be planned out as a package.
Figure this out:
(Front caliper piston bore X no.of pistons) X (Front rotor diameter)
Then do the same for the rear.
Divide the front/rear to get a ratio for the stock brakes.
Get close to this ratio with your new setup, and you won't need to mess with the bias or proportioning valve.
Figuring out if your master cylinder is large enough is a whole different calculation. I'm not gonna get into crack points, swept area, brake torque, now, but I plan on writing something up. There's way too many people just doing guesswork on brake setups. (I did the same) The whole thing has to be planned out as a package.
After adding the 4-pot Superlites in the rear the stock MC just couldn't provide enough fluid to everything, so I opted for a Yukon MC with a much larger piston. I also added the Wilwood proportioning valve to handle the bias. I still don't have them dialed in but will in the next couple of weeks.
I was told to pull the abs/asr fuse, and then do a number of hard 60 - 0 stops turning the bias towards the rear after each one until the rears finally lock. And then turn it back a notch and you are set.
Mike
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 3,494
Likes: 36
From: Livermore Ca
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Originally Posted by Light84vette
Can C5 brake calipers be used on an 84? I also only have these 16inch rims so I dont know if they would even fit inside the wheel.
Here is a shot of the caliper and 17" rim.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,397
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From: Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffin glue Orlando
Originally Posted by larryfs
with the Z06 calipers, do you use Z06 rotors? or C4 rotors?
the Z06 rotors are much cheaper.
the Z06 rotors are much cheaper.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
From: Morgantown WV
I'm in the middle of an upgrade to the 13" HD GS brakes. I've purchased everything I need but I have a question. Does anyone know if the bias spring is different on the GS then on the 12" brakes? They both use the same size brake pads so I'm thinking the upgrade might not be a large enough difference to need a different spring? I've heard a 10% increase in braking power but of course everyone advertises a HP or a percentage that usually isn't accurate. With the pads being the same size i'm thinking any braking improvement will be a result of better leverage due to the larger rotor and the outer edge of it traveling a greater distance due to being slightly larger? Am I thinking correctly and does anyone know if the spring is different? Thanks!
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 182
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Light84vette
Can C5 brake calipers be used on an 84? I also only have these 16inch rims so I dont know if they would even fit inside the wheel.
just my .02$
They will not fit inside the 16" wheel.. but will inside the 17" salad shooters...