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I believe the pads are all the same for C4's for the rear brakes. The major differences in the rear brakes is the internal drum parking brake for the early cars compared to the later cars using the caliper as the parking brake.
Rotor diameter and thickness is about the same for the rears. You can get slotted/drilled rear rotors and there is a wide choice of pads and compounds for the rears. Good pad selection, quality brake fluid, and changing the flex lines to the teflon/stainless covering lines will make a difference in braking.
The C5 front brakes or the J55 fronts are a good upgrade but you really need the DRM bias spring to make the conversion work properly.
Form and function. What's the cheapest any y'all have done this conversion for?
Look for used calipers ($50 used? check C5 parts) or new ($175 with pads when I did this). Make the brackets and your good. You could probably get some used race calipers from the track guys for free. I think the adapter bracket is around $100 if you buy them instead.
Can anyone direct me to someone supplying adapters for an 86. I have tried to contact Ed Salinas and Pacific Northwest. Neither has responded yet.
Ed was clearing those adapters out about 3 months ago. He was selling them shipped for $70. I bought a set for my 86. It took a month to get them and he never did answer any emails. They are very nice brackets.
The larger 13" brakes (J55) were available on the Z07 (beginning in 92?)and ZR1 cars. Both my 93 and my 94 came with them.
I upgraded the 94 to C5 calipers in the front and it seems to stronger.
J55 first appeared in '89 and were included with the Z51 suspension. While the C5 rotor and the J55 rotor are very close to the same diameter, the C5 pads are larger which gives a larger surface area for braking on the rotor face. The C5 rotor is also thicker which allows for better heat dissipation.
Originally Posted by Strike3
Can anyone direct me to someone supplying adapters for an 86. I have tried to contact Ed Salinas and Pacific Northwest. Neither has responded yet.
You might try contacting Doug Rippie Motorsports. They offer a C5 front brake conversion kit for the early C4's and they might sell you the brackets. Aslo try Vette Brakes. They have a kit too.
PNW ZR-1 is out of the brake bracket business. Jeff has sold off his supplies of brackets.