brake upgrade
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 60
From: ft myers FL/Munising MI
brake upgrade
Ordered 18" rims for my 85 to allow for a brake upgrade.....any particular suggestions as to which ones to install....I see some of them are close to braking the bank....I'd like a good set, just don't want to go into bankruptcy.......
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 506
Likes: 12
From: Savannah GA
The least expensive upgrade will be to C5. Search for used calipers and brackets and get some adapters. C5 rotors are much less than C4 J55 rotors.
I did C4 J55 on my 87 to keep orginal wheels for under $500 total.
I think you might have to drill out some holes in the spindles on an 85
Carbotech Bobcat pads are good stopping steet pads and don't have much dust.
Don't worry about the rear.
Get a bias spring for master cylinder.
Get some new brake hoses while you're at it. (if they're 25+ years old)
JS
I did C4 J55 on my 87 to keep orginal wheels for under $500 total.
I think you might have to drill out some holes in the spindles on an 85
Carbotech Bobcat pads are good stopping steet pads and don't have much dust.
Don't worry about the rear.
Get a bias spring for master cylinder.
Get some new brake hoses while you're at it. (if they're 25+ years old)
JS
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,704
Likes: 8
Hi Playdixie ,i would consider the C5 upgrade ,it was cheap for me here in Italy, even more for you there In USA. If you remember some pics of my 85 i had 4 x18" "wagons" from a donor C5,but here personal taste is the key..."de gustibus non est disputandum".For sure the Wagons are the cheapest choice...
if you go this route remember your off set of 36 mm, i needed spacers for my set up.You need adapters for the calipers,as suggested, change the brake caliper hoses to steel brainded.The bias spring for the master cylinder is important.
Alberto-Italy
if you go this route remember your off set of 36 mm, i needed spacers for my set up.You need adapters for the calipers,as suggested, change the brake caliper hoses to steel brainded.The bias spring for the master cylinder is important.
Alberto-Italy
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Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
The cheapest and most effective upgrade is the C5 Zo6 upgrade, IF you want NEW stuff.
Nice red calipers with "corvette" across the front, a pair for the front & rear used, sells new for about $500...little more some places, so shop around. The new sets F&R are going for close to $1000.... but there are LOTs of deals for this on FleaBay.
big drilled rotors, as low as $50ea with pads, see the link below.
I looked around briefly and it looks like now, the Z06 brakes will run closer to $1500.
You can get the used J55 off a C5 salvage in good shape for a LOT less than that. The rotor deals are fantastic ! all 4 with pads for 200? that's as good as it will ever get !
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVROLET-CORVETTE-C5-DRILLED-SLOTTED-BRAKE-ROTORS-AND-8-CERAMIC-PADS-M640580-/290969787978?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43bf269e4a&vxp=mtr
Nice red calipers with "corvette" across the front, a pair for the front & rear used, sells new for about $500...little more some places, so shop around. The new sets F&R are going for close to $1000.... but there are LOTs of deals for this on FleaBay.
big drilled rotors, as low as $50ea with pads, see the link below.
I looked around briefly and it looks like now, the Z06 brakes will run closer to $1500.
You can get the used J55 off a C5 salvage in good shape for a LOT less than that. The rotor deals are fantastic ! all 4 with pads for 200? that's as good as it will ever get !
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVROLET-CORVETTE-C5-DRILLED-SLOTTED-BRAKE-ROTORS-AND-8-CERAMIC-PADS-M640580-/290969787978?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43bf269e4a&vxp=mtr
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 50,281
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From: Cleveland OH
St. Jude Donor '11,'13
Carbotech™ Bobcat 1521™ The Carbotech Bobcat 1521™ is our high performance street compound that is our most successful compound. The Bobcat compound is known for its awesome release and modulation, along with unmatched rotor friendliness. Like our AX™ & XP™ line of compounds, Bobcat 1521™ is a Ceramic based friction material offering minimal rotor damage and non-corrosive dust. Bobcat 1521™ offers outstanding performance, even when cold, low dusting and low noise with an excellent initial bite. This compound’s virtually perfect linear torque production provides incredible braking force without ABS intervention. Bobcat 1521™ operating range starts out at ambient and goes up to 900°F. Bobcat 1521™ is suitable for ALL street cars, perfect for your tow vehicle, police cruiser. The Bobcat 1521™ compound has been found to last two-three times longer than OE pads you can purchase at a dealership or national retailer. That’s one of the beauties of Carbotech Ceramic brake compounds. Bobcat 1521™ is NOT recommended for any track use.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
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From what I am hearing lately , the hardest part of the conversion is finding the adaptor brackets. The abutment bracket can be had but the adaptor for the C5 to C4 spindle/hub is getting hard to find. You have to search FleaBay and other vette sources. used to be several places that made that piece but they've since ended production... Its NOT a hard part to mfg either...if you got the dimensions any machine shop could whip one out for you in minutes.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,704
Likes: 8
As for the master in a street driven car no issues for me ,i'm using this upgrade since spring and worked great for me.this is my experince very happy,good results,great look.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,704
Likes: 8
From what I am hearing lately , the hardest part of the conversion is finding the adaptor brackets. The abutment bracket can be had but the adaptor for the C5 to C4 spindle/hub is getting hard to find. You have to search FleaBay and other vette sources. used to be several places that made that piece but they've since ended production... Its NOT a hard part to mfg either...if you got the dimensions any machine shop could whip one out for you in minutes.
Exotic muscle has this item regularly listed
http://emracingcorp.com/scripts/prod...?idproduct=387
i'm in Italy and it wasn't a problem to find the adapters,lot of vendors have this stuff on ebay( i admit most for 88-96)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/84-to-87-C4-Corvette-to-C5-C6-brake-adapter-or-conversion-brackets-/141433133275?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20ee1258db&vxp=mtr
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 43
From: Auburn MA
I went with CTS-V Brembos 4 piston calipers / 14" C6 Z06-GS rotors up front with Hawk HPS pads all around and the car stops on a dime with a firm pedal feel and will engage ABS at 70 mph when the stock 12" wouldn't even have enough clamping power to even engage ABS. For the most part everything bolted up with minimal modifications. Both calipers brand new on Amazon were $240 shipped, front Rotors were $89 a piece shipped, custom stainless braided lines were $150, pins for the calipers were $25 for the pair shipped, then a couple trips to the hardware store for some nuts and bolts. Every for the most part bolted up to the stock spindle with minor massaging the draw back is they barely fit under 18" OEM Grand Sport wheels I had to add a 1" adapter to space them out to get the clearance. But i may revisit the adapter spacing so that my wheels don't stick out so much I am pretty sure I can put smaller adapters/spacers on there than what I have.
C6 Z06 rotor on the left/ stock 12" front rotor on the right
C6 Z06 rotor on the left/ stock 12" front rotor on the right
Last edited by Impala Balko; Oct 15, 2014 at 11:00 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 43
From: Auburn MA
That is the original reason why I went this route versus C5 Z06 brakes or C6 z51 brakes or base model C6 brakes and the C6 ZO6 brakes were pricey and from what I read the CTS-V Brembos out performed them for track use. It really did seam like the best bang for the buck plus I read how some people were tucking them in 17" wheels, I however wasn't that fortunate
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 60
From: ft myers FL/Munising MI
I thank everybody for their input....I found zo6 brake/caliper set on ebay and the adaptor plates....going to do the front only first....are there going to be any other fitment issues besides the adaptor plates?...getting that I have to change a spring on a cylinder?....where do I get the replacement?....