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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 11:59 AM
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Default Lightweight Brakes

What are the lightest calipers and rotors available for our cars?

I am not going to use them for road racing, just for drag pulls and some normal street driving....

Thanks!
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Higgs Boson
What are the lightest calipers and rotors available for our cars?

I am not going to use them for road racing, just for drag pulls and some normal street driving....

Thanks!

There is someone that makes titanium brake rotors for C5's. Red Devil Brakes is the company I think. The rotors cost about $1k each. They were talked about years ago in the Autocross & Road Racing section and determined not to be a good choice for road racing type events. They cracked. I'm not sure how they would do for your application.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 01:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Higgs Boson
What are the lightest calipers and rotors available for our cars?

I am not going to use them for road racing, just for drag pulls and some normal street driving....

Thanks!
You should PM "FartPipe". They have basically put a set of the rear calipers on the front.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 02:05 PM
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Not sure "lightweight brakes" make sense for your use. Reducing sprung weight is more important for road racing and handling. For drag racing, weight is weight, easier and cheaper ways to reduce.

I would suggest drilled and slotted rotors, they will save some weight. BTW, two piece rotors with aluminum top hats are usually the lightest (and most expensive) rotors.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 02:23 PM
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Everything makes sense for me application. Nothing makes sense for my application.

I am open to more ideas than just rotors. Calipers, wheels (what are lighter than the stock Z06 wheels - and I don't mean by a pound - more like wheels around 12-15 lbs....), etc.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 02:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Higgs Boson
Everything makes sense for me application. Nothing makes sense for my application.

I am open to more ideas than just rotors. Calipers, wheels (what are lighter than the stock Z06 wheels - and I don't mean by a pound - more like wheels around 12-15 lbs....), etc.
If ya got big bucks do carbon fiber rims, they are light but very expensive and I doubt they would yield enough improvement to off-set the cost.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 03:54 PM
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AP Racing has some killer open wheeled car brakes that are very very light and strong

and even more expesive.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 04:28 PM
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Default Solution for thought

Here is what I'm in the process of working on:

SuperLight Calipers from Wilwood
2 piece rotors from Hardbar

www.hardbarusa.com and ask for Gary.

This, from what I've seen, is one of the lightest combinations you can go with. Hardbar rotors in C6 Z06 sizes weigh in around 15lbs front and 14 lbs rear. Amazing.

Check it out.
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Old Jan 14, 2009 | 06:06 PM
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1. Lighter weight two piece hats/rotors.
2. The use of lighter castings for the rotors.
3. Hat to rotor relationships that favor the largest hat.
4. Calipers that are smaller and lighter but must maintain the same piston area.
5. Calipers with smaller and thinner pads. (pads can be very heavy)

None of that is terribly difficult or hard do come by. The only issue you need to be aware of is that what's "right" for the drag race is not ideal for the street and has no place on the open track day. Different use applications require a different mindset about what you want to exploit. In this case you're after lighter parts suitable for one good stop.
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