For improved breaking has anyone here toyed around with the the idea of adding a second set of stock calipers to your car? I remember calling on a brake company that did the calipers for the space shuttle. They had calipers almost all the way around the wheel. If they'd fit they would be inexpensive. Brembo's and Willwoods are pricy and unless your really going into a corner hot are they really needed or are they mostly eye candy?

 

Why, you can't stop fast enough now?

 

WTH??? That would most likely cost a fortune AND,,, the ABS/AH hydraulic system could NOT be properly compenstaed for the demand on the system it was calibrated for!

Whats wrong with installing one of the BIG BRAKE kits?? Its a bolt and go!

There comes a point in braking where the tires are over come by the brakes.

The real reason that people increase the size of the brake system is for the extra HEAT under severe use and to compensate for the added grip when you use extra stickey racing tires. BIG BRAKE systems handle that with ease!

BC

 

If you want to improve braking there are a few things that you can do that don't require adding extra parts. It comes down to what is hindering your braking performance.

In the majority of cars, the tires are the biggest hindrance to shorter stops. You can have all of the clamping force in the world, but if the tires can't hold then it doesn't matter.

If you are locking up the wheels and sliding on the tire, then you need stickier tires. Any extra braking force is wasted if your tires are sliding. Performance kits and fluids will help prevent fade and you will get good, consistent braking performance over multiple stops.

 

I think this sounds like a great idea. Start a thread, and document your progress !

 

No I don't have a problem stopping but I don't drive that fast. I was just curious. Seeing all these expensive custom brake systems with 5 more pistons.

So are you saying that adding another stock caliper would not help in the heat department? Also if the ABS/AH system can handle a six piston caliper why could it not handle a second stock caliper? I work with Hydraulics. Once the system is full, the amount of oil to move the second piston in to contact with the rotor and apply pressure would be a minimum amount and certainly no more than six piston caliper system.

The questions are just to see if anyone has tried it? If all it took was a new bracket to mount the second caliper and a jumper line, wouldn't that be a heck of a lot cheaper than a kit from one of these speciality brake manufactures? I'm not saying that these systems don't work but for what you get for the price I think we are getting hosed for the amount of performance gain. If some one took the time to engineer a new bracket to use a larger rotor and add a second stock caliper I believe that you could achieve that same braking qualities for a whole lot less money. Knowing the creativity of some of the guys on the forum it would not surprise me to find that someone has done this. I do remember a post from long ago where someone did a C5 to a C4 swap. I think many times people do up grades for the eye candy effect. I'm not against it if it's your car do what you like. The hot rod spirit in me is just cusious about a cheaper way.

 

Don't listen to the naysayers/haters...........do it !

 

Its NOT the caliper that has the issue with heat,,, Its the ROTOR. Bigger rotor disapate heat better and have more surface area for more pad area.

Like "chaase" stated.; Unless you put more tire on the road and increase its ability to grip the road , better clamping force is wasted.

The SIX poston calipers use a bigger master cylinder piston and the ABS pump has a higher output

BC

 

You'd be crazy to try to fab a setup like this in your C5. Also... what's the point? All you'd achieve by adding another caliper is increased clamping force; not necessary. As has already been alluded to in this thread, the real weakness of the C5 brakes is HEAT. I've done HPDEs where my rotors are literally glowing orange because of the heat buildup. If I were to start tracking my car more often again a BBK would be very high on my list of mods because they dissipate heat better and they do not fade. When you upgrade to a BBK you don't just upgrade the calipers (if you do that it's just a bling mod) you upgrade EVERY component on your braking system down to the lines. Adding another stock caliper to the stock brakes would be pointless... You wouldn't gain anything; except the weight of two additional calipers and two sets of pads at each front wheel.

If you want better performance out of your brakes upgrade to stainless steel brake lines, good quality high performance summer tires and bleed your brake fluid frequently...

The setup you're talking about has been done, not on a Corvette to my knowledge, but it's been done. The Maybach has two calipers on the front wheels:



The Maybach's braking system is far more advance than the C5's though; it's brakes are computer controlled. I read an article on them a few years ago. The computer takes many factors including the position of the steering wheel, vehicle speed, engine speed, lateral G force and many other factors into account and based on all of those factors decides how much pressure to apply to each caliper when you step on the brake pedal. A lot of modern supercars have two calipers on the rear rotors but one of them is the parking brake, not a setup like you're talking about.

EDIT: Also, sorta on topic and sorta not, this is an interesting article: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/maybach3.htm