Camaro Brembos?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 90
From: Sparks NV
Camaro Brembos?
I have access to a free pair of brand new 2013 Camaro Brembo one piece take off calipers. Does anyone know if these can be made to work on a Z51 setup or if it is even worthwhile. Will they bolt up and fit under standard rims?
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 767
Likes: 12
From: Keller TX
I have rented and ran the 4000lb SS on track 2x, once on a 1.7mi course and I ran that car bone stock and had zero issues with the brakes, I was very impressed. I then ran one 2 months ago on a 2.5m track with 4 long straights and I knew the brakes wouldn't hold up so I added readily available HP+ pads and Castrol fluid. I had fantastic brakes for 5 laps and on lap 6 each time (4 sessions) the pedal got soft and by the end of lap 6 it was pedal to the floor. This was driving with all nannies off but I'm convinced the BCM/EBCM were still involved and were applying the rear brakes to stop the sliding momentum I was attempting to carry. I spent the last breaks between the last two sessions trying to take apart the center console (for the Yaw/Acceleration sensor) and the steering column (to disconnect the steering wheel angle sensor). Sadly I couldn't get that done in time. I THINK these brakes will work wonders on a lighter car like the Vette if you can adapt them. In fact, on the new C7 Vette it looks like Chevy copied the SS brakes as the new base brakes.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 90
From: Sparks NV
Yeah, it's interesting when you do a search on this form for these brakes. There is next to nothing on them besides one thread back in 2011. Even back then nothing was addressed in terms of whether the fitment would even work. They are one piece 4 piston calipers and the rotors appear to be 14". I agree that in principle they should be an improvement over the PBRs. The key question remains, will they even bolt up or at least what mods would be required to get them to fit.
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Advanced
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Why don't you measure the spacing between the mounts on both the camaro caliper and the corvette?
At worst, you would just have to make an adapter mount out of aluminum or steel.
After that it would be a matter of using a z06 front rotor, unless you just wanted a z51 rotor.
Then use washer to properly center the caliper on the rotor. During this set, you will need to check your caliper to wheel clearance, to see if it will hit anywhere on the wheel.
If you want to get fancy, you could even measure the height of the stack of spacers, the length and width of the aluminum/steel mounting adapter, and the mounting hole positioning, and have a machine shop make a nice adapter. This would eliminate the use of washers for proper caliper spacing, and it'd be pretty.
Another thing you need to make sure of is the total piston surface area of the stock calipers versus the Camaro calipers. Ideally you want a similar size, to keep master cylinder travel similar.
At worst, you would just have to make an adapter mount out of aluminum or steel.
After that it would be a matter of using a z06 front rotor, unless you just wanted a z51 rotor.
Then use washer to properly center the caliper on the rotor. During this set, you will need to check your caliper to wheel clearance, to see if it will hit anywhere on the wheel.
If you want to get fancy, you could even measure the height of the stack of spacers, the length and width of the aluminum/steel mounting adapter, and the mounting hole positioning, and have a machine shop make a nice adapter. This would eliminate the use of washers for proper caliper spacing, and it'd be pretty.
Another thing you need to make sure of is the total piston surface area of the stock calipers versus the Camaro calipers. Ideally you want a similar size, to keep master cylinder travel similar.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 335
Likes: 1
From: NC
If the C6Z brakes will bolt up on a base then these should as well. I think you can use them with the C6Z rotors, not positive tho. If my memory serves me, the fbody guys who used these calipers said the Z calipers also worked, so that makes me think the bolt spacing is equal. Bolt size may be different tho..
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
Likes: 412
From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
The calipers themselves are not bad. However they are an ear mount just like the OEM Corvette calipers and those mounts do not line up right with the Corvette Upright.
While the C5 and C6 cars keep the same caliper bolt spacing, the Camaro even uses roughly the same bolt they do not line up correctly.
I haven't looked into it any further than that, so I am not sure of the rotor hat offset to make it work.
Jerry...I think you killed it because it was running street pads
You are faster than the brake pads 
What the Camaro guys were doing was ditching them for the Caddy CTSV brakes because it was a bigger Brembo caliper, and the bolt pattern is the same....but it doesn't fit the Corvette.
Given the size of the caliper, I think you would still run into wheel fitment issues on a narrow body car with stock wheels.
Now once you would get past all of that, I haven't measured piston sizes, although most GM cars seem to use roughly the same size master cylinder bore.....you have a OEM fitment Brembo which isn't the same as most of the aftermarket units.
While the C5 and C6 cars keep the same caliper bolt spacing, the Camaro even uses roughly the same bolt they do not line up correctly.
I haven't looked into it any further than that, so I am not sure of the rotor hat offset to make it work.
Jerry...I think you killed it because it was running street pads
You are faster than the brake pads What the Camaro guys were doing was ditching them for the Caddy CTSV brakes because it was a bigger Brembo caliper, and the bolt pattern is the same....but it doesn't fit the Corvette.
Given the size of the caliper, I think you would still run into wheel fitment issues on a narrow body car with stock wheels.
Now once you would get past all of that, I haven't measured piston sizes, although most GM cars seem to use roughly the same size master cylinder bore.....you have a OEM fitment Brembo which isn't the same as most of the aftermarket units.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 90
From: Sparks NV
And there we go.... Explains why the Vette guys haven't been all over this for the past couple years. I suppose the next question would be, can an adapter bracket be fabricated? I am about to put new pads, rotors and steel lines on the car anyway in the next few weeks. I have everything sitting here waiting. I may just grab these calipers and rotors to experiment. I'll report on what I find.
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Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
Likes: 412
From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
And there we go.... Explains why the Vette guys haven't been all over this for the past couple years. I suppose the next question would be, can an adapter bracket be fabricated? I am about to put new pads, rotors and steel lines on the car anyway in the next few weeks. I have everything sitting here waiting. I may just grab these calipers and rotors to experiment. I'll report on what I find.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,790
Likes: 108
From: On the coast North of SF bay
Here's an answer to the fitment question...
The OEM 14" Brembo calipers and rotors from a 2014 Camaro SS kind of fit the C6. The caliper mounting bolts (5" on center for the gen5 Camaro, C5 and C6) will bolt up, but the calipers (brake pads) will be almost 1" too far out on the circumference leaving the pad hanging over on the outside edge of the rotor.
Found this out the hard way. I'm merging a wrecked (but runs and drives) 14 Camaro SS into a 70 Chevelle and the front spindles and hubs are an ATS AFX product that allows the use of C5 and C6 brakes with no modification.
So I spent big buck on the spindles only to find my front Brembos can't be used unless I relocate the spindle mounting bolt holes - they're aluminum.
Hope this helps,
Nick
Found this out the hard way. I'm merging a wrecked (but runs and drives) 14 Camaro SS into a 70 Chevelle and the front spindles and hubs are an ATS AFX product that allows the use of C5 and C6 brakes with no modification.
So I spent big buck on the spindles only to find my front Brembos can't be used unless I relocate the spindle mounting bolt holes - they're aluminum.
Hope this helps,
Nick
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
Likes: 412
From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
I'm going off of memory but I believe the Gen5 Camaro and the C7 ear mounts are the same. I know the Stingray and the SS use the same front pad shape so it is the same line of Brembo caliper but I can't recall rotor offset spacing.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 306
From: Shelbyville Kentucky
Worst case those free brakes should be worth some $$ on Craigslist or Ebay. My hunch is they won't work. Guy at work has a Gen 5 SS and the wheels on it are much bigger then my C6.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,906
Likes: 228
From: Oakbank Manitoba
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,790
Likes: 108
From: On the coast North of SF bay
^^^Yes, but the question was never answered. I would have been grateful if I were to have found the answer that I posted back when I was contemplating this.
Last edited by pcguy2u; Jun 30, 2016 at 03:15 PM.
