Brake Kit Upgrades
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 429
Likes: 66
From: Plymouth MA
Brake Kit Upgrades
I have a C6 convertible base and making 450 RWHP. I have upgraded suspension already to JOC Stage 1 kit but the brakes don’t inspire confidence and I am in need of rotors and pads.
My daily driver is a M5 F90 with 6 piston brakes and it is night and day difference.
Option 1:
C6Z brake kit front and back with Powerstop Cermamic pads.
TPS Motorsports has complete kit for $3100.
6 piston front calipers with 355mm x 32mm (14" x 1.3") rotors and 4 piston rear calipers with 340mm x 26mm (13.4" x 1") rotors.
Option 2:
Keep existing calipers with new DBA 4000 rotors and Endless MX72 pads. This option would be around $1800.
I am thinking option 2 might be better choice as endless pads are really good.
Thoughts?
My daily driver is a M5 F90 with 6 piston brakes and it is night and day difference.
Option 1:
C6Z brake kit front and back with Powerstop Cermamic pads.
TPS Motorsports has complete kit for $3100.
6 piston front calipers with 355mm x 32mm (14" x 1.3") rotors and 4 piston rear calipers with 340mm x 26mm (13.4" x 1") rotors.
Option 2:
Keep existing calipers with new DBA 4000 rotors and Endless MX72 pads. This option would be around $1800.
I am thinking option 2 might be better choice as endless pads are really good.
Thoughts?
Last edited by C6KWJ; Dec 2, 2022 at 07:33 PM.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 50,281
Likes: 518
From: Cleveland OH
St. Jude Donor '11,'13
What are you using the car for?
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
For street driving you are probably wasting your money on any brake upgrade beyond installing some good brake pads and fresh brake fluid. Even the base Corvette brakes work great on the street. All other brake upgrades basically have to do with managing heat build up, which is really not an issue outside of track use.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 50,281
Likes: 518
From: Cleveland OH
St. Jude Donor '11,'13
I would just go with fresh fluid and fresh Dba rotors and pads. For pads I would recommend the Carbotech AX6 compound.
The AX6™ is specifically engineered for Autocross applications. A high torque brake compound delivering reliable and consistent performance over a very wide operating temperature range of 50°F to 1000°F + (10°C to 537°C+). The advanced compound matrix provides an excellent initial bite, high coefficient of friction at lower temperatures along with very progressive brake modulation and release characteristics. Many drivers use the AX6™ for street driving as well, even though Carbotech™ doesn’t recommend street driving with AX6™ due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise. AX6™ is NOT recommended as a race compound in most applications.
CARBOTECH™ AX6™
The AX6™ is specifically engineered for Autocross applications. A high torque brake compound delivering reliable and consistent performance over a very wide operating temperature range of 50°F to 1000°F + (10°C to 537°C+). The advanced compound matrix provides an excellent initial bite, high coefficient of friction at lower temperatures along with very progressive brake modulation and release characteristics. Many drivers use the AX6™ for street driving as well, even though Carbotech™ doesn’t recommend street driving with AX6™ due to possible elevated levels of dust and noise. AX6™ is NOT recommended as a race compound in most applications.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 635
Likes: 271
From: Hampton, VA
I run the Wilwood caliper set and Z51 rotors. caliper set for all 4 goes for around 2 grand plus the cost of rotors. car gets driven very aggressively HOWEVER when it's cold out and raining, the brakes work horribly for the first stop or two.. I had this problem with Wilwood's pad material on my supercharged GMC as well. otherwise, they're great. nice bite and great stopping power. the kit i have is 6 piston up front and 4 piston out back, probably over kill for those size rotors, but hey, looks as good as it performs.
also, having good brakes does no good with bad fluid. do a nice DOT4 or DOT5.1 upgrade (NOT 5) and flush the old stuff out of the lines.
also, having good brakes does no good with bad fluid. do a nice DOT4 or DOT5.1 upgrade (NOT 5) and flush the old stuff out of the lines.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,882
Likes: 234
From: Bangkok, Thailand
I did the Wilwood 6 piston front/4 piston rear setup as well, with new Z51 sized Powerstop rotors for about 2 grand plus the rotor cost. ZERO complaints with this setup for similar use as you.
One thing was - at first I bedded them in using the Wilwood recommendations and had severe dust problems. The solution was to lightly drag the brakes for 10 seconds at a time on a long downhill at highway speeds. The huge rotors really needed to get some heat into them to properly heat the pads and burnish them. Now there is a "normal" amount of dusting, which of course shows up more on my silver wheels, but still a perfectly acceptable amount.
Also, be aware that there are Wilwood specific brake hoses required for the kit - it's not obvious when you are looking at their product page.
One thing was - at first I bedded them in using the Wilwood recommendations and had severe dust problems. The solution was to lightly drag the brakes for 10 seconds at a time on a long downhill at highway speeds. The huge rotors really needed to get some heat into them to properly heat the pads and burnish them. Now there is a "normal" amount of dusting, which of course shows up more on my silver wheels, but still a perfectly acceptable amount.
Also, be aware that there are Wilwood specific brake hoses required for the kit - it's not obvious when you are looking at their product page.
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I did Z06 Brakes in 2008ish and in my opinion, they are junk. Got rid of them about 12 years ago and replaced the with the 6 piston front 4 piston rear Willwoods and have been very happy, They fit and work great! I just needed an 1/8" spacer on the front so the BBS wheels would fit.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,882
Likes: 234
From: Bangkok, Thailand
I did Z06 Brakes in 2008ish and in my opinion, they are junk. Got rid of them about 12 years ago and replaced the with the 6 piston front 4 piston rear Willwoods and have been very happy, They fit and work great! I just needed an 1/8" spacer on the front so the BBS wheels would fit.
