New guy-brake upgrade help, please
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 213
Likes: 33
From: Just SW of Richmond VA
New guy-brake upgrade help, please
I’ve searched this forum for literally hours but I need some of you with experience to help me please so I don’t make an expensive mistake. I just purchased a ‘14 LT2 base (non Z51) convertible that is completely stock with the base 18/19 inch chromed 5 spike wheels. I’m wanting to upgrade the brakes as much for the aesthetics as the performance. I’m torn on getting bigger wheels (19/20) but have not ruled it out. I doubt I’ll track the car but may sometime in the future.
From my studying on this forum I understand that I can upgrade to Z51 brakes easily. They are a direct bolt on and will fit under my current wheels (and there’s several for sale here now). If I go farther and upgrade to the OEM carbon setup, it will still fit easily on my car but I need longer brake lines in the front, and one post said they won’t fit under the stock 18/19 wheels, but will fit fine under any of the OEM Z51 wheels.
Am I on track, or have I missed something. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated!!!
p.s. and I’m clueless about the aftermarket options. Opinions vary so much plus I don’t really want to risk screwing up my 8 year extended warranty.
From my studying on this forum I understand that I can upgrade to Z51 brakes easily. They are a direct bolt on and will fit under my current wheels (and there’s several for sale here now). If I go farther and upgrade to the OEM carbon setup, it will still fit easily on my car but I need longer brake lines in the front, and one post said they won’t fit under the stock 18/19 wheels, but will fit fine under any of the OEM Z51 wheels.
Am I on track, or have I missed something. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated!!!
p.s. and I’m clueless about the aftermarket options. Opinions vary so much plus I don’t really want to risk screwing up my 8 year extended warranty.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 121
Likes: 5
From: Centennial Colorado
Just go with the Z51 brakes in the front if you can get the same color as the rear(same exact part) or get the full set in a different color. Upgrade to the DBA rotors and you're done for the occasional track day with some Good Hawk DTC track pads and good fluid. CCB's would be overkill and would new different wheels.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,820
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
My son has a 14 Z51. He doesn't do a lot of track events but does at least one per year and has no problem running the stock Z51 brakes. Pads and rotors. For what you are saying you might do the Z51 setup should be fine for you.
Bill
Bill
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 50,281
Likes: 518
From: Cleveland OH
St. Jude Donor '11,'13
I’ve searched this forum for literally hours but I need some of you with experience to help me please so I don’t make an expensive mistake. I just purchased a ‘14 LT2 base (non Z51) convertible that is completely stock with the base 18/19 inch chromed 5 spike wheels. I’m wanting to upgrade the brakes as much for the aesthetics as the performance. I’m torn on getting bigger wheels (19/20) but have not ruled it out. I doubt I’ll track the car but may sometime in the future.
From my studying on this forum I understand that I can upgrade to Z51 brakes easily. They are a direct bolt on and will fit under my current wheels (and there’s several for sale here now). If I go farther and upgrade to the OEM carbon setup, it will still fit easily on my car but I need longer brake lines in the front, and one post said they won’t fit under the stock 18/19 wheels, but will fit fine under any of the OEM Z51 wheels.
Am I on track, or have I missed something. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated!!!
p.s. and I’m clueless about the aftermarket options. Opinions vary so much plus I don’t really want to risk screwing up my 8 year extended warranty.
From my studying on this forum I understand that I can upgrade to Z51 brakes easily. They are a direct bolt on and will fit under my current wheels (and there’s several for sale here now). If I go farther and upgrade to the OEM carbon setup, it will still fit easily on my car but I need longer brake lines in the front, and one post said they won’t fit under the stock 18/19 wheels, but will fit fine under any of the OEM Z51 wheels.
Am I on track, or have I missed something. Any help you can give me is greatly appreciated!!!
p.s. and I’m clueless about the aftermarket options. Opinions vary so much plus I don’t really want to risk screwing up my 8 year extended warranty.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 4,303
Likes: 2,055
From: Margate, FL
Sorry to thread jack... but just asking someone to confirm:
The stock front 18" wheels will fit over the 1" larger front Z51 rotors???
Since the rears rotors are the same size I assume they will easily clear the larger 19" wheels out back.
Just for the record I found this data in various other thread about rotor sizes...
FRONT:
12.6 = Base
13.6 = Z51
14.6 = GS & Z06
15.5 = Z07 (carbon)
REAR:
13.3 = Base
13.3 = Z51
14.4 = GS & Z06
15.3 = Z07 (carbon)
Kind of odd that base C7 has the larger rear brakes, I can only guess GM was trying to share parts with the Z51.
The stock front 18" wheels will fit over the 1" larger front Z51 rotors???
Since the rears rotors are the same size I assume they will easily clear the larger 19" wheels out back.
Just for the record I found this data in various other thread about rotor sizes...
FRONT:
12.6 = Base
13.6 = Z51
14.6 = GS & Z06
15.5 = Z07 (carbon)
REAR:
13.3 = Base
13.3 = Z51
14.4 = GS & Z06
15.3 = Z07 (carbon)
Kind of odd that base C7 has the larger rear brakes, I can only guess GM was trying to share parts with the Z51.
