Brakes
03-11-2005, 08:54 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Cliffside Park, NJ
Posts: 1,668
Brakes
Its time for new brakes/rotors. I know cross drilled rotors are great and Ceramic pads. Which is what I was thinking about going with. But I figured I'd get the opinions of other TA/Camaro owners. I am trying to go with a good good setup for stopping power.
How hard/expensive is it to upgrade to LS1 or Z06 front brakes?
How hard/expensive is it to upgrade to LS1 or Z06 front brakes?
03-11-2005, 10:25 AM
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Greater Chattanooga TN
Posts: 597
Re: Brakes
Well if your going to spend 300 dollars on breaks for rotors and pads, I think the ls1 upgrade might be good, shouldn't be too much more. I have been wanting to do it, but have not had the time or money for such as of yet.....
03-11-2005, 10:38 AM
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Northern Virginia (Arlington)
Posts: 1,005
Re: Brakes
You can do the LS1 updgrade pretty cheap (~$200). I did mine a little more expensive, I paid:
$160 - LS1 brakes (used rotors, calipers, pads, lines, spindles) - ebay
$220 - PowerSlot Rotors - ebay
$20 - caliper paint & Camaro decals - autozone/Brent
$107 - Earl's stainless steel brake lines - thunder racing
$85 - Hawk LS1 brake pads - thunder racing
-----
$595
I could have stopped at the $160 LS1 brakes, but where's the fun in that?
So it can be done for under $200, and it makes a HUGE difference
$160 - LS1 brakes (used rotors, calipers, pads, lines, spindles) - ebay
$220 - PowerSlot Rotors - ebay
$20 - caliper paint & Camaro decals - autozone/Brent
$107 - Earl's stainless steel brake lines - thunder racing
$85 - Hawk LS1 brake pads - thunder racing
-----
$595
I could have stopped at the $160 LS1 brakes, but where's the fun in that?
So it can be done for under $200, and it makes a HUGE difference
03-11-2005, 11:11 AM
#4
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Boulder, CO. USA
Posts: 506
Re: Brakes
What or where's the best source to get LS1 spindles, and stuff. All I really need is the spindles, and whatever else I need, to install a set of SSBC new 3-piston caliper brake kits. It comes with the rotors, brake pads, and calipers. Just need the LS1 spindles to do that, but don't know what else I would need.
Any ideas, info, part numbers, are greatly appreciated.
Thx-Goose
Any ideas, info, part numbers, are greatly appreciated.
Thx-Goose
03-11-2005, 11:14 AM
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Gwinnet County, GA
Posts: 470
Re: Brakes
****GET SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT IF YOU HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH BRAKES BEFORE
or get someone to help you with it. I did it by myself with NO help and it ended up costing a lot more than it should have. I ended up spending $800+ on the LS1 brake upgrade including tools, parts etc. If you know someone with the tools to do it, get them to do it. Get an alignment too, but get new tires if you do it. Its definitely a worth-while upgrade trust me, braking is much better, lighter components in the front etc. Its the most economical **IF** you know what youre doing and/or know someone who does.
just my $.02
or get someone to help you with it. I did it by myself with NO help and it ended up costing a lot more than it should have. I ended up spending $800+ on the LS1 brake upgrade including tools, parts etc. If you know someone with the tools to do it, get them to do it. Get an alignment too, but get new tires if you do it. Its definitely a worth-while upgrade trust me, braking is much better, lighter components in the front etc. Its the most economical **IF** you know what youre doing and/or know someone who does.
just my $.02
03-11-2005, 12:42 PM
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Gwinnet County, GA
Posts: 470
Re: Brakes
rented two pullers from autozone (have to have a smaller one to get the upper balljoint seperated from the upper a-arm) that was almost $100 itself
flare-nut wrenches for brake lines: $15
needed new brake master cylinder: $100
it all adds up REALLY quickly... just hope i can return some of it to get my $$$ back...
anyone need some LT1 knuckles?
flare-nut wrenches for brake lines: $15
needed new brake master cylinder: $100
it all adds up REALLY quickly... just hope i can return some of it to get my $$$ back...
anyone need some LT1 knuckles?
03-11-2005, 07:40 PM
#9
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Cliffside Park, NJ
Posts: 1,668
Re: Brakes
Originally Posted by rlax31
You can do the LS1 updgrade pretty cheap (~$200). I did mine a little more expensive, I paid:
$160 - LS1 brakes (used rotors, calipers, pads, lines, spindles) - ebay
$220 - PowerSlot Rotors - ebay
$20 - caliper paint & Camaro decals - autozone/Brent
$107 - Earl's stainless steel brake lines - thunder racing
$85 - Hawk LS1 brake pads - thunder racing
-----
$595
I could have stopped at the $160 LS1 brakes, but where's the fun in that?
So it can be done for under $200, and it makes a HUGE difference
$160 - LS1 brakes (used rotors, calipers, pads, lines, spindles) - ebay
$220 - PowerSlot Rotors - ebay
$20 - caliper paint & Camaro decals - autozone/Brent
$107 - Earl's stainless steel brake lines - thunder racing
$85 - Hawk LS1 brake pads - thunder racing
-----
$595
I could have stopped at the $160 LS1 brakes, but where's the fun in that?
So it can be done for under $200, and it makes a HUGE difference
How about the Z06 brakes? Are the LS1 brakes the only brake upgrades we can do?
I am going to have help doing it, he has plenty of tools.
So you got the ebay auction for the spindles/calipers only? I guess I might as well get everything brand new... everything bolts right up?
Whats Brent's screen name on the forum. I want some decals for my Trans Am
03-11-2005, 08:29 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Northern Virginia (Arlington)
Posts: 1,005
Re: Brakes
to do the C5/Z06 upgrade you'd need 17" wheels, and a bracket that is hard to get that I know nothing about, someone here will.
Breant's site:
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/vinyl/vinyl.htm
You could get just spindles and calipers off ebay, hell you can get anything off ebay. But there is a risk that the spindles might be damaged, ya never know till you see them yourself. Everything bolts up fine, do a search, it has been discussed at length, with step-by-step instructions.
The hardest parts for me were:
-Getting the ball joints to let the old spindle loose (till i got a puller for like $10 at Advance, then it took 5 min.)
-Getting the old brake lines off (since I went with new stainless ones)
Breant's site:
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/vinyl/vinyl.htm
You could get just spindles and calipers off ebay, hell you can get anything off ebay. But there is a risk that the spindles might be damaged, ya never know till you see them yourself. Everything bolts up fine, do a search, it has been discussed at length, with step-by-step instructions.
The hardest parts for me were:
-Getting the ball joints to let the old spindle loose (till i got a puller for like $10 at Advance, then it took 5 min.)
-Getting the old brake lines off (since I went with new stainless ones)
03-11-2005, 09:14 PM
#11
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: newton, kansas, USA
Posts: 6,070
Re: Brakes
What brake upgrade really depends on what you want and what you want to spend. The ZO6's are pretty much the same as the C5's. I personally bought my complete LS1 setup for $165 shipped and by the time i was done installing it the total for the whole swap was $200. I personally would either get a stock LS1 setup or if you are gonna buy aftermarket parts just go with the C5 setup. Its $150 for the C5 brackets (there is someone else besides bob bishop) then just the price of rotors. brake lines and pads which would be about the same for an upgraded LS1 setup. Then all you need is a set of calipers.
03-11-2005, 11:25 PM
#12
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Colorado
Posts: 971
Re: Brakes
Originally Posted by Z95m6
The ZO6's are pretty much the same as the C5's.
. Keep one thing in mind about braking performance. These cars have a braking threshold, where only so much braking force can be put down by the car, regardless of brake size. That threshold can be reached on street tires with stock LT1 brakes and upgraded pads. Changing to LS1 or C5 brakes will do little if anything to improve stopping distances on the street (as in one-stop panic stops). Bigger brakes will simply give you greater resistance to fade, for road course/autocross racing.
03-12-2005, 04:01 PM
#13
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Boulder, CO. USA
Posts: 506
Re: Brakes
Originally Posted by 5.0THIS
They're exactly the same, except the color of the caliper. As for cross drilled rotors, they dont do **** for performance. All they do is crack . Keep one thing in mind about braking performance. These cars have a braking threshold, where only so much braking force can be put down by the car, regardless of brake size. That threshold can be reached on street tires with stock LT1 brakes and upgraded pads. Changing to LS1 or C5 brakes will do little if anything to improve stopping distances on the street (as in one-stop panic stops). Bigger brakes will simply give you greater resistance to fade, for road course/autocross racing.
. Keep one thing in mind about braking performance. These cars have a braking threshold, where only so much braking force can be put down by the car, regardless of brake size. That threshold can be reached on street tires with stock LT1 brakes and upgraded pads. Changing to LS1 or C5 brakes will do little if anything to improve stopping distances on the street (as in one-stop panic stops). Bigger brakes will simply give you greater resistance to fade, for road course/autocross racing. 
