what is the deal with the hubs in c5 big brake kits?

[revhead]

What exactly are they? are they just covette hubs with different bearing installed to match the older spindle? I have a '72 firebird that I want to upgrade the brakes on, and would like to use C5 Z06 up front and C5 in the rear is that is possible, if not LS1 F-body. I keep seeing caliper brackets, and 1st gen f-bosys can use drum spindles, but what about 2nd gen?

My car has factory discs right now.. what is the best route? Like everyone I am on a budget so I'd prefer not to have to buy AFX spindles or any thing like that.

[eville]

you can get a kit from tobin at Kore3 or from touring-classics

[AButler]

Contact Tobin @ Kore3.com He is always happy to answer questions about the C5/C6 swaps. The hubs for 2nd gen are a custom part.

[Apogee]

Revhead, the 2nd gen F-body's came from the factory with front disc brakes having integrally cast hub/rotors, so there is no drum hub like the 1st gen F-bodies have available.

Any brake kit using slip-on rotors like the C5/C6 application then require custom hubs.

C5, C5 Z06, C6, C6 Z51, and C6 Z06 applications are all interchangeable so long as you use the proper rotor with the proper pad abutment bracket (or caliper in the case of the C6 Z06 6-piston units). The only difference between the C5 and C5 Z06 applications is that the calipers are painted red versus the base level black. The C6 and C6 Z51 front calipers are ~25% more rigid than the C5 calipers, however their piston area is the same and they are interchangeable with the C5 calipers. The rears are virtually the same, although the piston area is slightly smaller at 43mm instead of 45mm.

Hope that helps,
Tobin
KORE3

[revhead]

helps a ton Tobin. I've seen an installation somewhere though where someone was using what looked like a cast aluminum hub. Not the fancy billet ones. From that picture I thought maybe there was a factory part (like a c5 hub) or something that can be adapted to a 2nd gen spindle.

[Apogee]

The C5 and C6 'vettes use unitized hub assemblies, so no luck there. The hub you saw that looked cast was probably a cut down iron hub/rotor from a 3rd gen F-body...cut off the friction surface and wha-la...custom hub with the same flange offset as our GMTS billet hub.

Coincidence...I think not. They're heavy though and you should pay special attention to the casting that you choose to start with because some are definitely less suited than others. Many have had issues in the past with cracking the castings around the wheel studs when pressing them into the hubs.

Tobin
KORE3

[fabhammer]

i have not got far enough along on my 2nd gen brake stuff but early second gen use same inner and outer bearings as first. so drum hubs might work?????????? .or cut up second gen rotor .there is info on how to do it on the web

[David Pozzi]

Second gen spindles are longer than first gen, by at least 1/2".

[Apogee]

i have not got far enough along on my 2nd gen brake stuff but early second gen use same inner and outer bearings as first. so drum hubs might work?????????? .or cut up second gen rotor .there is info on how to do it on the web

All mid-size GM cars use SET6 inner wheel bearings and you can interchange SET2 [.75"] and SET34 [.844"] wheels bearings since the outside diameters are the same.

To the best of my knowledge, the spindle pin on the GMSS and GMTS applications only vary by about .04" in the distance between the inner bearing shoulder and the cotter pin hole...but David knows a lot of things I probably don't.

Tobin
KORE3

[fabhammer]

ok early drum hubs fit 2nd gen tall spindle but move wheel out out like half inch looks like it would make a mess of stuff