Brake experts comparisons please

[Skip Fix]

OK I've tried the search and it really doesn't give me much help .If we could have a comparision in one spot it would be great.

1)Front Calipers- piston size & mountings spacing comparing LS1,C4,C5,C6,04-06 GTO.

2)Rear calipers -piston size,mountings spacing and with integral E brake on caliper or if mini drum required -LT1,LS1,C4,C5,C6,GTO

3) rotors- diameter and thickness AND offset on front and rear. I thought I had read somewhere the C4 are closer to the 1" thickness earlier discs are whereas C5/6 are 1.25.

I've got some 79-81 TA rear setups I can measure.

[Karch]

Skip, I think I read that there were some rotors that are 1.1" thick.

I currently have my rear apart and am putting in the LS1's, but it looks like I will have to fab something for the e-brake bracket, so I will probably leave that part off for now.

[Skip Fix]

FYI

1LE rotor out of the GM box 11 13/16 diameter, 1.025 thick, wheel to disc offset 1 13/16"

79-81 TA rear disc 11 1/8 diamter, 0.982 thick(new non GM),1 3/16 offset

04 GTO used rotor hat type front 11 9/16, 1.082 thick, 2 1/16 offset

04 GTO rear 11 1/4 diameter 0.637 solid disc, 2 1/2offset

04 GTO cliper brakets both have 3" mounting centers. Front caliper 8" center, rear 5 11/16 center

My 78 8" snowflakes are 12 7/8 diameter at the hub level and 14 1/4 at the rotor level with the 1LE. Even has an extra 1/2 " diameter clearance with the GTO calipers on the 1LE rotor.

A 89 GTA mesh is 13 7/8 at the hub and 15 1/2 the outer area. Rear wheel has a 5 5/16 back space.

[Jeremy]

Is the measurement for the 1LE rotor for front or rear?

[Skip Fix]

Front rotor-new GM, I didn't think the 3rd gen 1LEs used a rear special rotor.

[Jeremy]

Thanks. That's what I figured but wanted to makle sure. Based on your measurements, the 1 LE is not that much bigger than the stock 2nd gen. Thicker and will probably take more heat but not much bigger. By my calculations, it is a little .ess than 3/8 bigger in radius.

I have been contemplating the 1 LE conversion for my TA, but since I am 99 % street driving only, I don't know if it is worth it.

Thanks for the numbers.

I think you are headed in the right direction with the post. I would like to see it become "sticky" as it has the potential to be a very good resource.

[ks71z28]

c'mon jeremy, it is the easiest, cheapest bang for the buck. I have ben using them for many years. i also have Wilwood GM iii aluminum calipers and Hawk HPS pads, works on the track really well. Not an expensive set up either

Keith

[BonzoHansen]

Jeremy, if you do the move to the 1LE rotors, you can use bigger D61 pads over the stock D52 pads.

[Jeremy]

I was aware of the d61 pads but I thought they worked with the factory discs as well. I was actually looking at buying some d61 Hawk pads to see how much difference they made. Please let me know before I spend the money.

I also plan to pull out my engineering boxes and see if I can get some numbers on how much more leverage you get by the extra 3/8 radius.

I know it is a very effective swap and have done it in the past on my gto. If I raced and needed the extra thermal capacity of the larger and thicker rotor it would be a no brainer. For street driving, I am not convinced the extra 3/8 inch on the lever arm is going to make that much difference.

I just want to make sure before I spend the money. I am really interested in a hydroboost and can only purchase on in the near future. I am thinking the hydroboost may be a better upgrade for a street car.

[Aceshigh]

Gents, curious as to how this new C5 setup is going to work. I am getting the C5 Z06 solid rotors and caliper setup from
one of the board members of Nastyz28 because he sells the kit complete and ready to go with the spindles cut.

My question is....
These stock brakes on my 78 Camaro when they lock up, it will scare the crap out of you because all you hear is
squeeling tires, and it kinda freaks you out a bit.

Do the new C5 brake setups have Anti-lock sensors or anything
or are they just basically just stronger and will do the samething ??

[Karch]

You need a lot more than just sensors to have an abs system.

What else would you hear when you lock up the brakes but the tires, assuming you don't hit anything?

It sounds like you didn't grow up on non-abs brakes? Am I that old

I remember having manual drum brakes all around. In fact, I remember crossing a major intersection with my friend (he was driving) when we were doing 50mph in his '66 VW, he hit the brakes, in the rain, and nothing happened.

The brakes were wet so there was not slowing down. It was a thrill, but no sounds, no crash.

[Skip Fix]

Mocked up a 1LE rotor and a GTO PBR caliper in my 15x8 snowflakes- looks like enough room for another 3/4-1" rotor!

[Skip Fix]

OK measured a "regular" brake option front C4 rotor and it was 0nly 0.8 something" thick! Most "regular" car rotors from GM are 1.00-1.1"

Also put my 04 GTO calipers with C5 pads on a 1.25 Baer 13" rotor and it fit, eventhough I was told they switched calipers in 05/06 GTOs for the thicker rotor-bracket was changed for the larger diameter roto for sure though.

Teh Baer 13" setup will not clear my 15" snowflakes or a rear 16" GTA wheel, maybe a front GTA. Also the Baer looks like it uses a Vette type rotor. They have less offset than a factory rotor so a custom hub and hat with more offset might clear more wheels.this setup will definitely make track over 1/2" wider each side. Not sure why they didn't engineer them that way to tuck the caliper out of the way more.

[83hurstguy]

standard C4 brakes were 12" rotors, 0.81" thick. I think the C4 Vette HD brakes were 13" rotors, 1.1" thick.

[Skip Fix]

OK on the C4 data.Just strange GM used a 0.81 thickness. Calipers the same on regular vs HD? I assume the bracket would be the main difference.

[Hammered]

This is a great resource for rotor specs: http://www.ebcbrakes.com/Assets/discdrum2007.xls

They also sell some pretty nice rotors for a reasonable price (see Summit Racing). The HD rotor is indeed 1.1" thick.

[83hurstguy]

OK on the C4 data.Just strange GM used a 0.81 thickness. Calipers the same on regular vs HD? I assume the bracket would be the main difference.

slightly different mounting bolt spacing, and then width for the thicker rotors, otherwise they look pretty much the same. C4 HD calipers and 1LE Camaro calipers are nearly identical.

[Skip Fix]

New specs 13" Baer uses a rotor with only a 1.450 spacing vs a 1LE at 2.200 from wheel surface-no wonder their kits calipers hit wheels. I assume this is probably a 1 piece Vette rotor due to availability. Using a offset hat and rotor might allow the caliper to be moved back for clearance.

Baer caliper bracket spacing 5.325" but can't find where caliper actually bolts to bracket like the GTO and Vette do.

Here's the Baer. And a GTO and a Baer. AS you can see no floating bolts like the Vette or GTO use