cost of ultimate brakes

[mattmenking]

1986 IROC Z. So what are we looking at here? Front and rear vent brake systems (car has factory drums in back). What is it gonna cost to make this thing stop on a dime (repeatedly...low fade). Who should I go with? Wilwood? Baer? Someone else? Anybody who has gone all out, give me an estimate and suggestions. This will be a street driven vehicle.

Thanks,
Matt

[1BAD91Z28]

A c5 front brake conversion will give you all the stopping power you will need. I paid ~700 for my front brake conversion. Not bad considering I opted for the new Z06 red powdercoated calipers from GM part direct. It could be had cheaper If you got remans from the part store.
They have kits now for drum-disc conversions to used 98+ calipers, which again is plenty of stop. ebmiller88 on Thirdgen.org 's brake forum sell all the kits for a very reasonable price.

[mattmenking]

thanks man, sounds like a good place to start looking

[Etown_RS]

I'm going with a WilWood kit (front only) from Ed Miller. Look for him on thirdgen.org. It's $1000, but it comes ready to bolt in with lines, brackets, hubs, sprindles, rotors, calipers. It's a 13 inch rotor with a 4 piston caliper that will fit in the stock 16s if you want to run em. Which I do in the winter lol.
For the rears, unless you are really needing serious braking, the 98+ should be fine. But if you are wanting more, you can always get a C5+, WilWood or other aftermarket kit for back there.

[mattmenking]

Is the Wilwood kit noticably better than the C5 kit?

[1BAD91Z28]

It is not really needed to go big in the rear as its only roughly 30% of you stopping force.

[mattmenking]

Originally Posted by 1BAD91Z28

It is not really needed to go big in the rear as its only roughly 30% of you stopping force.

depending on how much you can lighten up your front end, but yes, for the most part thats pretty true.

[Etown_RS]

From what I've been told, the front WilWoods are much better than the C5s. It has twice as many pistons, a larger pad surface area (I think), more even grip on the pads, and you can fit larger rotors (13 instead of 12 with the C5) in the 16s like I mentioned. A friend of mine in Maryland installed the C5 kit on his car, and says he wishes now he had went with the WilWood. He knows more about the differences in the set-ups, so I'll ask him next time I see him online and post here.
Not saying that the C5 isn't a great improvement, but from what I know, the WilWood is even better.

[mattmenking]

I appreciate the posts...keem 'em coming.

Matt

[guitarisawesome]

C5's are 12.8 from what i understand, so the rotor size isn't that much smaller than wilwood. I'd still go for wilwood though since they have 4 piston vs. 2 on the C5's. Either way you're looking at serious brake power.

[1BAD91Z28]

Yea the C5's are 12.8". Im sure the Willwood setup has more clamping force. The willwoods also can also fit a 16" like stated. For the cost and avaliblity of parts the c5 wins in my opinion. I have autocrossed a few times and they do great.
I was think of upgrading to the C6 calipers, but it is pretty much pointless to do so with out ABS. It doesnt matter how much your brakes fade, they will still stop faster and with more control than a car that locked up its brakes.

[guitarisawesome]

Originally Posted by 1BAD91Z28

The willwoods also can also fit a 16" like stated.

Is that a caliper fitment thing or is there some miracle way that the larger rotors are smaller?

[Etown_RS]

Yeah, after a certain point, brake size is pointless without computer assistance. But, I want to get a 4 piston set up with as a large a rotor I can in the stock 16s for heat dissaption. I don't like the idea of upgrading my car to stock specs, no matter what the car (well, other than C6 Z06 or ZR1).

I know that the C5 has a 12.8, but if you are running a C5 caliper and want to retain the ability to run stock 16s with C5 calipers, you have to run a 12 inch rotor. With the WilWoods, you can run 13 inch rotor in the 16s.

Plus, the WilWoods are lighter (somehow). You can also get the pads I run as well. Put you are probably right about finding replacement parts. I need to find a supplier when I get mine installed. And they're "only" $300 more....hahaha

[1BAD91Z28]

Originally Posted by guitarisawesome

Is that a caliper fitment thing or is there some miracle way that the larger rotors are smaller?

Caliper fitment.

Etown, I would have likely went with the wilwoods as they are a better choice. Too bad they Ed hadn't came out with them at the time I did mine. They are great performing brakes, and would clear my skinny wheel and tire combo better. But you have to see the confused look on vette owners faces when they see an old thirdgen with z06 wheels and brakes.

[Etown_RS]

I have to admit, they do look alot better than the stock or the WilWood when paired with Vette wheels.
BTW, you have any more shots of your car online anywhere? I wants to see.