brake upgrade
brake upgrade Ok, so I noticed my front drivers rotor is starting to groove a little bit and same with the rear. The pass side still looks ok, but its definitely time for a brake job, and probably the first this car has ever seen ...at 85k miles....
My question is, I'm looking at getting the cross drilled/slotted rotors from www.ws6project.com and also the Hawk Ceramic Front and Rear pads...
Has anyone done this upgrade on their F-Body and what should I expect, and is it worth the upgrade?
My question is, I'm looking at getting the cross drilled/slotted rotors from www.ws6project.com and also the Hawk Ceramic Front and Rear pads...
Has anyone done this upgrade on their F-Body and what should I expect, and is it worth the upgrade?
oh and does anyone know if any of the Vette Calipers will bolt up as replacement to mine and if so what year and type.... I always like the way the Vette Calipers looked.
basic breakdown:
Hawk HPS's are a very good street performance pad, you'll definitely notice a nice difference with them. for maximum stopping performance, blank rotors are actually better since they have more surface area. drilled/slotted are purely for looks. under heavy heavy heavy abuse(which only track cars see) they are more likely to crack, and they also chew up pads faster.
if you want to upgrade to c5 calipers, you'll need "trackbrackets" and you'll need to use c5 rotors(which are actually cheaper than fbody rotors)
Hawk HPS's are a very good street performance pad, you'll definitely notice a nice difference with them. for maximum stopping performance, blank rotors are actually better since they have more surface area. drilled/slotted are purely for looks. under heavy heavy heavy abuse(which only track cars see) they are more likely to crack, and they also chew up pads faster.
if you want to upgrade to c5 calipers, you'll need "trackbrackets" and you'll need to use c5 rotors(which are actually cheaper than fbody rotors)
basic breakdown:
Hawk HPS's are a very good street performance pad, you'll definitely notice a nice difference with them. for maximum stopping performance, blank rotors are actually better since they have more surface area. drilled/slotted are purely for looks. under heavy heavy heavy abuse(which only track cars see) they are more likely to crack, and they also chew up pads faster.
if you want to upgrade to c5 calipers, you'll need "trackbrackets" and you'll need to use c5 rotors(which are actually cheaper than fbody rotors)
Hawk HPS's are a very good street performance pad, you'll definitely notice a nice difference with them. for maximum stopping performance, blank rotors are actually better since they have more surface area. drilled/slotted are purely for looks. under heavy heavy heavy abuse(which only track cars see) they are more likely to crack, and they also chew up pads faster.
if you want to upgrade to c5 calipers, you'll need "trackbrackets" and you'll need to use c5 rotors(which are actually cheaper than fbody rotors)
Everything that therealcreeper said was true. The HPS pad is a major improvement over the stock pads. The Hawk ceramic pad is comparable to the AutoZone or what not pads you'd buy in an auto parts store. Great pad, but if you're going to spend the money I'd go with the HPS. The Hawk HP pad is the "race" pad you're referring to when stating that it's a race pad and would wear quickly.
Also, when dealing with rotors. The 100% truth is that 90% of the drilled and slotted rotors are for looks. BAER has a 2 piece rotor out for our cars that is a track ready brake setup. In contrast the WS6 store drilled and slotted rotors are a great brake setup but are not function like the BAER setup is. The drills and slots are merely for looks. Also, rust is avoided by having a zinc plated rotor. Auto Zone rotors are not zinc plated, as are the WS6 store rotors and most performance intended blanks, ie Brembo blanks.
The corvette calipers also, are the extact same caliper that you have now, just are more reinforced on top sides. However, obviously the C6 Z06/ZR1 calipers are different. You can run a track bracket on your stock spindle with your stock caliper and Corvette rotors if you'd like to save a little money but have a bigger rotor.
IMO, the setup I'd like to go with next are the Hawk HPS pads along with the Brembo blanks, so that would be my suggestion.
Also, when dealing with rotors. The 100% truth is that 90% of the drilled and slotted rotors are for looks. BAER has a 2 piece rotor out for our cars that is a track ready brake setup. In contrast the WS6 store drilled and slotted rotors are a great brake setup but are not function like the BAER setup is. The drills and slots are merely for looks. Also, rust is avoided by having a zinc plated rotor. Auto Zone rotors are not zinc plated, as are the WS6 store rotors and most performance intended blanks, ie Brembo blanks.
The corvette calipers also, are the extact same caliper that you have now, just are more reinforced on top sides. However, obviously the C6 Z06/ZR1 calipers are different. You can run a track bracket on your stock spindle with your stock caliper and Corvette rotors if you'd like to save a little money but have a bigger rotor.
IMO, the setup I'd like to go with next are the Hawk HPS pads along with the Brembo blanks, so that would be my suggestion.
tbird is a very wise man ^^^^
hawk hps's + brembo blanks is the perfect setup for street use IMO. it's pretty cheap, will last quite some time, isn't noisy, and won't throw off insane amounts of brake dust, yet will stop you much better than stock. hps's aren't a race pad, they're actually very street friendly.
if you're still interested in going to the c5 fronts, check out tirerack's pricing. they have brembos for right around $50 a piece. i know they used to be cheaper than fbody ones, but maybe prices have changed $3 or $4 since the last time i looked.
also, i would be very skeptical of any reviews saying drilled/slotted rotors made a huge difference in braking. it may have felt like it, but what they were actually feeling was probably just the pads. the idea behind the holes and slots was originally to allow the gasses released from pads to escape. with today's pads, that is no longer an issue so the holes and slots just take away precious surface area.
hawk hps's + brembo blanks is the perfect setup for street use IMO. it's pretty cheap, will last quite some time, isn't noisy, and won't throw off insane amounts of brake dust, yet will stop you much better than stock. hps's aren't a race pad, they're actually very street friendly.
if you're still interested in going to the c5 fronts, check out tirerack's pricing. they have brembos for right around $50 a piece. i know they used to be cheaper than fbody ones, but maybe prices have changed $3 or $4 since the last time i looked.
also, i would be very skeptical of any reviews saying drilled/slotted rotors made a huge difference in braking. it may have felt like it, but what they were actually feeling was probably just the pads. the idea behind the holes and slots was originally to allow the gasses released from pads to escape. with today's pads, that is no longer an issue so the holes and slots just take away precious surface area.
I asked my wife and brought all theses points to her as we bought "HER" the z28 and she says that the slotted/cross drilled would be ok because of the zinc coating and the fact that eventually we will have her car looking "shiny" and they would help. Also I think after everyones help, we will try the HPS pads as they appear to have them for a really good price. While we may eventually change this setup, I think its worth a shot. Her car isn't going to be a race car or drag car. I know every mod I want to do to the car right now, the brakes were an unexpected hiccup in the mod budget as are a few other small thing's Ive noticed with the car.
The car was rebuilt from a salvage, so not everything is perfect but the engine runs good and transmission was just rebuild 5k miles ago. Over all goal is to build it into an eye catcher "cop catcher" of a car. Wife cares more about aesthetics then HP or 1/4 mile times.
If we have trouble with the ws6 store rotors, we will deff go to blanks or perhaps the c5 brembos.
The car was rebuilt from a salvage, so not everything is perfect but the engine runs good and transmission was just rebuild 5k miles ago. Over all goal is to build it into an eye catcher "cop catcher" of a car. Wife cares more about aesthetics then HP or 1/4 mile times.
If we have trouble with the ws6 store rotors, we will deff go to blanks or perhaps the c5 brembos.
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ATE slotted rotors with anti-corrosive coating
Hawk hps pads
i had already upgraded to SS brake lines months earlier
HUGE improvement after the rotor/pad swap.
not a squeak from the setup from mile 0 on
so far no noticable brake dust...but only have ~500miles on them.
ATE slotted rotors with anti-corrosive coating
Hawk hps pads
i had already upgraded to SS brake lines months earlier
HUGE improvement after the rotor/pad swap.
not a squeak from the setup from mile 0 on
so far no noticable brake dust...but only have ~500miles on them.
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Hawks or EBC? tbird31 / therealcreeper -
I too would also like to upgrade my pads and rotors (without changing my front calipers) on my 96 LT1 M6, so do you guys prefer the Hawks HPS pads over the EBC yellow stuff / red stuff / blue stuff, or are these choices just a matter of amounts of brake dust vs. actual differences in stopping distances.
For me brake dust volume (hi or Lo) or colour is not a factor, rather stopping distance is. Oh, mine is a street car, the only track time I see is 1320 ft.
So, given that - Brembo blanks with HPS or EBC yellow stuff / red stuff / blue stuff and why?
Thanks in advance! (I only wanna do this once!)
MIKE
I too would also like to upgrade my pads and rotors (without changing my front calipers) on my 96 LT1 M6, so do you guys prefer the Hawks HPS pads over the EBC yellow stuff / red stuff / blue stuff, or are these choices just a matter of amounts of brake dust vs. actual differences in stopping distances.
For me brake dust volume (hi or Lo) or colour is not a factor, rather stopping distance is. Oh, mine is a street car, the only track time I see is 1320 ft.
So, given that - Brembo blanks with HPS or EBC yellow stuff / red stuff / blue stuff and why?
Thanks in advance! (I only wanna do this once!)
MIKE
Everything that therealcreeper said was true. The HPS pad is a major improvement over the stock pads. The Hawk ceramic pad is comparable to the AutoZone or what not pads you'd buy in an auto parts store. Great pad, but if you're going to spend the money I'd go with the HPS. The Hawk HP pad is the "race" pad you're referring to when stating that it's a race pad and would wear quickly.
Also, when dealing with rotors. The 100% truth is that 90% of the drilled and slotted rotors are for looks. BAER has a 2 piece rotor out for our cars that is a track ready brake setup. In contrast the WS6 store drilled and slotted rotors are a great brake setup but are not function like the BAER setup is. The drills and slots are merely for looks. Also, rust is avoided by having a zinc plated rotor. Auto Zone rotors are not zinc plated, as are the WS6 store rotors and most performance intended blanks, ie Brembo blanks.
The corvette calipers also, are the extact same caliper that you have now, just are more reinforced on top sides. However, obviously the C6 Z06/ZR1 calipers are different. You can run a track bracket on your stock spindle with your stock caliper and Corvette rotors if you'd like to save a little money but have a bigger rotor.
IMO, the setup I'd like to go with next are the Hawk HPS pads along with the Brembo blanks, so that would be my suggestion.
Also, when dealing with rotors. The 100% truth is that 90% of the drilled and slotted rotors are for looks. BAER has a 2 piece rotor out for our cars that is a track ready brake setup. In contrast the WS6 store drilled and slotted rotors are a great brake setup but are not function like the BAER setup is. The drills and slots are merely for looks. Also, rust is avoided by having a zinc plated rotor. Auto Zone rotors are not zinc plated, as are the WS6 store rotors and most performance intended blanks, ie Brembo blanks.
The corvette calipers also, are the extact same caliper that you have now, just are more reinforced on top sides. However, obviously the C6 Z06/ZR1 calipers are different. You can run a track bracket on your stock spindle with your stock caliper and Corvette rotors if you'd like to save a little money but have a bigger rotor.
IMO, the setup I'd like to go with next are the Hawk HPS pads along with the Brembo blanks, so that would be my suggestion.
Last edited by great421; Oct 14, 2009 at 01:38 PM.
Ceramics suck. HPS's are much better. I sell both, I've run both. How many others have? And fwiw, who told you HPS's are racing pads??? Whoever it was, you need to run the other direction from, and quickly.
As for rotors. If you want drilled, that's fine. I don't recommend it, because it's not particularly wise to start drilling holes in your BRAKES to start with, let alone losing the swept area those holes represent. I mean, you sort of want the rotor to be there for the pads to bite, don't you?
You are getting a lot of pretty poor opinions somewhere, these have been better--but even then they seem to lack some detail.
I run those "nasty" HPS's on my car. And I won't use junk rotors. ATE's are great, they are coated, and they come in both F-body and C5 flavors too. And the C5 rotors are cheaper then the F-body fronts too.
I also carry the UMI conversion brackets too if you want to go to C5 stuff.
As for rotors. If you want drilled, that's fine. I don't recommend it, because it's not particularly wise to start drilling holes in your BRAKES to start with, let alone losing the swept area those holes represent. I mean, you sort of want the rotor to be there for the pads to bite, don't you?
You are getting a lot of pretty poor opinions somewhere, these have been better--but even then they seem to lack some detail.
I run those "nasty" HPS's on my car. And I won't use junk rotors. ATE's are great, they are coated, and they come in both F-body and C5 flavors too. And the C5 rotors are cheaper then the F-body fronts too.
I also carry the UMI conversion brackets too if you want to go to C5 stuff.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 134
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good thread I was just about to upgrade my brakes since my front rotors are grooved and warped. So I got a set of powerstop cross drilled and slotted rotors, but was told to get new pads with them rather than using the existing ones (even though they were fairly new). I just wanted to be safe.
But I was unsure of which pads to go with. I think Hawk HPs are the way to go thanks to this thread. And WS6 store has a really really good price for a set. Thanks guys
But I was unsure of which pads to go with. I think Hawk HPs are the way to go thanks to this thread. And WS6 store has a really really good price for a set. Thanks guys
Well, I don't see WS6store around with advice. 
Also, my price for a set of HPS's includes the shipping, so it's out the door. FWIW. Price is nice, but advice and being able to call should be worth something too.
Also, my price for a set of HPS's includes the shipping, so it's out the door. FWIW. Price is nice, but advice and being able to call should be worth something too.
__________________
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
careful now, the hawk HP+ is not the same thing as a the hawk HPS. may have been a typo, just wanted to clarify.
On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 134
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