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C5 brake Conversion Kit?

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Old May 18, 2014 | 08:19 PM
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Default C5 brake Conversion Kit?

Anyone have experience with this? I saw a few kits like this on Ws6project.com, but there are huge price differences. One was $180 and the others were like $700. I would like to get the C5 brakes, as they are larger, and thus more stopping power, which I think the Fbody definitely lacks. Anyone have any experience with this? $180 is reasonable, but if it's $700 for a real good conversion kit I think I'll just invest in some hawk brake pads instead.
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Old May 19, 2014 | 12:24 AM
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About $700 sounds right for the kit (rotors, calipers, pads, brackets) from ws6store. The $180 might be just the brackets but you will still need to buy the rest of the pieces to make it a c5 upgrade.
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Old May 19, 2014 | 12:28 AM
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Originally Posted by SnakeStomper
About $700 sounds right for the kit (rotors, calipers, pads, brackets) from ws6store. The $180 might be just the brackets but you will still need to buy the rest of the pieces to make it a c5 upgrade.

I didn't look at it real closely, but you're saying the $700 kit will come with all of the rotors and pads and brackets?
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Old May 19, 2014 | 08:39 AM
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Hello,

Like Snakestomper mentioned, $180.00 would be the conversion brackets only. The brackets allow mounting mounts to adapt the new C5 components to the car.

For $700.00 that would be a complete kit, includes calipers, rotors, abutment brackets, guide pins, washers, boots, banjo bolts, shims and pads. Makes it a direct bolt on kit. The Ws6store carries the kits and all their kits use UMI brackets. Below is a link with pictures that shows how thew UMI brackets bolt on some detailed information.

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/in...roducts_id=158

We are also doing this same swap on a shop car right now. Check out post #59

https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...ts-pics-3.html
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Old May 20, 2014 | 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Smoke
Anyone have experience with this? I saw a few kits like this on Ws6project.com, but there are huge price differences. One was $180 and the others were like $700. I would like to get the C5 brakes, as they are larger, and thus more stopping power, which I think the Fbody definitely lacks. Anyone have any experience with this? $180 is reasonable, but if it's $700 for a real good conversion kit I think I'll just invest in some hawk brake pads instead.
i bought my kit from kore3 and it came with everything needed to install.

hmm...i'm assuming you plan on doing this conversion to an F-body? not trying to dissuade you but you should be aware that this conversion alone will not increase your stopping power. pistons inside the C5/C6 base caliper sit at 40mm, the F-body 98-02 are 44mm. so you would actually be reducing your brake torque (i.e. reducing stopping power).

if you are cooking your brakes, you could do the conversion as they do in fact do a superior job of dissipating heat because of the bigger rotors which are directionally vaned. you could also run the stock calipers on the C5 brackets for the best of both worlds...

hope this helps.
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Old May 21, 2014 | 05:19 AM
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Piston size may impact clamping force, but wouldn't the larger diameter rotors yield higher braking power due to the increased leverage?
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Old May 21, 2014 | 05:42 AM
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The C6 base caliper is a better overall caliper than the C5 or LS1. More ribbing across it's back provides for less flex=more clamp force.

C6 setup is light years better than the stock LS1 setup.
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Old May 25, 2014 | 11:29 PM
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Originally Posted by FASTFATBOY
The C6 base caliper is a better overall caliper than the C5 or LS1. More ribbing across it's back provides for less flex=more clamp force.

C6 setup is light years better than the stock LS1 setup.
Is it possible to get a C6 caliper on my Fbody? Or is there even a C6 brake conversion kit?

So by reducing the piston size from 44MM to 40MM I will be losing brake power? Even though I'm going with a 1 inch larger rotor?

Also, on the ws6project.com website, it says that some cutting is required? I thought it was a direct bolt-on.
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Old May 26, 2014 | 10:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Bill Smoke
Is it possible to get a C6 caliper on my Fbody? Or is there even a C6 brake conversion kit?

So by reducing the piston size from 44MM to 40MM I will be losing brake power? Even though I'm going with a 1 inch larger rotor?

Also, on the ws6project.com website, it says that some cutting is required? I thought it was a direct bolt-on.
The conversion brackets will also allow you to adapt C6 brakes to the car as well. Below is a link with some information regarding C5 and C6 brakes.

http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/index.php?showtopic=10857

Check out the link below, the 2nd picture shows the spindle being cut. The C5/C6 conversion is bolt on but does require the spindle to be cut.

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/in...roducts_id=158

We have done a lot of these swaps and just did one last week.

I hope this helps!

Last edited by UMI Performance; May 27, 2014 at 03:03 PM. Reason: Corrected information.
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Old May 26, 2014 | 01:27 PM
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Search function, its a wonderful thing.
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Old May 26, 2014 | 01:36 PM
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Originally Posted by UMI Performance
Yes it is possible. The C6 brakes are virtually the same as C5, just a larger rotor. I thought it was the same caliper as C5 but I could be wrong there. But it is virtually the same other than a larger rotor. The C5 conversion brackets also work to adapt the C6 brakes, you will just need to make sure you have at least 18" wheels now.

Check out the link below, the 2nd picture shows the spindle being cut. The C5/C6 conversion is bolt on but does require the spindle to be cut.

http://umiperformance.com/catalog/in...roducts_id=158

We have done a lot of these swaps and just did one last week.

I hope this helps!

Amazing you sell this and don't know what you're selling.

Z51 and C6 Z06 have a larger rotor, the base C6 and all C5 including C5 Z06 have the same rotor size.

Z51 option on the all C5 and C6 use the same 13.4 inch rotor. All C5's and base C6 use the 12.8 rotor.

C6 Z06 uses a 14 inch rotor.

This is the bracket you want.

http://www.lmperformance.com/18663

Buy this kit without the brackets.

http://www.kore3.com/proddetail.php?prod=10105-01
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Old May 27, 2014 | 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by FASTFATBOY
Amazing you sell this and don't know what you're selling.

Z51 and C6 Z06 have a larger rotor, the base C6 and all C5 including C5 Z06 have the same rotor size.

Z51 option on the all C5 and C6 use the same 13.4 inch rotor. All C5's and base C6 use the 12.8 rotor.

C6 Z06 uses a 14 inch rotor.

This is the bracket you want.

http://www.lmperformance.com/18663

Buy this kit without the brackets.

http://www.kore3.com/proddetail.php?prod=10105-01
The brackets you posted on LM's site are identical to our brackets, Part #2120, in fitment and design. We designed these brackets over 9 years ago, before there was a C6 Corvette. I will admit I don't know all the brake set ups on C6 models, but I don't act like a know it all either. We have done a ton of C5 swaps here at our shop. I have never personally done a C6 brake swap but we have sold these brackets to many customers who have done the C6 swaps.

The information you posted is great information and will be very helpful to the original poster and others doing a search. But honestly, there is no need for an attitude. Myself and my team are on this site everyday to help members here and learn from others as well.

Thank you,
Ryan
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Old May 27, 2014 | 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by UMI Performance
The brackets you posted on LM's site are identical to our brackets, Part #2120, in fitment and design. We designed these brackets over 9 years ago, before there was a C6 Corvette. I will admit I don't know all the brake set ups on C6 models, but I don't act like a know it all either. We have done a ton of C5 swaps here at our shop. I have never personally done a C6 brake swap but we have sold these brackets to many customers who have done the C6 swaps.

The information you posted is great information and will be very helpful to the original poster and others doing a search. But honestly, there is no need for an attitude. Myself and my team are on this site everyday to help members here and learn from others as well.

Thank you,
Ryan

Seems as though you are on here a lot helping with the wrong information. With that said, how is that helping?? Thats not helping, it's pushing a product.

If you sell a product, know what it does and what it works on....I mean come on.
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Old May 27, 2014 | 10:07 AM
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Furthermore your part #Part #2120 is NOT the same as the Bob Bishop "Track Brackets". These brackets were designed by Bob Bishop.

It may bolt the same caliper up, but the bracket is not the same.

Are you saying UMI were the first to design a bracket to do a C5 brake swap to a Fbody?
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Old May 27, 2014 | 10:25 AM
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I have been a member of this site for 10+ years and UMI has been a paying sponsor since then as well. That is pretty bold to say I post a lot of incorrect information. I posted information above that I knew from talking with others. I also learned a little from consulting with Sam Strano last week when he stopped by with a delivery. I am sorry I don't know all the detailed rotor sizes and didn't take a few minutes to research it, but I do know our brackets will work correctly and that is what the user was asking and I answered.

As a paying sponsor of this site for the past 10 years we have the right to advertise on here. However many of UMI's post are helping and not advertising or "pushing" I actually feel is if we are one of the least pushy and most helpful in this section...

I never said UMI was the first to design the bracket. I said 9 years ago we designed our bracket.

I am always willing to learn and so is our team here at UMI.
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Old May 27, 2014 | 10:33 AM
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Ryan, it's good to see you...it's been a while. Hope all is well.

Hi guys. Just stopped in to see if I could help clear some stuff up, maybe even help out a little bit.

The C5/C6 calipers have 40mm pistons and the LS calipers have 44mm pistons. GM reduced the piston size in the Corvette calipers to correct the brake bias and to account for the larger diameter rotor and the additional leverage it provides (which would shift the bias towards the front if the piston size wasn't reduced). The C6 calipers are a swap for the C5 calipers. The mounting points, pad opening and critical dimensions are the same but the caliper has been strengthened. The good news is, the smaller Corvette pistons reduce the clamping force on the rotor (you don't need as much clamp load with the larger rotor to generate the same level of braking force or same rate of deceleration) and between that and the pressure cast calipers we don't see as many problems with spreading the Corvette calipers. The C6 caliper is still stronger than the C5 version, but I'd put either one on a street car (if it's not going road racing, and even if it is...the C5 calipers work well and aren't much of a problem for most people, the C6 is stronger and some extra insurance). The C6 base rotor is the same as the C5 rotor as far as the critical dimensions, but the "cheeks" (the rotor braking surfaces) are thicker and the rotors are more durable than the C5 rotors. C5 rotors were pretty cheap for a long time and the C6 stuff costs more. See what kind of life you get out of each rotor, look at the costs and decide if you'd rather change out C5 rotors more often or run the C6 stuff.

You can use the conversion brackets to run the C5 brakes (base and Z06 are all the same, except the Z06 had red calipers) or the C6 (base), C6 Z51 or C6 Z06 brake packages. Honestly, the base C6 brakes are the best package. The Z51 setup uses a caliper bracket with a longer reach (PAB) to clear the 13.6" rotor (and still uses the base C6 caliper, it shifts bias to the front slightly) and the C6 Z06 uses the multi piston caliper that has proved to be a bit flexible. It uses multiple "puck" pads and tends to spread under hard use so it wears a taper into the pads. I recommend them for show/street cars only. Also, the C6 Z51 and C6 Z06 factory rotors are directionally vented, but it uses two left side rotors (so one spins backwards and typically overheats the pads on one side of the car). If you insist on running one of those packages, I'd locate aftermarket rotors that have the proper directional veins for left and right operation (or straight veins, then they can be used on either side).

Hope that helps clear up some of the various questions.
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Old May 27, 2014 | 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by trackbird
Ryan, it's good to see you...it's been a while. Hope all is well.
It has been awhile, hasn't it? Great to hear from you. Thanks for the information and clearing things up.

Your knowledge has always been appreciated.

Hope all is well,
Ryan
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Old May 27, 2014 | 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by 68chevypu
Piston size may impact clamping force, but wouldn't the larger diameter rotors yield higher braking power due to the increased leverage?
depends what you mean by leverage.

The rotor is basically designed to absorb and dissipate heat. better heat management will allow you to reduce your chances of fading or "melting" your brakes. the rotor is on the receiving end of the leverage (application of force or leverage comes from the caliper). so you can apply your leverage for longer when using a bigger rotor because it can handle more heat than a smaller rotor...but actual brake torque will almost be the same.

real life example..with my stock ls1 brake setup. i could warp my rotors (or melt my pads) in three 20-minute lapping sessions. With my C6 (base) setup, my front rotors are still straight and i've used them for all my autox (15 events) and lapping events (6 events) last season just to see how much they could take (even though it's not the best practice)...they are still good for this year.
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Old May 27, 2014 | 11:45 AM
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Originally Posted by UMI Performance
I have been a member of this site for 10+ years and UMI has been a paying sponsor since then as well. That is pretty bold to say I post a lot of incorrect information. I posted information above that I knew from talking with others. I also learned a little from consulting with Sam Strano last week when he stopped by with a delivery. I am sorry I don't know all the detailed rotor sizes and didn't take a few minutes to research it, but I do know our brackets will work correctly and that is what the user was asking and I answered.

As a paying sponsor of this site for the past 10 years we have the right to advertise on here. However many of UMI's post are helping and not advertising or "pushing" I actually feel is if we are one of the least pushy and most helpful in this section...

I never said UMI was the first to design the bracket. I said 9 years ago we designed our bracket.

I am always willing to learn and so is our team here at UMI.
Nothing "bold" about calling you out when you gave incorrect brake info.

How long you have been a sponsor anywhere means nothing if you continue to give incorrect info.

You state you do these swaps "all the time" in your shop, if that's the case you should know this info upside down and backwards.


These younger guys are where I was years ago, scraping together money to have a cool car. As a vendor you have a responsibility to give correct information so they buy the correct parts. Not blowing in and out of a post to showcase your product.
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Old May 27, 2014 | 11:55 AM
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The larger diameter rotor gives the caliper a longer lever arm to use so the smaller pistons reduce the clamping force which would reduce braking "power" if we didn't install a larger diameter rotor which gives that caliper a better mechanical advantage to make up the missing braking "power" at the contact patch.
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