When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Except for looks.....I think most people know that a 6-piston set up won't help braking any more than a factory stock set of brakes, so its expensive for ZERO gain in braking performance. At least thats for sure on normal street radial tires. Braking is all about the tires, not the brakes. Unless you're talking about road racing with R-Compound tires.....then an upgrade will help substantially. Street use, they will do nothing.
So I'm guessing the expense is keeping people from wasting money.
I just did the swap this past weekend on my 1999 Z28. I've had the the stock 2 Piston, CTS-V 4 Piston and 6 Piston and the 6 Piston is by far the best, it's stops much better then the other 2 set ups well much better than the 2 piston but only a little better than the 4 piston. Honestly it's like night and day 6 piston vs stock 2 piston! I think it's great and I like the say it looks!
Except for looks.....I think most people know that a 6-piston set up won't help braking any more than a factory stock set of brakes, so its expensive for ZERO gain in braking performance. At least thats for sure on normal street radial tires. Braking is all about the tires, not the brakes. Unless you're talking about road racing with R-Compound tires.....then an upgrade will help substantially. Street use, they will do nothing.
So I'm guessing the expense is keeping people from wasting money.
.
I don't understand why upgrading safety equipment on a performance vehicle would be considered a waste of money, but I'm not complaining. Thanks to people like you I picked up a Brembo Gran Turismo BBK for $400.
Except for looks.....I think most people know that a 6-piston set up won't help braking any more than a factory stock set of brakes, so its expensive for ZERO gain in braking performance. At least thats for sure on normal street radial tires. Braking is all about the tires, not the brakes. Unless you're talking about road racing with R-Compound tires.....then an upgrade will help substantially. Street use, they will do nothing.
So I'm guessing the expense is keeping people from wasting money.
.
I can see where you're coming from. If the brakes are already strong enough to get the tires to lose grip when you stand on the brake pedal, then more braking capacity/pressure buys you nothing.
However, If you can't lock the tires up no matter what you do, then *some* upgrade will certainly help. Whether that "upgrade" is something as simple as bleeding the lines, new pads/rotors, or an upgrade in rotor size / caliper remains to be seen. There are some pretty sticky street compounds out there nowadays, which would make a brake upgrade worth thinking about. That said, If we're looking at the cost:benefit of performance gains alone, and don't care about looks, the upgrade that can be justified is probably pretty small.
For example, If I were to build my fronts for street/drag/tow/auto-X general use, I'd probably go with base C5 rotors and oem 4-piston calipers of some sort. A kit like that would cost a fraction of what my current brakes did, which is geared toward road race.
I guess y'all may be right about braking being no better if you can already lock up the brakes with the stock 2 piston. But what about when you're going 100+ and need to stop quickly because of traffic? Bigger rotors for less brake fade?
In getting them, I railroaded myself into having to change to 18" wheels to fit them, and with that a different tire. Been on Nitto NT05s w/ 17" 315's in the rear and loved them. Now switching to Falken RT615s and trying their 315/30/18 out back. Whole Lotta 'new' going on in the handling & braking dept.
Yeah you are probably going to need spacers in the front to get it to clear with the vette offset. Like you I got some c5 deep dish wheels. I believe the required backspacing is 40 for big brakes. Heres my set up. 18's as well 275/295.
In getting them, I railroaded myself into having to change to 18" wheels to fit them, and with that a different tire. Been on Nitto NT05s w/ 17" 315's in the rear and loved them. Now switching to Falken RT615s and trying their 315/30/18 out back. Whole Lotta 'new' going on in the handling & braking dept.
My new wheels-
I know you may be in love with the staggered 'look', but you would not believe just how much faster you will be able to dive into, and brake later into those RA turns with a set of 315/30-18s 615s on the FRONT as well (especially with all of that new found braking power up front)!!
I know you may be in love with the staggered 'look', but you would not believe just how much faster you will be able to dive into, and brake later into those RA turns with a set of 315/30-18s 615s on the FRONT as well (especially with all of that new found braking power up front)!!
I dont disagree with you at all, especially with the greatly increased braking potential. Im pondering 315's down the road on the front and have seen several f-bodies track & autocross with 315/35/17s on the front but never 315's on 18's. For now I'll be on the street and the first few track days on 255/40/18's. I do foresee going to the front 315's once I get the fitment for them figured out.
What pads are you using? Because I've had some pads that were clearly rock stars and stopped darn fast, super star pads that stop g**d**m fast and make loads of dust but wouldn't last multiple laps on a fast circuit (AX and street only), and crap pads that claim to be good, from a known mfr that I'll not buy again. And I'm on completely stock calipers (2001 TA).
What pads are you using? Because I've had some pads that were clearly rock stars and stopped darn fast, super star pads that stop g**d**m fast and make loads of dust but wouldn't last multiple laps on a fast circuit (AX and street only), and crap pads that claim to be good, from a known mfr that I'll not buy again. And I'm on completely stock calipers (2001 TA).
At Elkhart on the C5 brakes I've run the full range (including dtc60's & 70s) of Hawk pads and was happy with them. Always tracked with new blank rotors and fresh fluid.
As of now I haven't decided on pad/ rotor combo for these and am open to suggestions & opinions.
The "super star" pads I have for AX are CarboTech AX6. I haven't used CarboTech XP10 or XP12 but some of the RR guys on the other forum use those a lot. I tried Hawk DTC60s and wasn't overly impressed. HPS and HP+ I won't buy again.
12-19-2015, 03:57 AM
