was kidding 
my bad on the lack of a properly placed smilie in that response! 
Which Brakes Better?
Which Brakes Better? An F-bod such as mine with upgraded pads and rotors, or a car with C5 Rotors and Calipers?
Also how many pistons are in the stock front and rear calipers? Floating?
Thanks
~Someone who knows NOTHING about brakes, Kevin.
Also how many pistons are in the stock front and rear calipers? Floating?
Thanks
~Someone who knows NOTHING about brakes, Kevin.
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From: TEXAS
Probably who ever has the better pad and better tires. The C5 and F-body caliper are identical except that the f-body caliper is gravity cast, while the C5 is pressure cast. The pads will make a huge difference, but you can have the best pads in the world, but if you have shitty tires, it will do you no good.
Originally Posted by felton316
Probably who ever has the better pad and better tires. The C5 and F-body caliper are identical except that the f-body caliper is gravity cast, while the C5 is pressure cast. The pads will make a huge difference, but you can have the best pads in the world, but if you have shitty tires, it will do you no good.
Forgive me, I have a upper respritory infection with Vertigo.. so my technical terms are absent due to the drugs
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Originally Posted by stang killer
Go out in your car right now take it to about 60, and the stop as fast as you can. If ABS comes on your tires are your limiting factor for stoping distance.
Well I can lock the brakes up at over 100mph, and com to a stop pretty darn quick! How quick? I am not sure.....
They are EBC Cross Drilled and Dimpled Rotors with EBC Green Stuff pads......very nice, love the sound to!! Now the car sounds menacing accelerating and decelerating.
They are EBC Cross Drilled and Dimpled Rotors with EBC Green Stuff pads......very nice, love the sound to!! Now the car sounds menacing accelerating and decelerating.
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: LaConner WA
Originally Posted by psykoTA
And rotor size has nothing to do with it? If thats what you mean, I disagree.
Originally Posted by Racehead
Dis-agree if you want, but it's true. If the stock brake size will lock the tires up how will more braking force stop you sooner ? By locking the already locked up tires more ? Think about it. There IS a reason to upgrade your brakes, but producing more braking force is NOT the reason. Repeatability is the reason. It's the 2nd, 3rd, 4th consecutive stops that your trying to improve, not the 1st one.
Originally Posted by Racehead
Dis-agree if you want, but it's true. If the stock brake size will lock the tires up how will more braking force stop you sooner ? By locking the already locked up tires more ? Think about it. There IS a reason to upgrade your brakes, but producing more braking force is NOT the reason. Repeatability is the reason. It's the 2nd, 3rd, 4th consecutive stops that your trying to improve, not the 1st one.
I am going to think about that 
Originally Posted by psykoTA
And rotor size has nothing to do with it? If thats what you mean, I disagree.
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From: TEXAS
Originally Posted by CamaroSS
Very good point. I am very curious to see how well the car can brake wiht some Nitto 555 DRII on.....:yup: See if they lock up then....
The RII's were a damn good upgrade for decreasing my braking distance, but I bet any sticky tire would be better than a regular radial.
I have done the C5 front brake conversion and there was a big difference in stoping power with the stock pads. The larger rotor made a huge difference. Get C5 rotors, LG C5 adapter brackets and new pads such as Hawk or EBC. That combo will make you stop.
Originally Posted by jargan04
I have done the C5 front brake conversion and there was a big difference in stoping power with the stock pads. The larger rotor made a huge difference. Get C5 rotors, LG C5 adapter brackets and new pads such as Hawk or EBC. That combo will make you stop.
On The Tree
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C5 kit has several advantages over the LS1:
1) The caliper is pressure-cast and more consistant density-wise.
2) The caliper fins which dissipate heat and add strength to the caliper span the entire bridge, not just the rear of the caliper as in the LS1 design.
3) The C5 caliper has slightly smaller pistons, meaning the total force (which can get excessive after lock-up) is less.
All three points lead to less caliper spread in the C5 caliper. The C5 also has stainless-steel pistons available for rebuilds... the LS1 calipers do not.
4) The C5 rotors have directional vanes in the rotors leading to more efficient cooling, with less chance of heat soak / pad fade.
5) The C5 rotors are 1" larger and several grams heavier... leading to more heat capasity (can absorb the same amount of heat but retain a cooler temperture). This slows the temperture spikes and lowers the max temp reached from braking... again, less chance of heat soak / pad fade.
6) C5 rotors are cheap... I picked up a set from GMPartsDirect.com for $50.
As you see the C5 system really is better than the LS1 design... but it also has some draw-backs:
1) The 1997+ spare tire (aka LS1 spare) does not work with the C5 kit.
(Although there are rumors of a spacer kit working with the C5... I've yet to confirm it... typically you need to carry a 17" spare meaning there's no way to fit it in the trunk location... although a battery or nitrous bottle will fit in there nicely. Others just use AAA and take their chances.
2) Increased rotational, unsprung mass of the C5 kit increases the force needed to accelerate, brake, and turn the wheel/vehicle.
(Road Racers who make repeated stops and worry about pad fade are always willing to sacrifice weight here though... for daily driving its probably not nessesary).
1) The caliper is pressure-cast and more consistant density-wise.
2) The caliper fins which dissipate heat and add strength to the caliper span the entire bridge, not just the rear of the caliper as in the LS1 design.
3) The C5 caliper has slightly smaller pistons, meaning the total force (which can get excessive after lock-up) is less.
All three points lead to less caliper spread in the C5 caliper. The C5 also has stainless-steel pistons available for rebuilds... the LS1 calipers do not.
4) The C5 rotors have directional vanes in the rotors leading to more efficient cooling, with less chance of heat soak / pad fade.
5) The C5 rotors are 1" larger and several grams heavier... leading to more heat capasity (can absorb the same amount of heat but retain a cooler temperture). This slows the temperture spikes and lowers the max temp reached from braking... again, less chance of heat soak / pad fade.
6) C5 rotors are cheap... I picked up a set from GMPartsDirect.com for $50.
As you see the C5 system really is better than the LS1 design... but it also has some draw-backs:
1) The 1997+ spare tire (aka LS1 spare) does not work with the C5 kit.
(Although there are rumors of a spacer kit working with the C5... I've yet to confirm it... typically you need to carry a 17" spare meaning there's no way to fit it in the trunk location... although a battery or nitrous bottle will fit in there nicely.
Others just use AAA and take their chances.2) Increased rotational, unsprung mass of the C5 kit increases the force needed to accelerate, brake, and turn the wheel/vehicle.
(Road Racers who make repeated stops and worry about pad fade are always willing to sacrifice weight here though... for daily driving its probably not nessesary).