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What setup are you two referring to now? Now you have me worried that it isnt going to work on my GTA with the 16" crosslace wheels and I already bought the calipers....... its only money i guess, lol
Last I heard from Jeff was that the vibration and any abnormal noise went away and that he was pleased. I'm working on another 12.2" setup with stainless steel brackets and I'll post pics of that when finished.
For an update on this Brembo caliper thread, I just picked up a set of 14" C6 ZO6 rotors to try with this caliper. I need a rotor with a small offset and it seemed to fit the bill just fine and should be large enough to hold the caliper and the pads as well. My goal is to keep the overall cost as small as I can without going to a custom two piece rotor which would only raise the cost, and quite a bit from what I have found..how's $175-225 for just a rotor hat??? That would put just the rotors in the $500-650 range and who would buy that? Not too many guys here so I can't justify the research in that direction right now. We'll see how these rotors will work so I'll have an update later next week when the rotors arrive. I also plan on fitting up the ZO6 rotors with either C5 calipers or base level C6 calipers that I also picked up last week. This will yield a very streetable 14" brake setup for us and keep the cost down. Of course an upgrade to the ZO6 calipers would be an option.
As I mentioned earlier I may also go with another caliper that is a bit smaller than this one if I can't get the mounting of this caliper figured out. It's a nice caliper, yes, but it may not be efficient to make it work, not enough bang for the buck.
A-HA! I made some very good progress on this setup today, fellas, very good progress. Looks like it will work, I just had to clock the caliper in the other direction. It's still a tight fit and I'm using a Z51 13.5" rotor for added clearance so you can forget about these things fitting in a 16" wheel. More updates coming soon.
Sweet! Although, upgrades on my car, are on hold for while, but I can't wait to see what happens with these. I think that the 13.5" will work, it should fit behind my 17" front wheels.
I'll be finalizing this bracket for this caliper next week, I've had a few pressing projects to get out the door and I'll post them up soon as well. I think this bracket is about the best I can do with this caliper. I know it's been fit up and installed on a 3rd gen, someone e-mailed me with pics and all of the CTS caliper installed on his son's car but I had to wipe my computer before I saved it so all that info is now gone...dammit. If "you" read this, please resend your e-mail with the pics of your car and the brakes, I'd like to see them again and would really appreciate it.
Taking this concept further, I also picked up another factory Brembo caliper to try out. I'm sure some of you know about the Evo, factory equipped with these Brembos:
These have smaller mounting lugs and will still hold a 1.25" thick rotor so we'll see how these go. I'm sure it will be a smoother fitup than the CTS-V caliper. If not, these will be for sale soon..
Hi John, I haven't actively checked into the new price of these calipers, I got these off Ebay on a whim and they're in very good condition. I also don't know much about the Evos, STIs and such, but these calipers are also the same (or very similar) calipers used on Infiniti coupes and Nissan 350Zs.
The thing I just don't like is that the CTS front caliper is so far away from the spindle since the lugs are so big. Honestly, I like the Wilwoods a bit better since the fitup is easier but with these calipers having a better price and dust boots as well, it has it's benefits as well. Look at the attached pic. See the difference in size of the CTS rear calipers? I think they would be a MUCH better unit to try and use simply due to the size.
And they look a LOT like the red Brembos I posted above, maybe a bit smaller. Maybe I should be looking at one of those?? Trust me, price is my main concern but as you all know me, so is fit, function, and ease of replacement parts and such. I'm still working on it.
Thanks for all the due dilagence, I honestly don't know how the rears would work. I am of course intrested in huge performance, for the price. I would be interested ot see if the brembo's are compared to the wilwoods when it comes to rigidity and such. My big draw to the big -V caliper, is that it has a BIG pad, the pad is bigger than the wilwoods. Really, what I am looking for, rigidity and pad area, at a resonable price point. It may be that the brembo's just aren't going to be comparable to the wilwoods. Digging up some pad specs on the rear might be interesting. If they take a 1.25" rotor, and have a big pad, it may work out.
They way I see it, if I am going to drop 1200-1500 on brakes, I want the biggest, badest setup I can get, that will package on my car, with 17" wheels. (I don't want to go with 18's). I would love to see a 13.5"x1.25" setup, with a huge caliper. The price point the -V caliper came in at, meant that for that sub $1500 price, I could just about step up to some 2 peice rotors, witha lightweight alum. hat.
As I said, I am in no hurry, don't feel the need to rush. I couldn't buy them until next fall. Right now, I am planning a trip to Africa, so that has really taken all my disposable income, so until that is done, I can't spend money on stuff for the car.
After a bit of poking around on the 'Net I learned that CTS-V rear brakes are 14.4" x 1.10" using the above pictured 4 piston rear caliper (on the right) so I could build a set of 13" x 1.1" or so brakes using a HD rotor or a two piece rotor, still a nice setup that will probably tuck into the 17" wheels you want to keep. The CTS comes with 18" wheels for it's 14" rotors.
I hope you are not planning on using the rear calipers on the front. You will have the brake bias out of balance. The Brembo rear caliper pistons are generally around 32mm & 28mm pistons which is about 2.2" of effective piston area. The fronts are around 44mm &36mm which is about 4" of effective piston area. The stock rears are I think are about 1.8".
Thanks, I wasn't sure on the piston size and I understand your point. I'll continue along in the direction I'm heading. They would throw everything out of whack.
The new Brembos arrived today and I already have then aligned to fit up on a C5 rotor, I just need to make a bracket. They hold a 1.25" rotor so all is well. I should have both these caliper assemblies ready with pics in a week-10 days.
Another lower cost brembo kit could be made from the 94-04 mustang cobra R brembo brake kit. I can be purchased for $800-$1000 w/ calipers, pads, lines and rotors. The calipers are basically the same as the 350Z & Evo. These calipers were originally used for Lotus and are sometimes referred to as lotus calipers. The rotors are drilled on 5x4 1/2" so they would have to be redrilled. I think that the rotors are 13" x 1.1" but I am not for sure. Another option could be used porsche non turbo calipers, they can be bought for $300-$500.
I've looked into the Cobra R caliper as an option, it is suppoded to bolt right in the place of stock Cobra calipers and I considered those as my first option, but they're a bit hard to come by in just caliper form, I didn't want to buy the whole caliper and rotor setup as that's not in my budget for research. You run the Porsche calipers and I may look into those as well but I need to finish up with the CTS and Evo calipers first.
I just got through reading this entire thread, start to finish...
08-24-2005, 07:45 AM to today...
That means, the process of getting these CTS-V calipers to fit, has been a YEAR AND HALF in planning!!!
Of course...I'm dedicated to keeping my GTA crosslace wheels, so the max already exists for me, but I couldn't stop reading...especially after realizing how long ago this thread started!
When my pads need replacing, I'm going with the C5 upgrade.
I'm new to this forum as I own a 99 TA, but Eds work with the 14" rotor and caddy brembo's have really got me thinking. I know the calipers will bolt right onto the LS1 cars and it's pretty darn close to lining up with the 14" rotor. Another brake company told me it was within a few mm's of fitting perfectly.
I sent a letter to Ed about a week ago, but he may not have gotten it. I was hoping he had access to a LS1 f-body so he could find out just how close it is to fitting and take some pics.
I have LS1 spindles in the shop but no 14" rotors at this time. Should I get a 14" rotor sometime soon I'll test it on a LS1 spindle for 4th gens.
IMO these calipers will NOT work on a third gen, there's just not enough room. I'm very confident another Brembo caliper will work but I don't have it yet. The Evo Brembos aren't going to work either, the caliper lugs will interfere with the spindle. Now, of course if another company makes a custom spindle for 3rd gens I'm sure it can be done but not in the current configuration.
Ben, if you're reading this I will be contacting you on returning the caliper to you.
I think I have have found the answer to this issue. I tested the caliper on a Z51 C6 rotor and it fit pretty good. Now to test it on the 14" ZO6 rotor I just got in. I have to have new hubs machined to fit the ZO6 rotor but it'll only be a week or so. The ZO6 rotor has a radius on the inside of the rotor so my standard hubs for LS1s and C4/C5s won't fit. Here's the Z51 rotor fitup:
Ed, any chance you can take some measurements for me? I need to see if that will fit under my 17's with the Z51 rotors. You can e-mail me the info to, if you don't want to clutter this up.
Thanks Ed. The one I really need is the the distance to the outside edge of the caliper, with the vette wheels, I have a ton of space to the wheels face, but the diam. is what worries me with the Z51 rotors, I am pretty sure a full 14" won't fit, but the Z51's might.
I haven't had time to put the specific hubs for this rotor together yet, sorry John. I have this upcoming weekend off so I hope to get to some things then, the rest of the week is busy and today was my only day off.
No worries dude, I know you are busy, I just bring it up every now an again to remind you.
When you do get time, the 2 things I need to find out, is if these will use the standard hub, or the 1LE hub. And also the distance from the center of the spindle to the furthest point outside, so I can see if they will clear my wheels.
Im seriously interested in this brake upgrade. I like how the calipers look too. Any info on weight difference between this setup versus the other setups you make Ed? I am going to be running 18" IROC wheels. So is there any limits for me on any of the setups you make?
No problem Ed. I am still recovering from my trip to Africa, and also moving, so money has not been something I have a lot of extra of. But I am getting close to needing to do the brakes, so I need to descide what route I am going, and budget it out.
No worries dude, I know you are busy, I just bring it up every now an again to remind you.
When you do get time, the 2 things I need to find out, is if these will use the standard hub, or the 1LE hub. And also the distance from the center of the spindle to the furthest point outside, so I can see if they will clear my wheels.
--John
Hi John..center of spindle to outside of caliper is 7.5" give or take a 1/8". I think I can use a standard hub but I'll admit a 1LE hub may work better. I don't have any on hand in the shop but I have two coming tomorrow. I'll post up.
Oh yeah..distance from wheel mounting hub to outside of caliper is 1.75".
If I could use standard hubs that would be helpful, as I already have them, money is a bit of issue on this, so if I don't have to buy 1LE hubs, that would be a nice plus.
With your C4 HD brake setup do you have to run Grand Sport calipers or will the regular C4 calipers work?
thx
The standard HD calipers will let you run a 16" wheel. The GS calipers will force you up to a 17" wheel as it's a thicker casting in the area over the rotor. And don't forget, all C4 calipers aren't the same..the 12" calipers won't work with the HD rotor.
The standard HD calipers will let you run a 16" wheel. The GS calipers will force you up to a 17" wheel as it's a thicker casting in the area over the rotor. And don't forget, all C4 calipers aren't the same..the 12" calipers won't work with the HD rotor.
Ed
Ed thx for the info. Do you happen to have the GM part number for the standard HD calipers? My GM parts guy is telling me what I am looking for does not exist.
They did exist but have since been discontinued along with a lot of other parts recently. I have a few sets on hand.. new, used, and powdercoated. LMK if you'd like a set.
They did exist but have since been discontinued along with a lot of other parts recently. I have a few sets on hand.. new, used, and powdercoated. LMK if you'd like a set.
Ed
Ed can you tell me how much for a used set? New set? I will paypal you and advise then which set.
I think I have have found the answer to this issue. I tested the caliper on a Z51 C6 rotor and it fit pretty good. Now to test it on the 14" ZO6 rotor I just got in. I have to have new hubs machined to fit the ZO6 rotor but it'll only be a week or so. The ZO6 rotor has a radius on the inside of the rotor so my standard hubs for LS1s and C4/C5s won't fit. Here's the Z51 rotor fitup:
WOW X a million...
