IROCJoyce

iTrader: (4)

There is a guy close to me selling a 87 camaro 10 bolt rear end with 3.73 posi and 1le caliper disc brakes in the back for pretty cheap. Is it bad to have better brakes in the back than the front? I only have the stock calipers and rotors in the front. Does it take that much to make these work for my car? I guess I could always take off the brakes and put my drums on until I get a front brake upgrade. Unless the 1le brakes are that good and I should just make them work. Thanks for the help.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

An 87 Camaro wouldn't have 1LE's (with PBR's). All four-wheel disc cars from 89-92 were equipped with 10.5 front rotors with single piston iron calipers and 11.7 rear rotors with single piston alum calipers (PBR's). Perhaps, I'm incorrect, but I'd be suspect of OE 3.73's in 87. Here's how to determine the gear ratio (jerk the diff cover and look): numbers are stamped on the ring and pinion:

41 : 15 = 2.73
41 : 14 = 2.93
40 : 13 = 3.08
42 : 13 = 3.23
41 : 12 = 3.42
41 : 11 = 3.73

JamesC

IROCJoyce

iTrader: (4)

Yeah he said that he put on the 1le brakes aftermarket. There not stock. I am going to check it out this weekend so I will use your casting numbers to see if it what he says it is. Thanks
Where on the ring and pinion would those numbers be?

does anybody know if it is bad to have two piston on the back and 1 piston calipers in the front?
Would i need a new proportioning valve and brake booster to have discs in the rear?

TA

iTrader: (1)

The 1LE rears are single piston, but the calipers are aluminum and a bit smaller, whereas the older disc calipers are iron. A fast way to tell is if the calipers are both mounted on the "back" side of the rear end, they're the later 1LE style. If the drivers side is on the back and the passenger side is towards the front, they're the older stock discs. I think the 1LE are also 11.6" dia, where the older discs were 10.5".

The installation of the rear 1LE brakes requires the parking brake cables, discs, calipers and all mounting hardware. It will work fine with the regular (10.5") front discs with no other changes.

Good luck

TA

Apeiron

There aren't any "1LE" rear brakes. All cars with disc brakes got PBR calipers in the rear beginning in 1989.

TA

iTrader: (1)

That is not correct. The 1LE was introduced in 1988, and came with those brakes on the rear. Since they only produced about 4 each of Camaros and Firebirds with the 1LE package, it's purely academic, but they were "1LE" brakes before they appeared on the '89-later cars.

TA

Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

I think the point is that there ARE IN FACT front brakes that only came with the 1Le option. There are NOT rear brakes that were offered only with the 1Le cars. Even if a few 1Le cars got 'em a year early, they're not really considered 1le rear brakes. ...but we're just splitting hairs!!! LOL

....No it will not hurt the car to upgrade your rear brakes. The majority of stopping power comes from the front, but no, better rear brakes won't hurt any. It just won't help as much as if you upgraded the FRONT to 1Le brakes.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

And Joyce, why not do both (I did):

http://web.archive.org/web/200605221.../1LEbrake.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/faq-...iscs-89-a.html

JamesC

Apeiron

I did the 1LE swap years ago, but I wouldn't do it again. I'd probably do the C5 swap to take advantage of the more commonly available parts.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Me too. At that time, 1LE was the way to go--I have no real regrets and don't plan on an uprade. It's only in the last couple of years or so, of course, that Ed Miller (and probably others) has advanced brake size, at least on TGO. I recall that when AndyZ28 was doing the conversion, Ed was full of questions.

JamesC

IROCJoyce

iTrader: (4)

holy garbage thats a lot of info! thanks guys. The only reason why i am asking about 1le brakes is because i am going to pick up a 10 bolt 3.73 posi rear with the 1le brakes already on it. i really wanted it for the differential but since the brakes come with it i am going to make them work. I really don't know that much about brakes except a lot of drum to disc conversions are expensive. The calipers are on the back side. Thanks again for all the help..

84 1LE

iTrader: (9)

Just make sure the calipers are aluminum(silver looking), not cast iron(rusted/brown looking).Also the "1LE rotors are 12in, not 10.5 inches.1LE set-ups have both calipers facing rearward.Standard cast iron have the calipers facing opposite directions.Both are single piston.Aluminum claipers are finned & will have "PBR australia" lettering on the top also, i believe.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

The above links show all.

JamesC

TA

iTrader: (1)

That is also not correct. There were more Turbo TA's produced with those front brakes than all the Third-Gen Camaro and Firebird 1LE's combined. So, if you want to mandate everyone calling them by what they first appeared on, fronts and rears are both 1LE. If you decree that we must call them by where they were produced in the largest numbers, the fronts should be Turbo TA brakes, and the rears would be '98-up Discs.

I just thought I'd share what it feels like to be corrected, because I love to share!

TA

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

I think you simply love to argue.

JamesC

TA

iTrader: (1)

I can't argue with that, it's just an opinion! Gimmie something to work with here...

TA