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.
Hey all. I just thought I’d post that I did a Gen 6 SS front brake swap on my 85 IROC.
I bought the calipers/hoses/rotors as GM take-offs from a local seller. I then bought the hubs and brackets from bigbrakeupgrade.com.
This route (vs Gen 5 SS) requires Caliper machining and different rotors. Scott (from bigbrakeupgrade.com) provided a link to buy the C7 Z51 (J55) rotors at a price that nobody locally could even come close to, making this swap less expensive.
I had a 1LE front brake set up already on the car and the Earls hoses worked just fine with the 6th Gen Brembo calipers according to Scott - and he was right. This saved a few $ that I spent with him anyway - getting the ARP studs and 1LE big bearing upgrade is an investment in reliability that should be considered when available.
throughout this conversion, I have had questions and I’m sure some of them were repeated. Scott was friendly and informative and always replied quicky.
I’d like to say that Scott was probably the best guy Ive ever dealt with as far as pre and post sale support is concerned. Not to mention the product was first class, fit perfect and quality was also first class. I was anticipating having to shim and center/locate the calipers and even went to the extent of making different thickness of shims for the job, but when I put it together - no shimming was required, it fit beautifully.
Last edited by RoadRace; 07-06-2019 at 08:39 PM.
Reason: Delete pic
Very nice set up. I am currently running 13" C5 brakes on my camaro but have been looking at going with the 14" Camaro brakes. In the past i have used FlyNBye for my brackets but BBU has been putting out alot of nice parts quickly. Do you have any pics of the brackets at install? Are you plannig to do the matching rear brakes?
Very nice set up. I am currently running 13" C5 brakes on my camaro but have been looking at going with the 14" Camaro brakes. In the past i have used FlyNBye for my brackets but BBU has been putting out alot of nice parts quickly. Do you have any pics of the brackets at install? Are you plannig to do the matching rear brakes?
Hey! I am currently looking into a complete rear end upgrade, either LT1 or better, so for rear brakes I’m going to step it up but not until I end up with a new diff - whatever that diff may be. If I get an LT1 diff then I’m just keeping the PBR 11.65” set up. Otherwise I’ll put the matching SS brakes on.
The brackets were an interesting set up; 1 hole needs to be tapped but does not come that way as delivered - and this is for a very good reason. The brackets are laser cut steel and great quality but the caliper attachment is unique in that you have to bolt the upper bracket bolt on the spindle first and clamp the lower in place and then tap the spindle hole AND the bracket hole together, like its 1 continuous threaded hole, this way you get no gap between the bracket and the spindle and the caliper lines up perfect.
Honestly have to give Scott huge props for figuring this one out - it’s brilliant because it works perfect but you have to be precise!
note: there is a gap in these pics and this is not acceptable, but it’s the only pics I have of the brackets installed!
FYI: machining for the Gen 6 Calipers. I just layed the bracket over and traced the profile over with a sharpie, and machined to the line, did it at lunchtime! Pre machine Note: OEM 6th Gen brake hose still installed. I had to use the banjo bolt from this hose on the Earls hose to work proper. Post machine with bracket for comparison Zinc chromate primer for corrosion protection Perfect fit!
I would love to hear your feedback on how the car fills now with these installed.
I was about to pull the trigger on this upgrade myself
Hey! It’s a bit of a loaded question because wheels and tires changed with the brakes - had to. I went with 18 x 10’s and 295/30 Hoosiers... So it’s impossible to isolate just the brake change. But it was a different car with the new set up. High to low speed transitions are seemless. The car feels much more stable and the pedal was great. It’s been the single best all around upgrade I’ve done to the car.
Hey! It’s a bit of a loaded question because wheels and tires changed with the brakes - had to. I went with 18 x 10’s and 295/30 Hoosiers... So it’s impossible to isolate just the brake change. But it was a different car with the new set up. High to low speed transitions are seemless. The car feels much more stable and the pedal was great. It’s been the single best all around upgrade I’ve done to the car.
Very nice either way. I have koni, umi weight jacks etc. on my garage floor ready to install lol. I'm going to autocross the last event this year with what's done to the Camaro, and get everything installed on after.
Just glad to see someone else who did that upgrade on here.
Very nice either way. I have koni, umi weight jacks etc. on my garage floor ready to install lol. I'm going to autocross the last event this year with what's done to the Camaro, and get everything installed on after.
Just glad to see someone else who did that upgrade on here.
Nice set up, Ive got a pretty similar set up! just got my calipers (z51 style/camaro as style like yours) back from powder coating and was looking to see about CTW wheels but ran across this, do you happen to remember what offset/backspacing you have to fit with the new hub?
Also another +1 for scott at bigbrakeupgrade.com !! Awesome work and very helpful.
Note 15mm spacer with ARP studs and 1LE bearings as ordered from BBU.
Hey - I’m using 18 x 10 with 25mm offset. I have a 15mm spacer on. I got the spacers from Phil’s Tire Service. Post a pic when you’ve got it together!
Ah okay! I'm not the biggest fan of spacers, I'd like to avoid them if possible (reason I was looking at CTW wheels) but I dont believe a 15mm is a huge amount, I just plan to track the car and figured better safe than sorry. I've cruised on c6 with spacers with no issues in the past just uneasy about throughing a car around on some. I assume by your username you've tested against this any insight?
Also I'll for sure post them up once I get them together and looking better.
I believe sometimes there is a mis-interpretation and inaccurate interchangeable description of the term “spacer” and “adapter”. Personallly I define the 2 separately as follows:
SPACER: a passive “sandwich plate” that maintains the OEM design intent because it doesn’t change the stress path from the lug nut through the stud to the hub and/or axle.
ADAPTER: a device that bolts to the hub and/or axle and does NOT maintain the OEM design intent and changes the stress path from the lug nut to a stud to an alum block, back to a bolt then to the hub and/or axle.
The adapter introduces a ‘disconnect’ in stress (capability) and the spacer does not. I will NEVER race on an adapter. I always race on spacers of various widths as they are a tuning aid.
ok, with that said, 17” CTW wheels are the best way to go. The only reason I didn’t use them was tire supply. I go through 2 sets of tires a season and can’t afford new Hoosiers or Toyo’s each time, I have a source for 18” race take-offs and that works for me.
All 4 of my wheels are 18x10 with 25mm offset and a 15mm spacer up front, effectively giving me 10mm offset. The spacers are hub-centric to the wheel as purchased from Phils Tire, but I had to machine the hub-side to fit the hub perfectly. This is for the front. The rear is a 12mm spacer and no machining was required, but inner wheel lip was rolled for tire clearance.
If you plan on doing this PM me and I will gladly walk you through the details.
-matt
I see what your saying, hoosier would get expensive quick for sure. I'll be on a 200 tread wear tire for what I'm doing with the car, so I think the 17s will be good too. However I was once told 17 tires are becoming more limited, so maybe just jump to a 18 and have more options?
Ya, that’s just it - 18’s are more popular, the 17” is going the way of the 15”. I can get 4 nearly new 295/30/18’s for the price of 1 new one - anytime I want. I can’t get 17’s like that, I need to buy new for sure, so cost and availability are a factor. If you buy 1 set of 200TW tires ever couple years, then the 17’s are a slam dunk, no hassle option. But the 18’s are great and open up tire options you won’t otherwise have.
Yeah I agree, I'd hate to buy 17s and then not have any options in a few years but finding a set of 18s that are bolt on ready cost around 4k from what I've found, weld RTS can be had at about 2500 though.
Side note: I got the decals on the brembos and they look even better now!
Last edited by Rhyan Lang; 11-14-2019 at 05:20 AM.
Update: ran half season last year (2019) and all this season with the BMW bolt pattern Apex 18x10 25mm offset wheels on 295/30/18 Hoosier’s and ARP 2.8” studs with 15mm spacer plates and I have worn out (corded) the Hoosiers, set a personal best lap time, made a crowd of people collect around my car at the last race and couldn’t be happier. This is a great Brake upgrade and the wheels/tires are super.
07-06-2019, 08:36 PM
Awesome work, both of you....Road race- glad to see your 85 is lifting eyebrows!!