Another factory caliper swap idea to consider
 

I think this has been mentioned before but the new Caddys have some whopping big calipers up front and this thread from the Chevelle site is an good example of that, Brembo calipers from a V-series Caddy. Something to consider:

Brembo 13" Brake Upgrade - Performed Cheap - Chevelle Tech

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...os/Brembo3.jpg

Ed

Back view:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...os/Brembo4.jpg

Top:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k3...os/Brembo5.jpg

Always drolled over the Brembo's on the optional R package on the supercharged cars(standard on 05 and up S-type R and XJR) and wondered if they would fit.

Guess these look like the would work on our cars alot easier.

Now I'm mad I only swapped Ls1 fronts on.

Oh well

Would work good on the GTA though....

Wonder how easy they will be to find aftermarket though, Like parts houses and the like? As soon as you say something enver goes wrong it always does. Why I like the LS1 setup, can get parts anywhere at the drop of a hat.

later
Jeremy

The guy says they'e $150 loaded but doesn't say where he got them...I'll assume GMPD or the like, a GM supplier.

Ed

Yea I think these calipers are great. I was pushing for them over in the Lexus GS430 brake caliper thread. A rotor will need to be found to use with them. The stock CTS-V rotor is drilled for a 6 lug pattern and is huge, 14 inches.

Holy crap thats nice! Make a set for our cars that fits behind 17in snypers and you will have a sold pair my friend. Especially with those 14in rotors!

Nothing Todd at TCE Performance can't put together. I have mentioned 14" rotors to him before and in his opinion, they aren't really worth the added cost that they will incur over say a 13" rotor. I'm sure a 13" rotor can be used with them.

Ed

more info.. more info...


i really really really would like to do this swap.. are you in the process? need help? what? details...

Can't speak for anyone else but I haven't started this yet...don't know if I plan on it. If you'd like me to look into it further, let me know.

Ed

hell yes.. those calipers are sweet... not to mention have 13" rotors.. i already have 17x9.5 4thgen wheels and front adapters so i should be good to go on fitment iclearance issues

KJ, sent PM.

Ed

14" rotors would lokks swet though,im sure they will function pretty well.ed you gonna take it on?:D

I'd be glad to work on a kit if someone sends me a caliper to work with, no problem.

Ed

These calipers actually have the same bolt spacing as the corvette calipers. I bolted a set to stock z06 spindles. One problem is they sit to far off the spindle needing a bigger rotor. With these calipers you will have to run at least an 18 inch rim.

the calipers being discussed,
have ??? diameter pistons?

how did they fit with the C5's 13" rotor, think a C6 Z06 14" rotor would work with them

and Im guessing the same bolt spacing you speak of means the C5 brackets will work with the V's calipers

Did anyone ever verify that these are aluminum? I read somewhere that they were iron...

Okay, so I'm getting all revved up to go purchase some C5 brake stuff for my car and then I run across these. These seem like better quality than ZO6 calipers. Do they weigh less?
ebmiller88, you have the c5 set-up already right. If I bought one of these and let you barrow it for a while could weigh it versus a Z06 caliper and design a bracket that would allow it to be used on a stock C5 set-up.
I'm considering doing this my self, I'd have to find a good machine shop though. JMS is in Car Craft all the time and they are right next to my house but I think they are kinda expensive.
Does anyone know if the rotor width is the same on the V-series caddy vs the C5. It's 1.25 on the C5 right?

Ben

Anything at all come from this? You can currently get these calipers from GMpartsdirect.com for $105 each. If someone makes a mounting bracket that uses 13", I would be all over that.

I'd be glad to, I just need a caliper to work with.

Ed

I've had Dal get me a price on them also, someone just needs to send me one. Need my address? Of course I can buy one but then I'm afraid it will sit on the shelf in my shop like a few other items I have bought and I really don't want to tie my money up in a setup that I won't ever run. But I'm glad to put it together for others who will run it. That's part of the fun!

Ed

PM sent

Ed,

If Ben doesn't jump on this. I'll probably contact you after the holidays, when I have money again....

I installed Brembo calipers on my camaro a few years ago and they are very wide, maybe the rest of this may not apply since these are caddy calipers and not porsche calipers. I used the largest offset rotor hat that would fit. This gives me about .125 clearance between the inboard edge of the rotor and the spindle. I still needed to run a .375 spacer to have clearance between the wheel spokes and the face of the caliper. Just food for thought.

The calipers look very similar. Couple of questions....

Where did you find the offset rotor and how much was it?

What size is the rotor?

Is the caliper mounted to the stock bracket?

Thx

Are you missing some lug bolts?

I have 17" C5 wheels up ftont, with 2" Skutle spacers, I should have plenty of caliper/face clearance.

The rotors are porsche parts and are $200 each, they are 13'x1.25". These calipers are radial mount so they use a completely different bracket. This picture was taken before everything was complete, if you look close there is allen wrench shoved through the caliper into the vanes of the rotor to hold it inplace.

$200 rotors.....yikes. I don't even want to know what you paid for the calipers. Do you go racing much? How does the caliper hold up? Nice lookin set-up, just expensive.

Ok, I have a caliper on the way and I'll keep you all posted on my progress and findings. I will try the HD rotor first as it has more offset for caliper clearance but I may need to go to a 2 piece rotor as it may just work better with one of those.

Ed

Any updates Ed?

Nope. no caliper yet. I'm busy as hell latey with new ideas and trying to get them to work. Somewhere in there I have to go Christmas shopping..

Ed

I got the caliper today, thanks Ben. Looks like a 1.25" rotor fits in there good but I haven't done any fit ups yet. I'll post what I come up with. I can say this..that is one NICE caliper. 4 pot, Brembo, dust boots and all.

Ed

AWSOME.

I am very much looking foward to this. I think this has potential to be one of the very best bang for the buck upgrades. Any chance you can measure the pad? I would like to compare it to the pad size in say, the wilwood calipers.

--John

Hi John. I just got back in from playing with the Caddy caliper. Man this thing's not gonna be easy. One good thing is that it "uses" a C5 rotor, simple enough. The HD rotor will not work, the cast lugs get in the way so that's out. The main issue with it (so far) is that the mounting lugs are further away from the caliper housing than the others I've worked with..LS1, C4, C5, etc. This is making me clock the caliper way low to get the lugs to clear the spindle "ears", the lower ear fits between the two lugs. I hope the lower lug doesn't interfere with the ball joint..it's that low. I think it will be OK but there may be a need to grind a bit off the end of the A-arm...I'm just guessing, hopefully not. The bracket will be in a "U" shape and the steering stop is coming off, no way around it, and I may recommend taking the stop off the A-arm or modifying it somehow. I need to get a template made over the next week or so but it should work, it will just look a bit different.

On another note, I'm also working on something for the guys running GTA wheels who have very few options for brake kits other than the LS1s. This will use a Wilwood FSL caliper as I've used before and a two piece 12.2" x 1.25" rotor that should clear GTA wheels without having to use a spacer at all. If one is required, it will be a very thin one ala the spacer for LS1 brakes and GTA wheels. I should have that setup fit up before this Caddy kit so I'll be posting on that soon.

Ed

Have you had a chance to measure the piston diameters yet?

Awsome Ed. When you get stuff mocked up better, pictures would be awsome. So would thing like piston size, and pad size.

(you know, all the stuff as anal retentive car nuts love)

Ed, that's great news! Additional options for GTA owners are very badly needed. Please, don't let this one end up on the back-burner.

I'm actually glad we're using the C5 rotor. Vette guys are getting rid of em all the time for cheap. Fab work is fine with me.
Is it heavy? How does it compare to the C5 caliper of FSL caliper.

Ben

It's actually #1 on the to do list, followed by a B/G body/S10 setup using HD rotors and C5 calipers. As for this new one, I'm just waiting on the parts to arrive and they should be here tomorrow. The SCCA changed some rules to allow a 12.2" x 1.25" rotor with some aftermarket calipers, one of which is the FSL. Someone contacted me to do a setup for those specs and a GTA wheel and I accepted. Plus, Vern is sending me a GTA wheel so I'll have all I need to do it. It'll be nice and will ONLY come with two piece rotors due to the rotor size and offset.

Ed

Are these the C5 rotors that have the backwards vaines on the passanger side? The only downside, is I know that GM screwed up, and made the directional vaines on some, if not all of the C5 rotors, going the wrong direction on the passanger side (they are coorrect on the drivers side, the basicly only have 1 rotor mold, so it is not correct on the one side of the car.)

No such problem exists with the C5 or regular C6 rotors.

What you're referring to is the C6 Z51, and yes, it's an abortion. (Since the C6 design team couldn't have been that stupid, my guess is that the stylists wanted the drilled/slotted nonsense for "visual bling" and somewhere along the way the bean counters told the engineers they would only fund one rotor mold instead of two.) Fortunately, it's an easy switch back to regular C5/C6 rotors, for the small percentage of C6 owners who actually do open track events.

Thats right. Thanks for the correction. I knew it was one of the darned vette rotors.

I've heard that rotor stuff also..wierd.

I should have some pics up over the weekend to let you guys know what I'm dealing with. I have no idea on the brake pad question, I don't have pads yet but I'll have to get some so I can get the offsets right. I'll get the pistons size for you as well.

As for weight and size, pics and weights will come also. It's longer than a C5 caliper and is solid, but there's no way it's an iron caliper, it's aluminum....and oh so pretty.

Ed

maybe I will have to go visit the local caddie dealer, see if their parts monkey will let me measure the -v brake pads.

Any new info Ed?

(I'm guessing probably not until after the new year)

Just ordered the pads today, I hope to get focused on it next week.

Ed

Hey ED uhmm you keepin secrets from the S-10 guys?:p You think you could get those to fit on my Blazer I haven't installed the C-5 kit yet. Just messin with you man..... you think you could do it though?:burnout:

Hey there...sneaking over here now are ya?

I can I think, I'll line it up on the Blazer spindle over the weekend and take a pic for ya.

Ed