I got Ed's LS1 brake kit from Fort Mill, SC early this week and have been thinking about the install for a while now. We started last night before the rain. Anyway, we noticed that the driver's side ball joint on the A-arm looks to be original and the threads on the bolt are looking cross threaded.

So after putting the passenger's side on without any problem (the kit really is bolt, bleed, and go) we were trying to decide what to do with the driver's side. Obviously getting the ball joint out of the A-arm is the beyotch now especially when we are looking at the spring being there (and no spring compressor). I can already tell that if we get the A-arm off, the bushings in there are also going to be original equipment and may even disintegrate when we get to them.

To make a long story short, I think I am going to suggest we put the A-arm back together and then slap the spindle on the ball joint. Maybe the pressure of the spindle will hold the bolt enough we can use another nut to die the threads back to normal. If that doesn't work, we're back to removing the a-arm and getting a spring compressor (dang it!). If the shortcut works, I will still need a new ball joint and chassis bushings later but that is work I don't want to do.

Brakes look awesome though. Big ole, free-floating disks with dual piston calibers make the old brakes look anemic as hell.

 

you don't "need" to use a spring compressor to remove the front spring, just slide a pole up the center of the spring from the bottom (this keeps the spring from going anywhere) and carefully pop it out with a pry bar.

 

A pole?

How do you reinstall it after that? I'll rent a spring compressor I think. Man, I'm bummed.

 

BE VERY CAREFUL! Those things have a lot of potential energy. Enough to knock you out or even kill you. If you've never done it before, find someone who has and talk to them for advice.

 

Hey Mike, Will and I just did the springs, For safety, Use the compressor,

 

this one time i pried springs out of a car at pnp it was sweet when it shot out not very much energy although the a arm was half dropped.

 

Got it out with the compressor. Had to cut the compressor screw by 2 inches to get the thing back in though. After the spring, getting the new ball joint unpressed and rpessed was needed and then install with the sway bar was a snap. We installed the spindle without remark, bled the brakes and prepared to add the wheels when it was apparent that we needed a spacer to make the GTA's pass the caliper.



I called Ed and he told me he forgot the GTA spacer that was required and gave a factory part number he was going to express ship on Monday. In the meantime it sits in a garage (doesn't get to do this often) and waits for the delivery.

Everything with the brake install was as advertised. The components look awesome and after looking at the OEM stuff that was there with the cracked brake lines, I would simply recommend Earl's brake lines for factory replacement.

Anyway, the spacers would have made it driveable tonight (Kragen, Pep Boys didn't have the spacer I needed). I know the performance will be worth waiting for.

 

Very nice. Purdy.

 

OMG... it's killing me that I have to wait.

 

Looks good... Must wait!!

 

Looks great..

 

Without sounding retarded, what is your purpose for choosing this kit? Wieght, performance, cost? Just curious. I know (with my obsession with wieght) I will always look at these 3 things in this order. I have heard good things about Earl's Brake Lines too. My IROC came stock with 4 wheel disc brakes. So for me to upgrade I will have to go with a bigger rotor (front and rear) and a lighter (aluminum) caliper. Is Baer and SSBC all about the same? Sorry,I didn't mean to jack the thread.

 

Holy sh|t, you're still alive! Whats up man

 

awesome!!!! I'll have to come over and have you do mine!!! LOL

 

Well, obviously price was not a consideration so I went with this forum's most praised brake builder. He puts these kits together in South Carolina and has either installed or shipped them out to many TGO members so basically, the recommendations were hard to ignore. This guy knows what kinds of brakes and calipers fit on our cars so I went with him. He even made a kit using Cadillac brakes off the new XLR's!

~shrug~

All I know at this point since I haven't driven it yet is that the rotors sure are a bunch larger.

And Owl... I'll certainly watch while you do yours. If you don't have to replace a ball joint, it's actually not real hard (if I can do it).

 

All I know at this point since I haven't driven it yet is that the rotors sure are a bunch larger.

[/QUOTE]
What's the diameter difference of the rotor in the new ones vs. the stock ones? Can you shoot me a link? Can you get them slotted? Are the calipers alum? Will they work with factory OEM 16" wheels? When I put 22's on my wifes Tahoe, we chose a Baer kit that made a 14.? rotor for the front and changed the rear drums to a 13.? rotor in the rear. Looks cleaner and obviously stops better.

 

Man, those stock brakes do look tiny compared to the gigantic rotors!
I did mine some years ago but went with the Baer kit. Wish Ed was around back then, I would have probably bought his kit over the Baers.
Looks awesome though man!
BTW Caddy, when we goin mountain biking?

 

Friggin' show off!

We'll go MTB when I get off my lazy **** and back into shape.

Where you been?

 

Well, I got the spacers on and thus the wheels.

What a difference.

 

I want to go mountain biking

 

Let's do it man...me, you and caddy!
Anyone else?
We can meet up somewhere in the middle and do a day ride.

Tommy

 

I live kinda far, and I have no way to transport my bike. I appreciate the offer but I don't see it as very feasable.

 

great job Mike!! I bet it feels way better than those little 10" brakes huh?? Post some pics with them on the car. Since were showing each other brakes then why not...

 

I'll MTB less now that the rain is here but I got a road bike too. Either way, I need to get my butt back in the saddle.

Travis: Get a Hollywood FS1 for your Camaro. Approved and tested by your truly:



So yeah, the brakes rock. I can totally lock down the car at will now (couldn't before) and it's not that that is a good thing. A problem cropped up after the alignment though. When I turn the wheel to the right at about 60% of the turning the radius the wheel starts to hit the wheel well and at this point the wheel has caught one of the fender bolts and has pulled it out a ways. I'm afraid the curb I hit a year back (or more) has bent the frame enough to affect the wheel's position in the well in addition to the turning radius. Basically, I have to bring the car back to Wheel Works and ask them to do it over with the front right wheel being brought forward a little more so I can regain turning radius and rectify the wheel well contact.

DOH!

 

Is their a hitch on your bird or what?

 

That's just crazy!

 

Bah, dirt bikes are the future, WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY!



Maybe if I was missing one nut and felt like doing some french garbage I'd totally pedal myself haha.



BTW the brakes look sweet Mike!

 

Have another cigarette, Vinny.

Oh wait. I'm the smoker.



No hitch on my car. That rack is just the most flexible with respect to fitting on cars. No scratches with the bike or rack installed back there. The rack is 50 bucks too!

I'll spend the rest of the day at the alignment shop it look like.

 

I mean MTB is cool and all but I love hitting a nice hill climb / trail ride / jump with the 2 stroke wide open.

I guess my real problem is I like going fast and I don't even have a MTB haha. And like I said, pedal myself, that gets old.

That rack is sweet and congrats on getting the brakes done, you got to make her stop well before we do the motor swap.

 

I have crashed pretty severly on my mountain bike (Broken wrist, twisted ankles, sprains, lots of cuts and bruises). If I ever road one of those dirt bikes, I would surely KILL myself...hehe.

Tommy

 

I've screwed my wrists up pretty good, bruised ribs, wind K.O. of me, some nice scars, but all in all it has made me a much better rider

Seriously though, for someone with a speed addiction such as myself, motorcycles are great because it feels like 200MPH when your flying down the dirt / street at 1/4 of the speed. The IROC is much more comfortable at triple digits.

MTB is cool as I said, but I love ripping it uphill as well as down haha.

 

So where can someone like me get these brakes

 

Whoa right on welcome to last year!

To answer your question :

 

Sent you a PM.

 

I didn't get your pm

 

It was an email... You have PM's disabled. Well, you did this morning anyway.

Drop "ebmiller88" a note from this forum.

 

where did you get this brakes and for how much?

 

Read post #36. Expect to spend around a grand.

 

thanks man!

 

I got complete LS1 front brakes for $40

Got to save some money for when I go on a Bilstein Bonanza $$$$$$

 

Pick and Pull, Vin?

 

yeah I would like to know as well!

 

Basically I scored a complete K-mem from a guy who parted a 2000 Z28 for the motor / trans.

Cool for me because I wanted everything for the swap.

PNP would have been over $40 for just the 2 calipers.