What are the biggest brakes that will fit? Can I get a set of C5 brakes to work?

Also, how many of you have been able to run them without a spacer just by grinding the Tie Rod down a bit? I am planning to pick up a set.

Were all the wheels produced in Germany? Or were some of the last batches from Hawks produced in the US?

 

Probably the best "off the shelf" brakes you can fit is the Wilwood FSL on a C4HD rotor. I understand they fit but I have never seen it first hand.

I also hear that the Ronals won't fit with the C5 kit.

John

 

I had a fellow NJFBOA member bring by an R15 a few months ago - he had them on his 73 Z28... So I have some first hand knowledge on the wheels.

First, they have a similar spoke design to the 1991 to 1992 Z28 16" wheels, which limits the amount of caliper face to rear of wheel spoke clearance. I doubt the Wilwood FSL kit I bought from John would fit in that dimension. Second, they also have a thick wheel barrel - which would limit the rotor size and caliper too; 13" would probably be a safe rotor size like in the C4 HD kits.

Good looking wheel, but very heavy (26lbs) with only space for the brake systems available when they were introduced in 1992.

 

It does sound crazy but there are people on here who claim they fit. I will have to take some measurements some time.

 

92 Hawks used a 4 piston Brembo with a 13" rotor. It has a 1LE like offset.

 

Good point. I guess all I need is for someone to take a measurement for me on the Ronal wheels.

I need to know the distance between the mounting face of the wheel to the back of the spokes at around 5-7" from the center of the wheel.

 

Brembo kits were used in the $10k competition pacjkage for the Firehawk...

The question is the amount of caliper face height (distance) from the mounting pad the wheels allow before contact - something that has to be measured definitively...

 

How many pots is the C4HD kit? How does the C4HD kit compare to the C5 brakes?

Also, can I get away without running spacers on the front with the stock brakes?

 

Those are 2piston. Rotor size an thickness is bigger on C5.
Some cars can some can't.

 

There are a few different configurations being talked about here.

C4 HD caliper is 2 piston
C4 HD rotor is 13"x1.10"
C5 caliper is 2 piston
C5 rotor is 12.8"x1.26"
Wilwood FSL caliper is 4 piston

I was suggesting a good kit would be the Wilwood FSL caliper on the C4HD rotor.

I strongly think a C4HD caliper on a C4HD rotor would fit in the Ronals just fine.

It has been reported that the C5 kit does not fit in the Ronals. This is likely due to the low offset rotor.

It has been reported that the Wilwood FSL caliper on the C4HD rotor will fit. This is a great package.

Regarding the OEM brakes. I would have to imagine that the wheels fit over the OEM brakes without spacers. I imagine the spacers are there for something else, strut clearance?, tie rod clearance?

John

 

They are there for Tie Rod Clearance. I guess I'll pick up some small ones to be on the safe side. I just don't want to have to get longer wheel studs.

I am trying to budget for under $1200 or so for when I upgrade the front brakes... I purchased some R15's on eBay, but I don't think they will be in for like 3-4 weeks...

 

A couple of things to think about.

If you do get new brakes, your track will increase by the thickness of the rotor hat. This pushes the wheel out by around 0.3" and will likely negate the need for the Ronal spacer.

If you do get new brakes, you will need to make or buy hubs and would need longer studs anyway. It would make sense to do this all at once.

For $1200 you are in the neighborhood of a number of nice brake kits. Most will come with hubs with longer studs already installed.

 

Which is fine, but I am going to be running stock brakes for at least another year... I only get like 30 days a year with my car. So I will buy the spacers, I am sure I can always find another use for them in the future.

 

Are these the C4HD brakes with Wilwood 4 piston calipers that you are all talking about?
http://flynbye.com/catalog/i18.html
If so, I'll plan on ordering them soon and installing them in a year or so... I hear he is pretty far behind, so it would work out perfect and they should be waiting for me when I am back March 2014 again.