BAER Brake Install

scot w.

GNSperformance.com
Joined
Feb 19, 2005
Let me start of by mentioning that after receiving these BAER brake products, they are top notch and top quality! Everything comes with this kit to complete the install and that makes things VERY EASY when installing these! The Rotors & Calipers seemed to impress everyone who came through our doors and people were amazed at the quality of the parts..

After some review we decided to go with the 4-piston calipers vs the 6-piston, reason for this was cost vs actual difference. Performance wise there really isn't much difference between the 4 & 6 piston calipers (per Rick E.). Since we have 18" wheels on this car we obviously wanted to go as large as possible yet still keep within budget. We decided on the BAER Track4 for the front which has 13" rotors & 4-piston calipers mounted on OEM spindles. This whole set up comes Pre-installed on the OEM spindles right from BAER. Makes for one hell of an easy installation.

There is a bunch of room left behind the CCW 18" wheel that I even believe the Track 4 system will work with most 17" wheels but should always be checked with the BAER template to be sure.
(In PDF file located at the bottom of post)

For the rears we decided on BAER's NEW SS4 system which has 12" rotors & 4-piston calipers with the emergency brake!

Today we got some time to start the front brakes and in just 2 hrs the front brakes were done!!! :eek: ;) Yes just 2 hrs....

Old Caliper & Rotor set up taken out:There are many ways/methods to doing this but this is what worked for us and was safe for us.

What we did was:
1) Remove the top nut on the sway bar link.
2) Remove the nut holding the tie-rod to the spindle turned the nut upside down and threaded it back on and hit the nut with a hammer and the ball joint & tie-rod popped right out.
3) Removed the nuts holding the upper & lower a-arms to the spindle, turned those nuts upside down and threaded them back on till they were flush with the top of the threads. Hit the spindle with a hammer until it broke free and was now held on by the nuts. Now take a floor jack and put it right under the lower a-arm joint, jack up until you support with some pressure and remove both upper & lower nuts. Remove brake line from car and slowly lower the jack about 2" OR until the upper joint comes loose. Once it's loose you can push the upper a-arm up and simply pull off the old set up all in one piece.


baer 001.jpg


Old "Stock" vs the New!
baer 005.jpg



Here the New BAER brake set up is installed:
Upper ball-joint Torqued to 65 ft lbs.
Lower Ball-joint Torqued to 80
ft lbs.
Tie-rod ball-joint Torqued to 35
ft lbs.
Banjo fitting Torqued to 20
ft lbs.
Cotter pins were yet to be installed last. (Don't get any easier than that for a complete Bolt-in kit!!)


baer 012.jpg

baer 008.jpg



Finished!! Everything is double and triple checked and cotter pins installed. Repeat process on other side and done!

baer 014.jpg



Stay tuned, The rear system is next!

To see if BAER Brakes will fit your wheels watch this video and it will show you how to print a template to use

Scot W.
 
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Look GREAT Scot!!!

.... BUT WAIT TIL YOU DRIVE IT!!!! ......NIGHT & DAY!!!!.... and i speak from the lil' 2 piston PBR:tongue: calipers on 13" rotors that Rick sold me years ago... definitely WORTH EVERY PENNY .... YOU WILL LOVE THE NEW FEEL and CONFIDENCE! ... i am thinking of switching my PBRs for 4 pistons whenever i get the engine finished...:rolleyes::cool:
aaron
 
Great post, Scot...

but let me know how it goes with Baer's e-brake cable install. I'm going the opposite direction that you are, LOL. I installed a 13" Track kit in the rear, and have my Track4 kit still sitting on the garage floor. I hope to get it installed in a couple of weeks. Baer's rear e-brake cable kit provided a hexagonal "nub" on the end of the e-brake cable that is intended to mate with the front cable coming from the e-brake pedal. The nub is about 50% larger in OD than the ID of the GM clip it's supposed to slide into to connect the two cables. I had to jury rig it to work, and thus far it's working, but it sure isn't a great solution. I sent Rick Elam pix of the two nubs, and he told me that the parts sent in the Baer kit are what they intended to for the kit, they just didn't work as OEM. If you figure out a slick solution to this dilemma, I'm all ears. If your kit has a round "nub" like the GM OEM cable, then they've made a recent running change. Let me know how it goes. BTW, I just purchased some 17" CCW's off of ProTouring.com to go with the new brakes.
John A, Turbohh
 
Looks killer! :cool:

Kind of interesting... are the calipers set up to float somehow on that mount system? Haven't had my hands on any of those... should do some serious stopping.
 
but let me know how it goes with Baer's e-brake cable install. I'm going the opposite direction that you are, LOL. I installed a 13" Track kit in the rear, and have my Track4 kit still sitting on the garage floor. I hope to get it installed in a couple of weeks. Baer's rear e-brake cable kit provided a hexagonal "nub" on the end of the e-brake cable that is intended to mate with the front cable coming from the e-brake pedal. The nub is about 50% larger in OD than the ID of the GM clip it's supposed to slide into to connect the two cables. I had to jury rig it to work, and thus far it's working, but it sure isn't a great solution. I sent Rick Elam pix of the two nubs, and he told me that the parts sent in the Baer kit are what they intended to for the kit, they just didn't work as OEM. If you figure out a slick solution to this dilemma, I'm all ears. If your kit has a round "nub" like the GM OEM cable, then they've made a recent running change. Let me know how it goes. BTW, I just purchased some 17" CCW's off of ProTouring.com to go with the new brakes.
John A, Turbohh
John,

Those you bought were well taken care of and look to be a nice set of wheels, can't wait to see them mounted.

BAER hasn't sent my my cables yet so as soon as they come in I will post pic's and document everything on the back brakes.


Scot W.
 
One other issue...

The rear of my car is lowered over an inch, and the shock relocation bracket bracket Baer sent me moved the lower shock mounting point up an inch, so I had only about an inch of shock travel... not nearly enough. I fixed that by having some mounts made out of aluminum angle channel that lowered the mounting point down even with the 10-bolt shock mount hole was. Works okay, but I should have gone even lower. Keep us posted.
John A, Turbohh
 
Anything over stock will be a notable improvement, even stock brakes with good pads makes a difference. But, they don't have this kind of sex appeal. ;)
 
Anything over stock will be a notable improvement, even stock brakes with good pads makes a difference. But, they don't have this kind of sex appeal. ;)
100% correct!! This system was chosen for the stopping power and Ease of installation, the "Sex Appeal" was just an added bonus!! ;)
 
Proportioning Valve..

Today we installed the proportioning valve. At first the plan was to come up through the floor by the drivers seat for easy access on adjustments but decided against it for several reasons.

First I made a bracket to mount the valve and got it mounted in place,the only thing left is bending the lines and hooking it up.. Don't look too bad, Easy access and out of the way of the elements.

proportioning valve 004.jpg
 
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Scot,

Looking good! We sell the same type bracket for anybody that is interested! :)

The new SS4 rear cables should be here shortly, I will keep you updated.



John, can you send me some info directly on what you did to get the cables to work? (and or picks?). I remember when we talked about it, but that was before you installed them. I am still wondering why this has never come up before? I have to get to the bottom of what the issue is.

Thx guys!! Looking great!
 
Rick,
I'd be happy to send you pix. I've forgotten your work email addy, could you PM it to me?? Just to remind you, when I brought this cable issue up with earlier, you said your car didn't have an ebrake assembly at all, LOL.
John A, Turbohh
 
Rear brake install

Okay, It's time for the rear brake install...

First of all you want to remove all of the stock brakes right down to the axle tube. Now is also a great time to replace your Axle bearings & Seals seeing you will have it all apart anyways!
In the image below you may notice 4 holes in the axle tube backing plate vs the 2 holes at the bottom when stock, this will be covered later..


Brake intall 008.jpg



Now You will be installing the BAER Rear disc brake backing plates. To get the right ones you make sure the (Caliper mount is facing the rear of the car, and the emergency brake actuator is at the bottom) Like pictured below for the RT side wheel..

Brake intall 013.jpg



** BAER's Instructions say to put the bottom stock 8mm bolts back into place to hold the backing plate in place (As pictured below) and drill the top holes in the axle backing plate. CAUTION: BEFORE DILLING, tape off the axle opening so No metal shavings can get into the axle tube!! First I used a 3/8" bit to get a good centered mark in the backing plate with my drill then I used a small 5/32" bit, then a 15/64" bit, then the 3/8" bit. Install the 3/8" bolts with nylock nuts.. BAER then says to torque all 4 (the two 3/8" and the old stock 8mm to 45ft lbs) Well I had one of the stock 8mm bolts bust in half before ever getting to the 45ft lbs so I just drilled out the bottom holes too and installed two more 3/8" bolts with nylock nuts and then torqued all 4 to 50ft lbs instead. I figure it will be Much better in the end anyways by using (4) 3/8" bolts and the stock brake system can still be put back on except you will have to use 3/8" bolts to go back with, No big deal...

Brake intall 011.jpg


Showing all (4) 3/8" bolts in place and torqued to 50ft lbs holding the BAER backing plate onto the axle.
Brake intall 014.jpg


When you are done mounting the backing plate you will need to remove the lower shock mount bolt and move the shock out of your way so you have room to install your caliper and route your brake line.


Now you can install your axle back into the car, install C-clips and pin..

Once the axle is installed you can now install the rotor making sure it's on the correct side (sweeping grooves facing front of car) and then the Caliper is ready to install. (as pictured)....
Brake intall 005.jpg



Here is an image of the hard line hook-up. I'm not too happy with how it turned out so I will be using the braided to Hard line kit that BAER includes with this kit. I thought I could get away without using it and just use the existing hard line but it just does not look good..


Brake intall 006.jpg



*** Over all this whole kit from BAER has been well beyond my expectations and Super Easy to install.. This is a true Bolt-On brake kit that is well worth every penny.. No hassle, No fuss, No parts hunting, Everything is there in the kit and everything Fits the first time!!


Scot W. - GNS Performance 865-680-4008




.
 
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A little different than the picture just above this one where it was 'Hard Lined"!! This will allow the caliper to move more freely if it needs to and be easier to change pads in the future..

Here is the Braided Brake line kit installed that comes with the BAER kit.

Brake install 002.jpg




** In closing, If your thinking of upgrading to a BAER disc brake system for your G-body and are wondering just how much their system pushes the wheels outward,

This BAER Track 4 system will push the front wheels out exactly a 1/2" Per Side! AND The SS4 Rear system will push the rear wheels out exactly 1/8" Per Side...


Scot W. - GNS Performance 865-680-4008
 
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Scott, I just wanted to thank you for posting such a thorough installation of these!! I have been looking at brake mods for my Gn and this is now the top on my list vs the LS1 brakes. Great write-up as well. Thanks again, Jon Hanson
 
The kit looks Great, Scot/Rick..... you guys really have my wheels turning.... I NEED to finish my engine build / parts acquisition and move on to these brakes.... they look killer.... and if anything like the older PBR style... i am sure they work as good as they look!!!
 
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