Brake upgrades for the strip?

[J Banning]

I've been thinking about a brake upgrade to go along with a new engine combo that I'm working on. The 125mph I'm running now is already taxing my powermaster and stock brakes/lines pretty well. I'm hoping to significantly increase my trap speeds this season and would like to know that I can stop without going into the gravel pit at the end of the track!

Here's what I’m looking for:

• Best bang for the buck - I don't have much money to spend on this. Don't need anything fancy looking either - this isn’t a show car.
• Stopping power - Something better than stock.
• Reliable & Safe - The less parts that can fail the better.
• Easy install - Time is limited as it is, I don't want to spend a lot of time on some custom setup.
• Weight savings - Not a high priority, but I'd prefer NOT to add weight.

My car only sees the street a couple of times per month, which might total about 100 miles. Fancy stuff like Aeromotive brakes are out of the question for now, I just can't spend that kind of money. I don't need any "bling" on the car, 'cause chrome won't get you home - functionality is more important to me than looks (seen my paint lately? ).

I already have a set of stainless braided lines I can put on the car. How about that and either a vacuum brake conversion or a full manual setup (Willwood?) with some agressive pads/shoes?

What do most the TSM guys use to slow themselves down?

Thanks,
-Banning.

 

[rmar]

A parachute...:biggrin: sucks to pack but in a pinch, Wa la instant brakes.

 

[zeus87gn]

Although I have not done any of this yet, I have heard these are all great upgrades:

1 - SS braided lines (heard this from many different owners of many different vehicles on many different boards)
2 - disks on all 4 corners (would be nice!)
3 - larger front discs if your rims will allow
4 - if not, the larger piston stock replacement calipers

You may know, I prefer the Powermaster.
Vacuum to me is out of the question.
Next step would be hydroboost.

 

[ijames]

What size wheels do you want to run on the front? I think you need to go to bigger rotors no matter what, and the cheap choices are the gm conversions: blazer 11" rotors (yes, bigger than stock but a tiny amount and the calipers are better, but again, worth it?) and the b-body/1le 12" rotors which both fit under most 15" rims, or the 98+ ls1 13" rotors which need 16 or maybe 17" rims to clear. I did the b-body swap and love them - great stopping power and I installed them myself (and you know how slow I work ) in about 12 hours in my driveway. Got the spindles at a local u pull it for $35, a reman b body vacuum master cylinder (already had vacuum brakes on the car), reman b body calipers, good wagner 1le 12" rotors so they'd at least start out not warped, new wheel bearings and seals, bendix fleet metallic pads (I love them, ran them with the stock brakes as well), and I went Cadillac and bought the global west upper control arms with del-alum bushings. The gbody or robert west upper arms are much cheaper, under $300 I think, so if they are $300 that would total about $650-700 in parts and your 15" rims will still work. If you still have the powermaster you can just keep it and save more $$. I always liked the pedal feel of the pm but the last time mine failed I just didn't want to spend the bux to fix it again so I went vacuum.

To me the blazer 11" setup isn't worth it compared to the 12 or 13" choices. The ls1 13" may stop the best and be the cheapest in parts but you need to do some fabricating on the spindles, buy an adapter mount from someone, and turn two rotors into hubs. From reading I think you can do all the car parts for under $500, but then you need the big rims and tires if you don't already have them, and if you need the front and back wheels to match (which some classes do) that can be a real pain.

Some people complain of bump steer with the b body spindles but I have never noticed it at all, and with your limited street miles you never will. The ls1 setup keeps the stock spindles so that would be an advantage there on a real street car, I guess (can you tell which way I'm pushing? ). Go b body and be happy.

 

[zeus87gn]

To me the blazer 11" setup isn't worth it compared to the 12 or 13" choices. The ls1 13" may stop the best and be the cheapest in parts but you need to do some fabricating on the spindles, buy an adapter mount from someone, and turn two rotors into hubs. From reading I think you can do all the car parts for under $500, but then you need the big rims and tires if you don't already have them, and if you need the front and back wheels to match (which some classes do) that can be a real pain.

Some people complain of bump steer with the b body spindles but I have never noticed it at all, and with your limited street miles you never will. The ls1 setup keeps the stock spindles so that would be an advantage there on a real street car, I guess (can you tell which way I'm pushing? ). Go b body and be happy.

Good opinion to know.
Thanks for sharing.
The LS1 setup is the Corvette?
The B-body is the Camaro/Firebird?
As much as I have read, I still can't seem to put it together.

 

[MSDGN]

I have the SSBC calipers on the front...dual piston...no problem stopping at 132 MPH with the powermaster...

 

[J Banning]

Thanks for the comments everyone. In response to your questions:

1) No chutes on this car.

2) I run a 15x4 Centerline up front.

3) I have a powermaster now, but have always had TON of pedal travel and the brake light just started coming on for a second when I apply the brakes. I don't want to find when I hit the brakes in the traps that the powermaster has sh!t the bed!

4) I spoke with one of our club members today that did the dual piston 11" Blazer brake upgrade on his car (along with Powerslot rotors and Hawk pads). He was very happy with the results. Got the whole spindle assembly for $75 each side in a local u-pull-it yard.

 

[ijames]

Good opinion to know.
Thanks for sharing.
The LS1 setup is the Corvette?
The B-body is the Camaro/Firebird?
As much as I have read, I still can't seem to put it together.

The ls1 is the 1998 and later Firebird/Camaro (F body). The B body is the early 80's to mid 90's Chevy Caprice/Buick Roadmaster, with the 12" brake option. There are people who have used Corvette brakes but I don't know anything about them.

Banning, if you want to bring a rim down sometime you can test fit it on my car.

 

[zeus87gn]

I have the SSBC calipers on the front...dual piston...no problem stopping at 132 MPH with the powermaster...

I looked them up. Interesting products they have.

Do you have thier calipers on the stock rotors?

Do you have stock rims? Or at least 15" rims?

 

[zeus87gn]

3) I have a powermaster now, but have always had TON of pedal travel and the brake light just started coming on for a second when I apply the brakes. I don't want to find when I hit the brakes in the traps that the powermaster has sh!t the bed!

I have noticed over the years that there are just some GM cars that have lots of pedal travel. Our GN P/M is no different. I have to push the pedal just over halfway to the floor before it grabs, but when it does it stops. It works better than a couple of other vacuum brake setups on my other vehicles.

If you are having the brake light come on, you need to run the diagnostics and find out where you problem is NOW. Don't let it wait. If you acc is dying, it can put your motor to an early grave trying to keep up.

I will be glad to help if I can.

 

[zeus87gn]

The ls1 is the 1998 and later Firebird/Camaro (F body). The B body is the early 80's to mid 90's Chevy Caprice/Buick Roadmaster, with the 12" brake option. There are people who have used Corvette brakes but I don't know anything about them.

Banning, if you want to bring a rim down sometime you can test fit it on my car.

Thank you!
When I make up my mind, I know where to go looking.

 

[MSDGN]

I looked them up. Interesting products they have.

Do you have thier calipers on the stock rotors?

Do you have stock rims? Or at least 15" rims?

Yes...have the SSBC calipers with stock rotors on both my cars...have stock GN rims on the GN and Weld Draglites on the "T"...the calipers fit fine with the Welds but with the stock GN wheels had a little clearance issue...the inside of the wheel was just touching the edges of the caliper...not sure if it's just my wheels...maybe a little out of spec or everyone would have this problem...little dremel work cured that...just had to shave a little off the calipers edges...no big deal...can't see where the alum was taken off with the tire/wheel on...good thing I didn't get the powdercoated ones...would have hated to grind the paint off those...