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The Big Bad Brake Thread

Anthony Smith said:
correct but also incorrect. The wheel bolt pattern is different but the rotors are now manufactured with a universal bolt pattern to increase the interchangability. Here is the link to the actual ad that I clicked buy it now on for the rotors that are on my car right now. 1998-2002 Fbody --- Front Kit Powersport Slotted Brake Rotors Ceramic Pads | eBay

Here is a picture of the rotors on my car
IMAG1052.jpg
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How do you like the rotor/pad set? Do they seem of good quality, and would you recommend and buy them again? How are the pads compared to like a Hawk or similar?
 


Any harm in using the extended stainless steel lines with stock brakes? I am looking to upgrade soon, but the lines aren't going to last.
 
Drunkie said:
Thats not hot, thats warm LOL. Seriously go find an empty parking lot, start driving around like your AutoXing, stomp the **** out of the brakes. When they get hot, OMG do they stop. I've baked Hawk HPS pads so hot that it turned my Silver paint on my calipers to a copperish color LOL.
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Do your passengers ask for a vomit bag when you hit the open road? LOL
 
EJOUIE said:
Any harm in using the extended stainless steel lines with stock brakes? I am looking to upgrade soon, but the lines aren't going to last.
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If won't hurt anything, even I find the stock lines with stock brakes were too short. Just make sure they clear everything.

Logan541 said:
Do your passengers ask for a vomit bag when you hit the open road? LOL
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My wife is use to it now, but that first date was definitely awkward.
 
40th GP said:
How do you like the rotor/pad set? Do they seem of good quality, and would you recommend and buy them again? How are the pads compared to like a Hawk or similar?
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Sorry if im too late on this but I didn't see this until now. The Chinese eBay rotors and pads work great but I DD my car mostly with the worst being a few 145mph stops and 25 passes on the track coming down from 110 through the traps on these so far. I don't autox or road race so I don't really put them through their paces. For what I use them for they work great though. 100x's better than stock.
 


Did a slight brake upgrade on my girlfriends '00 GT yesterday. I put '97 Oldsmobile Aurora caliper brackets and rotors on her car, along with new Duralast Gold brake pads that I warrantied out, that were also originally on my Aurora. I had an old set of my calipers sitting there and noticed they had the same brake pad, then did some more comparing to figure out the bracket and rotor would be an upgrade, the calipers on both cars are exactly the same. Not very happy with the new style Duralast golds, instead of being the same thickness all the way down, they are not as wide on the top and then the pad surface increases as the pad wears down. The pad surface contact when new is probably %65 of the old style pads.

Here are a couple pics of the swap.

Original rotor and bracket.
part1358711416752.jpg


'97 Aurora rotor and bracket, I tried to take the pics at the same height to get a good visual comparison.

part1358711443559.jpg


Aurora rotor standing next to the GP rotor, not only is it bigger in diameter, it is also a bit thicker. Keep in mind these are both used rotors.
part1358711474595.jpg





Now to the upgrade my Aurora has, I have '07 Impala front calipers, caliper brackets, and rotors on my car. They are also the same brakes that are on '06 and up Monte Carlos, and Buick Lucerne V6 cars. I have seen these mentioned a couple times in this thread, but did not see if anyone was able to put them on a Grand Prix. I don't know if these would work, but seeing how our cars have similar suspensions, I think it probably would. Another decent upgrade is the '06 and up Buick Lucerne V8 front brakes, they are even bigger than the V6 version, but you have to have wheels that are 17" or bigger, 16" wheels will not work. Again, these rules apply to Auroras, but I think it would be the same for GPs.

Stock '97 Aurora caliper on the left, '07 Impala dual piston on the right.

006uq.jpg


009itb.jpg



Surface area visual of '07 Impala on bottom, stock '97 Aurora above that one.

008oz.jpg


007bgm.jpg


Rotors are same diameter, Impala is on top, it seems a slight bit thicker. Maybe. lol

010pnz.jpg
 
Looking to replace my wife's front rotors and pads (yep, warped again) after only 20k miles on her 2005 GP GT. This time around I plan to replace the brake lines and bleed the system out with new fluid. Last time I did her rotors and pads, I put on some NAPA Ultra Premium rotors ($75 each - not the China ones) and Adaptive1 pads ($70 set) as advised by parts counter guy. He said the reason the rotors keep warping is that I need to replace the brake lines, fluid, and he also said replace the calipers? I say it is driving style but I question in my mind how the original set of pads and rotors went 60k miles without issue. Would my wife's car benefit by going with drilled and slotted rotors on her daily driver or do I replace the rotors, pads, brake lines, and fluid (calipers too???) with the same Napa Ultra premium rotors and Adaptive1 pads?

Getting tired of replacing pads and rotors every 20k miles/2 years....

Thanks in advance for your input - Mike

On edit: Are there replacement stainless steel brake line kits instead of the OEM rubber ones?
 
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I fail to see how the brake lines or caliper would have anything to do with the rotors warping. I put the blame on driving habits and or cheap rotors. Any chance did she brake the rotors in? Not saving he brought cheap rotors or anything but friends/family's tell me they warped there's I point that out.

Edit: I stay away from drilled rotors unless your tracking the car. I either go with a quality blank rotor or slotted which ever you prefer so they can be resurfaced if needed without buying a new one.
 
REDCOMPG said:
I fail to see how the brake lines or caliper would have anything to do with the rotors warping. I put the blame on driving habits and or cheap rotors. Any chance did she brake the rotors in?
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I would have to say, yes, she did break the rotors in. Is there a right way and a wrong way to do this? Part of me says yes, it is her driving habits but the parts counter had a good point when I asked how the original pads and rotors lasted 60k miles. He gave me the reason that the calipers, brake lines, rotors, pads, and fluid are all new. He said that the rubber lines will flex more with age but I can't remember what that had to do with increased heat and rotor warping. At the time it sounded like a good reason but I don't recall especially about getting new calipers too. Maybe it was a sales pitch???

I may check into simply having the rotors re-surfaced since they were the thicker ones to begin with and just replace the pads if they look bad. Maybe I get another 20k miles out of them :-)
 
up grade to F body brakes, dont tell her, when she nails the brakes like she always does, she will kiss the steering wheel and learn how to brake a car. kidding of course lol

after market brakes never last as along as the factory brakes. i put new stock brakes all around on my car and the brakes still sucks, so your kinda standing on them. with the up grade the car stops on a dime, like night and day vs stock set up.

and yes they sell stainless steel brake lines. recommended when up grading to F body's.
 


scottydoggs said:
up grade to F body brakes, dont tell her, when she nails the brakes like she always does, she will kiss the steering wheel and learn how to brake a car. kidding of course lol
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I'm thinking she will then wait til 5 ft before the stop sign/light instead of the 10 ft she does now :th_doh:
 
Looks like I will be going with the ZZPerformance F-Body upgrade kit, stainless steel lines, and the Evolution Power Stop pads. They are local to me which is a plus as I like to support my local businesses. Tim @ ZZP suggested going with a Brembo cross drilled 12" rotor. Can someone give me some vehicles and model years that are F-Body and use 12" rotors? (I am thinking there is some rounding going on since it sounds like the F-Body rotors are 11.7" diameter?)

ZZPerformance - F-Body Dual Aluminum Piston Brake Kit #ZZ-FBDY-BRKT
 
Supporting local business' (+1)

Overpaying out the ass (-50)

You search and piece them together and save about half that if you do it right.

Your call.

EDIT: for reference, upgrade kits go for about $100-$150 used on the for sale section. I paid $100 +gas to get mine, got good used calipers, brackets, rotors & pads. Just needs the lines and paint.
 
TLSheff said:
Supporting local business' (+1)

Overpaying out the ass (-50)

You search and piece them together and save about half that if you do it right.

Your call.

EDIT: for reference, upgrade kits go for about $100-$150 used on the for sale section. I paid $100 +gas to get mine, got good used calipers, brackets, rotors & pads. Just needs the lines and paint.
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This. Screw Zzp and there overpriced kits. Check the classifieds
 


I found some 2000 camaro calipers with mtg brkts and hardware on Napa for < $50 each. Then get some Hawk ceramic pads? Find some ss brake lines (links for these invited). As far as the rotors go, I am not familiar with those "Callahan" in the Ebay link. Might pay the extra for some cross drilled Brembos instead? Napa Ultra Premium rotors (no holes or slots) for the same 2000 Camaro run $111 each whereas the Brembo cross drilled ones are the same price.

Not sure if these Napa calipers would work? They are "Caliper w/ Hardware - Right Front (Eclipse Semi-Loaded) - Remfd" Not sure what the "Eclipse Semi-Loaded" means.

NAPA AUTO PARTS
 
that link for napa will work, you need all that hardware, plus you need a bango bolt and the caliper bracket bolts and brake line, for each side. and the spacers for the bolts. ot drill and tap the bracket to use the stock W body bolt. spacers cost like 15 shipped for 4 of them. working just fine for me so far.

the napa premium rotors will work just fine. same price, so its your call there.


link for spacers McMaster-Carr part number Part# 6679K16 you need four.
 
Drunkie said:
If won't hurt anything, even I find the stock lines with stock brakes were too short. Just make sure they clear everything.



My wife is use to it now, but that first date was definitely awkward.
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Mt girlfriend still ain't used to my driving, I finally told; "her just do what I take a turn to fast, close your eyes."
 
scottydoggs said:
that link for napa will work, you need all that hardware, plus you need a bango bolt and the caliper bracket bolts and brake line, for each side. and the spacers for the bolts. ot drill and tap the bracket to use the stock W body bolt. spacers cost like 15 shipped for 4 of them. working just fine for me so far.

the napa premium rotors will work just fine. same price, so its your call there.


link for spacers McMaster-Carr part number Part# 6679K16 you need four.
Click to expand...

Thanks Scotty!!!
 
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