Topic: Camaro Brake Question

Planning to use 4th gen rotors and calipers to get better braking on the front.  The S10 group does this swap, but not many doing road racing.  They call it the LS1 brake swap and uses the two piston brake calipers.  Done the research and is a viable upgrade as we use S10 spindles on the monza. 

What brake pads work well with these calipers?  We have been using Hawk, but holy cow they are expensive for this caliper.  Well over double the cost of what we have been paying.  Any help would be much appreciated.

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

Re: Camaro Brake Question

If you're going this route, you can run C5 Corvette rotors and pads instead of 4th gen F body parts. Same calipers, but the Corvette rotors have a larger OD, and this may open up your pad compound options a bit.

We run this setup on our car, and use the Hawk performance ceramic compound. They run about $100/set, which isn't too bad. The lifespan is only 1.5-2 races, but we've found them to have good pedal feel, no fade, and they're gentle on the rotors (only on our second set of rotors in 20+ races).

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: Camaro Brake Question

piper.gras wrote:

If you're going this route, you can run C5 Corvette rotors and pads instead of 4th gen F body parts. Same calipers, but the Corvette rotors have a larger OD, and this may open up your pad compound options a bit.

We run this setup on our car, and use the Hawk performance ceramic compound. They run about $100/set, which isn't too bad. The lifespan is only 1.5-2 races, but we've found them to have good pedal feel, no fade, and they're gentle on the rotors (only on our second set of rotors in 20+ races).

We run C5 Rotors and calipers on the minivan with ST43 pads...4 races and still a reace left in them when we rotated them out as spares.

Re: Camaro Brake Question

What diameter is the c5 rotor?  2 races out of a set would be fine.  We are getting one race in the current setup.

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

Re: Camaro Brake Question

rcazwillis wrote:

What diameter is the c5 rotor?  2 races out of a set would be fine.  We are getting one race in the current setup.

I believe the C5 rotor is 12.8", and the LS1 F Body rotor is 12"

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: Camaro Brake Question

piper.gras wrote:
rcazwillis wrote:

What diameter is the c5 rotor?  2 races out of a set would be fine.  We are getting one race in the current setup.

I believe the C5 rotor is 12.8", and the LS1 F Body rotor is 12"

C5 is 12.8", LS1 F Body is 11.9"

We are currently working our way through this on our S-10.  Unfortunately we have two sets of 16" wheels and can't clear the C5 setup, so F-body was as large as we could go.  We haven't picked our pad compound yet, but based on this it will be interesting to see what's out there.  Certainly something better than the S-10 calipers had available.

Statically Indeterminate: #58 '95 Purple S-10 (Flyin' Purple People Eater)
2014: Gingerman x 2 | 2015: Gingerman, Autobahn (24 Hours!) | 2016 Gingerman (April) | 2017 Gingerman (April)

Re: Camaro Brake Question

We have 16" wheels, too.  Will go with the ls1 setup.  Are you making your own brackets for the calipers or buying from one of the vendors?  I have them drawn in CAD and will cut them on my mill.

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

Re: Camaro Brake Question

rcazwillis wrote:

We have 16" wheels, too.  Will go with the ls1 setup.  Are you making your own brackets for the calipers or buying from one of the vendors?  I have them drawn in CAD and will cut them on my mill.

Sorry for the delayed response...

We pulled the drawings off of the S10forum[dot]com site.  There are templates up for each caliper setup on both styles of spindles.  We have a mill and lathe in one of the team members shops, so we'll cut those up here shortly.  Our race at Gingerman is late April... so from our planning, "shortly" should be by tax day... or the night before we load the trailer might be more realistic.

Statically Indeterminate: #58 '95 Purple S-10 (Flyin' Purple People Eater)
2014: Gingerman x 2 | 2015: Gingerman, Autobahn (24 Hours!) | 2016 Gingerman (April) | 2017 Gingerman (April)

Re: Camaro Brake Question

What master cylinder are you using?  Will the s10 one work?  We have been making the Monza drum/drum master work for disc/disc setup.

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

Re: Camaro Brake Question

rcazwillis wrote:

What master cylinder are you using?  Will the s10 one work?  We have been making the Monza drum/drum master work for disc/disc setup.

Still on the stock S10 master.  When we swapped drums to disc in the rear w/ a 4WD rear end, we did add a proportioning valve, but that's been all the modifications we have needed so far.

Statically Indeterminate: #58 '95 Purple S-10 (Flyin' Purple People Eater)
2014: Gingerman x 2 | 2015: Gingerman, Autobahn (24 Hours!) | 2016 Gingerman (April) | 2017 Gingerman (April)

Re: Camaro Brake Question

Post some pics if you get time.  Like to see how you do it.

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

Re: Camaro Brake Question

We run Camaro LS1 brakes on all 4 corners of our S10. We have Raybestos ST-47 pads up front and ST-45 in the rear. No kidding, we are about to run our 4th race on these pads and they are only about half-used, and they work great. I have an adjustable prop valve installed but we have it set to full flow. The OEM combination prop valve does it's job. I also threw away the power booster so the brakes are manual with a 7/8" dual master cylinder from a 1985 k-car.

~Jesse

Team Captain: #808 Licensed to Ill Mini Truck

Re: Camaro Brake Question

FWIW we are probably going to go with this kit...along the lines of your upgrade.
http://www.bigbrakeupgrade.com/c5_parts.html

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Camaro Brake Question

Mr.Yuck wrote:

FWIW we are probably going to go with this kit...along the lines of your upgrade.
http://www.bigbrakeupgrade.com/c5_parts.html

+1 for Scott at bigbrakeupgrade.com

He machined a custom set of front hubs for me with the holes reamed to the correct diameter for ARP studs (don't try and use the factory stud holes with ARP studs, they are slightly too small and will crack) in very short order. Definitely recommend doing business with him.

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: Camaro Brake Question

Mr.Yuck wrote:

FWIW we are probably going to go with this kit...along the lines of your upgrade.
http://www.bigbrakeupgrade.com/c5_parts.html

Same concept.  What size wheel will you use?  I think you will need 17" or bigger with C5 rotors.  Not enough room in a 16".

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

Re: Camaro Brake Question

A homebrew of that is what the Dustbuster uses.  We build our own brackets but it is tedious and time consuming.  It is also a pin to swap from one subframe to the other as we had to use some shims to make it all work, on bold can only come off with and open end wrench, etc.  ST47 pads on pretty heavy minivan last 4 races with enough one more if we monitor closely.

Re: Camaro Brake Question

We are following the threads on the S-10 forum:

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f14/corve … fo-522849/

We have the equipment (lathe, mill, and drill press) to do all of this on our own, so that's our route.  Same concept, but all the drawings and parts lists are available at the above thread if you can handle the work on your own.

We couldn't get the C5 setup to fit under 16", and since we have two sets of wheels and team budget is tight... we didn't step up that far and are using the LS1 setup instead.

Statically Indeterminate: #58 '95 Purple S-10 (Flyin' Purple People Eater)
2014: Gingerman x 2 | 2015: Gingerman, Autobahn (24 Hours!) | 2016 Gingerman (April) | 2017 Gingerman (April)

18 (edited by rcazwillis 2017-03-17 07:31 PM)

Re: Camaro Brake Question

rlhammon wrote:

We are following the threads on the S-10 forum:

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f14/corve … fo-522849/

We have the equipment (lathe, mill, and drill press) to do all of this on our own, so that's our route.  Same concept, but all the drawings and parts lists are available at the above thread if you can handle the work on your own.

We couldn't get the C5 setup to fit under 16", and since we have two sets of wheels and team budget is tight... we didn't step up that far and are using the LS1 setup instead.

Lots of good stuff in that thread.  This one has some dimensions on the bracket.  I have cut two based on the drawings in this thread.  Need to cut the rotors down to hubs.  Then drill and test fit the setup.  MAN, good pads are stupid expensive for these calipers.

http://www.s10forum.com/forum/f14/ls1-f … -a-512187/

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

19 (edited by Mr.Yuck 2017-03-18 06:10 AM)

Re: Camaro Brake Question

rcazwillis wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:

FWIW we are probably going to go with this kit...along the lines of your upgrade.
http://www.bigbrakeupgrade.com/c5_parts.html

Same concept.  What size wheel will you use?  I think you will need 17" or bigger with C5 rotors.  Not enough room in a 16".

we use 17x9.5 corvette wheels. we run a spacer/adapter behind them of course.
http://i65.tinypic.com/33459wi.jpg

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

Re: Camaro Brake Question

Not sure I can get a 9.5 wide wheel under a monza without some serious wheel spacers!  I guess if there is a will there is a way.

Today I cut the rotors off two hubs and turned the OD to fit inside the Camaro rotor.  Order the studs from Speedway.  Tomorrow, drill, tap, and fit the brackets.  NO going back after that!

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales