front brake upgrate questions

[michi]

Hey guys! I am think about to upgrate my front brakes in future. I have one set of rotors and pads laying around that i want to use and after these i want to go with a better front brakes.
My question is if it would make sense to upgrate them and using 15" crosslaces wheels... Im running 16" GTZ rims in summer and 15" GT rims in winter.
What rotor size can i get to fit unter the 15" rim? Im thinking about to get atleast 2piston calipers from willwood or so.
The Beretta is my daily driver so i dont need something brutal but i still want to have some decent brakes compared to stock ones... i am absolutley not a big fan of these stock brakes.

What can you guys suggest?

[weba]

You may be able to use 12" rotor inside 15" rim if you go with small caliper, I know Willwood makes some that will fit. (unless those 15" rims have some weird inside, haven't seem them from the back) I'd say take a rim with you to the part shop and try it.

For rotors, I'd suggest VAG something, easy to get and plenty of sizes to select from, right pattern and center hole.

You can forget all 2< piston calipers, they do not fit inside stock rims.

Here's a pic of 12" disc and Vette caliper inside of GTZ rim:

[michi]

Yeah, i thought about the same for the rotors... should be pretty easy to get some decent ones. From what corvette is that caliper? its the one you have on the rear right? Should i see if i can get a wilwood caliper or something from other GM cars? Too bad car shops dont have performance parts but i can test a cheap VAG rotor if it will fit the 15" rim.

Do you think a caliper from Corvette C5 or 4th gen Camaro will fit?

[Barry]

4th gen f body is almost bolt on if you upgrade the knuckle too. Do a search a few people have done it

[michi]

can i use the knuckels from a f-body only to bolt on the caliper? i know that 12" corvette/f-body brake upgrate but there i need to swap to different bolt plattern?

[Z26_T]

If you haven't, I'd check this out
http://www.beretta.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1317

[michi]

Yeah thats what i thought about. I would have done that already but i want to keep my 15" crosslaces wheels which i am using in winter. I dont think these brakes will even fit in a 16" wheel so i have to do something custom and have to see how big(rotor) i can go when im keeping the 15"s.

[Z26_T]

I'd suggest putting on your crosslaces and see how much clearance you have between the wheel and the caliper. That'll give you a good idea.. I doubt you have much clearance between your caliper and your 15's. (I have been wrong before). If you do have.. let's say an inch of clearance, just upgrade to the N body rotors/calipers. I think they're an inch bigger than our stocks. But remember, you're not worried about rotor clearance as much as caliper clearance..

But with the N body set-up you'll have the wrong bolt pattern...

[Koots]

So would even a basic 98+ Malibu have the larger brakes like the rest of the N-body cars?

I've got a spare Malibu just sitting around because it was free and it came with 15" aluminum wheels (nothing special but should look nice on the Corsica) but I didn't know about the bolt pattern difference.

So this would give me slightly better brakes and let me use those free wheels!

[88_GTU]

Doesn't the malibu have a larger bolt pattern?
J

[Koots]

It uses the 5x115.43 or something like that, but if i'm getting the knuckle/hub/brakes off of the car, then I should be able to use the wheels.

I originally thought I could just bolt them up onto my Corsica, but found out later that it was different.

[Z26_T]

you'll have to swap knuckle/hub/brakes, but also need to change your lower ball joint to work with the knuckle and your outer cv axle to work with that hub. Also need to machine the knuckle to work with our steering. -Just ensuring that you know

[Koots]

you'll have to swap knuckle/hub/brakes, but also need to change your lower ball joint to work with the knuckle and your outer cv axle to work with that hub. Also need to machine the knuckle to work with our steering. -Just ensuring that you know

Thanks for the heads up, I was aware already but there is nothing wrong with making sure I'm not gonna jump into this blind LOL

I'm hoping to get all the parts I need (including spare LCA's to modify and put new bushings in) then clean and paint everything, then I just need to remove and swap all the parts out. This way I don't clog up the bay at work for any longer than needed.

But, as long as the Malibu stuff is the same, I should have most of what I need. I suspect I will probably have to replace the wear items but It should be worth the expense.