LS1 Brake upgrade?

[Reverend_Ezekiel]

Where can I get the kit for an LS1 brake upgrade on my 94 'maro? Did a search, but it didn't tell me who to contact, I hear that they are hard to find.

Also, EXACTLY what parts do I need to perform this conversion? part #'s would be great if yall have them.

Anyone wanna help a preacha' out??

Thanks!! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[ March 06, 2002: Message edited by: Reverend_Ezekiel ]</p>

[strobhen]

I don't think you need a kit.

Late model v6's have the *exact* same brakes as ls1's.

So just try to find either and put them on.

Or, get some lt1 brakes...

To be honest, if you have y87 w/ four wheel disk brakes, this mod isn't really worth the $$$ probably, unless if your current setup has problems.

Otherwise, I would go with whats going to be the simplest and cheapest between ls1 & lt1, there really isn't going to be that huge of a difference.

[Backfire]

The LT1 and 93-97 V6 cars had the same front brake setup, single piston fronts. The LS1 and 98+ cars have dual pistons calipers up front. The ABS system also changed in 98. I am not sure about the rear calipers, but I believe they are still single piston setup. I know you need a different upright/knuckle to use LS1 brakes on an older model. This mod seems to be in pretty high demand too, as some of the online junkyards sell kits but seem to always be out of stock.

A few months ago GMHTP magazine did a build up of a 93 Formula. One of their upgrades was using the GM Durastop Brake parts. They seemed to have great success with them. In their 70-0mph test, they saw a drop from 183ft-186ft-191ft-192ft to 159ft-158ft-143ft-145ft on consecutive trials. Now, there were a number of suspension changes that added these numbers, but you can see that brake fade was eliminated and the distance shrunk. I don't see many people listing these anywhere as upgrades to be honest, but when I add a disk setup to my car in the future, I think I am going to do the Durastop system as well. The sysetm includes new front rotors, as well as new front and rear pads. If you want, you can keep the stock front rotors and just use the new pads. The benefit is the new rotors are much thicker and more capable of handling the heat without warping. I don't autocross, so I probably don't even need the rotors. The pads are 43.37 and 60.26, for front and rear respectively, from GMPartsDirect. The front rotors are 175.87 a piece [img]graemlins/omg.gif[/img]
If you are set on the LS1 setup best of luck, just wanted to give you another option that isn't mentioned often.

[Reverend_Ezekiel]

Are these Durastop rotors bolt-on replacements for the 93-97 models?

I was really wanting to get dual piston calipers, the ones on 98+ F-bodies. But I'd be willing to look into these durastops if they are woth the money.

Backfire-Do you have any part #'s for the Durastops? And I see that you're in Plano. Just thought I'd pass on the word that there is a local V6 F-body club (Look in the Venom VI forum near the bottom).

[Backfire]

I have no personal experience with the Durastops, but the cost, atleast for the pads is worth a try. And yes, the system is a bolt on for the 93-97. If you have rear drums, obvoiusly you would need to uprgrade to discs in back before you could use the rear pads. The numbers are as follow:

• Front Pads - pn 18037573
  Rear Pads - pn 18037565
  Front Right Rotor - pn 18038542
  Front Left Rotor - pn 18038541

Like I said, I haven't had any personal experience with these parts, and I don't really know how the 175 per rotor compares to other aftermarket performance rotors. But they are supposed to be cross-drilled and slotted, and quite a bit beefier than stock. Plus, it takes no more work than a rotor and pad change. I have considered trying this upgrade on the front and leaving the drums on to see what kind of difference it makes. If the fronts alone do not perform up to my hopes, then I would probably just buy a used rear with LSD and the disks, and upgrade the pads.

[ March 06, 2002: Message edited by: Backfire ]</p>

[FirebirdGT]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Reverend_Ezekiel:
Where can I get the kit for an LS1 brake upgrade on my 94 'maro? Did a search, but it didn't tell me who to contact, I hear that they are hard to find.

Also, EXACTLY what parts do I need to perform this conversion? part #'s would be great if yall have them.<hr></blockquote>


You can only upgrade to the 98+ brakes on the front of a 93-97 car. The rears won't work. You have to find them salvage, I got mine from www.speedautomotive.com . They know what to give you for the upgrade, which gives you larger diameter rotors with two piston calipers.

[Reverend_Ezekiel]

FirebirdGT - Did you use the rotors that they sent you, or did you order new ones from somwhere? I'm really hessitant about buying "old" rotors.

[FirebirdGT]

I also would not use "old" rotors. I intend to use Baer "Enhance" rotors and Hawk HPS pads.

[Wicked 3800 V6]

I just got the LS1 front brake setup (editout), and am having it installed ($200) over spring break. DO NOT GET THE LT1 SETUP. It's a waste ... it's not any (or not much) bigger than what you have, whereas the LS1 is a bigger rotor and a dual piston caliper. These things are beeeeeefy. Read the Tech section here on brakes, it covers all of this.
i'll post in a month after i've been autoXing with both setups. Should be cool.
You need: (where plural it means you need two. [img]smile.gif[/img] )
Spindles / hub / abs sensor assemblies
Rotors
Pads
Calipers
Bolts / tubing / lines / etc.

For me, if my mechanic tells me I need new rotors, i'll go to autozone. new pads I'll do Hawk HPS or something. New lines i'll get a pair of Stainless for the front.

As for where, you might call speedautomotive ($300ish). I bought mine from someone who had partd out 3 98+ front ends.
-Rob

[ March 07, 2002: Message edited by: Wicked 3800 V6 ]

[ March 07, 2002: Message edited by: Wicked 3800 V6 ]</p>

[Reverend_Ezekiel]

Ordered my kit from speedautomotive this morning for $250 + 50 shipping. Some of my fellow club owners are gonna help me out with the install. I'll take pics and maybe make a sort-of tutorial for the board.

[FirebirdGT]

Found something tonight. If you can get 98+ rear brakes on a 3rd gen, you should be able to get them on a 93-97.

http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/te...reardisc.shtml

[94-3.4]

I have had the ls1 brakes on my ride for about a year now and love them. They have saved my life a couple times. The lt1/v6 brakes are identical from 93-97 as with the ls1/v6 brakes from 98+. They are a huge improvement over the crappy single piston, 10.5 inch rotor stock brakes and i highly recomend the swap. I would recomend getting some KVR rotors though because the stock ones warp pretty easy.