Using front brakes in the rear...

[OutKlast]

My front brakes work fine but being in Florida old people cut and imported New Yorkers cut me off frequently. I plan on upgrading the front to a nicer brembo or baer system and braided lines to get a little more braking power. In the rear I still have the old drum brakes I'd like to replace those might as well use the front calipers if I can and I'll just buy new rotors. What would I have to do to make this work? Major work like welding and crap or can it be bolted up and just drills holes at most?

[black98V6]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

well if you have drums on the rear then I am guessing you have a 97 or older, if you would like a nice brake upgrade I'd say swap to stock 98+ parts. Now before you do please understand that this could mess with your ABS because it is currently calibrated for the system you have running right now. In the end though any system might tweak that a bit.
However if you would like to go with an aftermarket system up front like a Baer kit then you should get considerable improvement, realize however that if you go with a bigger brake kit you will need to move up to 17" rims at a minimum.
I personally don't know of anyone here that has upgraded their stock 97 and older system to a 98+ setup but I'm sure it has been done. You might want to check over on Camaroz28.com as they have a much larger auidence.

Now about moving your stock calipers to the rear you are talking major custom surgery, you could just go buy a rear end out of a 98+ AND replace the rotors and pads with new ones and likely still come out much cheaper.

In all there are easier ways to improve your braking than trying to move a stock front brake setup to the rear.

hope this helps
-brad

[OutKlast]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

I have a 1997 with 18" rims. I know people have swapped the rear from drum brakes to 98+ disk brakes without swapping the rear end there was a guy that made custom brackets so that you could do the swap. I may have to check over at camaroz28.com and see if that bracket would work with front calipers. Changing the rears to disk brakes isn't so much for better braking its just for appearence and me not wanting to get rid of a perfectly good pair of front brakes.

[CDNFB]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

The rear calipers for the rear disc brake set up are smaller than the front calipers. Smaller rear calipers are used because the disc surface area is more narrow due to the hub of the disc containing the emergency drum type brake assembly.

You can install the rear disc with emergency brake but you cannot use the front calipers on this disc.

It would not be a good idea to modify the rear axle to use a front disc and caliper cause you would not have an emergency brake system.

[hockeyman]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

You'd end up spending three (or WAY more) times the amount of money and evn longer time trying to get this to work, rather than just buying a drum-to-disk kit. It's easier to install & maintain, cheaper, and will work much better to just go to a j-yard or on ebay to buy a kit.

[Coconut Pete]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

imo just do a 98+ conversion all 4 corners... I don't believe you need any custom brackets or anyting.

its lightyears better then old f-body brakes. and I was reminded that when I was helping a co-worker test drive some lt1s... My rotors have 60k on them and the 2nd set of pads and my car still stop lightyears faster then lt1s.


and if you must go bigger then that I suggest a C5 conversion. When you get into baer crap, it gets expensive to maintain.

[OutKlast]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

imo just do a 98+ conversion all 4 corners... I don't believe you need any custom brackets or anyting.

its lightyears better then old f-body brakes. and I was reminded that when I was helping a co-worker test drive some lt1s... My rotors have 60k on them and the 2nd set of pads and my car still stop lightyears faster then lt1s.


and if you must go bigger then that I suggest a C5 conversion. When you get into baer crap, it gets expensive to maintain.

c5 conversion is probably the bracket thing I was thinking of. Why would Baer brakes be more expensive to maintain? I have had my car for the last 30k miles or so and the most I've done in brake maintance is smoothing the rotors and new brake pads. I don't see why Baer, brembo, wilwood etc would be any different other then maybe requiring more frequent pad change if I use a pad that wears quickly but thats not the brakes fault.

I'll probably just keep my eyes out for a 98+ set of rears rather then d!cking with using the fronts. I was just curious though since they're in good condition with new pads and what-not. Not having a parking brake isn't a big deal for me either I've never used mine once after having my car for 3-4 years now (FL is flat; no need to use one).

[Coconut Pete]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

c5 conversion is probably the bracket thing I was thinking of. Why would Baer brakes be more expensive to maintain? I have had my car for the last 30k miles or so and the most I've done in brake maintance is smoothing the rotors and new brake pads. I don't see why Baer, brembo, wilwood etc would be any different other then maybe requiring more frequent pad change if I use a pad that wears quickly but thats not the brakes fault.

I'll probably just keep my eyes out for a 98+ set of rears rather then d!cking with using the fronts. I was just curious though since they're in good condition with new pads and what-not. Not having a parking brake isn't a big deal for me either I've never used mine once after having my car for 3-4 years now (FL is flat; no need to use one).

The baer parts are expensive as helll, from what I understand replacement pads and rotors are like $600. I could be wrong, but you only have the option of their brakes. And to top it off my experience with high end brake stuff is they suck when the car is cold and you first get going, but once they heat up they are great.


I suggest 98+ because you can still use 16s if you want, and they are awesome. My brakes out brake my tires as is... and sometimes did when I ran 275s. (when I mean out brake the tires, I mean they start locking the wheels up and kicking the ABS in, meaning the tires lose traction before they will stop the car faster)

If you must get some performance pads for a set of 98+ and its probably pretty sick.

You could go to C5s, little more expensive, but more day to day driver friendly, since it was made for street applications. But you will be forced to run 17s on your car and your spare will be useless unless you by a C4 vette donut.

[FunkZ]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

I did a 98+ front conversion and got the 93-97 discs with my rear swap. More info on my site.

The front conversion is a big improvement. There's a little modification involved, but nothing major. You will need a complete front setup including spindles, hoses, calipers, rotors and it's a lot easier if it also comes with the hubs. And of course pads. Pads and rotors you can pick up anywhere though.

The rear discs don't seem to offer much improvement over drums, other then looks. For the price you'll pay for disc conversion parts though, you could probably pick up a whole rear. Look for a 6-speed V8 rear to get 3.42 gears and limited slip as well.

You can go with the C5 front brakes for cheaper then you'd pay for a Baer package.
http://www.umiperformance.com/c5conv.aspx

[OutKlast]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

I did a 98+ front conversion and got the 93-97 discs with my rear swap. More info on my site.

The front conversion is a big improvement. There's a little modification involved, but nothing major. You will need a complete front setup including spindles, hoses, calipers, rotors and it's a lot easier if it also comes with the hubs. And of course pads. Pads and rotors you can pick up anywhere though.

The rear discs don't seem to offer much improvement over drums, other then looks. For the price you'll pay for disc conversion parts though, you could probably pick up a whole rear. Look for a 6-speed V8 rear to get 3.42 gears and limited slip as well.

You can go with the C5 front brakes for cheaper then you'd pay for a Baer package.
http://www.umiperformance.com/c5conv.aspx

That seems to be the same or more then a Baer front kit. The Baer kit I was looking at would be something like the 2 piston with either then 12.??" rotor or 13" rotor kit which is under $700 w/zinc wash treatment.

http://www.texas-speed.com/shop/item...mid=6&catid=20 13" rotor >$700 slotted and zinc washed.

[FunkZ]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

You're right, that seems a more economical alternative to the C5 conversion, unless you pick up the C5 parts used and just buy their brackets. Good price on a Baer Track package, although that's not what is pictured.
http://www.baer.com/Products/Complet...iles/track.gif

But for some reason I was thinking most Baer packages were $1000 and up.

[OutKlast]

Re: Using front brakes in the rear...

You're right, that seems a more economical alternative to the C5 conversion, unless you pick up the C5 parts used and just buy their brackets. Good price on a Baer Track package, although that's not what is pictured.
http://www.baer.com/Products/Complet...iles/track.gif

But for some reason I was thinking most Baer packages were $1000 and up.

Thats about how much the intense 6-piston 1.25"+ size rotor thickness kits run.