Thread: Best brake job ever.

Just wanted share something that made a huge difference in my Grand Prix's breaking ability with 103K miles.
I constantly had warping rotors and the brakes just never felt "right". After reading about a lot of peoples thoughts I decided to do the following;

2 new wheel bearings (Timkin) to get rid of the sloppy factory bearings.
Goodridge braided steel brake hoses
Brembo OEM Front replacement rotors
Wagner rear rotors
EBC Red pads front and rear

What a difference!! The pedal feels so much firmer and the bite is awesome.

Hope this helps anyone looking to really improve their brakes without breaking the bank.

its the pads mostly. you should have went for a 12" upgrade while you were at it.

Originally Posted by Bio248

its the pads mostly. you should have went for a 12" upgrade while you were at it.

I looked into the 12" upgrade but to do it right would have taken more money and time that I didn't have. In the future I'd like to find dual piston aluminum calipers and build the brakes around those. I found all the parts for this really inexpensively and it worked out great. If I ever do hit the track a lot I would definitely put the time and money into the 12" upgrade.

Originally Posted by MBruneaux

I looked into the 12" upgrade but to do it right would have taken more money and time that I didn't have. In the future I'd like to find dual piston aluminum calipers and build the brakes around those. I found all the parts for this really inexpensively and it worked out great. If I ever do hit the track a lot I would definitely put the time and money into the 12" upgrade.

haha

You could have done the 12" upgrade cheaper then the cost of those EBC pads dude.

Do that, then come back and talk to me about the best brake job ever.

Originally Posted by Ridin ON Chrome

haha

You could have done the 12" upgrade cheaper then the cost of those EBC pads dude.

Do that, then come back and talk to me about the best brake job ever.

When I can do the 12" upgrade using the same quality parts I just used, not the cheap crap I see with kits or parts from the auto store, then I am sure they will be better brakes and I will be more impressed but I am very happy with what I have now and wouldn't change a thing.

Originally Posted by MBruneaux

When I can do the 12" upgrade using the same quality parts I just used, not the cheap crap I see with kits or parts from the auto store, then I am sure they will be better brakes and I will be more impressed but I am very happy with what I have now and wouldn't change a thing.

Cheap crap, so your saying GM calipers are crap? Cuz thats what you use on the 12" upgrade.

Either Stock calipers(12" brackets), F-body calipers or 06+ Monte/Impala calipers.

They do sell Timkin, Goodridge, Bembo and Wagner stuff at auto parts stores.
ohhh nevermind. ITS ALL CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Bio248

its the pads mostly. you should have went for a 12" upgrade while you were at it.

If you use the original caliper with the larger rotors won't there be a gap between the bottom of the caliper and the edge of the contact patch of the rotor??

Originally Posted by matt5112

Ask to take a look at the front rotors from a 98-02 camaro at your local parts store.

Should answer your question.

And I'm running the EBC red pads as well, much better than the **** that was on there. So much so that I don't really care about modding my brakes much further since I'm still at stock GT power levels.

The next time I have to replace my brakes, if I need new rotors, I will upgrade but I agree with you that if these Reds stop this well on the 11" rotor then I can't imagine how they would be on a 12". When I hit the brakes now I have to look behind me to see who will hit me instead of me hitting the car in front. I am amazed every day. Just when I think I've gotten used to them they surprise me. Because I also have them on the rear I can actually feel the rear "squat" a little.

Originally Posted by MBruneaux

If you use the original caliper with the larger rotors won't there be a gap between the bottom of the caliper and the edge of the contact patch of the rotor??

If you use the original caliper bracket, you will not be able to get the caliper to bolt on over the larger rotor. Other GM platforms used the same front knuckle and caliper, but used a 12" rotor with a different caliper bracket to make up for the added size. The 12" rotors cost about the same as the 11's and the caliper brackets are about $50 for 2 brackets with the hardware kit. I did this and definitely thought it was worth the extra $50 for the improved braking.

Another option is F-body or Impala calipers, but will cost you more money to do since you will need calipers, brackets and rotors.

Originally Posted by Silver GTP

If you use the original caliper bracket, you will not be able to get the caliper to bolt on over the larger rotor. Other GM platforms used the same front knuckle and caliper, but used a 12" rotor with a different caliper bracket to make up for the added size. The 12" rotors cost about the same as the 11's and the caliper brackets are about $50 for 2 brackets with the hardware kit. I did this and definitely thought it was worth the extra $50 for the improved braking.

Another option is F-body or Impala calipers, but will cost you more money to do since you will need calipers, brackets and rotors.

Thanks for the explanation, I understand that I would need the brackets and bigger rotors but wondered if there would be wasted space between the caliper and the inside edge of the rotor, therefor the bigger caliper is beneficial.

Originally Posted by NSanders21

Where is the best/cheapest place to get the parts for the 12" upgrade? And what all would be needed?

Thanks!

See my post on page 2 titled 12" brake upgrade cheap.

I'm really happy with how it turned out. The stance is much better and the handling is greatly improved without being harsh. No vibration problems either.

About how much did you spend?

Originally Posted by rocafella2032

About how much did you spend?

I'm quoting numbers from memory so I might be off by a little, but:
$450 AGX Struts from performancepeddler
$225 Vogtland Springs from AJUSA
$80 Monroe Strut Mounts from rockauto
$130 GMPP handling kit from gmpartsdirect
$60 Moog swaybar end links front and rear, Moog swaybar bushings from partstrain.com
$130 BMR trailing arms from lmperformance

Also did Moog control arms, tie rod ends and a Timken front wheel bearing from rockauto. Everything is nice and tight now and handles much better.

Originally Posted by Silver GTP

I'm quoting numbers from memory so I might be off by a little, but:
$450 AGX Struts from performancepeddler
$225 Vogtland Springs from AJUSA
$80 Monroe Strut Mounts from rockauto
$130 GMPP handling kit from gmpartsdirect
$60 Moog swaybar end links front and rear, Moog swaybar bushings from partstrain.com
$130 BMR trailing arms from lmperformance

Also did Moog control arms, tie rod ends and a Timken front wheel bearing from rockauto. Everything is nice and tight now and handles much better.

How is it on the rough roads up here in New England?

Originally Posted by MBruneaux

How is it on the rough roads up here in New England?

It rides pretty close to stock. It corners much better than before, but is not a harsh ride. The springs do hit harder over the big bumps due to the fact that the springs get harder faster when compressed. Overall, I am very happy with how it turned out. No more huge wheel gap, much better handling, but still a good ride for my daily driver and family car.

sounds pricy