SSBC A181 Front brake kit and SSBC 10.5" rotors

[meanchicken]

Just installed it today....niiiiiiice.

With a 1/4" spacer behind the wheel the calipers clear the stock wheels.

Without the spacer there is a slight rub, but the wheel still turns...so no major interference.

I also had to take the angle grinder to the ends of the spindle body where the caliper fits through since there was some minor interference there that kept the calipers from slipping in place.

Here's some before and after pix:

 

[rmar]

Looks good chicken, now you can slow down enough for them to think they got a chance.........:biggrin::biggrin:

 

[meanchicken]

LOL

Those old brakes were getting scary.
Glad I'm finally rid of them.

 

[bmackinnon]

They look nice (I guess).... what's the chance that they actually perform better? I guess I'm skeptical that those aftermarket (aluminum? or SS?) calipers had the engineering R&D (and corporate liability oversite) that the OEM pieces had regarding actual performance.... any subjective (or objective) comments on how they actually work... like a couple repeat, triple-digit haul-downs? Proper F/R balance?

Are those the stock pins that are holding them on? They appear to be... I would advise using some good anti-seize on those threads... SS or AL+MolySteel+extreme heat= SEIZED

Spacers suck...

Not hatin', just commentin' and curious... :smile:

 

[meanchicken]

They look nice (I guess).... what's the chance that they actually perform better? I guess I'm skeptical that those aftermarket (aluminum? or SS?) calipers had the engineering R&D (and corporate liability oversite) that the OEM pieces had regarding actual performance.... any subjective (or objective) comments on how they actually work... like a couple repeat, triple-digit haul-downs? Proper F/R balance?

Are those the stock pins that are holding them on? They appear to be... I would advise using some good anti-seize on those threads... SS or AL+MolySteel+extreme heat= SEIZED

Spacers suck...

Not hatin', just commentin' and curious... :smile:

Well, I overhauled the front brakes less than 2 years ago with all OE parts and the calipers were already sticking and driving me nuts with all the squealing. Didn't matter what pads I used or how much I gooped things up with anti-squeel....they squealed.

You'd be surprised....most of the design engineers working for these aftermarket companies are former big 3 designers, and the big 3 also source from many of these aftermarket companies for their own "high performance" catalog items.
For example...Edelbrock is the source for all the GMPP heads and intakes used on the GMPP crate motors.

I put the same dual piston SSBC brakes on the front of my 68 Camaro with their 10.5" rotors and it made a world of difference in stopping power. Worked so god I upgraded the rear brakes with SSBC 11.25" rotors and single piston calipers. I used an adjustable proportioning valve in that set up so i was able to dial in the F/R bias to fit my needs. Works great!

The calipers I installed on the GN are also dual piston and those and the rotors and the rest of the parts are all American made (I'm done with the chinese rotors and hardware kits sold over the counter). The pins came with the caliper set. Same size as stock pins, but I'm pretty sure SSBC sources them, themselves.

The braided lines are Global West.

I used some good Timken wheel bearings too.

In driving around yesterday, yes, the peddle has a much better feel and the car definitely slows its roll much faster. I've seen magazine tests with these brakes on first gen Camaro's and they improve the stopping distance by several feet and then some, which is all the difference in the world if you're coming in hot behind another vehicle at a light.

 

[turboc87gn]

Hey chicken i did the same as you only i got the red ones..i used summit rotors timken bearings i didnt have to grind anything its all in the angle you sllide them in on..I used hawk pads and kept the ones in the kit for spares..The original willwood calipers i bought didnt fit and i had already opened the hawks up...I didnt try my stock wheels i went aftermarket an didnt need a spacer i also used russell lines....Yours look good heres mine... http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/br...lt-factory-replacement-2-piston-calipers.html

 

[injdinjn]

The rotor and caliper look nice, what about the backing plate and grease cap gonna clean those up :biggrin:

The biggest advantage to HP brakes is in road racing conditions where you are using them a lot in a short period of time. For normal use and drag racing, if your brakes lock the wheels they are good enough.

Keep a eye on those braided lines. Guys with 3rd gens are finding them breaking at the connector. I don't know the brands but I know it's happened to 3 different brands of braided lines.

 

[psycho6cyl]

What was the damage approx frm ssbc? Ate you using powermaster or back set up... thx lookin gd

 

[meanchicken]

The rotor and caliper look nice, what about the backing plate and grease cap gonna clean those up :biggrin:

The biggest advantage to HP brakes is in road racing conditions where you are using them a lot in a short period of time. For normal use and drag racing, if your brakes lock the wheels they are good enough.

Keep a eye on those braided lines. Guys with 3rd gens are finding them breaking at the connector. I don't know the brands but I know it's happened to 3 different brands of braided lines.

This GN is a daily driven street fighter...dirt is part of its personality...
:biggrin:

Thanks for the tip on the steel braded lines. I'll be sure to inspect them periodically.
You do need to be careful to route them so that they do not get kinked, or rubbed. And they need a little more slack than the OE rubber lines do.

 

[meanchicken]

What was the damage approx frm ssbc? Ate you using powermaster or back set up... thx lookin gd

Caliper kit with both calipers, pads and hardware, Rotor kit (comes with both rotors and another set of pads), and steel braid flex lines all for $720 to my door from Summit.

 

[1quick6]

The 'cool factor' is very high on that project. Nice job.

 

[jlat]

hello people; How about a pic. with the wheels on.
IBBY

 

[meanchicken]

They're stock GN wheels...so you can't really see much through them...
I'll give it a shot.

 

[meanchicken]

Through my grungy, battle scarred, abused OE GN Wheels
Sans center caps....I don't wear center caps anymore...after going through $120 in replacements, I got tired of chasing them down road only to watch them get run over or otherwise rendered useless...

 

[turboc87gn]

Man those are close with the factory wheel mabye you can do the centers of your rotors black so you dont notice you lack of caps from a distance...

 

[jlat]

hello poeople; Thanks for the pic. and too bad you can't see more of them. But since you can't maybe highlight the SSBC somehow to help. And they do look close to the rim but it's probably just the picture.
good luck with them and keep us posted on your opinion of them.
IBBY
maybe a new set of rims would show them off. Add that to the list as I think everyone has one.

 

[TurboBuRick]

Pro and cons

Watch the bajo bolt on the calipers. When the wheel is turned all the way right or left, they will hit the frame.

I ran these for a little while but soon switched back to stock. I was afraid the bolts would be sheered off and I would be left brakeless.

FFT

 

[meanchicken]

Man those are close with the factory wheel mabye you can do the centers of your rotors black so you dont notice you lack of caps from a distance...

The pix mike it look closer than it actually is.
Where the minor interference occurred between the caliper and OE wheel was on the outer edge of the calper and the outermost radius of the wheel where the rim and outer wheel join. There was a slight rub. The 1/4 inch spacer fixed that.

hello poeople; Thanks for the pic. and too bad you can't see more of them. But since you can't maybe highlight the SSBC somehow to help. And they do look close to the rim but it's probably just the picture.
good luck with them and keep us posted on your opinion of them.
IBBY
maybe a new set of rims would show them off. Add that to the list as I think everyone has one.

I actually like the stock wheel on my GN. I might go for either some GTA wheels or these cool new wheels from Budnik at some point....we'll see.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/br...eels/320013-first-ever-alum-gn-rims-pics.html

Watch the banjo bolt on the calipers. When the wheel is turned all the way right or left, they will hit the frame.

I ran these for a little while but soon switched back to stock. I was afraid the bolts would be sheered off and I would be left brakeless.

FFT

I did check for full lock-to-lock turn without interference and while it was close....I didn't see any contact...I'll recheck. Thanks for the heads up.
I'll post some more pix of the close spots.

Since the rear brake circuit is isolated from the front brake circuit, you should still have some stopping power if you lost a front line, but....no bueno...

 

[jlat]

hello people; The wheel comment was to mean another wheel type would be able to show off those calipers. I kinda like the stock as I never had them. I own a T type.
IBBY

 

[meanchicken]

hello people; The wheel comment was to mean another wheel type would be able to show off those calipers. I kinda like the stock as I never had them. I own a T type.
IBBY

Hello person,:tongue:
Fully understood.
Thanks!