So I am having a brake dilemma. I currently have 15" rally wheels and a disc/drum setup with vacuum booster. With my new found power the car seems to stop ok, but I want to feel very confident behind the brake pedal and I don't. The car pulls to 120mph+ quickly and easily and thats only 3rd gear. I am pretty limited with the 15" wheels in both brake size and tire selection. I have considered rear disc swap, hydroboost, C5 wheels with spacers.......

I would really want a nice set of 18's and 13.3" front 12.9" rear C5/C6 brakes on the car. Then I can have a multitude of tire choices and fit some monster rotors. The problem is when I add up the cost my pocket started burning. It looks like wheels, tires and kore3 front/rear setup will cost ~5500.

I hate having to do things twice, because it always seems to waste money, buying the first setup and then buying the 2nd better setup. Are there even any decent 15" tires available. Is there some middle ground I can take? I dislike the C5 wheels idea because the large expensive adapters needed. I would like something that can handle track abuse and autocross. I've looked at the new Boss 338 wheels, because they are cheap and would at least allow me to upgrade the brakes, but I don't think they will take any abuse. Maybe 17's, keep what I have and go rear disc for now? I can't decide.

Any help?

Car setup:
LS1/T56 400+rwhp

Front:
SC&C stage II
750# springs w/ adjusters front
1 1/8" sway bar front
Full solid/derlin bushings
Afco 1020 Ex. Heavy

Rear:
175# 11" springs rear
Currectrac Lowers
BMR adjustable uppers w/ Wolfe Spherical bushings
BMR Control Arm Mount Braces
Afco 1031 Heavy
No Sway Bar

I had a similar problem, caught between the wheels and brakes i wanted, but I couldn't afford both... So I had to go with the wheels first, since the brakes wouldn't fit the previous wheels... Mine were only 17" wheels, but seeing the "small" stock discs made me focus on saving up for the big brakes as quickly as I could... I went to Manual C5 brakes, and it still felt as good or better than the stock Chevelle vacuum assisted (in great shape)...

IMO, I'd go for the wheels you want first... But I'd also talk to brake companies like Kore3, about brake clearance and Backspacing changes, to make sure you buy the correct wheels the first time...

Why spend the money on 15" tires (unless that ALL you can afford) when you know you want to go 18"...

I too had stock discs, and I spoke with Tobin at Kore3, about the difference in offset between the Kore3 swap and the stock Chevelle discs... So I knew how much I'd need to alter the BackSpacing to be "perfect" with the new C5 brakes (IIRC, about an additional 0.3" in track width, each side)... I then ordered my wheels to my specs calculating for the increased rotor hat,hub... Then, a few months later when I could afford it, I ordered the brakes... I only ordered the front brakes first, as the rear won't do alot, unless you have really tuned the suspension well (since you still have 15's and "inadequate" discs, I'd say you haven't). I ended up NEVER swapping to rear discs at all. I planned to, but I sold the car before it happened...


If you can't do both Wheels and brakes at once, then I'd just be responsible about how much power you unleash... Drive restrained until you get the upgrades you feel you need...

Unless you have a low-vacuum problem, adding the Hydroboost won't help much; you already have the vacuum booster. Correct me if I am wrong, but the Hydroboost doesn't significantly increase the brake clamping, it just uses Hydraulic fluid/pump instead of engine vacuum... Hydroboost for the final brake package, okay, but not ofr an interm measure...

Adding rear discs probably won't help much either, with typical weight transfer (semi-stock Chevelle), the rear drums probably do an adequate job...


I have seen some scary-fast cars running stock discs, or even 4-wheel drum brakes, but the owners weren't worried, because they knew how they needed to drive due to the brakes (well, some of those guys were just plain crazy, but most knew the cars limits)...

Just because you have all that power, doesn't mean you have to use it all right now...

$1498.00 13" CPP front and rears http://www.classicperform.com/NewProducts/2006/NewFiles/BigBrakeKit.htm
$1020.00 17" Torq Thrust II. (2)17x7 and (2) 17x9.5 ebay item 270238500655
$494.04 (2) Kuhmo Ecsta SPT 235/45/17 (2) 275/40/17 from Tire Rack.
-----------------
$3012.04 Total.

"Why You Crying?" :)

BMW wheels.

Andrew

Considering winter is about to close in on most of the country, I say if you don't need to drive your car, get the brake system you want first. That way when you have the money for wheels you can take actual measurements and be 100% sure they'll fit around your new brake system.

The first set of wheels I had on my El Camino were 17" Foose Nitrous wheels. The brakes were 12" discs I pulled off of a Pontiac station wagon in a junk yard. I eventually had enough money for the Baer brakes I wanted and sure enough, my 17" wheels didn't clear the calipers! Fortunately I was able to sell the 17" and move up to 18" wheels.

Something to consider before spending your money.

I also bought my wheels before the brakes, and had problems :clonk: Mine was a spoke/caliper interference problem, easily solved with 1/2" spacers... now, I don't feel confident at high speeds, knowing those 1/2" spacers are in there. :rolleyes:

Here's another thought... consider the 'vette wheels with adapters as a "cheap" alternative. The adapters will be easy to sell later, or keep them for when the budget allows to wrap them with some good R-compounds for track-days. :)

no adapters come on easy way out!!! get what you truely want one time for wheels honestly it will be easier on the pocket one time out. you can find used c5 brakes on ebay, junk yards etc for cheap and make your own kit!!! heck i got a list at home on part #'s you need to get if you want the list and i am sure derek has a list some where i bet. you can have drum hubs turned down to hold rotors correctly alot of guys have done this i know even 69boo aka brain english 69 chevelle had a homemade kit on it that worked well and was in popular hotroding. hit me up if you want i am building my own c5 kit and can help you out on some info etc. brandon

no adapters come on easy way out!!! get what you truely want one time for wheels honestly it will be easier on the pocket one time out. you can find used c5 brakes on ebay, junk yards etc for cheap and make your own kit!!! heck i got a list at home on part #'s you need to get if you want the list and i am sure derek has a list some where i bet. you can have drum hubs turned down to hold rotors correctly alot of guys have done this i know even 69boo aka brain english 69 chevelle had a homemade kit on it that worked well and was in popular hotroding. hit me up if you want i am building my own c5 kit and can help you out on some info etc. brandon

I would like anything you find out. Saving some money on the brake kit will definitely help.

The car had a Disc kit put on the front, when my brother owned it. I'm pretty sure it was the whole deal with new spindles. Any links to the other setups?

...get what you truely want one time for wheels honestly it will be easier on the pocket one time out. you can find used c5 brakes on ebay, junk yards etc for cheap and make your own kit!!!

That gives me an idea for you...

If you KNOW what brakes you want, just find out what Hub and rotor you need, and buy just those pieces... It should be pretty easy to swap hubs and slide a rotor in place to mock up what BS you need for wheels...

Places liek Kore3/Touring Specialties, etc usually have templates, with which you could check caliper clearances... Or ask those companies IF they know which wheels usually fit (brand and maybe even model)... I used the Kore3 template, and transferred it to a piece of sheetmetal and tried it on the actual wheels...

I agree, it can be scary buying the wheels first, but careful planning and measurements can work... I actually "wasted" about $50 buy buying a "standard" wheel (vintage Wheel Works) and trying it on my car as a mock-up... It let me really see how much I needed to change BS, and verify the "template" fit... Vintage credited me fully (no tire mounted), but I did have to pay shipping (the $50 to my house and back)...

Buying brakes first can be "safer", but your car won't be driveable until you get the wheels and tires too...

I lucked out last year, by finding the same wheels I wanted, "used"... they needed a little clean-up, but they're 17X9.5 Vintage V40s with 5.5 BS with 275/40 and 265/40 tires with nice tread... $600 for the set of 4... I polished them up, and swapped the 265s for 275/40 Drag radials (so I run the 275s all around)... Not only what I wanted (well, I really wanted 17X11s in back, but oh well, they fit my budget), but I can use them to mock up my other Chevelle when the time comes...

Don't you have a credit card??? You could get everything, and be showing us pictures next week!!! :D

I am trying to be wise and not use the CC as much as possible. It's very hard though.

I was looking on the PT board and came across an elcamino with Cragar Soft 8's in 17". I wonder if these will at least clear 12.9" C5 rotors. They are about $70 each and would allow me to upgrade the brakes. I guess I need to try and figure out if those would work with C5 brakes.

They have 17x8 w/ 4.5" BS
and 17x9 w/ 5"
I think those should fit.
http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/prod/large/crr-397_w.jpg

50/50% from what i know and have heard on clearing c5 brakes some 17's will some won't! i went with 18's and took the plung finally!!! now just waiting on wheels to come and gotta get autokraft pan.