78 GMC caballero (elky love)

[liquidh8]

Had a busy past few days myself. We had a warm day yesterday, but I had yard work a dog sh*ts to clean up, .

The strong arm bushing adapter was good idea. I am anxious to see how the air ride install pans out for you. I agree, that the front shock relocation that most bagged s trucks and g-bodies do is kinda hokie,

Did you flame out on the brakes?

 

[the ghoul]

Nope, just been pulled away from the shop.

 

[liquidh8]

I have a doctors appt tomorrow, gonna stop at the steel place and get some round tubing for my rotisserie. Then the weekend will have me doing some much needed repair to the wife's Chevy venture.

 

[the ghoul]

Dang, ran out of shield gas and wire working on the second frame rail.

On the plus side the front bracket I have been developing looks like it needs one more small tweak and it will be ready (I'd like to see more air between the hanger and rotor)

And, it looks like my rear big brake conversion is done!

Basically you install the ls1 f-body backer plates with the caliper mounts facing forward, than the 1/2" shim goes between the backer plate and axle flange, than on the back side of the axle flange you put the 1/4" spacer than the 3/8" caliper bracket.

This whole thing will allow you to run zo6 rear rotors on your gm 10bolt axle and still retain parking brake using the ls1f-body backer plates, calipers, and hangers (PAB). All without having to cut your backer plates (in case you want to re-sell them one day)
OR
will allow you to convert your rear drum setup to rear disc without having to buy the backer plates (if you don't care about parking break)
OR
*with a little more research*
Will allow you to run zo6 rear rotors on your 4th gen f-body

Pm me if you'd like to get a cheap set to try out and give me feedback on....
I still haven't researched what parking brake lines/brackets will adapt these to g-bodys

 

[liquidh8]

I tell ya what, that looks awesome! I have the LS1 rears on a 9", using a Big bearing Ford bolt spacing. I am sure it was different than the LS1. I bet the 4th gen guys would be ALL over this!

Oh, and the pass through holes in the frame rails look sic.

 

[motorheadmike]

Umm... I am not feeling the large rotor/displaced caliper design. The advantages of a larger diameter rotor's swept area are not being properly utilized. You are going to need the matching calipers to make this work well.

 

[the ghoul]

Umm... I am not feeling the large rotor/displaced caliper design. The advantages of a larger diameter rotor's swept area are not being properly utilized. You are going to need the matching calipers to make this work well.

Will work better than the ls1 rotors at a fraction of the price of a full corvette setup. That's all I was looking for

 

[L.A.X-RATED]

music to my ears!!! 8)looks GREAT!!! the plot thickens!!!..... :wink:

 

[motorheadmike]

Umm... I am not feeling the large rotor/displaced caliper design. The advantages of a larger diameter rotor's swept area are not being properly utilized. You are going to need the matching calipers to make this work well.

Will work better than the ls1 rotors at a fraction of the price of a full corvette setup. That's all I was looking for

This is where we are going to be in complete disagreement.

You would be much better off running an up-spec'd set of pads (ie. Hawk) with high quality rotors (ie. Brembo blanks) that fit the stock LS1 setup as it was designed, vice creating an irregular contact patch (an subsequent wear) on the rotor's swept surface.

I'd really suggest that you either size down your rotors to properly fit the calipers as they were designed, or up-size your calipers to suit the rotors you want to run (ie. 2009-up CTS-V or 2010-up Camaro SS - both are affordable Brembos).

I challenge anyone to prove to me that the LS1 F-body brakes (front and rear) with minor upgrades are inadequate for a street/strip G-body.

 

[the ghoul]

Well then feel free to not run them.
There are also guys that say there is no point going disc brake in the rear to begin with. So each their own.

As far as my situation, the car will be on air so I won't be auto crossing it or track racing it. I could have very easily and cheaply not upgraded any thing on the system and been just fine. I did these swaps and conversion to see if I could and if it would work. If I chew up pads/rotors like crazy or if its a pain down the road I'll deal with it then. Since its not my daily driver or a dedicated race car I'm not going to worry about optimization, especially since I have about $400 total tied up into the front and rear....