megaladon6 said:
blazer vs LS1: the blazer gets you almost exactly the same thing as the LS, but it's MUCH cheaper, and is a direct fit to the car. IIRC the LS setup requires mods to the spindle. the blazer swaps out the spindle, but is direct fit and the same geometry, but adds the advantage of sealed hubs and no mods necessary. it also allows 15in rims. you also have the advantage of matched parts and easy replacement.
It's highly debatable that the Blazer setup gets you "almost exactly" the same thing as LS1 brakes.
LS1 brakes use 12" rotors, with a thickness of 1.27".
To be honest, I don't know the thickness of the Blazer rotors, but the Blazer ones are 11"
The LS1 calipers are aluminum(lighter), although they do use slightly smaller pistons(44mm).
The parts are matched and easily replaceable on the LS1 system as well.
Modifications are necessary, yes.
Saying that LS1 brakes are "almost exactly" the same thing as Blazer brakes is like saying that Blazer brakes are "almost exactly" like stock G-body brakes.
I'm not saying that LS1 brakes are "better". There's no such thing as "better". Individuals need to select the braking systems that will work the best for them, and for what they're using the car for.
Also, whether or not sealed bearings are "an advantage" is pretty debatable.
megaladon6 said:
to revisit 10in piston vs 3x3in think about it, how do you fit a 10in diameter piston in there?
Fit a 10" piston in WHERE? That's the thing. We're speaking theoretically. Nobody is going to be putting 10" calipers into their g-body. Hell, nobody is going to be putting a triple 3" piston calipers in their g-body either. Take, for example, C6 Z06 brakes. They're 6 piston calipers, but three of them(one side) only really matter. They only use 33mm pistons (1.299") for a reason. Using smaller bore multipiston calipers can't be considered an advantage because "it fits the pad better" in some imaginary application. We don't know what the application is, therefore we can't say its an advantage.
Its pointless to talk about it. I understand what you mean, and you're really saying the same thing I am. You're just saying "it fits the pad better" I'm saying: "It distributes the force better". Yes, multi-piston calipers will tend to be radially lower profile which may allow you run smaller diameter wheels. I've acknowledged that. Virtually all g-body brake swaps are multi-piston so its not really an issue. In the context of the OPs question about stopping power, wheel fitment doesn't figure in.
megaladon6 said:
IIRC the s-10 has the same frame as the g-body's and with the same engine they will have the same front weights. or the s-10 will be heavier as the body is larger, and there may be more reinforcement
huh? corvette=3000lbs camaro=3500 same as the g-body's
like i said, almost every other car company uses sealed bearings, with great success. it's only GM that i see with major quality issues.
I don't know of any S10s coming with cast iron V8s???
I'd love to drop 500 lbs off the front of my g-body.
Regardless, my point about weight was that the Blazer is probably lighter in the front than most stock g-bodies (assuming a v8 g-body). My second point was: Keep your modifications in mind. If you have more weight in the front than a stock g-body, you're going to wear your bearings even faster (SEALED OR NOT).
Also consider how you're using the car. the bearings may last 60K miles with granny driving, but when you're ripping around corners with high speed, or lifting your front wheels off at the track, they may wear out in short order. How short depends on how hard you're beating on the car (specifically the front end).
Lastly, GM bearings are what we're dealing with here, and its their durability that is being questioned, not the durability of other automakers bearings.
