Which brakes should I gonwith

[JCutlass 88]

I want to upgrade my factory set up. I have 2inch drop spindles in the front with single adjustable qa1 coilovers in all four corners. I have a 8.5 rear end and want to do a disk brake conversion. Which set up will work best to upgrade front and rear with 15” wheel. Thinking wil wood, strange, or c5 conversion. Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[MC96]

Well a c5 wont fit under a 15" so axe that

 

[JCutlass 88]

Well a c5 wont fit under a 15" so axe that

How big of a wheel would I need?

 

[81cutlass]

ls1 fronts fit under SOME 15" and most 16" wheels. I have ls1 fronts and pontiac 15x4.5" ralleys and they clear but I have to run a 1" spacer since the caliper sticks out and fits the wheel center. A traditional 15x7 wheel with like 5" of BS and a 1" spacer would work with a little grinding on the cooling fins like 4th gen F body guys do for front runners.

I have heard reports of buick T type and monte carlo SS wheels clearing also on stock ls1 brakes. If you have a wheel with a lot of relief around the caliper you might have a shot. Most steel wheels don't work.

Otherwise the 2wd blazer is as good as you get. Willwood and others make big brake kits and even big piston calipers that bolt onto the stock spindle and reuse the rotor, but going bigger brakes is a twofold effect, bigger caliper for more clamping force and bigger diameter rotor for more torque and more pad contact area. Nobody makes a 15" tire that isnt rock hard anyways that fit our cars. I lock my 235/60's up on my cutlass with stock junk so going to good brakes only gets you so much with a 15" tire. You almost have to go to a 16" wheel if not 17" to get anything sticky enough where big brakes do much.

 

[MTP-Madmat]

I’m going to be changing over to blazer spindles and drop springs and want to use C5 brakes. I already have 17” wheels that I know will clear. What I really need is someone with the caliper adapters to trace the bracket and scan a full size copy to me. I’m trying to keep this on a budget and a piece of steel with a couple holes drilled an tapped is easy enough to make. Would anyone be willing to do that?

 

[roger1]

15" wheels - go with Blazer brakes
16" wheels - go with LS1 brakes
17" wheels - go with C5 brakes

Here's my LS1 brake install:
https://www.elcaminocentral.com/showthread.php?p=2479290#post2479290

 

[MTP-Madmat]

15" wheels - go with Blazer brakes
16" wheels - go with LS1 brakes
17" wheels - go with C5 brakes

Here's my LS1 brake install:
https://www.elcaminocentral.com/showthread.php?p=2479290#post2479290

I’ve read this thread before. I decided to go with C5 brakes on blazer spindles for 2 reasons. One being to correct the geometry with lowering springs, taller ball joints and adjustable upper control arms. And two since I have 17” wheels and will go 18” in the future I want the biggest brakes possible with minimal track width change. I already had to cut and flare the fenders to fit 315’s all around.

 

[motorheadmike]

For me? LS1 brakes - all day, every day. No Corvette tax for starters. Replacement parts and consumables are plentiful. They are a very suitable to the car you are adapting them too. I've found them to be a very capable, balanced, and predictable set up over the years - just the right amount of initial bite and inspiring progressive pedal feel mixed with a hair of good judgement through the absence of over-confidence (durr durr I have 17" rotarssss and 16 pot calipahs).


Plus, they will force you into buying better tires when you get bigger wheels - which are still the only things touching the road.