ZL1 / CTS-V Brakes

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by 55Designs

Justice Pete I have a CTSV and my front rotors warped at 11k miles, 4 dealers and none of them would fix this under warranty. Dealer cost on rotors i think was $800 but nobody had stock so I got frustrated and had them wet stone ground on this machine. They came out great but still have a slight shimmy. and I want new rotors badly

Any suggestions I also don',t want to spend $1300 on rotors for a car i am keeping another 12 months max. Aftermarket makes rears but nobody makes fronts.

Il be honest from Day 1 i never was impressed with these CTSV brakes, I swapped out lines fluid and 3 versions of the HAWK pads, I am now running HPS Street pads, i swear my AMG C63 and old BMW M5 stop much better and have better initial bite.

Not sure what all these OEM parts cost today or how hard to get but id say a Brembo aftermarket or Baer might give better performance overall. I waited 2 months trying to get front rotors and no luck.

Let us know what turns out of for alternatives.

First from Brembo

29th January 2008 - Brembo Joins with Cadillac CTS-V to Introduce New Brake Technology

First Use of Dual-Cast Brake Discs in North America

Brembo took the opportunity of the North American International Auto
Show (NAIAS) today to showcase major original equipment (OE) fitments on two of America’s top performance vehicles, including the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V.

Long known as the supplier of high-performance brakes to the premier European auto manufacturers, Brembo achieved significant OE growth in North America the past six months with Harley Davidson, the American motorcycle icon, and now with unique new brake technology for Cadillac.

The 2009 Cadillac CTS-V will employ Brembo’s dual-Cast 14.5-in (370mm) rotor for the first time in North America, with six-piston monoblock front calipers. Unlike traditional cast iron discs, dual-cast discs are made of two materials – cast iron and aluminium – and offer many advantages, including a 15-20 per cent reduction in weight, greater driving comfort, less corrosion, wear and resistance to fade, and better braking performance.

The Dual-Cast floating brake disc has a cast-iron braking surface and an aluminum hat: ideally combining the advantages of heat-resistance provided by cast iron with the lightweight properties of aluminum. The innovation is in the way the two materials have been combined in a single component and in the behavior of the disc during operation. The rotor function effectively as an integral disc at low temperatures; then as a floating disc at high temperatures, when maximum performance is needed and distortion tends to occur. The Dual-Cast brake disc also responds to the demand for much lighter components, in combination with an improved feel when braking in extreme operating conditions, and with increased resistance to fatigue at higher temperatures. As a result, incidences of both transient and permanent thermal distortion can be significantly reduced. Transient deformation events occur typically when the brakes are applied, and the discs run hot; whereas permanent disc distortion is the main cause of vibration during braking in the vehicle.

Cast iron has optimum thermal properties — low deformability and good heat conductivity — as well as process-related advantages, such as superior castability and machineability. It also has practical advantages, like good damping properties. Aluminum, on the other hand, is advantageously lightweight, being 2½ times less dense than cast iron, with the result that the Dual-Cast disc can be made between 15 and 20 per cent lighter than its integral counterpart, depending on the application. This represents an important achievement, since auto manufacturers consider a one-kg reduction in overall weight to be a real success; and, even more so, when unsprung weight is reduced, given the notably positive influence on comfort and driving precision.

Brembo Co-Cast System for Cadillac

Unlike an integral disc, the Dual-Cast brake disc presents a symmetrical braking surface, favoring a more uniform temperature distribution when the brakes are applied: this means considerably less residual deformation after the brake is released. This effectively mirrors the performance capabilities of a floating disc, but without the number of components needed for a floating assembly.

By virtue of the properties characterizing the two Dual-Cast materials, this new disc succeeds in reducing wear both on the disc and on the pad in off brake condition. In addition to the North American OE, the past year has been an extraordinary one for Brembo as additional fitments have been achieved on Lexus’ top-performing IS-F, as well as the first ever Dual-Cast brake system for Maserati’s Quattroporte Sport GTS.

It appears that the OE dual cast rotors are available from the online houses and GM Dealers according to a recent post and my friends at Brembo. Rumor has it they are about $500 a pair.

So much for the good news. The bad news is that some CTS-V owners are seeing an issue with the dual cast rotors after intense use -- a slight vibration -- similar to yours. We did not have any issues with our CTS-V dual cast rotors.

[JusticePete]

Bump for EncoreCamaros

[JusticePete]

Bump for EncoreCamaros

[calbert1999]

If price was not a concern would you still recommend the CTS-V brakes or something else that's better?
My vehicle is being built up for clost to 1000hp. at the crank, not much driving time left for this year but most likely will need much better brakes next spring.
Considering, I've surpassed the power of the CTS-V by about 300+hp. would you suggest using the same brakes?

[yooper1901]

Great work JusticePete. I have been testing a new 2pc rotor designed for the OEM CTSV 6 piston calipers on my 04 CTSV at Road America.

We have three track days completed and will run Two more next weekend.

We are running the Cobalt Racing XR1 pads with 3" air ducts.

How many 5th Gens are running these calipers and what rotors and pads are being used?

Thanks

[Venom_SS]

Here's my install

[ParkerB57]

Will the C6 ZO6 rotors PN19121787 work on the Camaro, thanks

[nak3dsnake]

Originally Posted by ParkerB57

Will the C6 ZO6 rotors PN19121787 work on the Camaro, thanks

I'm not sure if they will. Well the bolt pattern on the C6 is 5x120.65mm, and the Camaro is 5x120. That 0.65 difference is about the width of a credit card. I don't even know the offset for the C6. Pete will have to chime in on this one.

[Chris_B]

Originally Posted by ParkerB57

Will the C6 ZO6 rotors PN19121787 work on the Camaro, thanks

No.

[ParkerB57]

Thanks

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Venom_SS

Here's my install

You can't go wrong with ligh weight rotors and Cobalt Friction pads. XR1 up front. Did you use XR2 or XR3 in the rear?

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Venom_SS

Here's my install

Those calipers look incredible!!!

[bpoirier]

Got mine done on Sunday. They look and work great.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by bpoirier

Got mine done on Sunday. They look and work great.

They do don't they? The best part is they are all GM parts

[full of days]

will I need different spindle caliper bolts for the cts-v upgrade in the front? If yes, what's the part number??




Also, what is the hawk pad Part Number for the cts-v front calipers and ss rear calipers? Are the OE CTS-V pads garbage for track/street duty?

[bpoirier]

The bolts that hold the brake caliper to the spindle are the same. I replaced them just for peace of mind. I think they were about $4 each. I got them at my local Cadillac dealer.

[full of days]

What do I need to be running for titanium shims on the back of the pads?? Is there a PN or link someone can point me to?

[jpgolf14]

Does anyone know the caliper overhang on these guys front and rear? I'm looking for the distance from the rotor friction surface to the outer face of the caliper. I need this for wheel spoke fitment.

Thanks,

John

[JDP Tech]

Here are some measurements for the front calipers. The rears are just the stock Camaro SS calipers.



- Jeremy

[jpgolf14]

Thanks for the measurements. Looks like they are slightly narrower than the aftermarket brembos. This is actually for a thirdgen Camaro application. So those are just slightly wider than my current Wilwoods and should just fit my wheels.

Since I don't have a 5th gen to measure, would it be possible to provide the friction surface to outer face distance of the rear stock SS/CTS-V calipers as well?

Thanks,

John

[JDP Tech]

I'm getting right near 2" off the rotor face to the highest part of the SS/CTS-V rear caliper.

- Jeremy

[Bruce@raymondsperformance]

Here is a ctsv brake uprade on a camaro that we just finished up.The first pic.is of the new front set up,the second pic. is the new rear set up using the OEM caliper and the last pic. is of the stock camaro front before we started.

[jpgolf14]

Looks awesome. Did you guys machine the slots in those? They look like stock rotors otherwise.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by jpgolf14

Looks awesome. Did you guys machine the slots in those? They look like stock rotors otherwise.

I can see Bruce's fingerprints all of this. Knowing Bruce, you bet he did.

[Bruce@raymondsperformance]

Originally Posted by jpgolf14

Looks awesome. Did you guys machine the slots in those? They look like stock rotors otherwise.

We had a race shop do the slotting for us,since we could not find a good source for matching front and rear rotors.Besides they were just waiting on the new Indy cars to be delivered anyway.