My 1LE is getting a better brake upgrade

[Firefighter]

I forgot all about the "activate the ABS technique" I've had to do it on several cars. I might have to go jam on the G8 now...

[Dropspeed]

Originally Posted by Firefighter

If I can pull it off financially I'm going to rebuild my calipers since I have a custom paint job on them. I plan on using the RB racing piston seal kits front and rear. They are designed to reduce heat.

When I measured my rotors I noticed some yellowing from heat and I'll be honest between work and life I did very little racing last year. So any heat was from "spirited" street driving.

This leads me to believe that heat can be an easily achieved issue with the CTS-V brake set up. Anything you can do to reduce heat is a good idea.

Any reason you wouldn't rebuild with the Z06 vented pistons instead of RB?

The Piston kits sell for about $110-$125 per caliper and the caliper temps can be reduced by up to 30C

Matt

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Dropspeed

Any reason you wouldn't rebuild with the Z06 vented pistons instead of RB?

The Piston kits sell for about $110-$125 per caliper and the caliper temps can be reduced by up to 30C

Matt

My main reasoning is that I want to do the rears too. There is no GM kit for the rears. I may still keep the GM parts as an option.

[Airway Monkey]

Great read guys. Thanks for all the great info!!

Matt

[Firefighter]

Does anyone know the part numbers for the actual Brembo/Ferodo brake pads for the ZL1? I'm wanting them original pads instead of the Delco replacements. I'm skipping the Hawks this time too...

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[Mgizzle]

Originally Posted by Firefighter

If I can pull it off financially I'm going to rebuild my calipers since I have a custom paint job on them. I plan on using the RB racing piston seal kits front and rear. They are designed to reduce heat.

When I measured my rotors I noticed some yellowing from heat and I'll be honest between work and life I did very little racing last year. So any heat was from "spirited" street driving.

This leads me to believe that heat can be an easily achieved issue with the CTS-V brake set up. Anything you can do to reduce heat is a good idea.

There is no way that spirited driving will overheat CTS-V brakes with DOT 4 fluid and the stock ferodo HP1000 pads unless you are doing some vey high speed hard ABS stops to almost zero, multiple dozen times, however if that is your concern the RB pistons will only make the system hotter, not cooler. Those pistons, like the ones dropspeed mentions, are designed to prevent brake fluid boil, nothing else. They help keep ur CALIPER cooler, not brake pads and rotor, by contacting less of the pad and so with less heat transfer into caliper/fluid.

Rear should be zero concern and you dont need the vented pistons or new seals. Actually the new seals are really hard to keep clean since any brake fluid contact eats them up while you bleed brakes. Have to keep them super clean, which is hard.

You can also just rebuild the dust boots without touching the pistons, just FYI.

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Mgizzle

There is no way that spirited driving will overheat CTS-V brakes with DOT 4 fluid and the stock ferodo HP1000 pads unless you are doing some vey high speed hard ABS stops to almost zero, multiple dozen times, however if that is your concern the RB pistons will only make the system hotter, not cooler. Those pistons, like the ones dropspeed mentions, are designed to prevent brake fluid boil, nothing else. They help keep ur CALIPER cooler, not brake pads and rotor, by contacting less of the pad and so with less heat transfer into caliper/fluid.

Rear should be zero concern and you dont need the vented pistons or new seals. Actually the new seals are really hard to keep clean since any brake fluid contact eats them up while you bleed brakes. Have to keep them super clean, which is hard.

You can also just rebuild the dust boots without touching the pistons, just FYI.

Well there was some discoloration like I said. I was speaking to some brake guys yesterday and the man's comment was that the pads being past 50% worn probably contributed more to that than anything else. Also I'm currently running the Hawks Ceramics in the yellow box. I'm going to switch to the Ferrodo 1000's with this brake job.

As to the pistons if I'm trying to keep heat out of the fluid and calipers the pistons would be my solution correct?

I just scored a set of the RB Performance rotors. Fellow member who upgraded to CC is selling them to me.

I'm on the fence if I'm going to do all 4 calipers or just the fronts for pistons.

If I use their high heat boots I should have no problem keeping them dry as I use the motive pressure bleeder with their catch bottles. When I did my initial upgrade I used RB's standard seal kits.

I need to decide how far I want to take this. My bank account is screaming for me to just do the Vette pistons up front. Logic is leading me that way too.

Who ever said that car guys were logical?

[Firefighter]

Did we ever get confirmation what the GM vented pistons are made of? SS or Aluminum?

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[AG1LE]

Originally Posted by Firefighter

Did we ever get confirmation what the GM vented pistons are made of? SS or Aluminum?

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I never got an answer on that one.

[Firefighter]

Originally Posted by AG1LE

I never got an answer on that one.

I am absolutely on the fence as to what I should do. Part of me wants to go all out and be done and another part of me wants to just do the GM pistons.

[Firefighter]

You know, I went a reread some of this thread and saw that it's $165 + tax per caliper. That figures to roughly $350 or so to do the front calipers. The RB Performance kit is a little over $100 more and arguably is a better design and definitely SS. The GM kit from the looks of it to me is still aluminum.

IMHO the RB kit is the way to go. The big question now is do the rears get done too?

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[Firefighter]

Just for reference...

This is a link to the front kit @ $475...

http://www.racingbrake.com/ProductDe...61BSP&CartID=2

This is a link to the rear kit @ $315...

http://www.racingbrake.com/ProductDe...42BSP&CartID=3

I'm heavily leaning towards going balls deep with this set up...

I'm planning to run the RB 2 piece rotors with the stock Brembo/Ferrodo pads for sure. The rotors are on the way and the pads are easy to get.

The piston kits have a high probability... I'll at the very least do new seals.

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[AG1LE]

Originally Posted by Firefighter

You know, I went a reread some of this thread and saw that it's $165 + tax per caliper. That figures to roughly $350 or so to do the front calipers. The RB Performance kit is a little over $100 more and arguably is a better design and definitely SS. The GM kit from the looks of it to me is still aluminum.

IMHO the RB kit is the way to go. The big question now is do the rears get done too?

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That was my conclusion as well. The RB kit and rotors are on my list.

[Firefighter]

Glad I snagged that deal on that used set of the rotors when I did. Saved a bunch of coin...

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