Is the Grand AM brake upgrade worth it? (Page 1/6)
Threedog SEP 14, 07:14 PM
It looks like I am going to be needing new front Brakes pretty soon, and I am wondering if I should bite the bullet and spend around $300 on the brake upgrade, or just get new slotted/drilled discs and nice brakes for $100.

The car doesn't have to be the best stopping car in the world, but it will be doing autocross often, I already have 17inch rims, and it has a 3800 in it. Is it worth it?
blackrams SEP 14, 10:07 PM
Just my opinion but no when compared to the C4 Vette brake upgrade. You won't believe the difference. Not sure who's doing the kits any longer but, I'll bet Fieroguru can tell you. Pretty sure he was building the conversion brackets for a while and redrilling the rotors. The C4 Vette upgrade will put your car into the World Class braking category. I've put it on three different Fieros and love it on my 3800SC Formula.

That braking power is well worth it on the auto X course.

Edited: I see that you're running 17" wheels, that's good in this case. For the C4 upgrade, you will need at least 16" wheels.

------------------
Ron

Isn't it strange that after a bombing, everyone blames the bomber, his upbringing, his environment, his culture, his mental state but … after a shooting, the problem is the gun?

My Uncle Frank was a staunch Conservative and voted straight Republican until the day he died in Chicago. Since then he has voted Democrat. Shrug

[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 09-14-2015).]

Threedog SEP 14, 10:47 PM
How much does that run?



quote
Originally posted by blackrams:

Just my opinion but no when compared to the C4 Vette brake upgrade. You won't believe the difference. Not sure who's doing the kits any longer but, I'll bet Fieroguru can tell you. Pretty sure he was building the conversion brackets for a while and redrilling the rotors. The C4 Vette upgrade will put your car into the World Class braking category. I've put it on three different Fieros and love it on my 3800SC Formula.

That braking power is well worth it on the auto X course.

Edited: I see that you're running 17" wheels, that's good in this case. For the C4 upgrade, you will need at least 16" wheels.
rogergarrison SEP 15, 07:52 PM
I never had any trouble with OEM brakes even from high speed stops. Prob not good for competition driving though. I went completely thru my Ferrari kits brakes with new OEM parts, not even with vented rotors. I never even wore out the replacement pads in 8 years and 100,000 miles. For the street, I never knew why anyone had to upgrade to anything.
Threedog SEP 15, 08:23 PM

quote
Originally posted by rogergarrison:

I never had any trouble with OEM brakes even from high speed stops. Prob not good for competition driving though. I went completely thru my Ferrari kits brakes with new OEM parts, not even with vented rotors. I never even wore out the replacement pads in 8 years and 100,000 miles. For the street, I never knew why anyone had to upgrade to anything.



Yeah but I am worried that the harsh repeated stopping that I have to with Autocross will be too much for the already weak OEM brakes.
Gall757 SEP 15, 08:40 PM
Where is Patrick? He should know the answer to this......having autorcossed a few Fiieros.
Threedog SEP 15, 10:10 PM

quote
Originally posted by Gall757:

Where is Patrick? He should know the answer to this......having autorcossed a few Fiieros.



What is his Username? I could just PM him, doubtful he sees this.
Monkeyman SEP 15, 10:56 PM

quote
Originally posted by Threedog:

What is his Username? I could just PM him, doubtful he sees this.



Patrick.
TopNotch SEP 15, 11:04 PM
In spirited driving, such as on our club's Run For The Hills events, OEM 84-87 brakes sometimes overheat, and give off that burning brake pad smell. I never had that problem with my 86 SE, with the Grand Am package on the front, and the Grand Am/Seville mod on the rear.
batousai666 SEP 17, 04:07 PM
\m/ YEEEEEEEEES!!!! \m/
I have a 3800 SC Mera and a '86 V8 GT and they are almost necessary period!!
i drive like an ape....so stopping is as important as HP for me