Went to the bridge to Palm Island and snapped the perfect "after" picture with South Beach in the background.
Before (back in Nov. 09):
After (today):
People: I HAVE BRAKES. Everything before today was just pretending...!!!
Clem and I took many build pix which will be posted in this thread. I also want to give a thumbs up to Carlos and Phil from Mr. Mechanic in Hialeah, FL. Check out their website (which I made): http://www.mrmechanicinc.com
[This message has been edited by yellowstone (edited 06-15-2010).]
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07:28 PM
yellowstone Member
Posts: 9299 From: Düsseldorf/Germany Registered: Jun 2003
It took me about 5 hours to clean everything up and paint it. Installation took about 8 hours over 2 days. The instructions could be more detailed and the pieces could have been marked left/right...
I paid the shop $450 for labor but I helped and they never charge me "normal" prices.
Is that a stock Vette rotor or a Wilwood or some such?
Regards,
David
The rotor in the pic are Baer 2-piece Corvette 13" rotors using the C5 calipers and pads. As you mentioned the 1-piece Corvette rotors are extremely heavy, but upgrading to a 2-piece will shave at least 10 pounds (I think?) compared to stock. I have a Corvette 1-piece rotor, but it's on the car.
The Viper 13" rotor weighs 17 lbs per wheel while the 13" Vette rotors are MUCH heavier, I think the front Vette rotor is 27 lbs and the rear Vette rotor is probably lighter than 27 lbs. We weighed the rotors on a shipping scale several years ago, but I cannot remember the Vette's weights. Also, I cannot find the Vette 13" rotor weight on the Internet; maybe someone else can. The weight difference is so significant that WCF no longer offers them, but I am sure if you really want them, WCF will supply them.
David
Are you referring to C4 or C5 Vette rotors? The only way 13"(12.75") C5 Vette setup weighs 27lbs is if you include the calipers, pads, and brackets. My C5 rotors weigh ~18-19lbs. I don't know what a C4 13" rotor weighs.
Damn those are heavy. I'm using stock 12" vette rotors. They weigh in at 12-13lbs each. I'd bet the 2 piece are easily under 10 lbs each. For that much weight I don't need the extra inch of rotor. Whatever works though.
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01:23 PM
Fieroseverywhere Member
Posts: 4242 From: Gresham, Oregon USA Registered: Mar 2006
Yours is easy. Simple adapters and 12"-13" vette rotors is all you need. You can keep your stock calipers and master. Upgrades for the 88's are super simple and still work very well.
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01:25 PM
PFF
System Bot
Jun 17th, 2010
Fierobsessed Member
Posts: 4782 From: Las Vegas, NV Registered: Dec 2001
Actually, in normal driving conditions, there's not much difference.
Brake travel is about the same (stock master cylinder) and the braking is smooth and gradual. The car doesn't veer to any side when braking. The brakes are quieter because the drilled and slotted rotors I had before made a weird whooshing sound.
But just stepping on them a bit more will send everything in the cabin flying forward. The brakes lock up quite easily but not so quickly that it would be dangerous.
The turning radius is not much diminished but to achieve that we relocated the front shock inwards and cut off the outer part of the mounting bracket. I have pix of this that I will publish here.
The ebrake works well and the "one-click to lock" operation is much nicer than the stock Fiero design. The ebrake cable now passes close to the exhaust pipe but I made a protective wrapping for it.
Overall, nice everyday usability with a LOT of safety margin.
I'm happy.
[This message has been edited by yellowstone (edited 06-17-2010).]
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09:41 AM
yellowstone Member
Posts: 9299 From: Düsseldorf/Germany Registered: Jun 2003
Several options. D1S (13" Corvette), WCF (Viper 13"), Held's 13", and a few homebrews 13". I have D1S 13" on an 88, but D1S is currently having communication issues. You'll save more monies using an homebrew kit (if offered) but I don't know of any issues concerning those kits and neither do I regarding WCFs.
Future plan 13/14 combo; You'll need big boy rims to clear the 14" rear rotor and 18" for the fronts, but certain 17" will clear a 13" rotor.
58.5 pounds total weight for 13/14 combo
14" weight
13" weight
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11:08 PM
Jun 21st, 2010
yellowstone Member
Posts: 9299 From: Düsseldorf/Germany Registered: Jun 2003
Starting with the front, we first took the old stuff off.
The dust shields were cut to size and spray painted quickly:
Front hub installed (with new wheel bearings):
New rotor installed:
Adapter bracket installed:
What's important here when using the WCF kit is that the round aluminum bushings (is that the right word?) are not of equal length since the front Fiero spindles seem to be different on each side (or the Corvette calipers are). Both of he longer ones go on the drivers side while the shorter ones go on the passenger side.
New caliper installed:
[This message has been edited by yellowstone (edited 06-21-2010).]
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08:19 AM
yellowstone Member
Posts: 9299 From: Düsseldorf/Germany Registered: Jun 2003
Now on to the back. This is much simpler and was much quicker (until we got to the ebrake setup).
Take the old rotor and caliper/bracket off.
Cut the little tab or "ear" off the upright:
Also, cut or grind the "ears" on the lower A-arm in front of the ball joint as they will hit the rotor when the car is lowered to the ground (no picture).
Then cut the dust shield to size:
Install new rotor:
Install adapter bracket, caliper bracket, and new caliper:
Connect brake hose to caliper.
Bleed brakes while turning each front caliper upside down in turn due to the bleeder screws being on the bottom of the caliper with this setup.
[This message has been edited by yellowstone (edited 06-21-2010).]
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09:08 AM
PFF
System Bot
yellowstone Member
Posts: 9299 From: Düsseldorf/Germany Registered: Jun 2003
Now on to the ebrake setup. The rear C4 calipers that came with the kit already had the ebrake integrated. The Fiero cables hook right up but the routing of the cables is changed. A nice side effect of that is that the (ugly) cables are no longer visible from behind the car.
Remove the stock Fiero cables from their original location.
Loosen the ebrake bracket in the rear drivers side wheel well and reroute the cable:
Drill 1/2" holes in the subframe and push cables through:
Connect them next to the oil pan just as they used to be before the relocation:
I made a sleeve for the ebrake cable where it passes the exhaust to protect it:
Hook up the cables at the at the calipers (much quicker written than done!):
Drill a 3/16" screw hole in the drivers side wheel well to attach the ebrake bracket in the appropriate location (no picture).
Adjust the cables as necessary. Remember that with the new ebrake setup, the ebrake handle only goes up one notch. Do not snap your cables by doing it the old Fiero way!
[This message has been edited by yellowstone (edited 06-21-2010).]
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