Looking to upgrade the braking on my 03 'L'

Complete front upgrade - rotors and calipers
Rear rotors.
Stainless lines.


So who do you think makes the best upgrade kit which will fit within the stock rims.
Any links would be a great help.

Thanks Guys. Ricki.

 

Ricki, you have been around here long enough to know that without more information -- like your driving habits, your budget, etc, -- the question cannot be intelligently answered. Yeah, you will get the usual snapperhead "my setup works great posts" from people who would never even tax the stock setup, but how will that advance your knowledge? If that's what you want, just do a subject-only search and look at the previous 1,247 answers to this exact same question.

Now, so we can make this more meaningful than the typical "which wax is best" post, tell us what you are looking for. What is an "upgrade" to you? Why do you want to "upgrade?"

 

I think Tim summarizes all of the options very well on his web site.

Brakes aren't cheap. Brakes you use really aren't cheap. Asfar as I know, no one has been unhappy with a brake upgrade.

Coldie

 

Well Tim the problem is I can get any number of upgrade kits delivered to my door, just like you guys can in the US, problem I want to do the work once and not have to **** about after changing to another make.

I can get Brembo, Willwood, Baeur (I think that how yer spell it) HiSpec, AeroSpace, whatever.

The stock brakes are fine if yer just potter about and have a stock motor, but when your packing some horsepower you need brakes to match.

Driving habits - well you don't put in a built motor and look for a 15 sec pass do ya, you want to break low 11's and get 10's after a bit more $$$ and tune.
Plus it's daily driver and the ricer's need to be put into place (Hot Hatch Brigade as we call them here)
I like to drive it hard when the conditions allow (No coment's please as I have five kids already Ha Ha so all is well in that department ) and require a better performance from the stopping department, Jim has done a great job with the motor and I am pleased with my work on the install and preparation - I just need some decent anchors.

So forget uprated stock rotors and aftermarket junk.
I want to install a good quality upgrade to give the best possible braking.
4 piston minimum or maybe 6 (Don't think 8 piston will fit within stock rims)
The cost budget is "whatever it takes"

I require a good quaility setup which will give me a much beter braking than the stock system will, minimal fade with top quality drilled & vented rotors.

BTW Tim I like those wheels on your truck

 

Unless you are open tracking the truck (or decending down a long mountain road), you will not run out of brake to begin with. I don't care how much HP you have, or how fast you trap in the quarter mile, the stock brakes can slow it down just fine. You won't be hitting the gravel traps.

Further, unless you are running both sticky race tires and hardcore racing pads, a performance brake system will not appreciably decrease the single-stop distance from any speed less than serious triple digits (and you can add both of those things to the stock brakes just as easily). To the contrary, I suspect that most BBKs will actually increase the single-stop distance due to introducing a mismatch between the front and rear braking forces. Upgraded brakes are for repeated high-speed stops, which is where the stockers fall flat on their face.

Sure, everyone thinks that they got shorter single-stop distances from a BBK, but who has actually taken the time to measure? The plain fact is that any brake service makes you think that the brakes are working better. Whether they really are is another matter.

Since you apparently do not open track, any performance braking system will fill your needs. There is simply no way to overdrive any aftermarket brakes if you are not on a race track (and I mean a real track, as in one with turns). I know that you don't want to hear this, and it's contrary to BBK marketing hype, but for the reasons above, that's just a fact.

In the U.S., TCE's Wilwood kit offers a great value. For cost-is-no-object in the U.S., due to a wide variety of pad choices and cheap replacement rotor costs (allowing you to run serious rotor-eating race pads all the time), the TCE kit is still probably the best option.

Stop-Tech, Alcon, Baer, etc all make cool brakes. But for my money, you can't beat the reputation, OEM-spec quality, and racing bling factor of Brembos. Brembo's 4-pot system fits under the stock wheels fine. They should be at least as available in Europe as in the U.S.

So buy whatever system you find to have the best combination of looks, availability of replacement parts in the U.K., and price. They all will work well for you.

 

Drilled rotors are for show and not go. If you don't track the truck don't waist the money on a BBK unless you just want to look at them. Tim is correct the TCE system is the best for the money and you can't go wrong with any of the top aftermarket systems. If you don't do Auto-X or Road course work save your money.


Tim,

Just FYI.......I track my C6 (in fact I'm an instructor now) six or seven times a year and the stock calipers (alum) work great with cooling ducts, better fluid, and race pads. The rotors we run are directional veined and replacements are available through Rockauto.com for $19.95 each! I get four weekend events out of a set running race pads (Wilwood H pads) . In the L I would use up a set of rotors and a set of pads every track weekend for a total close to $500.00. I have six weekends on the set of H pads I'm running now and there is still more than half left on them. As much as I loved the L the Vette is mush easier (lesss expensive) to track.


Jerry

 

I will chime in with my .02 which is probably worth more like .002. I do not open track my truck but I do visit the dragstrip regularly. I have found after repeated "hot laps" that is, making a run, getting back in line and making another run, rinse and repeat, etc etc., that I experience what I believe is referred to as brake fade. I end up having to press the brakes harder to the point that the ABS kicks in. Usually I can make the first turnoff early in the event but end up having to take the second turnoff as my number of runs increases. Overall I am still happy with the brakes but I would like better pedal "feel". The pedal now feels kind of "mushy" even if the actual brake performance is fine. Would stainless lines firm up the brake feel somewhat?

 

Keep the comments and driver feedback comming.

I have a Ford Transit here in the UK yeah ok it's not a lightning, but I can load that up to 3.5 tonne GVW. ok it only has a 2.5 turbo direct injection diesel for power however it's wide track and good suspension make for a usefull ride even when loaded on back roads.

The main point is - It Stops. When you hit that centre pedal (It's a manual box) it dives down and bites and never suffers from fading brakes - ok it hasn't got 550bhp either. The front discs are large, vented and fitted with good calipers

A fact proven that the stock Lightning brakes need a little bit of upgrade unless you drive around like *****cat or an old woman, these trucks need a little more in the stopping department - the Transit Brakes are Bigger.

Anyway as a temporary measure I have ordered a set of replacement front & rear rotors & pads, my UK suppliers have obtained them from Lightning Performance so we will see how that improves braking.

Thanks for you info & comments guys.

Ricki

 

In theory, yes. But our brakes are so mushy to begin with, I'm not sure that the difference would be noticeable.

People often overestimate the ballooning of modern stock lines. Nowadays, many stock lines have steel or kevlar braid. So they are like stainless lines to begin with, they just don't have the stainless outer braid.

That being said, I am installing stainless lines all the way around (have had them on the front since to Brembo swap). Partly for performance, partly for looks, and partly just for the satisfaction in knowing that I have done everything that I can to make the brakes better.

 

Someone is 44 today. I wonder who?


Jerry

 

 

Tim,
Are you using someone's kit for the rear (braided/stainless) or are you going custom?

TB

 

The lightningbrakeperformance full meal deal.