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Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 5:04 am
by Navy Lifer
Here's an item transferred from the G8 Forum--some of you are also on the Facebook in the Chevy Caprice PPV - Owners & Fans group, where Scott Abramson just completed an installation using a GM kit. Full details are there for you to read through, if you use FB. The kit is offered as an upgrade for Gen6 Camaro V6 to add 345mm slotted rotors with red Brembo calipers, similar to Gen6 Camaro SS. Scott added new Raybestos R-300 series PPV front rotors with a unique slotting pattern for his installation. Photos in the thread link, also posted to this thread.

Here's the link for the G8 Forum thread: http://www.g8board.com/forums/7-suspens ... ption.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For further discussion for PPV only, please post here.

Since the PPV already uses the 345mm rotor, the only real changes are the calipers & pads. For a G8 GT or G8 V6 owner, the 345mm package represents more of an upgrade vs PPV owner doing basically a caliper change. That said, the real difference will be what it does for weight reduction--Brembo aluminum calipers vs the PPV's OE cast iron calipers & brackets, as well as the Brembo fixed piston caliper design vs PPV OE floating calipers, as it effects pedal feel. The Brembo caliper uses D1474 brake pads, same as found on Gen5/Gen6 Camaro SS and on Chevy SS sedan.

The more common Brembo upgrades, using 355x32 or 370x34 rotors also represent a potential requirement for a wheel change. While it's true the 4-piston/355x32 package fits & clears the OE PPV steel wheel, many have opted to change wheels, often using one of the various versions of the Camaro 18" production aluminum wheels. This "new" brake upgrade option should work with any of these Camaro wheels--no need to move to 19" or 20" just to clear brakes, since the 345mm option has a more compact caliper than the 355mm brake package.

As reiterated several times in both the G8 Forum and Facebook discussions, the GM kit mentioned is not fully compatible--the rotors in the kit will not work with the PPV (Zeta) suspension, since the rotor offset (hat height) is for the Gen6 Camaro (Alpha) suspension. The calipers are complete (pads, pin kit, bolts & hoses), painted red, with a Chevy (bowtie) Performance logo, so they are at least useable straight out of the box on a PPV rotor.

Since the calipers are already Chevy friendly, this will save on having to prep/paint a set of Cadillac calipers. The rotors in the GM kit could probably be sold to a Gen6 Camaro SS owner to recoup some of the kit cost, so buying the kit to source the calipers IS a possible option.

The bottom line is whether, as a PPV owner, it would be considered a true upgrade to change to the Brembo calipers while keeping the 345mm rotors--increased rotor mass being the true measure of brake performance improvement, the "hybrid" nature of adding the Brembo Alpha calipers to stock PPV rotors may not be for everyone....certainly the results for a G8 owner will be seen as more beneficial compared to a PPV owner, especially since they can use their OE 18" or 19" aluminum wheels. For the PPV, it comes down to total cost for each option vs the "bang for the buck" provided by sticking with 345 rotors or moving up to 355 rotors. The cost of wheel & tire changes, caliper refinishing, etc have to be considered in the decision, to make a call on whether to go 345 or 355.
GM kit 23245470 - rotors in this kit cannot be used on PPV/Zeta chassis.  Some GM sources may list this kit as discontinued, but that is not the case--assets may be limited, but the kit IS available, for about $400, depending on where you buy.
GM kit 23245470 - rotors in this kit cannot be used on PPV/Zeta chassis. Some GM sources may list this kit as discontinued, but that is not the case--assets may be limited, but the kit IS available, for about $400, depending on where you buy.
4-piston Alpha brakes.jpg (115.4 KiB) Viewed 25361 times
345 Brembo1.jpg
345 Brembo1.jpg (62.51 KiB) Viewed 25361 times
345 Brembo2.jpg
345 Brembo2.jpg (38.24 KiB) Viewed 25361 times
345 Brembo3.jpg
345 Brembo3.jpg (102.24 KiB) Viewed 25361 times

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 11:16 pm
by CrashTestDummy
Wow, those wheels need a real cleaning. :mrgreen:

I think i’ll Stick to my CTS-V brake update.

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Sat May 05, 2018 7:45 am
by Navy Lifer
Wheels can be changed easily--this appears to be a quick test fit (only 2 lug nuts)--not my car, photos posted on Facebook, located in Minnesota.

There's no question that rotor mass matters, but for those looking for some bling/more attractive brake appearance, without the full expense of the 355mm or 370mm (front) conversion, while using 18" GM alloy wheels (Cadillac, Camaro or G8), the 345/Brembo option fills the gap.

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Sat May 05, 2018 9:57 am
by kevink
What is the functional difference between these calipers and take-off SS sedan, Camaro, or early CTSV Brembos that can be had for little money?

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Sat May 05, 2018 10:32 am
by Navy Lifer
Kevin, not clear on what you mean "little money" - the GM calipers that will work are $148.11 each at GM Parts Direct--here's some Amazon lookups. That price & PN's happens to be for fitment to Cadillac, so the paint job isn't ideal for a Chevy.

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-172-2769 ... m+84089036" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-172-2774 ... m+84133555" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just as with the CTS-V/SS calipers, the price can vary widely, whether new or used, remanufactured (big core fee), finish, etc.

Functional differences:
- use the same pads as on 355mm package calipers
- no external transfer pipe
- made specifically for 345mm - rotor is 30mm thick vs 355mm which is 32mm thick
- caliper body is more compact, clears most 18" wheels vs CTS-V caliper which clears fewer common/GM 18" wheels
- 42mm piston bore diameter vs 44/40mm on 355mm caliper - total piston area is almost exactly the same

Details here: http://www.g8board.com/forums/3626129-post16.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 6:11 am
by Maxspeed96ct
its strange for me to see these fit, cause I tired using CTS sport bremobos with the stock PPV rotors and they DID not fit.
The CTS sport also uses 345mm calipers, but the hub mounts must be different . The stock ppv rotor was actually to large for the CTS sport calipers

Im surprised to see the 6thgen calipers fit.

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Thu May 10, 2018 9:02 am
by Navy Lifer
The Cadillac brake mix is pretty crazy--I researched this and feel pretty comfortable that I've identified the correct calipers that work with the 345's. You probably ended up with calipers for the 321mm rotors, which obviously won't fit the 345's.

The interesting thing is that the rotor hat height is the difference between Zeta (PPV) and Alpha (Camaro/CTS) is that significant--the re-design of the suspension between Zeta & Alpha changed not only rotor-to-caliper spacing, but resulted in substantially different wheel offsets, too (for brake to wheel clearance). Yet the calipers themselves are relatively unchanged.

That makes the Brembo fitment to PPV a win-win--these calipers are not the same and do not fit the 355mm rotors from Gen5 Camaro SS, if it's not entirely clear to everyone.

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 9:25 am
by CrashTestDummy
Hmm, still thinking about this mod. Getting that big lump of cast iron off each spindle is very attractive. I haven't had a look at the G8 posting yet, but do you know what the size of the attaching bolts are, Bill? I mean, is there a need to do any drilling and tapping? I could feasibly do this caliper and the CTS-V rear brakes for more lightness added. :mrgreen:

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 3:40 pm
by Navy Lifer
uses 14mm fasteners just like PPV

I would not be so certain about weight reduction at the rear--the caliper is already aluminum and the 324mm rotor is going to be a good bit lighter than the 360mm rotor

Centric data:
- 360mm rear rotor for Brembo - 24.85#
- 324mm rear rotor - stock for PPV - 18.11#

Removing the rear PBR rotor, caliper & bracket and replacing it with the Brembo setup is NOT going to produce a weight savings, I'm pretty sure.

Up front - definitely a weight saving action!

Re: Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors

Posted: Wed May 23, 2018 4:48 pm
by CrashTestDummy
Understood. It just adds braking capacity back there, so hopefully a bit better performance.

Do the Brembo Techna-Fit brake hoses fit these front calipers, or has that been verified yet?