Brembo front calipers using 345mm PPV rotors
Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 5:04 am
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.
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.