Camaro Brake Upgrade For 2000 GAGT

[Vince]

The upgrade is in progress, I already have the parts needed to do this, its basically the same upgrade as the Corvette Brake upgrade for our cars. From what i can tell, and this is only by observation, the Camaro calipers are basically the same as the Corvette ones, the only difffeence i can see is that the Corvette calipers have ribs along the top of the caliper, while the Camaro ones stop half way on the caliper......again....thats just by observation, as far as performance.....I don't know if theres much of difference. If anyone knows a difference....please feel free to say so. Here is a list of parts thats I used with prices:

New 2000 Camaro Brake Caliper (with exchange): $39.99 each
Add $40 without exchange (Autozone)

2000 Camaro Duralast Gold Brake Pads: $41.99 (Autozone)
There are cheaper oness too.

2000 Impala EBC Brake Rotors/Slotted-Dimpled: $186-for both
Note:you can buy cheaper ones at Autozone for $24.99. They go up from there.

Braided Brake lines: $117.90 - All 4 lines (total price with shipping)
These are optional, from what i understand..you can use your original lines........(Paragonperformance)

Caliper Brackets: Two options here- I understand you can purchase them for $61 each online, but i don't know if they come with the pad guides.

Option 2(What I did): I went to a salvage and bought the caliper/bracket all together for $50 each. Each came with everything, guides for both the caliper and bracket. I exchanged the used calipers for new ones(only paid the 39.99 for the new ones instead of the 79.99)....and used the old brackets and guides on the new the new caliper.

I'll keep updating ths once i start installing the parts...and I will have pics of it too.

[Vince]

Pic 2

[Vince]

pic 3

[Vince]

One thing I forgot to mention, the calipers do not come in black.......i painted them using Caliper paint from Autozone.......cost was 15.99........and i only painted the exposed areas on the calipers and brackets.

[95blackz26]

well if the calipers are the same would the caliper brackets be the same from the corvette to the camaro. im not sure which is why im asking. i bought a complete set of vette calipers with brackets awhile back and was just wondering.

[Vince]

Yes.....from what I understand...the brackets are the same for the Corvette and for the Camaro........unless someone knows otherwise......

[95blackz26]

i was going to try and cross reference part numbers but i cant find anywhere that will. i just got to get brake pads and then i can see if it all works.

i thought they were the same. you know the calipers the same why wouldnt the bracket.

[insane4speed]

y would u do camaro when there is a how to on corvette breakes on a ga

[sudden_impulse]

To be different?

[Vince]

I know theres a how-to on Corvette brakes........thats where this came from. The reason being is that the calipers for the Corvette and the Camaro are basically the same......but your paying more for the Corvette brakes because..well....its a Corvette.

[boost21]

only differance between the corvette and camato/Ta calipers is actual metal that they are made of. right now i cant think off the top of my head what the two are. and another diff is if you get the ones that say CORVETTE on them

Once it gets warmer out im putting TA calipers on my car

[Vince]

Personally...i don't really care have the Corvette logo on my car....although i know you can buy Corvette calipers without the logo on it.......but performance wise........I really don't think theres much of a difference in the two to make a huge impact on performance...so thats why i went with the Camaro ones.

[litdevil316]

if only that would work for a 96-97. but iirc, someone said the lug pattern is different anyway from gens.

[boost21]

lug pattern is diff from F bodys and N bodies anyways. that is why we have to use impalla rotors with this setup

[SE2000]

Originally posted by litdevil316
if only that would work for a 96-97. but iirc, someone said the lug pattern is different anyway from gens.

There are lots of cars with 5X100. Maybe a golf upgrade kit would fit

[BadBlack00Ga]

I went with the Camaro ones too, couldn't find the brackets seperatly anywhere, so I just bought the caliper/bracket assembly together.

[litdevil316]

if only i had the resources to try that out. r32 brakes on a grand am? that'd be something.

[Vince]

Here is what i had before the upgrade.......painted calipers and Roto-Tech Slotted/crossdrilled Rotors.......which got warped only a year after i had them, so I wouldn't recommend them. So this is my 3rd set of rotors and hopefully my last

[Vince]

finished pics

[Vince]

pic2

[Vince]

pic4

[Vince]

pic 5

[Vince]

pic 6

[Vince]

pic7......this pic is after the rotors have been used.........taking the black off the brake pad area.......looks much better after its used.

[Peyman]

nice install bro... hows the performance of these brakes?... nice difference?... OR NICE DIFFERENCEE?!??!?!

[Vince]

They actually work very well.........I currently have an issue with my abs system...........the abs light is on......there fore its not working.......so the wheels are locking now when i slam the brakes with this upgrade......which never did with the old setup........so its definately an improvement......I'm gonna get it fixed this week though.

[SE2000]

Originally posted by Vince
They actually work very well.........I currently have an issue with my abs system...........the abs light is on......there fore its not working.......so the wheels are locking now when i slam the brakes with this upgrade......which never did with the old setup........so its definately an improvement......I'm gonna get it fixed this week though.

You may have to upgrade the rear brakes or add a propotioning valve to get the abs back

[tenspeed]

Originally posted by SE2000
You may have to upgrade the rear brakes or add a propotioning valve to get the abs back

I don't remember anyone else having a ABS problem. Usually it's a bad front hub. Check/clean the hub connectors and hope for the best.

The conversion looks good. I like the black a lot better than Baby Blue.

[Vince]

The ABS light being on is actually not related to the conversion......sorry on not clearing that up. I changed the rear struts a while back......and while i was removing the struts..........one of the connectors was pulled off at the wheel for the sensor.......ever since then......the ABS, TRAC OFF, And the Service..........lights have been on. I tried putting the connecto back......but that didn't work, so i just left it off. But with this new upgrade.......i can easliy tell the abs isn't working cause of the brakes locking, which didn't even occur when i had the original system on. So I'm gonna take it in to get it fixed to take full advantage of the upgrade and ABS together,

[litdevil316]

that is very nice man. i'm almost done with my brake job myself. thats gonne be updated in my thread on it.

[Vince]

There is one thing i noticed when i did this upgrade, the how-to on the Corvette upgrade indicates that each caliper had to be put in upside down cause the brake lines did not reach the hole in the caliper right side up. I may have got this wrong or read it wrong......but i didn't have to do that at all. The braided brake lines i bought fit well, with the bleeder valve facing up the way it should. Just a thought.

[Brandon]

i have to ask because i dont recall seeing anywhere that this would work on a stock wheel/rim setup?

and to upgrade the back, could you simply use the old front ga brake calipers in the rear and solve that problem or is there something more then what im thinking?? only reason im asking is because my brakes on the ga need to be done, and im thinking of going this way, but i want to know about the rear brakes before i commit to doing this.

[DontPassTheFence]

A bit off topic here but: ABS is for suckers anyways, i notice I stop shorter and safer in emergency situations now that my ABS mysteriously decided to go out on my 97 GT -- without ABS you just have to be careful and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE yourbrake modulation, I know its harder in an automatic since you dont have engine braking to help you, but try not to slam on your brakes, squeeze them tightly and with increasing force - think of your brakes as a bow and arrow if you can, at first its easy to push the pedal down, but then go a bit slower (and steady) as if the pedal was being strung tighter and tighter like a bow.

[Vince]

I don't know about the stock rim fitting, nor if the front will fit the rear, but i wouldn't put them in the back if they did anyways. I've had two different sets of front rotors warp on me already...........and i don't think it's all the rotors fault here.

As far as the ABS, I just fixed the ABS problem I had....and let me tell you..........way better. When I did this upgrade.....i mentioned the ABS was off. Well.......just from 30 mph....and braking hard......the brakes locked very easily and the car just slid, no control. Now with the ABS......no sliding, and i still have control. Everyones action is slam the brakes when somehting occurs.......and most of the time you only have seconds.....not minutes to respond........i believe the ABS is your best bet. Especially in wet weather........when cars lock..........they really slide everywhere. You can practice all you want without ABS.....but in the moment when a crash is inevitable or even trying to avoid it.........not having the ABS would be a big mistake.....thats just my opinion.

[SE2000]

Is Impala rear disks your next upgrade? You could use the camaro rear disk calipers and even out the system

[BadBlack00Ga]

This swap won't work with stock chromtechs. There is a little lip thats part of the plastic chrome they glue on and it scrapes the caliper. Non chrome might work, or dremeling off the little lip on the inside of the wheel.

The front calipers wont work in the rear, the mounting bracket wont fit.

[Brandon]

well thats a huge dissapointment! but glad to find that out before i spent money on it :)

[95blackz26]

well if the vette calipers fit with the stock wheels why wont the fbody ones. there the same thing basically.

[Brandon]

ok yall, pictures soon to come, but my stock chrometech (5 spokers w/ the chrome hubcap topping) will fit with this... (with a little modification)

one caliper fit no problem, but the drivers side caliper i had to take the grinder too and grind off a little bit...

the front brakes on the rear wont work as well.... who knew there was a parking brake back there?! :lol: plus the caliper brakets are 2 different sizes...

[bballr4567]

lol nice brandon.


This sounds like a viable option rather then spending the extra money just for the vette brakes.

[Brandon]

a quick comparrison of brackets between a camaro and a grand am... side by side the camaro brackets are like 1/4" shorter then the ga's.... so it doesnt look like the rear camaro brakes will work on a ga without some more modding....

[SE2000]

Originally posted by Brandon
ok yall, pictures soon to come, but my stock chrometech (5 spokers w/ the chrome hubcap topping) will fit with this... (with a little modification)

one caliper fit no problem, but the drivers side caliper i had to take the grinder too and grind off a little bit...



I'd be willing to swap my silver chrometech for chrome ones to help out someone who is doing this:P

[Bouchie11982]

you know what you could have done with the calipers was get them powder coated, since they were already off the car. i bet they're gonna chip. that crappy caliper paint i got that sh!t chipped.

[tenspeed]

Originally posted by Bouchie11982
that crappy caliper paint i got chipped.

My first caliper paint was two part epoxy. The mechanics at Sears managed to mange it when they put the tires back on. They hang the tire off the caliper and push it into place.

I scraped it all off using brake cleaner and now I spray a fresh coat of black Krylon every spring.

[sly fox]

So will the Grand Am brake lines will fit the Camaro caliper without any modification?

[03graystone]

this might be a dumb question, but are these calipers and rotors bigger than GA stock, and would they make a noticeable bigger appearance when lookin at them thru aftermarket wheels? thanks

[Brandon]

sly, yes the breaklines will work off the grand am onto the corvette/camaro calipers... simply unbolt old, and bolt on new.

03graystone... calipers are "huge" compared to stockers, and the rotars are bigger as well, so aftermarket wheels will show them off nicely.

heres a before/after on stock chrometechs. (my car):
stock:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l180/bigb04/Grand%20Am/PICT0010.jpg
upgraded:
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l180/bigb04/Grand%20Am/parkhome036.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l180/bigb04/Grand%20Am/cambrake006.jpg

[03graystone]

damn, whoa that rotor fills in your whole damn stock wheel lol. looks great, my brakes are kinda fine right now, but when i finally get rims i like and lower the car, and get my hood, then i might try this out.

[GtAudioFreak]

I know ive said it before, but thats nice Brandon. Wanna do mine? lol

[Brandon]

bring it up here with parts. lol

[GtAudioFreak]

Haha I might have to take you up on that someday.

[car audio dave]

ok lemme clarify a few things:
-corvette brackets WILL NOT WORK on this, but corvette calipers bolt up to CAMARO brackets
-corvette calipers have larger pistons, made by PBR, and are aluminum
-camaro calipers have smaller pistons, made by ???, and are steele
-rotors move up 1 inch in size
-i didnt install them upside down becuase of reaching issues, the left caliper for the vetter actually goes on the right of the GA...kinda strange, but just a note.

heres from my conversion
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482117_333_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482117_342_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482117_332_full.jpg

look at the line on the strut to compare the size difference.
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482117_327_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/482000-482999/482117_324_full.jpg

[ramairgrandamgt]

40 bucks each for NEW camaro calipers . they must be rebuilts/refurbished etc. i would think any aftermarket store or cars parts place here wouldn't be that low. GM wants $166 drivers and 197 passenger and brackets 102 each. now junk yard prices would be that cheap or cheaper.

you paint job is very neat you even did the revealed ends of the pistons ???? no overspray on the underside of the calipers . does not look like they would be easy to tape off.

[KhellendrosXS]

you paint job is very neat you even did the revealed ends of the pistons ????

That would be the black rubber boot that keeps debris from getting onto the piston.

[car audio dave]

wow, up from the dead.

not that i know more about the camaro and corvette calipers, ill ammend my last comment.

camaro pistons are LAGER than corvette ones...but the corvette calipers have a higher internal pressure because of the smaller piston.

camaro calipers are gravity cast, while corvette calipers are pressure cast, so corvette calipers are strong.

corvette calipers have larger cooling fins.

camaro calipers are more than capable for the grand am.

[KhellendrosXS]

Just noticed that it says the Camaro calipers are steel but mine are made of aluminum...

[car audio dave]

Just noticed that it says the Camaro calipers are steel but mine are made of aluminum...

yea i misspoke.