Front brake caliper upgrade

[m-keith]

I've read a good bit on front rotor upgrades & rear disc conversions, but I can't find any info on upgrades for the front calipers. I've heard that the stock front calipers leave a lot to be desired, but I've never heard of or read about a potential upgrade. Anyone know of one, and/or are there any archives on this that I haven't been able to find?

I'm planning a 'slash & burn' of the brakes, & the front calipers are the only items that I haven't decided how to address. My plans thusfar are:

Brembo OEM replacement discs & drums
Porterfield R4S pad & shoes
Goodridge stainless lines
New OEM wheel cylinders
All new rear brake hardware
ATE fluid

[MJEasly]

IIRC Off Road Unlimited had a kit that used Ford 4 piston calipers on the K2500. I am not sure about the C series, though.

If ORU doesn't have what you are looking for, perhaps you could talk to these people about developing a kit. They primarily focus on developing kits using OEM parts for German cars, but may have some helpful information.

[Bobbie Martin]

I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish here, but here are some things you might want to consider. The parts you picked out have very good name recognition, and are probably well suited for their use. You might want to check out Raybestos if you haven't; they make some nice rotors & pads. I would also look into having whatever rotors you choose Cryogenically treated (frozen). Policerotors.com is one place. One thing I like about them is they use Raybestos rotors to start with. There are a lot of rotors made in China and I wouldn't use them - but some places may.

I would carefully consider if you want to change the calipers. If the new calipers have different sized pistons (and why change if you are getting basically the same?) then you will need a different master cylinder. There is a very good chance the ABS would need changes as well. Not to mention you will probably have to fab some brackets, etc. I'm not saying you can't improve the factory calipers, but it could be a lot more trouble than it's worth.

Earls and Aeroquip also make the teflon lined hoses and they may be easier to come by than the Goodridge, which I think are made in the UK - but any of the three are fine.

One more thing, is the ATE fluid race car fluid? If so, its not made for normal usage and unless you plan on changing it very frequently, I would use a quality street fluid. I recently bought some Valvoline SynPower fluid. It says it's compatible with ABS and exceeds DOT 3 & 4. I haven't used it yet so I can't comment on how it works. It says its "synthetic formula" but I think its an enhanced standard fluid because it says it will harm paint. I have a very knowledgeable friend that swears by and only uses true synthetic, and has for years with absolutely no problems, but I'm still a bit leery of it.

Good luck on your upgrades. A good rebuild of the standard brakes with quality components will probably make a big change - especially if the brakes have ever been done at a tire store. They are notorious for using absolute garbage when they repair your car.

[m-keith]

Thanks for the input. It didn't look like the ORU kit was intended for GM vehicles, but maybe I didn't see the correct one on their site.

Bobbie- Thanks for giving me some things to think about, & you're right; I should have started out by stating what my goals are. However, I didn't want my post to get too long-winded (as I tend to do) as its intent was to either confirm or refute what I've heard about the front brake calipers.

My overall goal is to maximize braking performance as well as system durability as much as possible within the parameters of the stock system (i.e. I'm not interested in rear disk conversions or any caliper changes that would affect the hydraulic system's operating perameters.) My other goal is to have a system of known quality. What I mean is that I bought this truck as a wholsale piece, & I have no service history on it. Therefore, the braking system as it is now is of unknown age & quality, but I do know that the front rotors & pads are very tired.

With regard to the front calipers, I have no interest in calipers that have a different piston volume from stock. I had heard that the stock calipers were a poor design & were prone to failure, but the information wasn't very specific. I was hoping to get some more information about this & to possibly find an upgraded design that is more reliable but maintains stock piston volume. If I don't find anything more concrete, I'll go with new, OEM calipers.

I chose Brembo rotors & drums because I have experience with Brembo products in other applications & have always been pleased. This is the same reason I chose Porterfield pads. Porterfield's carbon kevlar compound is a big improvement, & they're not as hard on rotors as some other pads. Raybestos has good brand recognition, but I don't have any experience with them. I'll take a look at them, & I'm definately interested in cryogenic treatment. I've heard a lot of good things about it. Basically, I'm after whatever will stave off rotor warpage & cracking for as long as possible.

I'm not dead set on Goodridge lines. I chose them because that's what Tire Rack stocks, & I plan to buy my rotors & drums from Tire Rack.

As for the ATE fluid, this is another product that I chose because of my continuing good experience with it. ATE is not an actual racing brake fluid, but it is often used in racing applications (I used it when I used to race) for a couple of reasons. First, it has a boiling point very near that of true racing fluid, but it is not nearly as hydroscopic (sp?). Also, it is much more reasonably priced than true racing fluid. I've used it on all other vehicles I've owned & never had a problem. However, I do annual brake fluid flushes on any vehicle I own. I am familiar with the properties of true racing fluid that make it unsuitable for street use. A fluid such as Motul would not be a good choice because I'd have to change it about every 3 months.

The other reason ATE is used in racing applications (& this is where the confusion comes in) is that they make it in 2 colors; regular (uncolored) & blue. This makes brake fluid flushes a snap. You simply alternate between the amber & the blue. When the color of the fluid changes, you know that you've completely flushed the part of the system you're working on. The confusion occurs because ATE blue is labeled as racing fluid. However, it has all the same properties as regular ATE. The only difference is the color.

Once again, thanks for the input.

[C.K. Piquup]

I`ve never had problems nor heard about anyone else report any chronic problems w/these binders.I still have originals on my trucks.The`92 has 230,000+mi.Don`t get me wrong,I like upgrading.In fact,keep us posted.

[Tough Guy]

m-keith

Please keep us posted, I need to do a front brake upgrade on my K2500 as well. IMHO I think the factory calipers are not too bad, but with no slots/vents in the rotor they just get too hot.

Cheers