swap/upgrades to front calipers

[cat-chevymech]

Has anyone just tried swapping to the 1 ton calipers. No hydroboost, just the 1 ton calipers? If so, how do they stop, better, same, or worse?

i have a 3500 master cyl but i did only the caliper upgrade and i love it



81 w250 clubcab 318mag 300hp d60F&R 4.11 35s
94chevy silverado 350 4l60 325hp 3.73 32s

sent by telegraph from my w250

 

[HRV-LS1]

Has anybody done the 1 ton caliper swap for a 1500, no hydroboost?

 

[bluex]

Has anyone just tried swapping to the 1 ton calipers. No hydroboost, just the 1 ton calipers? If so, how do they stop, better, same, or worse?

I have an it's pretty much the same imo. I really haven't noticed a big difference, I have the hydroboost stuff just need to rebuild the booster an put it all on....

 

[woody80z28]

As Woody eluded to, there is ZERO benefit to actually buying bigger calipers. If you keep everything else the same and put a caliper with a bigger bore on it, you're actually increasing your pedal travel...and your stopping distance will worsen. I did a full writeup on this subject on GMC4x4 with brake distances measured.

To fully realize the benefits of 3/4t calipers, you must upgrade to hydroboost b/c as Woody said, it's all about PSI. As an example, a stock vacuum system generates about 800psi at the caliper and hydroboost generates 1200psi. If you swap up to 3/4t or worse, 1t calipers on a vacuum system, you're going to create <800psi at the caliper for a given amount of pedal travel.

If you already have hydroboost and you'd like to purchase larger calopers, you will still see WORSE results then keeping the stock ones on. To realize the benefit of these larger calipers, you will have to pair this to the appropriate sized hydroboost and PS pump...and yes, there are different PS pumps and hydroboost units for the various caliper sizes.

I hope this helps!

I agree and disagree. You will have more pedal travel with bigger calipers, but you will also have more clamping pressure for a given input force. So there is a benefit. So to equal the clamping force of the smaller caliper, you will have to push the pedal further, but not as hard. With power brakes this doesn't really make a big difference, but with manual it does.

Do you have a link in your testing? I'm very interested to see it. I'm surprised pressures measured that low. My Beretta with a stock booster put 1400psi to the caliper, and my Camaro with a 1" bore manual master cylinder put out 1100.

Please be patient with the Newbie but I don't get this. With hydraulic wood splitters, the pumps usually put out about 2,000 psi. The ton rating is derived from the piston diameter that the pressure is applied to. The bigger the piston, the larger the pressure. I would think 500 lbs applied to 2 sq in would be 2 times the pressure that 1 sq in would be due to surface area????

The PSI applied to the piston gives you your clamping force, that is correct. But that is the line pressure on the caliper piston. You don't put 500 PSI of force on the brake pedal. You put 500lbs of force on the pedal. The size of the piston in the master cylinder determines the PSI...pounds per square inch. So a 1sq in master piston creates twice the line pressure as a 2sq in master piston, but with twice the pedal travel as well.

 

[SkyHighColorado]

So.....I need new calipers.....this these has no clear answer to if it works or not and what specific parts to use. I want 1 ton calipers on my 1500 stock set up. Will it be worth getting 1 ton or stick with stock calipers??
What is the difference between 2500 calipers and 3500?

 

[bluex]

So.....I need new calipers.....this these has no clear answer to if it works or not and what specific parts to use. I want 1 ton calipers on my 1500 stock set up. Will it be worth getting 1 ton or stick with stock calipers??
What is the difference between 2500 calipers and 3500?

If you need calipers anyway these are not that much more expensive. I would go ahead an get them as they won't hurt your braking performance, but it's not a huge difference.

As far as what to use, a 1500 an a 6 lug 2500 use the same calipers. An 8 lug 2500 an a 3500 use the same calipers. So order calipers for the same year as your truck as a single rear wheel 3500 so you get the right ones. use stock 1500 rotors an pads. You will have to spread the clip that goes in the caliper piston so it fits snug.

 

[TylerZ281500]

skyhigh why not look into the whole nbs front brakes and knuckle swap?

 

[SkyHighColorado]

skyhigh why not look into the whole nbs front brakes and knuckle swap?

Bluex, thanks for clearing that up! And Tyler, I read that write up and it kinda seems like a pita? Reaming the CV's and what not

 

[guybb3]

Bluex, thanks for clearing that up! And Tyler, I read that write up and it kinda seems like a pita? Reaming the CV's and what not

Could you point me to that write up?

 

[guybb3]

Sorry, found it