realsquash
Newbie
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2015
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 3
Soooooo I've been reading everything I can find on the internets about upgrading the front brakes on a 2wd to something with a 13"+ rotor and dual or 4-piston calipers and it looks like it hasn't been done? Correct me if I'm wrong here. I've built a 6-bolt 14BSF rear axle for my C1500 and I would like to upgrade the front to the largest brakes I can fit into a 17" wheel, and obviously it needs to be 6-lug, too. Unless someone has something to add that I haven't already learned, I'm going to conquer it this weekend. I'll also have to mind the ride height with this because I am going with a 4/6 drop on this truck. I have a few options to explore...
1) Mill the stock GMT400 knuckle to remove the caliper "ears", machine an adapter to fit fixed-mount calipers to bolt onto it. I have some 2010+ Camaro Brembo calipers I can play with. Otherwise I might end up giving a Wilwood 4-piston a shot. I'd like to have something light vs. the heavy truck parts, but they all mount the same nowadays so we'll see. I will need to find a hub that will fit the spindle, but I believe there aren't any with a 6-lug pattern. I might end my making my own hubs but we'll see. I don't want to go this route.
2) Swap on 2015 GMT900 aluminum knuckles with unit bearings. I need to check the geometry between the 400 and 900, but from looking at this I might be able to make the GMT400 lower arm work by just flipping the balljoint over. I will have some parts to measure soon. The 400 upper control arm should bolt on without much drama.
3) Swap on 2015 GMT900 knuckles and lower control arms. I have to measure the parts to see if there is even a remote chance of the lower control arm fitting the GMT400 frame mounts. It looks close, but I have my doubts. It would be nice (for me) to use this setup because the lower arm is also aluminum and it is set up for a coilover type shock/spring setup, so there's no spring cup on the arm. I can make an adapter to fit the coil bucket in the GMT400 frame and run a QA1 coilover.
4) Swap on 2015 GMT900 knuckles and build my own control arm(s). I don't want to do this.
Comments?
1) Mill the stock GMT400 knuckle to remove the caliper "ears", machine an adapter to fit fixed-mount calipers to bolt onto it. I have some 2010+ Camaro Brembo calipers I can play with. Otherwise I might end up giving a Wilwood 4-piston a shot. I'd like to have something light vs. the heavy truck parts, but they all mount the same nowadays so we'll see. I will need to find a hub that will fit the spindle, but I believe there aren't any with a 6-lug pattern. I might end my making my own hubs but we'll see. I don't want to go this route.
2) Swap on 2015 GMT900 aluminum knuckles with unit bearings. I need to check the geometry between the 400 and 900, but from looking at this I might be able to make the GMT400 lower arm work by just flipping the balljoint over. I will have some parts to measure soon. The 400 upper control arm should bolt on without much drama.
3) Swap on 2015 GMT900 knuckles and lower control arms. I have to measure the parts to see if there is even a remote chance of the lower control arm fitting the GMT400 frame mounts. It looks close, but I have my doubts. It would be nice (for me) to use this setup because the lower arm is also aluminum and it is set up for a coilover type shock/spring setup, so there's no spring cup on the arm. I can make an adapter to fit the coil bucket in the GMT400 frame and run a QA1 coilover.
4) Swap on 2015 GMT900 knuckles and build my own control arm(s). I don't want to do this.
Comments?
