Upgrade Front Brake Calipers

[Caman96]

How much of an upgrade is it using larger 12.50 caliper with the smaller 11.86 pads? Isn’t the pad to rotor surface the same? Is it just that much better a caliper? Not knocking any of this ^^^, just curious. Convince me, I may be interested.

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

How much of an upgrade is it using larger 12.50 caliper with the smaller 11.86 pads? Isn’t the pad to rotor surface the same? Is it just that much better a caliper? Not knocking any of this ^^^, just curious. Convince me, I may be interested.

I would claim the principal difference of the larger caliper is the "leverage" gained by using the larger diameter pistons, e.g.,

2.99" - 76mm (JB5/JB6, for reference)

3.15" - 80mm (11% more area vs. 76mm)

3.38" - 86mm (28% more area vs. 76mm)

Of course, changing the front without changing the rear may or may not be a detriment. With the 11" drums, a few options exist for installing larger diameter slave cylinders.

One can use the smaller pads (see https://www.gmt400.com/threads/upgrade-front-brake-calipers.58795/post-1254484 ) but it's not clear to me that it matters. At least in the "textbook example", the drag on the rotor can be stated as

drag = clamping force * coefficient of friction

and the area (pad size) isn't a factor. As for the "real world",...

 

[offroadtahoe]

going to post a picture tommorow of my k3500 drw front calipers with k3500drw pads,on 6 lug rotors,also going to post the difference with the srw k3500 pads.

 

[offroadtahoe]

Here is how the DRW caliper and pad's fit on a 6 lug rotor,i didn't grind that little part notice the self clearance,

 

[offroadtahoe]

Also k1500 vs k2500/3500 SRW pad's (there the same thing) on 6 lug rotor,hopefully this help's you decide what's best,when i do rotor's ill get the DRW pad measurements.

 

[offroadtahoe]

k2500/3500 srw pad's vs k1500 measurements

k2500 pad height 5.683"
k2500 pad width 1.793"

k1500 pad height 5.623"
k1500 pad width 1.550"

 

[Lsp1369]

Here are three videos I posted on YouTube from when I converted my k2500 suburban to the k3500 dually front brakes. It was a direct bolt on. I added stainless brake hoses too.

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I am going to swap the rear wheel cylinder soon since the rear shoes are due. I've noticed a pretty significant difference since upgrading the fronts. I'll post some pictures of the differences in the next reply.

 

[Lsp1369]

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[Lsp1369]

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[1998_K1500_Sub]

(various pictures of parts)

Post the part numbers please