ICaughtVetteFever

Anyone have experience with the regular 16.5mm pad thin SL6 caliper on the road course(not autoX)? I heard some guys complain that the pistons can get cocked because they are too short, but I would think you can fix that with spacers like the 20.3mm pad thick calipers. No Thermlock pistons made for them, but are they really a necessity?

I want to go with, but can't afford new Stoptechs right now and LGs Wilwood setup is close to Stoptechs price when you factor in good 2 pc. rotors, $1800 with the thermlocks+rotor cost

I am thinking about the Wilwood GT 14" kit front only, Tybrne has a sale on now. CCW also only makes SP500 Big Brake front wheels in 9.5", and that is a bit too narrow for my 285 NittoRII I want to run so the thin caliper may be my only option unless I consider different wheels, but if the thin Wilwood works well at the track, say on par with the thicker one, just with thinner pads to start I may go with it. Let me know what you guys think.

wallyman424

i'm looking to get willwoods later this year, but i'm looking at the LG package.

http://www.lgmotorsports.com/catalog...oducts_id=1514

it uses the full width calipers and allows you to keep the cheapo napa rotors.

ICaughtVetteFever

LG upped their price, that is without the thermlocks and I want to go with a 14" kit if I can.

John Shiels

doubt their is much difference in thick or thin pad price. Then no matter what pad you use you will have to leave about .20" so figure then the usable pad life. Thicker pads will give more insulation throughout it's life. If you looking to save money use 13" NAPA's. You need 18" wheels for 14" rotors but you may know that already.

AU N EGL

CCW makes great wheels. Many of use have multiple sets of CCWs. The SP500 may not be the best track wheel. Ask John or Chip how this wheel compares with the Classic, Corsair or the C14 as far as latteral strength for track use.

ICaughtVetteFever

Hi John, I checked the prices on pads, they are about the same as you said, I just have to get them a little more often, and that would be ok. My problem is my wheels would be happier as well as the cheaper price with the sale going on now. I am using 18s in the front, even if I stay with 13" rotors. This is going on a dual use car, and I don't plan to run as hard as a dedicated track car, but I want a good system for the track and that will look better than stock too for the street.

ICaughtVetteFever

I told John I was going to track the car when I asked him about the BBK 500s with RIIs and he did not mention they would not be good. That may be a problem then, and may force my hand if they won't be safe. I can't believe how deep the problems get with this car, part of the dual use curse I guess.

John Shiels

any wheel CCW makes is tested to DOT standards and more. I doubt he would make a wheel that is NOT suitable for a track. Some guy takes the car to the track and his wheels fold up like some bamboo wheels from China he would be ruined. With that said he may make a wheel when tested shows more strength but it above and beyond anything that is needed.

John Shiels

Probably fine then.

AU N EGL

Then go 4 it. they are great looking wheels. Just wanted to be sure.

I have only seen three wheels fold up or break ( not crack but break )

Set of CCW classic track, guy in a mustang was pushing the corners so hard I sware I could see the wheels bend.

Some Porsche OEM wheels on a 996, dont rember the model of the wheel. but I think it was a thin spoke wheel

and some cheap arz carbon fiber wheels. Carbon fiber shards all over the place. VIR told him he cant use those wheels any more.

96CollectorSport

I installed 2 sets of the narrow body Wilwoods and I had both cars have problems with the pistons locking inside the calipers. After consiterable expense (each car went through 7 set's of rotors last year), Wilwood examined the calipers and found that the calipers were never anodized, which lead to gaulling and in-turn the calipers would seaze. Both cars had Wilwoods front and rear, I installed Thermlock pistons on the rear kit and we had no issue's what so ever.

Well now we have new calipers on each car and we are also switching to the 14" rotor, there is a 5lb differance between the 13" rotors and the 14" rotors. (12.3 lb's vs 17.3 lbs) The 13's were too light and would crack after 2 track days. We have DRM ducts, LG spindle ducts and we tried getting rotors pre-burrished and nothing helped the 13" rotors with the kit won't work for track days.

If you really want to go Wilwood the LG kit is the way to go, it is more flexible as far as rotor selection, wheel combinations and piston selection, not to mention if the pads are thicker and priced the same you are getting free pad material which will add up. I've got to know the pluses and minuses of various kits and I would definatly not start with the 13" narrow bodies! You pay for what you get is never truer than when your talking brakes.

If you want me to share with you what I have learned over the past year about Big Brake Kit's I'll PM you my phone number so you can make a more educated decision.

Later, Joel

Z06 Whisperer

I've got the kit that Joel mentions above and use the plain NAPA rotors. I never had a problem braking but did go through a few rotors :haha: (I was known as a rotor cracker before I got my Vette, so there!!). But seriously, in my case at least, I never noticed any oddities like vibration when braking and such using the set-up. And I did get this tip from, I think it was DaveZ (I don't know if he's a sponsor here or not), to try something pretty simple--moving my car every few minutes after coming off the track because most of my rotor cracks seemed to show up under the brake pad area to see if that helps.

PS thanks for the brake ducts too Joel--I hope they help also.

ICaughtVetteFever

Anyone else?

Rob Willis

Any suggestions/coments for a C6 guy?

2007 C6 Z51 Coupe

85% normal street driving
15% autox/hpde (@ 90%)

I'm considering a SL6/SL4 setup with 14" F / 13" R rotors (GT-slotted only).

What is the difference in the SL6 and SL6R? ..or is there a difference...

Figure the 13" rear rotor is fine, and will save me some weight over the 14" rear rotors. Agreed?

What is the normal width for the rotors in this package?

Thanks.

96CollectorSport

After going through consiterable trouble with the 13" front kit making the switch to the 14" front rotor has been great.

We just got done running 2 days at Road America with the 14" set-up and it held up just fine. (A few light stress cracks but nothing bigger than 1/4").
I think that it is decent for what you are looking to do Rob, but it definatly isn't the best choice for a track only car.

To answer you ?'s
The SL6R has larger pads, and you can get thermlock pistons which are better suited for the track. The narrow body was made to fit under tighter wheel tolerances. 18x9.5 Z06 wheels will clear this kit fine, not sure about C6 wheels though.

The 13" rear rotors have handled the track fine, we have over 1 year on the rear rotors, and have only gone through one set of pads.

Rotor width is 1.25" up front and I believe 1.1" in the rear.

John Shiels

see if LG makes a SL6R kit for the c6 just need a different bracket or run the 13" NAPA's and the C5 bracket I think. DRM has new Wilwood kit coming soon also.

Rob Willis

Ah. So the SL6R is the wider caliper everyone talks about. The SL6 must have the "skinny" pads then.
Thanks.

96CollectorSport

Here is the differance from Wilwoods website the standard SL6R is what LG sells (the thicker caliper).
The kit Wilwood sells is the - Narrow body SL6R for 14" discs - that is what the have it listed as.

So this can get confusing really quick if we just say SL6R.

Basically unless you get the kit from LG you are getting the narrow body.

The only place to get a kit with the standard thick SL6R is LG.

Rob Willis

You aren't kidding!!! Confusing city.


Okay, then if not buying from LG what is the difference in:

SL6
http://www.wilwood.com/Products/001-...-SL6/index.asp

SL6R
http://www.wilwood.com/Products/001-...6R14/index.asp

The "radial" mount I guess?

96CollectorSport

The second one is the only SL6 that will clear 14" rotors, it also is the only SL6 that you cannot put Thermlock pistons in due to it's narrow body and thicker 1.25" rotor.

I know you can go to the first link and you will see a SL6R narrow body listed but that is not designed for 14" rotors and the rotor width is only 1.100 inches.