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Lightweight alternative NA replacement front caliper - FYI
I am working on a frankenstein project for brakes and came across this option that might be interesting to some folks.
Summary - near bolt-on caliper that weighs only 5.5 lbs vs the stock NA caliper at 10.5 lbs. Save 5 lbs per front wheel with a little bit of modification to the caliper.
The caliper is from a 1994-1996 Chevy Caprice and Impala SS - it is the REAR caliper on those cars, meant for a 20mm rotor (like stock NA)
This caliper has the same piston size as a stock NA caliper (54mm) and the brake pad is about the same total cross section. So not a performance upgrade, just light weight, cheap, and more available.
The Chevy pad is shorter in height, but much wider in width, which means more of the pad is working on a larger rotor radius than the NA pad would be.
2 Modifications needed to work:
- need to elongate/ovalize the mount holes about 2-3mm; out of the box the mounts just line up on the NA spindle but the caliper itself jams on the rotor so it needs to move outboard radially slightly.
- need to shave 1mm off the caliper bracket where it meets the spindle, to center the caliper over the NA rotor.
Thats very cool keep us updated. What you are saying is the actual Porsche mounting bracket need a little taken off inside flange to position the caliper further towards the wheel ? Would you need to elongate out or in on the actual mounting holes?
Nice!
No need personally, but great research to benefit the 944 world.
Bolt holes can be 'elongated' pretty neatly using an end mill and a drill press.
Just pretend you're drilling them fresh, in the right location.
Better when used in a mill...
Thats very cool keep us updated. What you are saying is the actual Porsche mounting bracket need a little taken off inside flange to position the caliper further towards the wheel ? Would you need to elongate out or in on the actual mounting holes?
Not the Porsche bracket - the Chevy caliper bracket gets shaved on the face where it bolts to the 944 spindle.
I am not going to end up using this caliper on my own project but thought it was an interesting find worth sharing to save 5 lbs per front wheel.
Originally Posted by orig944
Could you take off a few mm from the rim of the disc and have it work? That would seem more robust than wobbly holes to me.
Yes, you could do that.
Originally Posted by fasteddie313
Sounds like you could do the mods to the caliper..
Sure you couldn’t grind the offending material off the caliper instead of elongating the holes?
You probably could but it would be a lot of grinding - it's the entire underside of the caliper casting that conflicts with the rotor.
Ovaling out the 2 big holes by 2-3mm would be way faster and it wouldn't go anywhere once the bolts are tightened.
For those wanting to upgrade their NA to Turbo Brembo setup, I expect to have an adapter bracket for the front calipers available in early August 2022.
No real weight savings, and the improved braking performance is inconsequential for an NA, so this is a vanity option.
07-06-2022, 09:55 AM
Lightweight alternative NA replacement front caliper - FYI
