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12" Brakes Please read if you have done this!!!!


Olds W31

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Help!

I have searched several forums and have decided someone HAS done this, but I just can't find them....

I have a 94 Olds Cutlass 4dr with the universal "warped rotor syndrome". I am contemplating upgrading to the 95+ 11" discs, but like a true American Hotrodder, if 11 is good, 12 must be better.

 

Has anyone done this on a 1.5 Gen like mine, and if so, what did it take? I have read about F-body rotors/calipers, custom spacers, etc. My goal would be to do this with the plethora of GM parts that are out there.....

 

Any ideas?

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there are a couple people that paid a couple grand to have custom parts made for 12", but one person i know of modified the front caliper mount to accept f-body calipers and 12" rotors. had to grind some out of the a-arm, though.

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Ive NEVER had warped rotors... i dont see where everybody has this problem... You buy good quality rotors... measure the run-out to be within .005" on all 4 rotors and get a good quality pads... This is not that big of a deal... then again i guess I cant expect everybody to actually spend money on these fucking things

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Ive NEVER had warped rotors... i dont see where everybody has this problem... You buy good quality rotors... measure the run-out to be within .005" on all 4 rotors and get a good quality pads... This is not that big of a deal... then again i guess I cant expect everybody to actually spend money on these fucking things

 

Maybe it is driving style difference. I BOUGHT mine with warped rotors....not badly, but if I am going to spend the money to fix it....why not improve it? I think this car, with 12" fronts, a slightly larger dia. master cylinder, and the right pads, would generate some impressive braking. I have piloted ex-police cruisers and rice burners, full size SUVs and minivans....and I have yet to drive a car with TOO MUCH BRAKES!

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Ive NEVER had warped rotors... i dont see where everybody has this problem... You buy good quality rotors... measure the run-out to be within .005" on all 4 rotors and get a good quality pads... This is not that big of a deal... then again i guess I cant expect everybody to actually spend money on these fucking things

 

Maybe it is driving style difference. I BOUGHT mine with warped rotors....not badly, but if I am going to spend the money to fix it....why not improve it? I think this car, with 12" fronts, a slightly larger dia. master cylinder, and the right pads, would generate some impressive braking. I have piloted ex-police cruisers and rice burners, full size SUVs and minivans....and I have yet to drive a car with TOO MUCH BRAKES!

 

I ride my brakes like I'm track racing everywhere I go, and after having owned my car for a whole 100,000 miles, I've only had to replace my pads **ONCE** and the second set of pads were only replaced because I wanted drilled rotors. Their condition is still perfectly fine and warp-free.

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Ive NEVER had warped rotors... i dont see where everybody has this problem... You buy good quality rotors... measure the run-out to be within .005" on all 4 rotors and get a good quality pads... This is not that big of a deal... then again i guess I cant expect everybody to actually spend money on these fucking things

 

Maybe it is driving style difference. I BOUGHT mine with warped rotors....not badly, but if I am going to spend the money to fix it....why not improve it? I think this car, with 12" fronts, a slightly larger dia. master cylinder, and the right pads, would generate some impressive braking. I have piloted ex-police cruisers and rice burners, full size SUVs and minivans....and I have yet to drive a car with TOO MUCH BRAKES!

 

I ride my brakes like I'm track racing everywhere I go, and after having owned my car for a whole 100,000 miles, I've only had to replace my pads **ONCE** and the second set of pads were only replaced because I wanted drilled rotors. Their condition is still perfectly fine and warp-free.

:gr_guns:
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Ive NEVER had warped rotors... i dont see where everybody has this problem... You buy good quality rotors... measure the run-out to be within .005" on all 4 rotors and get a good quality pads... This is not that big of a deal... then again i guess I cant expect everybody to actually spend money on these fucking things

Lucky!

 

I bought the first car in late '92 with 6K miles. Within a few months, I had it back at the dealer for warped rotors. Then they warped again, so I replaced 'em with all-cast rotors. Still warped, so I cut 'em again. Warped again, I went to "performance" rotors from NAPA. So far, so good--but now I own a brake lathe. I've put on premium NAPA pads a couple of times.

 

Then I bought another, a '93 about two years ago. Had warped rotors when I bought it. Cut 'em with my brake lathe; and now I just don't stop hard. (That'll change since I just replaced what I think was a defective power booster--but haven't had a chance to do the "test drive" yet--went out of town for a conference and haven't gotten home again.

 

I don't know WHY I've had such problems--but ONE hard stop from highway speed was enough to warp the front rotors on the '92. Evil.

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Hmm, wow. With these new PowerStop rotors, I regularly brake hard from 55-0, and they're still in excellent condition without a single sign of warping.

 

I must be really lucky...

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warped rotors should be discarded, and not cut. they will continue warping.

 

many of the early cars that DO suffer from warped rotors... have non functional rear brakes, meanign the fronts are being abused by giving 100% of the stopping power.

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I can't believe no one has made a set of plates to bolt to the existing ears (tabs) on either early or late knuckles, that would move the caliper out to allow 12" or even 13" rotors to fit. I found the link about grinding part of the A-arm, doesn't sound like anything major.

 

Since I have not looked at the knuckle with the idea in mind of making a plate to space the caliper up (away) from the hub and allowing a bigger rotor....has anyone else?

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