brake swap

[bluegp]

When the current Alero/Grand Am GT came out, I remember reading about how they had really good 4 wheel disk brakes.

 

Ever since then, I've wondered if those brakes could be swapped into something older (like a 1st gen W-Body). One plus is that the rotor's bolt circle would not need to be modified (I'm not sure about the center register however).

 

I could not find the thickness and diameter of the rotors. Does anybody know? Has anybody heard of a swap?

[Heza]

i think if i had a pre-94 w-body, i'd stick with a '94-'96 rear conversion and '95-96 conversion since i'm pretty sure the '96s got larger front rotors...atleast GPs did.

[GnatGoSplat]

The current Alero/GA has good brakes for a car its size, but its brakes aren't that much better than a first gen W-body.

The last gen 1 W-body front rotors were 11.2" diameter, 1" thick, rear rotors were 10.9" diameter, .433" thick.

Alero/GA front rotors are 10.9" diameter, 1" thick, rear rotors .433" thick (don't know the diameter).

 

Our rotor specs are actually better.

Gen 2 W-body brakes, however, kills ours. They can have 12" front rotors that are 1.27" thick.

[bluegp]

Thanks -- I was wondering if they (Alero brakes) were any better than the later 1st gen W-body ones.

 

As for the 2nd gen W-Body brakes, has anyone heard of those being swapped into a 1st gen? I'm assuming none of the factory parts will work and that it would have to be a custom fabrication. Is that true? I guess if fabrication was involved, you'd just go with something better yet like Corvette brakes.

[GnatGoSplat]

Yes, lots of fabrication would be involved to go to gen 2 W-body brakes, which is why I'm skipping those and going right to the Corvette brakes.