enzo354 Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 My brakes in my 89 grand prix are getting to the point where I no longer feel safe driving on them. I have a 00 Intrigue parts car here, is it possible to do a brake swap between the two decently easily? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fury Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 If everything (calipers, rotors, pads, clean fluid, etc) is in good shape on the 89, chances are all you need is a new booster. Will make a WORLD of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enzo354 Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Calipers are rust as heck, pads and rotors are about getting to t point of replacing, fluid is meh. I figure why not upgrade while I'm at it. So has anyone on here tried it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 look for upgrade parts as used on a 96 grand prix. best thing you can do it get the 94-96 style rear brakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GtpKo Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I think it's safe to say 2nd gen front brakes won't work on a 1st gen, caliper mounts are different. There may be a way to MAKE it work, such as swapping over knuckles and everything, but I don't think that's been tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I think it's safe to say 2nd gen front brakes won't work on a 1st gen, caliper mounts are different. There may be a way to MAKE it work, such as swapping over knuckles and everything, but I don't think that's been tried. This is w-body. I am SURE someone has tried it. C'mon, if hockey pucks were used for subframe bushings... just saying... To the OP: From my understanding, it's easier and more feasible to upgrade the braking system to that out of a 96-ish (correct me if my year is wrong) Lumina or Monte Carlo. They have the larger front brakes, and this gives so much more stopping power, as the front brakes on the 1st gens are horrendously undersized. I ran into this problem a few years ago. I ended up replacing my ABS unit and everything in my braking system except the master cylinder itself. Yes, new rubber ends, new steel brake lines, new calipers and discs and pads. I made the mistake of getting the cheap-o calipers from O'Reilly and I still have one on the rear of the car that likes to seize up. You can also upgrade by upgrading the pads/rotors. I went with Raybestos discs (non drilled/slotted) and ceramic Brembo pads and haven't warped a rotor since, and previously had warped at least a rotor a year. There was a definite difference in stopping power, but of course I went from a junk ABS unit and crap brakes to this setup so that may be the nature of the change that I was feeling, and not a significant upgrade in and of itself. But as Buck said in response to your OP, check on the brake booster first. If the pedal is extremely hard to push but the brakes still grab, that's probably the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enzo354 Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Thank you^^^ Well my car is not ABS equipped, and the booster is normal, it isn't hard to push, and brakes grab decent, I just want better stopping power. It's a decently heavy car for such small rotors, and if you have ever driven in Lincoln Nebraska, you would understand. I have people slamming on brakes all the time to turn or pulling out in front of me, and I get a lot closer then I would like. I like the idea of a 96 Grand prix or monte carlo. I'm gonna drop the subframe on that intrigue this weekend and see what I can get to line up. I'll report back in if anything actually fits haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Nothing will Brock, I do have 1.5 gen front brakes and knuckles (96+) and you will want the 94-96 first gen rear brakes... The knuckles on the front are different because the first gens use a cartridge style strut... I would just make a quick junkyard run and grab what you need... I am not in a place where I can pull the stuff I have and ship it out... I also bet your rear brakes arent in the best of shape... Check that the rear calipers arent seized (very common) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enzo354 Posted November 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 I'll have to pick some up with the next paycheck. I was really hoping the stuff sitting around here would fit. I still might mess with it a bit haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutlassdude96 Posted November 23, 2012 Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 the brake boosters are bigger in the 94+ cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted November 23, 2012 Report Share Posted November 23, 2012 As long as the booster works, it doesnt matter what size booster you have. I went from having that huge 1994 booster, so the small ass 5spd booster, No difference in braking power at all. Only difference between those boosters is how many pumps of pedal you get when engine is off. 1994+ booster youll get more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 u can swap on the rear spindles and brakes look on clubgp or grandprixforums.net cant remember which look 4 rob and bobs gen 2 rear brake conversion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 i mite b interested n sum of the suspension parts u dont use just let me kno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enzo354 Posted January 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 I might have to see what I can get done on it eventually. Not going to tear into my only car for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 know the feeling the gen 2 rear spindle and brake swap is only about a couple hr job if ur sloe:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich17 Posted January 4, 2013 Report Share Posted January 4, 2013 The lack of the english language in this thread is making it tricky to read. Just a couple of notes I would like to add tho: 1st gen wbodies can use 2nd gen rear knuckles and brakes as long as they're running coil overs. And also be prepared to find a solution for the Ebrake. You also have to watch out that if you're swapping from drums to discs that the fluid pressures are not the same. And you would need to correct this. Using 2nd gen front brakes on a 1/1.5 gen would be impossible unless you make 2nd gen front knuckles work. The only way to do this is to engineer some sort of adapter bracket or (what I am planning) to make a hybrid lower control arm with the stock inner part and a 2nd gen outer part. This will take some proper engineering and mechanical skill to make it work. If you truely want better braking on a 88-93 car then the best is to update it with 94-96 stuff. But include a good set of pads and rotors and also dont over look the brake fluid as well. I boiled my DOT3 fluid on my very first autocross outing. Now I run nothing but super blue racing DOT4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 dont see how coilovers make a diff on fitment as you dont modify anything on the area wher the spindle bolts too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharged400sbc Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 the 2nd gen aluminum rear knuckles dont have a provision for the transverse spring used on the earlier W's < the guy that gave rich a whole low mile baller 04 compG rear knuckle/brake setup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 oh ok didnt notice that i hav a 1.5 gen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharged400sbc Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 Using 2nd gen front brakes on a 1/1.5 gen would be impossible unless you make 2nd gen front knuckles work. The only way to do this is to engineer some sort of adapter bracket or (what I am planning) to make a hybrid lower control arm with the stock inner part and a 2nd gen outer part. This will take some proper engineering and mechanical skill to make it work. btw rich i was able to look closely at the 442 recently and i know exactly what has to be done to make the hybrid lca, quite simple actually it would let us run 12" brakes front and rear so we are considering it as well since i have almost all the parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l67ss Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 <would be interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pshojo Posted January 11, 2013 Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 I upgraded to my 96+ brakes and am going to order Powerstop/Evolution Slotted rotors for extra braking for the Vert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich17 Posted January 12, 2013 Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 btw rich i was able to look closely at the 442 recently and i know exactly what has to be done to make the hybrid lca, quite simple actually it would let us run 12" brakes front and rear so we are considering it as well since i have almost all the parts :fy: We'll be able to corner a market for the 1/1.5gens buddy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharged400sbc Posted January 12, 2013 Report Share Posted January 12, 2013 fuuuck that imma do my shit only... gfy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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