BRAKES

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Introducion

Master Calendar & Proportioning Valve Chart

Installing Factory Rear disks

Baer Brake Install Notes

If you are considering putting some serious power in your Formula, you will want to FIRST modify your brakes.  Simply put if you cant stop you will die.  They can be expensive, but unless you have the rare 1LE package, the 3rd generation Camaro's and Firebird's are far from being adequate.  

If you have Rear Drum brakes I do not recommend swapping out to a stock axel from a 4 Wheel disk car.  If you are not going to road race, or drive your car hard there is real no reason to do the swap.  Getting the rear Disk brakes to work correctly is a challenge and in many cases people notice a decrease in stopping power after doing the swap.  If you still want to do the swap I tell you what you need later.

Inch per Inch drum brakes are stronger than Disk brakes of the same diameter.  Drum Brakes are unpopular because they tend to fade under hard constant use.  The reason Drum Brakes fade is when they get warm the drum expands and the brake shoe has to travel further to make contact.

Fact: 1984 thru 1988 (non 1LE) 10.5" rear Disk brake system and the drum brake system uses different Master Cylinders and proportioning valves.  Starting in 1989, All F-bodies used the same Master Cylinder when they went to the larger rear disk brakes.

Swapping to a Stock Disk Brake System

NOT RECOMMENDED

I personally took an 83 rear disk axel and installed it on my 87 Formula.  After the swap The Stock rear disk brakes could not stop my axel from turning when in gear  when suspended.  I thus I do not recommend doing the swap, Here is what you will need to change:

The axel, The proportioning valve, and possibly the Master Cylinder.  The brake line from the prop valve to the rear axel is the same part number for all years.  Because they use the larger rear disks I would recommend using a, 90-92 rear axel if you can find one.  Keep in mind you will not be able to find a Borg & Warner 9 Bolt axel from these years. 

To do the swap, first you have to remove your old axel.  If you don't want to buy new brakes cables  you can remove the return spring from the ones that are on the car.  It is coiled around the end of the cable.  

Install the new disk axel and hook up all the lines, including the e-brakes cable.

The Emergency brake cable sticks out several inches more for drum brakes than disk brakes.  You will then have to adjust the tension on your brake cable in the tunnel. It is difficult to do this with the drive shaft in place.  Get on your back and Screw the adjuster until there is tension on the cable from the springs on the calipers.

Re-Install the Drive shaft

Remove the Master cylinder, and the proportioning valve and install the new ones. 

BAER BRAKES

I did a Baer Brake upgrade to 12" Rotors on all four corners.  The Front Brakes use a cut down Corvette ZR1 Rotor, and 86-9x something calipers.  The rears use a Corvette Rotor and 93-97 Camaro caliper. So finding replacement parts is not difficult.  The 12" disks FIT under both the 87-88 16" Flat Turbo style wheels and the Later 88-92 Dished in Turbo Wheels.  the 13" will NOT fit with your Stock Wheels.  

I bought my system from Lingenfelter, and All said and done, I had my brakes Slotted, Drilled and Zinc washed, also got an adjustable proportioning valve, after shipping it came to $2419.25,  I have to return my Front spindles for the core charge that Lingenfelter charged me of $232.00.  Be careful, some places will try and charge you Big Bucks to have the parts shipped.  The front rotor & spindle weigh, 43lbs each, and the rear brakes weighed about 48lbs for the pair.

The Front brakes are installed, The job was reasonably easy and straight forward. Baer included everything I needed to do the conversion, because I chose to powder coat he lower a-arms and clean and paint some other components, and install urethane bushings it took me a little longer than doing a simple conversion. (Photos soon).  A reasonably good mechanic should be able to switch over to the Front Baer brakes in under 3 or 4 hours. 

While you have the front spindles off, you might consider changing the lower ball joint.  I only paid $13.00 for each of them.  

After several months I finally did the rear brakes, It was as easy as the front brakes, a little messy but easy.  Since I had to remove the axel anyway for my 4bbl to TPI conversion I took the time to do the swap off the car.  This made the job easier, cleaner and more time effecient.  Baer included all necessary instructions on how to remove the old and install the new. 

How complete of a kit is Baer brakes?

The only parts I had to purchase was the rear cover gasket for the axel, and some zip ties. 

I rate the kits as a 10 as for installation....

At last, I can finally STOP, when I originally went to 4 wheel stock disk brakes, it was nothing short of frightening.  I changed everything too. The Baer Brakes are a HUGE improvement.

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