big brakes

[prairiehotrodder]

whats the most cost effective way to upgrade the front brakes on a malibu? I don't want to lower my car, so i don't want drop spindles. I have 15x3.5 front wheels so big rotors probably won't fit. I don't want to add a bunch of weight to the car. Something with just a little bigger rotor and dual piston calipers would be nice. Do i have to change the spindles? Is their a jy way to do this or an aftermarket kit? Everything i have looked at so far requires at least 17" wheels and drop spindles.
BTW i have manual brakes and might be running 130 mph in the quarter
Brian

 

[axisg]

either the Blazer 98+ spindle and brakes will get you dual caliper and a slightly bigger rotor. Or summit sells a dual piston caliper for the G-Body

I am in the same boat as I do not want to stray away from the 15" wheels to keep the factory look.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

It's not cheap, but the Global West negative roll kit w/ the upgraded brakes gives you 12" 1LE rotors, bigger calipers & improved handling. It works fine with my GM 15" wheels.

Tommy

 

[monte80]

do you know the summit part # for that dual piston gbody caliper and has anyone ever used it

 

[prairiehotrodder]

the summit number is sum-bk185M for metric first inlet 1977 and up, and sum-bk181 for metric second inlet 1978 and up. They are listed for $399.99 or $449.95 powder coated. I don't know what the difference is between the 2 part numbers. I would probably go with the second number.
Brian

 

[axisg]

Just a little food for thought

I ended up doing the Blazer swap and it was a little more expensive than I anticipated as the used set I picked up had a bearing which was starting to go bad. I don't have all the receipts in front of me but this is what I recall spending. FYI I didn't go cheap on anything either all OEM or 1st line parts so there is def some money to be saved if you can sacrifice some quality.

$ 100.00 spindles used
$ 60.00 calipers used
$ 110.00 for new rotors
$ 60.00 new pads
$ 400.00 for 2 new wheel bearings
$ 125.00 2 new lower ball joints
$ 25.00 Brake Fluid, Hi Temp Paint, Ect


So the swap cost me appx $ 750.00 plus while I had it apart it made sense to me to spend the extra $ 125.00 and replace the 2 lower ball joints ( uppers were new last year ) so that I would have 100% new stuffs on the car and hope to never touch it again.

I put me stock 15" wheels back on and the braking has been great. And because they are stock Blazer items I should have no trouble locating parts in the future and give me a basis to upgrade from.

 

[malibu795]

98+ blazers... s-10 work too?

 

[prairiehotrodder]

thanks for the info, one question-- by blazer do you mean the little s10/s15 trucks? Or the SUV ? what years work? The wheel bearings must be the sealed hub type with the wheels studs on them right? thanks
brian

 

[BIGDOGG]

I was wondering the same thing the only caliper i see is a 4x4 model.

 

[Doober]

It will be a '98+ 2wd Blazer/Jimmy only, pickups still had the same basic setup as a G-Body.