I was doing the LT1 to LS1 brake upgrade this weekend. I got a set hubs,calipers,brackets, and spindles off of a 2000 Camaro. The hoses were to short but I found that the hoses off of a 2000 Impala work well. They are about 2 inches longer. Anyway, after putting all of this on along with new rotors, I find that I can not put the wheels on. The bolt pattern matches up but when you tighten the lug nuts up, the wheel does not go all the way on and clamp down on the rotor. I can reach in with my finger and move the rotor back and forth. Did I miss something or was I supposed to use the hubs off of the LT1 instead?

 

The hubs are the same for the LT1 and LS1. So either you didnt tighten something down right or something is wrong with your wheels, because it should work just fine for you. What kind of wheels do you have?

 

I put the original hubs on and everything fit. I guess there was something wrong with the hubs I received.

 

hmm that doesnt make sense, 93-02 is all the same hubs, nothing different
did u make sure the caliper bracket is tight along with the caliper itself

 

Ah HA! So it can be done!

How much difference in breaking did you notice after swapping to the larger LS1 brakes?

 

Its a huge difference.

 

Do most of you get the parts used or new?

Does someone sell a complete retrofit kit?

 

Another question too...

You're only upgrading the front brakes, right?

 

The parts are used, because i'm sure to buy all these parts new it would be super expensive. I bought a used set off ebay for $165 shipped. The rotors were good, the brake pads were like new and the rubber lines were good. I just cleaned them up painted them and installed them. I had about $200 in the whole setup by the time i was done installing them. I love them. Since all the parts are used you just have to find salvage yards or ebay to get the parts from. You need the spindles/knuckles, brake lines, calipers, rotors, and caliper mounting brackets if you want a cheap setup. If not all you really need is the spindles/knuckles and the caliper mounting brackets. The rest can be bought new at your local autoparts store, but it will cost much more. Yes most of us only do the fronts. The rears aren't really that much better and they require a lot of work to install.

 

Thanks Z!

( guess I have another summer project to do now... lol)

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=42605

Thats everything you would need right there. I don't know the guy i just did a search to find you an example. Those don't seem like a bad deal though.
Here is another setup. Again i don't know who these guys are. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33564

 

Hey, I've got a question, how firm is your pedal? No, that's not a come on
Seriously, I just did the same to my 97 Z28 2 weeks ago with 99 camaro parts.
My original rims did fit the newer hubs tighter, but fit perfect after some wiggling and 2 torquings.
I've vacuum bled 3 fricking large bottles of brake fluid through it, including an ABS bleed, and the pedal is still soft. It'll chirp em and activate the abs if you stab the pedal hard, but I can smash it to the floor at a stoplight shockingly easily. Is yours the same?

Later

 

Mines kind of the same. I've heard the soft pedal can be caused by running rubber lines instead of steel braided.

 

If you don't bleed the brakes right then the pedal will be soft. I found this out when I did my conversion last year. You have to start on one and work your way around either clockwise or counterwise. I can't remember wich one to start on, or the direction to go. Directions will be in a Haynes or Chiltons Manual. You might even check shoeboxes web site. Once I bled the brakes the right way then my pedal was much firmer then it was before. Also you'll want to get an alignment when you're finished because no two spindles are the same.


http://shbox.com/page/index.html

 

Be very, very careful buying used knuckles.

I have bought 2 sets over the years that were from wrecked cars and the knuckles were bent.

Ask good questions ... if the donor vehicle was hit in the front, a roll-over or slid off the road, chances are good the knuckles are bent.