Chevrolet Corvette Brake System Guide - Stopping Mall

Here's an easy quiz: Which of your Corvette's pedals do you want to push all the way to the floor, and which one do you never want to touch the carpet? If you answered "accelerator" first and "brake" second, then you already understand the opposite but interrelated processes of hurling a high-powered car to speed and then safely bringing it to a stop.

Fortunately for us, braking technology for the Corvette has improved exponentially since the days of four-wheel drums. Today, modern braking systems allow these performance machines to perform safely in a variety of driving and competition environments, without the risk of fade or failure.

Great brakes aren't just a late-model luxury, either. Thanks to a burgeoning aftermarket, all generations of Corvettes can take advantage of modern braking technology. With this in mind, we contacted 14 brake manufacturers and asked them to describe their Vette-specific kits.

Because choosing a brake kit is based upon myriad variables--including price, vehicle weight, horsepower, and intended usage--we didn't favor one of these manufacturers over the others. Instead, we listed them all and allowed them to state their case. All that's left is for you to decide which of these systems is right for your car.

Brembo North America
(800) 325-3994
www.brembo.com/us

Brief Description
Brembo Gran Turismo brake-upgrade systems include Brembo four- or six-piston calipers with sequentially sized pistons and come in a choice of red, black, or silver (yellow available on some applications). Other features include Brembo drilled or slotted two-piece rotors up to 15 inches (380mm) or one-piece rotors up to 14 inches (355mm), DOT- and TV-certified Goodridge stainless steel braided brake lines, Brembo high-performance brake pads, Brembo floating anti-rattle rotor hardware, and Brembo billet-aluminum or steel brackets.

Trademark Features
Brembo's GT brake systems for the Corvette are designed based on specific vehicle parameters for optimum brake balance. Larger, fixed-mount calipers with specially tailored piston sizes and upsized discs help achieve these goals while providing increased thermal capacity for superior fade resistance. Systems using two-piece discs enhance not only the performance of the brakes, but the vehicle's overall performance as well, thanks to a reduction in unsprung and rotating weight.

Quote from the Company
"Brembo is a leader in enhancing the performance of Corvette models. The '09 Corvette ZR1 was the first-ever North American production car to be fitted with Brembo's state-of-the-art carbon-ceramic brake discs (CCM), developed and produced by the company in its Kilometro Rosso R&D Center in northern Italy. In 2004, this leading-edge technology received the `Golden Compass,' the most significant award in Europe for engineering design. Brembo offers GT brake upgrade systems for Corvette C4, C5, and C6 owners."