The calipers in the CX package...
The calipers in the CX package are powdercoated and available in a variety of colors. Ours are obviously red, ala Z06; black and yellow are the other choices.
Keep in mind, conventional brake fluid has an affinity for moisture and "wet" brake fluid has a much lower boiling point than it did when it was fresh out of the can. Switching to silicone fluid eliminates moisture-intrusion issues, but the hydraulic system has to be completely free of any conventional brake fluid, or you may step on the brake pedal one day and find that no one's home. (You haven't lived until you've redone a brake system, filled it with silicone fluid, and didn't find out that it wasn't cleaned sufficiently until you attempted to rapidly slow down from an unreasonably high speed.)
Rather than spending hours cleaning the master cylinder, you're better off using a high-quality DOT 4 brake fluid, which has higher dry and wet boiling points than DOT 3 fluid. Be sure to use fluid from unopened (or recently opened and tightly resealed containers) to minimize the possibility of the fluid having absorbed moisture before it even enters the master cylinder.
While the brake system upgrade was in process, we began shopping for new wheels and tires, and wound up at the Tire Rack's web site. After reviewing all the choices, we chose a set of Sport Edition V6 wheels and Dunlop Sport 9000 tires. We'll have more details about the wheel/tire combination in a subsequent issue.
| Difficulty Index - 3 Wrenches |
| Anyone's Project: no tools required | 1 Wrench |
| Beginner: basic tools | 2 Wrenches |
| Experienced: special tools | 3 Wrenches |
| Accomplished: special tools and outside help | 4 Wrenches |
| Professionals Only: send this work out | 5 Wrenches |
A steel adapter bolted to...
A steel adapter bolted to the caliper bracket makes upgrading to C5 front brakes a simple bolt-on. The caliper brackets are supplied with the adapters already installed, so all you have to do is bolt them in place.
With a 13-inch diameter, the...
With a 13-inch diameter, the Sport rotor offers considerably more surface area and a much improved appearance. The C5 caliper bracket/adapter assembly can be installed once the new rotor is in place.
As is obvious in this photo,...
As is obvious in this photo, the caliper bracket/adapter assembly simply bolts to the original mounting holes in the steering knuckle. (Yes, the bolts were tightened after this photo was taken.)
Included in the VBP CX kit...
Included in the VBP CX kit are Hawk HPS pads, which are designed for high-performance street driving. These pads are quiet and produce relatively little dust. They also provide excellent stopping power.
After the mounting bracket...
After the mounting bracket bolts were tightened, we installed the caliper. The whole installation went smoothly. Everything fit as it was supposed to, making it truly a bolt-on process.
Rear rotors are of the "Sport"...
Rear rotors are of the "Sport" persuasion and have standard C4 dimensions.
Rear calipers are also direct...
Rear calipers are also direct replacement C4 components. Red powdercoating adds a nice appearance touch and prevents corrosion.
After the brake installation...
After the brake installation was completed, we moved on to the suspension. When that part of the project is completed, a set of Dunlop SP Sport 9000 tires mounted on Sport Edition V6 wheels from the Tire Rack will be installed.
If you're wondering how a...
If you're wondering how a particular wheel will look on your car, all you have to do is go to the Tire Rack's web site and click on Upgrade Garage. You can then select any of the wheels that The Tire Rack offers and view an image of your year and model vehicle with those wheels.