Installed big brakes!

[brandongill8]

Thanks for the article on how to do it!

One thing I had questions on were if the of vehicle years mattered? I have a 03 but I bought brackets from an auto scrape yard from a 06. The only thing I could tell that was different was the bolts that bolt the caliper on were fine thread and mine were course thread and the slides are beefyer on the new ones.

So I took mine off, test fit the new bracket on the caliper, and it looked like it will work so I continued the install. Everything installed as it should. It was just like a normal brake job.:wootwoot:

Here are some pictures of the install.

Before:

After:

On a side note:
Is there a cheap way to clean my rims? The dark marks are from the clear coat peeling away and crap is getting under it and oxidizing the aluminum.

 

[RedEnvoyDenali]

Thanks for the article on how to do it!


On a side note:
Is there a cheap way to clean my rims? The dark marks are from the clear coat peeling away and crap is getting under it and oxidizing the aluminum.

I had the same problem the passenger side front caliper was leaking and dropped brake fluid on the wheel. Ate through the clear coat and, well you know the rest. I was quoted 230.00 to repair the rim but bought a new one off Ebay for 170.00. It will get mounted this spring when the new tires arrive.

 

[mrphoenix80]

Our body shop uses aircraft striper and then sands the wheel and reclears it with a special clear from Eastwood I think. Or you could use the plastidip method others here have, and maybe dress up you stock wheels while covering the problem areas.

 

[Short Bus]

Are those EXT brakes?

To fix the rims, you can use $1 a can paint from Lowe's

Mine are holding up good

 

[brandongill8]

Are those EXT brakes?

To fix the rims, you can use $1 a can paint from Lowe's

Mine are holding up good

Yup, they are EXT front Rotors, with EXT brackets. The rest is from the SWB Trailblazer. So I have the alum. calipers instead of the cast iron ones like the EXTs.

I like the look of the alum so I don't want to paint or Plastidip them. I will probably end up buying some 22s for the summer and use these for the winter.

 

[jbacklund]

Any difference in braking performance?

 

[brandongill8]

Any difference in braking performance?

Not really.

There is probably some brake performance with them (that's why they put them on the bigger trucks), but I can't really "feel" any. I just like the way they fill my stock 17" wheels.

 

[Playsinsnow]

My apologies if this is a highjack but...
I've been thinking about putting larger brakes in when the time comes. Anyone know what the stock 60-0mph braking distance is for the swb, ext, & SS? Can't see getting the larger rotors to fill my wheels (I don't drive "easy" off pavement) for no functional benefit. My quick searches online show that an '02 stops in 109ft- according to motorweek.org article- and an SS stops in (depending on sources) anywhere from 115-132/135ft. Am I missing something? Does the 6.0 add that much weight and stopping distance? Doesn't seem like an improvement as compared to NEW brakes???