After a dozen or so 60-0 mph stops, and an almost equal number of adjustments on the proportioning valve, we reduced our stopping distance down to 130 feet. The really cool aspect with the Baer's is that the braking distance kept getting shorter with each stop, defying the typical notion that with heavy and prolonged use, brakes will fade and lose their effectiveness.
Our distance was also admirable given that our Camaro is running Nitto 555's-a great street tire, but one that sports a rigid 300 treadwear rating. A more performance oriented tire (180-200 treadwear rating) would have brought our stopping distance down even further. This level of performance is on par with the some of the best Pro Touring cars we've ever tested, and will certainly provide our Z28 with enough stopping power to be competitive at an open track day or autocross.
Here is the intermediate caliper...
Here is the intermediate caliper mounting bracket, firmly and safely attached (thanks to loctite and lockwashers) to the rearend housing.
Here is the intermediate caliper mounting bracket, firmly and safely attached (thanks to loctite and lockwashers) to the rearend housing.
Next up, we installed the...
Next up, we installed the radial mount caliper bracket followed by the rotor. There is a "right" and "left" of these, and they are clearly marked.
It is necessary to measure...
It is necessary to measure the rotor-to-caliper body clearance, preferably with a set of dial or digital calipers. This is done with the brake calipers installed without pads. Baer provides complete instructions on this process.
Once the caliper is properly...
Once the caliper is properly shimmed, we proceeded to the final assembly with brake pads and lines. Our big, nasty binders bolted up with ease.
It was time to move to the...
It was time to move to the front of the car. The front kits come partially assembled (including pads and caliper shimming) with a modified stock spindle.
Several frontend components...
Several frontend components have to be removed to free the spindle and rotor assembly from the car. The ball joints can be a bit tricky, so a good "unseating" with a brass hammer usually does the trick.
The front struts are mounted...
The front struts are mounted to the front spindle as well.
With the front lower control...
With the front lower control arm supported with a floor jack, the brake and spindle assembly can be pulled away from the car.
And the new Baer assembly...
And the new Baer assembly fits right into place.
After reinstalling the bottom...
After reinstalling the bottom spindle mount, ball joint, strut, and sway bar mount, we have a finished product. It really was that simple.
To insure the consistency...
To insure the consistency of front-to-rear breaking pressure, Baer requires the installation of one of their adjustable proportioning valves. The valve installs on the rear brake line between the master cylinder and the rear brakes. We initially set the valve to the halfway point. We'll fine-tune it at the test track.
The last step before hitting...
The last step before hitting the pavement was to fill and bleed the brake system. Baer strongly recommends Performance Friction's Z-Rated fluid No. 90016 for street and occasional track use (with Motorcraft PM1 as the optional backup). For racing, Baer recommends and uses only Castrol SRF.