If one determines the most important parts on a car are the tires, as they’re the only four things touching the ground, what would be the second-most important parts? If you guessed the brakes, you get a gold star. All the horsepower in the world is useless if you can’t stop it, and for high-performance driver education days, some cars really benefit from bigger brakes than standard. It’s usually an expensive proposition, but depending on what you drive, it can be made less expensive by going into the GM parts bin and pulling out a pair of Cadillac CTS-V Brembo calipers.
There are lots of reasons why you may want monoblock calipers over floating calipers on your car, even if the monoblock pieces are often heavier. For one, fixed calipers have pistons that evenly clamp both brake pads against the rotor. Floating calipers, on the other hand, have one or two pistons on only one side of the caliper and rely on slide pins to split the clamping action between the two pads. This means going with a fixed caliper can result in better pedal feel, more even pad wear, and potentially higher clamping forces. Just be a bit cautious, because messing with brake piston surface area too much can negatively affect pedal feel due to the mismatch between master cylinder piston area and total caliper piston area.
However, the big reasons you might want a bigger caliper on your car are to accommodate a larger brake disc and pad setup than stock for an increase in thermal capacity, with the latter also increasing pad size and therefore swept area. Gains in single-stop power on the street may be negligible, assuming an identical pad compound, but the benefits of a larger caliper and pads really become apparent with repeated hard stops, as larger brakes are more resistant to fading under heavy use.
Yeah, fixed calipers are pretty great, but they’re also often expensive. A third-party big brake kit from Wilwood or Ceika can run well north of $1,000 just for the front axle. Thankfully, the Cadillac CTS-V is here to come in clutch. First-generation models for their entire 2004 to 2007 production run sported Brembo four-piston fixed front calipers that can now be picked up for cheap. A single new caliper, part number 1722287 for the left and 1722288 for the right, will run you in the neighborhood of $200. That’s about $400 in calipers, so what about mounting them to a car?
Many vehicles will require adapters to accommodate these calipers, but CTS-V Brake Swap has been specializing in adapters to put CTS-V calipers on all sorts of cars for years. Let’s look at the S14 Nissan 240SX, for example. A set of adapters from the company for this application goes for $258 and is designed to accommodate discs from a 350Z Track Edition, which cost less than $45 each as pattern parts. From there, add about $100 in caliper hardware, $129 worth of banjo-style braided brake hoses, and your pads of choice. Boom, you’re under a grand all-in for a proper big brake kit on the front axle of an S14 240SX or Silvia.
Not quite big enough for you? Well, you’re in luck. Remanufactured six-piston Brembo calipers for the second-generation 2009 to 2015 Cadillac CTS-V are as cheap as $110 each on Rock Auto, and loads of companies have stepped up and offered adapters for various platforms. For instance, Killswitch Motorsports has a roughly $255 adapter kit to fit these front calipers on a Mark IV Toyota Supra or a first-generation Lexus SC using $62 Lexus IS F front brake discs. Sure, Killswitch Motorsports does note that some shaving of the calipers is required for clearance in this application, but even with nice pads, you’re looking at a sub-$800 front axle six-piston big brake kit. Score.
Speaking of alternative applications, CTS-V Brake Swap also has a kit that lets you bolt six-piston second-generation CTS-V front calipers onto a previous-generation Subaru WRX using Lexus RC F discs. That’s about $220 for the pair of calipers, $260 for the adapter kit, $166 worth of brake discs, $136 worth of caliper hardware, and then your pads of choice. Guess what? That still should come in under $1,000, a bargain compared to most aftermarket big-brake kits. Of course, it’s worth noting that this kit also fits pretty much all Subarus with 5×100 mm bolt patterns, with one catch: The Lexus RC F brake discs will need to be redrilled from their 5×114.3 mm bolt pattern to fit.
I know what you’re probably thinking right now: What about brake bias? While retrofitting suitable GM-source calipers to your ride will likely change the overall brake bias slightly, those who’ve already done the research and development on these kits know not to screw around too much. While an in-depth calculation involves axle weighting and downforce, the numbers to really worry about are master cylinder piston diameter and brake caliper piston surface area. A variety of handy online tools are out there for those without whiteboard room, such as this one from TCE Performance Products, if you’re looking to do something that’s never been done before. However, off-the-shelf kits have been proven to perform. First-generation CTS-V calipers are a popular swap in the 240SX community for a reason, and they’re gaining popularity in the Subaru BRZ community when complemented by Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution rear calipers to balance out the brake bias.
So before you set that fancy, branded aftermarket big-brake kit as a stretch goal, you might want to see if someone’s done the research and development and made a kit to adapt Cadillac CTS-V Brembo calipers to your project car. Surely the price difference will buy you at least a trackday entry fee, which is pretty good when you think about it, because the one thing that makes any car faster is tightening the nut behind the wheel.
Top graphic image: Subaru/GM
Some of those adapter plates look flimsy AF.
i bought a whole clapped out s60r for $500, pretty sure it has these exact 4-piston brembos. Dont tell anyone
Too many enthusiasts “upgrade” to bigger brakes and bigger wheels without considering unsprung weight. Do your brakes fade on track days? Sure, upgrade the brakes (but maybe try better fluid and ducting first). Otherwise, it seems a lot of these big brake kits worsen street performance.
Yeah, this. People forget that for road use, tire traction is what ultimately dictates how fast you can stop. It’s only when you need to brake repeatedly and heat becomes a factor that you should look closer at your brakes.
I have a very old car with drum brakes in all 4 corners, it can lock all 4 wheels no problem.
BBK’s do look great and that’s one of the main reasons people upgrade, just for looks.
I have my doubts that standard 4-corner drums on a older production car is going to have anything resembling performance at high-speed braking, or heading down a long mountain road.
But that’s the thing, it’s a 70hp car, so drums are fine. Car engineers are smart, there’s no need for anything more than what your car came with. If you have a 2015 Corolla with drums at the rear, it probably doesn’t need discs back there.
And when going downhill? My car engine brakes like a tractor, in 1st gear the car basically stops moving.
So again, the point is not that we should all go back to drum brakes, is that BBK’s are often nothing more than a cosmetic “upgrade” with several downsides, mainly unsprung weight, higher brake part costs and often less responsive and noisy brakes when cold. To make it funnier, a lot of these BBK’s are installed in cars wearing the cheapest Chinese tires
With many ‘economy’ vehicles for the mass market, brakes aren’t exactly sized for abuse. There is, however, a tipping point where gains aren’t there.
Braking abruptly from highway speeds when something happens suddenly in front of you puts a lot of heat into your rotors, and having some headspace would be reasonably cheap peace of mind.
Of upgrades to see on a tuned vehicle: I’d happily see someone put money into good brakes and decent tires before they put money into a loud exhaust.
I’d do anything to do this to my wife’s Outback. Those brakes suck.
I put WRX STI calipers on the front of my BH Outback, and it’s plenty for my off-road needs, but this is making me rethink my decision.
Don’t, but change your hoses and fluid. You’re going to have guaranteed pad match to your rotor.
Hoses are on my radar, fluid’s been flushed twice since I took ownership of the car, once for front caliper replacement, once for rear. I’ve got WRX STI calipers up front with slotted and drilled rotors and EBC pads and just regular parts house calipers, rotors, and pads in the rear. Sucker stops like a monster.
Hey! I’m actually in the process of doing exactly this for my C10 pickup. I couldn’t find a kit I liked for it so I’m designing my own brackets. Already have the calipers and rotors purchased.
I’m going to disagree that you can just trust that the people selling brackets have done their homework. I’ve seen tons of calipers adapted for Miatas and Hondas that absolutely destroyed the brake bias, and a lot of enthusiasts just gloss over it. Bigger is better in their mind.
I got lucky and picked up some Afco F88 calipers for $45. Made by Stoptech, who’s owned by Centric, who’s owned by First Brands, who went bankrupt as you wrote about earlier today. I’d rather have an OEM caliper on there instead of race car parts and their service requirements, but for the price I couldn’t resist.
Early 2000 Ford Explorer master cylinders are a perfect drop in upgrade for Subarus, Mazdas, Toyotas, and I believe Hondas. Same bore outer diameter where it goes into the booster / firewall, but the piston is 1″ instead of 7/8″ or something like that.
Would this work on a 2010 Outback? I hate the brakes on my wife’s car.
Can’t guarantee it but think so. I used it on an 86 XT with the original booster and later with an 04 wrx booster. You may need to bend and flare a new line. Later mod to the lemons car was to remove the booster completely, drill new holes in the firewall and change where the plunger attaches from 1/10th pedal length to 1/7th. This ended up being the best brakes I’ve ever felt.
OEM brake upgrades are awesome. The 1st Gen Tacoma and 3rd Gen 4runner guys use the big brakes from the 1st gen Tundras. Almost bolt-on!
And 1st gen Tundra/Sequoia guys upgrade to 5th gen 4Runner / GX calipers and rotors. I did this on my Sequoia.
ATS and XTS calipers are also used for a relatively inexpensive front brake upgrade for 1994+ Mustangs too.
https://www.ssengineeringllc.com/product-page/ats-xts-caliper-mounting-hardware-mustang
I bought an extra cheap set ($156 for the set) on eBay, described as new, but with the branding ground off and no finish at all, but they somehow also decided I didn’t need the hard crossover lines?? Granted, they weren’t in the photo, but y tho.
Likely assuming you would steal the crossover lines from your existing calipers, as if you were replacing junk calipers as cheaply as possible.
Also no…
I bought OEM STI 4 piston calipers for my WRX for about $450, bolt on, no adaptors 2 hours, end of. This obsession of using CTS calipers is frankly silly, and the improvement I’m sure is only in the butt dyno. Better hoses, better fluid and better pads will get you far better braking that ruining your caliper mounts and emptying your pockets. These brake “upgrades” are only “cheap” in relation to what? Willwood or Brembo?
I think you’re situation is the exception not the rule. Bolt OEM big brakes at that price point are much more of an anomaly amongst other cars. I did mine for a DSM pattern car. It required shaving the tabs on the actual caliper a couple mm to get rotor alignment. Otherwise, bolt on and go.
I won’t deny that a “drop in” upgrade being available is an unfair comparison, but I also won’t deny there’s very little, if any improvement to said upgrade. My caution is that this can be a rabbit hole, I wisely avoided. It can start out cheap, but then your front end is torn apart and you need another part, and another.
More simply:
You aren’t going to beat physics. Larger diameter rotor will increase brake torque apply. More rotor mass will improve fade resistance. Larger pads also mean less frequent replacement. The real question is do you need any of that, which I agree with.
If someone wants it for looks you aren’t going to change their minds.
If they actually need a physical brake upgrade for track day use, the pads, hoses, and fluid has almost certainly been done already and thus isn’t enough. And yes, for a large number of cars this is still the cheapest way to get a track ready bbk.
Yeah I get what I did (trim upgrade), further context; WRX goons are obsessed with these calipers too. I’m just not sure the return on time and money is there. Larger rotors? Totally different ball of kittens, as you say you’re changing all the dynamics, not just a small change in swept area and increase in pressure (maybe).
You just swapped parts from one trim level to another, on the same car.
Adapter brackets are common in actual “aftermarket” big brake kits since manufacturers don’t want to make a unique caliper for every individual car. The trick here is you are getting a Brembo brake kit, just without paying the Brembo name markup due to using combinations of OEM spec parts. They do in fact improve braking, which is why there’s a so called silly obsession.
How? The STI tax is real. All the STI takeoffs i have seen are in the 2-3k range, and Subaru charges about $1200 /front caliper for the STI (VA2).
Even the non-STI one piece calipers from the 2006 WRX TRs were about $350/piece for the front.