Ok, so I'm trying to put a plan together for 12 inch brakes, and I'm trying to avoid drilling the rotors or using hub adaptor plates. The car is an 85 SE with and 88 cradle.
If I go with the Corvair hub upgrade in the front I'll have a 5 X 4.75 bolt pattern so I'll be able to use the corvette rotor without modification. From other posts I've read that 98+ calipers are aluminum and mounting brackets can be fairly easily made. This sounds pretty strait forward, am I missing anything?
Can anyone suggest what to do with the rear hubs? I've read that a late '90's cavalier hub is close to the '88 fiero rear hub, needing some light machinging of the knuckle to fit right, but the offset is 1/2 - 3/4 greater. Is there anything else that will give me the 5 x 4.75 bolt pattern with a similar to stock offset and (hopefully) no machining of the knuckle? As far as the caliper, would it be better to keep the original '88 rear caliper and e-brake, or use something like the LT1 rear calipers? the car currently has no e-brake cable assembly, so addapting the stock hardware is not an issue.
Any suggestions for something better than what I'm thinking are welcome, once the plan is finished I'll do a full build up thread with pictures to show how it all worked out.
Mike
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10:50 PM
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Mar 23rd, 2008
PaulJK Member
Posts: 6638 From: Los Angeles Registered: Oct 2001
rotorpros.com will drill the rotors for you so you don't have to jump through hoops to keep the Vette pattern. They are gorgeous in cross drilled and slotted too.
Maybe I should add that I want to upgrade to the 5 x 4.75 pattern. I understand the larger bearing for the front is much stronger, and I'd like the larger availability of wheels at that pattern. I was not aware that I could get that 5 X 100 pattern drilled without the original 5 X 4.75 though, that certainly eliminates any concerns about weakening the rotor.
So has anyone upgraded the rear hub of an '88 to a 5 X 4.75 patern, without adding a plate and re-drilling?
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07:25 PM
Fiero redux Member
Posts: 135 From: Asheboro, NC Registered: Dec 2007
I dunno if this would work, but I read someplace that the unit bearing from the front of a S-10 4x4 will bolt into a fiero knuckle, but you'll have to use the outer end of the S-10 4x4 cv joint. I hope you find a solution that works for you. Edited for clarity.
[This message has been edited by Fiero redux (edited 03-23-2008).]
From what I've seen this is an '84-'87 only option, I believe you replace the knuckle with one from a Pontiac 6000 and bolt the s-10 bearing into it. Has anyone tried boring the 88 rear knuckle out a bit to fit a different hub with the correct spline count and 5 X 4.75 lug spacing? It seems to have enough material for some light machining, maybe even some facing if necesary to correct the offset.
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07:08 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
rotorpros.com will drill the rotors for you so you don't have to jump through hoops to keep the Vette pattern. They are gorgeous in cross drilled and slotted too.