GM Aluminum Brake Calipers- Car Craft Magazine

Bolt-On GM Aluminum Calipers

Want the look of trick aluminum brake calipers without the cost and hassle of a complete brake conversion? Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC) has something you'll probably be interested in.

SSBC's new Force 10 Super Twin two-piston aluminum calipers bolt in place of the common GM single-piston cast-iron floating caliper that was used on a wide array of popular GM cars starting in the early '70s, such as Novas, Chevelles, Impalas, and all the related clones of those cars. The swap is slam-dunk simple; merely unbolt your existing cast-iron anchors and bolt the new calipers in their place. The Force 10 calipers accept the same brake hoses and caliper bolts, and they use a factory-style brake pad.

Not only do the Super Twin calipers look trick, they clear stock 15-inch wheels, and a pair will cut about 7 pounds of unsprung weight from the frontend weight of your car. That's not setting the world on fire, but it's better than adding 7 pounds (see "Sprung vs. Unsprung Weight" sidebar). The calipers are built with stainless steel pistons, which resist corrosion within the aluminum housing and also help retard the transfer of heat from the brake pads to the brake fluid.

The Super Twin calipers retail for $395 with pads and hardware, or for a total of $550 you can add a set of plated and slotted 11-inch rotors. Powdercoating is also available for an additional charge. That's not super cheap, but it is less than most full-on trick brake conversions, and it couldn't be much easier to accomplish.

Want the look of trick aluminum brake calipers without the cost and hassle of a complete brake conversion? Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC) has something you'll probably be interested in.

SSBC's new Force 10 Super Twin two-piston aluminum calipers bolt in place of the common GM single-piston cast-iron floating caliper that was used on a wide array of popular GM cars starting in the early '70s, such as Novas, Chevelles, Impalas, and all the related clones of those cars. The swap is slam-dunk simple; merely unbolt your existing cast-iron anchors and bolt the new calipers in their place. The Force 10 calipers accept the same brake hoses and caliper bolts, and they use a factory-style brake pad.

Not only do the Super Twin calipers look trick, they clear stock 15-inch wheels, and a pair will cut about 7 pounds of unsprung weight from the frontend weight of your car. That's not setting the world on fire, but it's better than adding 7 pounds (see "Sprung vs. Unsprung Weight" sidebar). The calipers are built with stainless steel pistons, which resist corrosion within the aluminum housing and also help retard the transfer of heat from the brake pads to the brake fluid.

The Super Twin calipers retail for $395 with pads and hardware, or for a total of $550 you can add a set of plated and slotted 11-inch rotors. Powdercoating is also available for an additional charge. That's not super cheap, but it is less than most full-on trick brake conversions, and it couldn't be much easier to accomplish.