Cascade Crew

Red Bird

so i found a 2001 firebird v6 5 spd car with a disc brake rear, the calipers say pbr on them. the yard wants $350 i have a posi unit to swap in. its it worth that much? they would pull it. is there a difference between the v6 and v8 rears? also should i get the front calipers/rotors off it? would they be an easy swap onto my firebird? the car had abs not sure if that matters. what other parts should i get to make the swap easier from the donor car? any help would be appreciated.

alloy · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:03 pm Post subject:

There is no difference in a V6 or V8 rear as far as strength goes. The v6 rear might have a better ratio that a V8, just have to check and see what it is. A 4th gen rear is also 2" wider per side than a 3rd gen is. So take that into consideration if your thinking about swapping to the 4th gen rear. $350 seems a little high for a rear like that. If it had Zexel posi in it then maybe. I picked up a 3.42 rear with Zexel and LS1 disks for $275.

The 4th gen brakes and be swapped onto a 3rd gen rear even if it's a drum rear. The flanges are easily modified to accept disk brakes.

I'd have to check and see what size rotor the front brakes have on that car. A V6 car most likely has smaller brakes that an LS1 car.

To use the LS1 style rear brakes you need the brake cable, the parking brake handle, and the brake cable bracket off a 4th gen floor board. It's an easy swap, both Al and I have done this so either of us can help you with it.

iansane · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:41 pm Post subject:

The v6 have the same front brakes as the ls1 cars. Nice upgrade from thirdgens.

Alphius · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:09 am Post subject:

Got my '98 Z28 rear axle with 3.23, LS1 brakes and posi for $150. Doesn't seem like that rear will be a great deal. Maybe not a horrible deal if it's 3.42.

Drove mine for 3-4 months 60 miles a day then the bearing grinding got so bad I couldn't stand it. Did all the bearings myself and it's been solid for a couple years now.

I have a picture with IROC wheels, stock rear offset. Didn't look too bad. I have since gotten 4thgen offset wheels and it's tucked perfectly.

Didn't know about the front brakes on V6 cars being the same as LS1 cars. What year should I look for? I might have to find me some of those... Mods required?

EDIT: Also, since it is ABS the brake lines will need some work to hook up to your system. Not sure exactly what since my rear was non-ABS.

iansane · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:34 am Post subject:

Alphius · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:31 am Post subject:

You are right. There were two different types of ABS systems. Three channel and four channel.

I think that 4-channel was used in TCS cars and three channel was used in non-TCS. The three channel has a combo block on the rear like a thirdgen that combines the two sides into one line to the body. I believe the four channel has seperate lines per side so it requires some work to hook up to a thirdgen. the three-channel can bolt right up, and mine was three channel ABS.

Make sense? This info is from almost three years ago when I actually researched it. I might have a few things hazy. Wink

alloy · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:07 pm Post subject:

I have pics on how I modded the 4 channel lines to fit the 3rd gen brake hose. Was easy. Made my own braided brake lines also. Again very easy and cheaper than buying them.

Red Bird · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:35 pm Post subject:

thanks for the info guys.I am thinking of just getting the calipers/rotors and e brake parts to see if they would go down on the price. i have a spare 10 bolt with the gears i want in it already, so i could set it all up and just swap rears out. i was thinkin $350 was a lil too much even though i really want discs out back. gotta stretch every dollar, as all of us can understand.