So, what did it all get us? Testing was done with an Escort g-Timer GT2 Vehicle Performance Monitor we happened to have on hand, and with the stock brake setup in place, we registered a best stop of 156 feet, with a three-stop average slightly above that, which actually isn't bad. Pedal feel, however, was seriously lacking. The pedal was mushy; it was like you could feel the rubber hoses expanding as the pedal was mashed. Braking power was low at first, and increased as the pedal was depressed. And with repeated use, braking got predictably worse as temperatures increased.

It was notably different with the upgraded components in place. After bedding in the pads to the rotors as specified by Hawk, several things quickly became evident. Right off the bat, we had a much firmer pedal to deal with-no more mushy pedal feel. Consequently, brake response was immediate, though not grabby. Braking power was more consistent throughout the pedal's travel-and there was more of it. We recorded a best stop of 142 feet, a very good improvement over our original 156-foot figure. In a panic-stop situation, 14 feet could be enough to save your car.

Just as important, our three-stop average was 9 feet better, and we think it can get even better as we adjust to the more positive feel of the new brakes. In fact, we spent at least an hour beating on our Z in search of the perfect stop, and the brakes never really faded. Unlike the stockers, which registered 170-plus feet as testing wore on, the new setup stayed firmly in the 150s for as long as we cared to abuse it-and this on a day that was at least 10 degrees hotter.

So in the end, while we're still craving a set of 17s and the platters to fill them, it turned out that our merely stock system was actually quite capable when properly outfitted. And while third-gen Camaros are noted for handling platforms that should be able to stop well, here's the cool thing: The principles we applied here apply to any Chevy that's still wearing its stock brakes. Increase the line pressure and upgrade the friction surfaces, and as long as you've got decent tires in place, you'll get better braking. You'll appreciate it when you really need to stop-and it doesn't cost all that much, especially if you're already due for a brake job.

  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Right Rear Brake Line
    The right rear Camaro brake is set up a bit differently, as the hardline from the distribution block runs out along the axle, where it connects with a hose that connects to the front-mounted passenger-side caliper. As you can see, we've already removed the parking brake spring and are working on the bracket so we can get at the lower caliper pin. We won't keep you in suspense here-regardless of what the book says, the easiest way to get this pin out is to drop the lower control arm.
    The right rear Camaro brake is set up a bit differently, as the hardline from the distribu
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Taking Front Rotor Screw Off
    We don't intend to cover every single detail involved in this brake upgrade-if you've done a brake job, you can do this. We will, on the other hand, try to impart some useful details. For starters, we're sure you can get the front rotors off, and we'll discuss the bearings and seals later. At this point, we removed the caliper banjo bolt with the appropriate flare wrench. It makes an unavoidable mess, so you may want to put a pan underneath.
    We don't intend to cover every single detail involved in this brake upgrade-if you've done
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Removing H Clip
    At the frame fitting-and this goes for installing the new hoses as well as removing the old-you'll first need to remove the H-clip, then hold the flexline fitting in place with a flare wrench as you loosen the frameline fitting. Again, unless you've let the system run dry before beginning (not recommended, as it will take a long time to get the air out of the lines), the result is a mess, so plan accordingly.
    At the frame fitting-and this goes for installing the new hoses as well as removing the ol
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Classic Tubes Hose Kit
    We chose Classic Tube's StopFlex SS DOT braided hose kit for '82-84 four-wheel disc Camaros to upgrade our ride. These hoses have a four-layer design that starts with a Teflon PTFE core, followed by a Kevlar core, an elastomer barrier, and then the outer stainless steel braid (which is finished with a clear coat of vinyl). The bottom line is that they're DOT-approved for use on the street, they have no volumetric expansion, and they're corrosion-resistant to boot. Kits are for just about any disc/disc or disc/drum combo found on third-gen Camaros, as well as a multitude of other Chevy models.
    We chose Classic Tube's StopFlex SS DOT braided hose kit for '82-84 four-wheel disc Camaro
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Installing Braided Hoses
    There are really only a few things to remember when installing braided hoses. The most important is to use new crush washers (included in the StopFlex kit) where indicated whenever changing lines, one on each side of the banjo fitting.
    There are really only a few things to remember when installing braided hoses. The most imp
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Fitting New Brake Hoses
    On the other end, it's simply a matter of placing the new hose through the frame fitting, then linking it up with the frameline. After we tightened everything down (using a flare wrench, of course), we clipped it back with one of the new H-clips included in the hose kit. The new hose should roughly follow the path of the original hose.
    On the other end, it's simply a matter of placing the new hose through the frame fitting,
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Seat To Seat Hose Connectors
    This is something to take note of: These hoses are constructed using a seat-to-seat seal at the juncture of the hose and the end fitting. The hose end can actually be unscrewed from the hose itself if need be; this could be an advantage during installation. In any case, once the hose is installed and routed, these areas must be tightened, checked for leaks, then tightened again if necessary. How tight is tight enough? Once the seat-to-seat seal has been achieved and you've got no leakage, you're good to go. Be sure to recheck this undercar-started, power-boosted pressure.
    This is something to take note of: These hoses are constructed using a seat-to-seat seal a
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Power Slot Rotors
    We decided on Power Slot rotors to continue the upgrade of our subject Camaro's front binders. These premium replacement rotors match OEM specs for plate thickness, cooling vane design, and number of cooling vanes. Although they measure the same small 10.5-inch diameter as the factory pieces, the Vac-U-Slot's design allows the heat and gases caused by the act of pad meeting rotor to be evacuated, which improves stopping power, reduces fade, and even helps keep the pad surface clean. The Vac-U-Slot also serves as a wear indicator-when you can't see the slot at the outside edge of the rotor, it's time for a replacement.
    We decided on Power Slot rotors to continue the upgrade of our subject Camaro's front bind
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Removing Bearing From Front Rotor
    Though there are ways to improvise, we used a seal puller to remove the front rotor dust seals, then extracted the bearings. After thoroughly cleaning the bearings and ensuring that they were still serviceable, we regreased them and transplanted them into new rotors. Always be sure to use a new dust seal. Seating them with a seal installer makes for a proper-and easier-installation.
    Though there are ways to improvise, we used a seal puller to remove the front rotor dust s
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Hawk Performance Street Pads
    For our brake pads, we chose Hawk Performance's HPS (High Performance Street) series pads. HPS pads are intended for high-performance street use, which is perfect for what we have in mind for this Z28. Looking for something more aggressive? Because the GM Metric caliper is the spec caliper in many circle track series, pads are also available in the HP Plus, which work well on the street or track, all the way up to full race compounds, the DTC versions being the top of the hill. It all depends on how aggressively you want to stop, how much noise you can tolerate, and how long you want your pads to last.
    For our brake pads, we chose Hawk Performance's HPS (High Performance Street) series pads.
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Installing New Front Rotors
    Skipping ahead a bit here, we've installed our new rotors up front, and loaded the calipers up with the new pads, after coating the rears of the pads with antisqueal compound. Here's another tip for smooth brake operation: Notice that we've removed the corrosion on our caliper pins with a wire wheel and treated the threads with antiseize.
    Skipping ahead a bit here, we've installed our new rotors up front, and loaded the caliper
  • 1984 Chevy Camaro Z28 Big Brake Kits Tighting Caliper Pins
    With the caliper in place as we tightened the caliper pins, it's easy to see the proper routing of the new stainless brakes hoses from the back side. Ideally, the hoses should follow the stock hoses' path as closely as possible, and they shouldn't rub against any other surfaces, whether flat or smooth. After this photo was taken, we went back and changed the lower ball joint cotter pin placement, just to eliminate any possible interference.
    With the caliper in place as we tightened the caliper pins, it's easy to see the proper ro