1). Can i use the stock rear brake lines with the IRS swap (i'm ok with bending the hardlines a little if i need to)?

2). For the front brake set ups with the N-body swap, are all the parts interchangeable - rotors, pads and calipers? for example, can i run the f-body dual piston caliper with the n-body 11" rotor and n-body pads? Or do i need to get the 12" f-body rotors?

3). Can i keep the stock E-brake cable?

Thanks guys!

I have no idea on the plumbing changes on the N body calipers...sorry.

You can run the Fbody caliper on the N body knuckle as long as you don't use the F body caliper bracket and instead use the N body caliper bracket IIRC. Cause the F body caliper bracket is what spaces out the caliper to fit the F body's 12" rotor.

The one single J body ebrake cable going back ties into the ebrake 'cables' on the rear N body axle IIRC.


"Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience!" -Anonymous

thanks! that's two down - one to go

The F-body and N-body calipers are different, so I highly doubt you'll be able to use the F-body caliper with the N-body caliper bracket.. However, there are other calipers that are dual piston that should fit. I believe the Berretta Z34 calipers are dual piston and set up for 11", but I'm not sure about the mounting bolt pattern. You may want to check with OEM about that, since he has worked with those calipers.

As for the rear brake line, you need to replace the soft lines with ones from the Park Ave, because the N-body ones are too short, and the J-body ones won't work for two reasons: they aren't going directly to the wheels, because they hook from the frame to the twist beam axel, which then has hard lines that go to the wheels, and since you're switching from drum to disc, the fitting for the caliper is not there.

As for the e-brake cable, I think you need all three pieces, but I haven't hooked mine up yet, so I don't know that part. I got all three pieces from the yard figuring I would need them, but if I only need to two rear pieces, great.

o ok, sorry to steer you wrong there Ryan. However you can use the F body caliper...just gotta drill out the N body knuckle, sorry I didn't mention that, but the caliper will work on it once that is done.

Also, you do need all three n-body ebrake cables...sorry, I was wrong. You also need to get the front ebrake cable from an N body car that has the center ebrake handle and not the road side foot pedal activation.


"Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience!" -Anonymous

Joshua Dearman wrote:However you can use the F body caliper...just gotta drill out the N body knuckle.

LOL. Josh, you're on a roll today.

You do not have to mod the knuckle at all for the F-body calipers. It is if you use the W-body calipers that you have to drill out the hole. I don't know why anyone would use the W-body calipers in the first place, though, since they are single piston. I know that it's been done before, but considering how cheap you can usually find F-body calipers and brackets, it just doesn't make any sense to me.

Now, not to add any confusion, but I think this is where the caliper interchaning might have come from: IIRC, the W-body and N-body calipers are the same ones, but the W-body uses the different brackets to mount them for the 12" rotors rather than the 11" rotors. So it may be the case that some N-body guys have used the W-body rotors and brackets to increase rotor size without changing calipers.

^lol....damn. Well....I'll pick my $hit up and leave...I am done here. Quiklilcav > me



Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Friday, October 16, 2009 1:30 PM

"Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience!" -Anonymous

Joshua Dearman wrote:^lol....damn. Well....I'll pick my $hit up and leave...I am done here. Quiklilcav > me

LOL. Not better, but apparently more familiar with these setups.

Yeah, I haven't yet done mine, although I have all the parts. So in all honesty I really shouldn't be trying to help unless I have the time to do some research to offset my lack of experience and my breaks at work aren't long enough to do said research. So, shame on me.....


"Never argue with an idiot. They'll drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience!" -Anonymous

Its all good! I'm learning too

That's why we're all here, isn't it?

Josh, I respect your abilities and your understanding of things, so don't think any of the above corrections were any more than that.

u can use c5 corvette calipers to. idk wat bracket u use but there is a rightup on either grandamgt.com or another grand am forum. i remember there being a link on here somwere. thats way i plan to use on mine (car running first would be nice). but i figure red c5 calipers that say "corvette" would be awsome.