READ THIS before buying Big Brake Kits...

[dmvara]

Well, this is a rather long ordeal that began about 2 years ago when I wanted to replace my stock brakes and calipers for a kit I THOUGHT would work even better as a replacement. Boy was I wrong and in for a battle with ROTORA and HORSEPOWERFREAKS.

I bought both the front and rear kits for the SSR and had my service department install them. The rear kits fit perfectly fine, but the front rotors were an issue. The calipers didn't clear the stock wheels, so I contacted Horsepowerfreaks (from here on out I will abbreviate them as HP) and their solution was spacers. I said no, and that their product advertised on the net didn't mention anything about having to replace the wheels to make it work. So after going back and forth with them and Rotora, they agreed to take both the front and rear kits back and refund me my money!

FYI...ROTORA is THE WORST COMPANY TO DEAL WITH. Every time I called ROTORA, some RUDE GIRL BY THE NAME OF LORI, always told me the service manager was busy and he would call me back. Bull. Never had I dealt with such a rude and dishonest company.

Anyway I returned the brakes in the early part of 2008 and then I discovered REVOLUTION BRAKE and I talked to this cool sales rep by the name of Kevin. We talked in great length and he told me they could custom make some red powder coated calipers for both the front and the rear. This is where I screwed up because instead of just spending a little extra and use the kits from them for both front and rear, I decided to cut corners and see if I could save some money and buy back the set for the rears I had sent back to HP freaks.
Bad idea! So Kevin and Revolution Brake went to the drawing board in the latter part of 2008 and it took some time to get the design right since there was not much room to work with since the wheels had very little clearance. Finally, after going back and forth with templates, information and photos of the SSR, a solid design was in place and they were shipped to me and then I reacquired the rear kit from HP freaks for $1845. Keep that number in mind!
So when the install was done, we found out that the breaking force on the Rotoras was significantly less than the stock calipers on the rears! OMG! Talk about false advertising!!
So began my second battle with HP freaks and Rotora! In the end I got screwed out of my investment no thanks to Rotora and HP freaks, HP's stance was if Rotora can't take them back we cannot accept them. They offered me a lame a** option to find someone who might buy them. Whatever! That was probably just to get me get off their back and shut me up.!! BS! Never again will I deal with either of these companies.

That cost me $1845 of which I will never see!! So the only good thing was that HP freaks agreed to pull all their Bib Brake Kits for the SSR off their website. Yes, you can credit me for that. That is why they no longer sell them...
So back to my story. Well, the only solution was to have the rear brakes custom made as well. I should have done this in the first place..

So finally, the kits were installed this summer and I am enjoying them. WOW!! These brakes have some tremendous braking power compared to the stock brakes! YIKES!!

I do have some vibration, but I think they just need to be balanced correctly and if that is the case I am sure Kevin and Revolution Brake will help me to make sure I am more than satisfied with the results.

So call revolution brake and ask for Kevin. They still have the template for mine and you can have custom brakes for your SSR for a little investment....Good luck!

Keep you posted.

FOR SALE…
Oh yes, now I have a useless set of $1845 brakes and calipers for the rear of an SSR. They are good ONLY FOR SHOW PURPOSES. They are not to be used as performance brakes so if anyone is interested let me know. I need to get rid of them. No response means they go to a scrap yard. I have both calipers, the brackets for the ssr and two 20” cross drilled and slotted rotors. I can supply pics as well.





ZooM!!!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Thanks for sharing that painful ordeal, sounds like an expensive nightmare. Just a reminder, when you jump on those awesome brakes, watch your rear view mirror.

[NORCAL SS]

ive installed the baer brakes that just came out on a ssr fits no problem and they are 14 inch rotors front/rear

[Double-L]

I have never found anything that helps the SSR and don't understand why the breaking is so bad on a SSR, I have a Jeep that weighs about the same but it will put you through the windshield

[NORCAL SS]

Originally Posted by Double-L

I have never found anything that helps the SSR and don't understand why the breaking is so bad on a SSR, I have a Jeep that weighs about the same but it will put you through the windshield

the baer big brake kit fits fine and 6 piston caliper in front. Stops much better.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by NORCAL SS

ive installed the baer brakes that just came out on a ssr fits no problem and they are 14 inch rotors front/rear

Will the Trailblazer 17" rim, many of us are using as a spare, fit over these Baer brakes?

[vavoom]

I have seen on ebay drilled and slotted rotors for the ssr and also ceramic pads. Has anyone changed over to these?vavoom

[HarleyGuy]

[Q!UOTE=Double-L;930625]I have never found anything that helps the SSR and don't understand why the breaking is so bad on a SSR, I have a Jeep that weighs about the same but it will put you through the windshield[/QUOTE]

I traded in my 1999 Silverado HD 3/4 ton extended cab 4x4 PU (gas) on a 2002 Chevy Avalanche. As I was leaving the dealership parking lot I almost had an accident when I tried to stop at the street. Horrible stopping power!
Even my wife complained about this but the dealer said this was normal for that vehicle. I dumped the Avalanche shortly after I got my SSR.
The brakes on my SSR aren't as good as the ones on my '03 Silverado, but they're much better than the ones on the Avalanche.

[MnMsToy]

Originally Posted by NORCAL SS

ive installed the baer brakes that just came out on a ssr fits no problem and they are 14 inch rotors front/rear

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Will the Trailblazer 17" rim, many of us are using as a spare, fit over these Baer brakes?

Good question. Looking forward to the answer

[Minkster]

Originally Posted by NORCAL SS

ive installed the baer brakes that just came out on a ssr fits no problem and they are 14 inch rotors front/rear

I can't find any info or listing on the Baer website for SSRs. Where do you get info and costs?

[Garys05SSR]

Originally Posted by Minkster

I can't find any info or listing on the Baer website for SSRs. Where do you get info and costs?

I also would like to know.....????

[SSR Fenton]

Originally Posted by Garys05SSR

I also would like to know.....????

The TBSS site has the costs at about $3400 for front and rear sets that are apparently good for the SSR also.

Now without being pessimistic, I requested numerous times what distance improvement did they provide with the Baer replacements over stock and have yet to receive a reply. I am not alone in this question. All people say is the look is better than stock and they feel better!!

For that kind of money I was hoping we could get at least a % improvement from stock, specifically for our SSR.

[XSELER8]

I have Baer brakes on my Mustang. They STOP. They look great. However the parking brake does not hold. Give the "big brake" upgrade a lot of thought before doing.
My .02 on the stock SSR brakes.....they do not need improving. If I did it..... would be for appearance not performance.

[RUN ROD RUN]

I don’t think these bigger brakes would do me much good as my individual reaction time in applying the brakes in a panic stop is still the same regardless which brand or size.

Due to the weight of the SSR, I think the brakes do a good job in bringing such a heavy to a complete stop.

Sure, they’re not the most attractive looking brakes compare with those we see on such cars as the Corvette or Camaro.

[MoodyBlue]

Originally Posted by RUN ROD RUN

I don’t think these bigger brakes would do me much good as my individual reaction time in applying the brakes in a panic stop is still the same regardless which brand or size.

Due to the weight of the SSR, I think the brakes do a good job in bringing such a heavy to a complete stop.

Sure, they’re not the most attractive looking brakes compare with those we see on such cars as the Corvette or Camaro.

The only difference is they don't have the Word Corvette stamped on the Caliper.

[nulogic1]

Originally Posted by vavoom

I have seen on ebay drilled and slotted rotors for the ssr and also ceramic pads. Has anyone changed over to these?vavoom

Yes to both on all fours. Stock sized drilled/slotted/ceramic! Have over 1000miles on them. They really look shiny with the silver zink coating.
They will stop on a dime and give ya nine cents change!
I had new front wheel bearing hubs installed also. Mike

[NORCAL SS]

baer brakes fit and on the customers trucks I did he road races it with the kw coilovers along with my modified djm upper a arms and the rear spohn bar kit and the djm bar i helped design with djm and thing handles like crazy and stops a lot better on his track events where the stock set up with hawk pads would have lots of fade.

If you want more info shoot me a email.

[ACE100]

I installed a new BAER big brake kit on my 2005 6-speed SSR--the front 6-piston calipers & rotors will not fit with stock 19# wheels--the rear 6-piston calipers & rotors will work.--I have new 20# front & 22# rear custom wheel's with a different off-set & the new BIG BRAKES work & look fantastic !---just thought I could save someone the shock @ haveing to buy new wheels after purchasing a $3500 BAER Big Brake kit for the trailblazer SS--on their SSR

[NORCAL SS]

Originally Posted by ACE100

I installed a new BAER big brake kit on my 2005 6-speed SSR--the front 6-piston calipers & rotors will not fit with stock 19# wheels--the rear 6-piston calipers & rotors will work.--I have new 20# front & 22# rear custom wheel's with a different off-set & the new BIG BRAKES work & look fantastic !---just thought I could save someone the shock @ haveing to buy new wheels after purchasing a $3500 BAER Big Brake kit for the trailblazer SS--on their SSR

ill see if they changed anything his cleared the inside of the rim and spokes. IM not sure if they changed anything??