Willwood brakes, keep em or get something else?

[Ryan]

Hey guys,

So I have the willwood dynalite set up for my car and was wondering how it compares to a stock or stock looking Mopar front setup? I got these years ago without doing much research and since the car is getting a rotisserie resto I'd like to find out now if I should go ahead and use them or sell them.

Car will run a power booster if i can ever find one since some jerk decided to steal mine 

[bill440rt]

Do you have a pic, link, or part# for the Dynalite kit you have? Some of them are drag or race applications only.
They do offer a street kit, they feature 4-piston calipers. They look NOTHING like stock, but will perform better.

The Dynalites should stop your car OK, but if it were me (and I have this on my car), I would go for their larger 6-piston kits. They feature their larger 6-piston Superlite calipers, optional drilled/slotted rotors etc. I have the kit with the 13" rotors on my car, stopping performance is awesome.
If you have the drag-race only Dynalite kit, I would not use them on a street car. If you are doing a stock "rotisserie" resto, then they would definitely not be correct. You'd have to find a completely stock setup with original parts.

[Chryco Psycho]

the downside to Wilwood is they do not have dust seal to keep the dirt out & yes they have different applications drag etc

[Ryan]

Sorry should have clarified. They are the 4 piston street version. Chryco I do think that these have dust boots at least I thought I remember reading that..... Guess I should look haha.

Not interested in the 6 piston set up as I don't want to run a 17" or larger wheel. If the 4 piston ones will out perform a factory set up then I will stick with them. The brakes are the one thing that I realy don't care about looking factory or close to factory since they will be hidden behind the magnum 500's. I just remember reading some posts about people bashing the willwoods so I wanted to check before I finish the car. 

Thanks guys.

[bill440rt]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I am extremely happy with the performance, fit, and quality of my Wilwood brakes.
From what I have read Wilwood did make some improvements, & now offer those calipers with the seals for use on the street.
Yes, you are right about the wheel size too. I run an 18" wheel up front, it clears the brakes fine.

A few things to watch out for. You'll need to either have custom made brake lines off the M/C to the distribution block, or change the threaded fitting on one of the lines to the M/C. The fittings on the Wilwood M/C are the same size, whereas the Mopar M/C's are different sizes. I had to have custom M/C lines made up, or if you're good with a tubing bender you could do it yourself.
Also watch the caliper flex hose routing, you just have to be careful they don't bind or get taught when turning lock to lock.
And, be careful bleeding them! The bleeders are 2-piece and are somewhat fragile.

[HPP]

You didn't say if this is a kit complete with rotors or just a caliper set.

I believe most the Wilwood kits with rotors use a 10.5" rotor. If this is true, then you are giving up braking leverage over the factory 10.8 or 11.75 set up, but are reducing unsprung weight significantly. You also are gaining a much broader selection of pad compounds to tailor gripping power to your driving style. The four piston Wilwood calipers are not going to grab any harder or better than a stock single pot caliper, but they will improve high speed feedback, do weigh considerably less, and do have more pad choice. But the 10.5 rotors do reduce braking leverage so they may not stop you in any shorter distances than stock, but would likely be able to repeat those stops for longer than stock.

If you do have Wilwood rotors and want larger diamter rotors than what you have and are sticking with 15" wheels, you may be able to upgrade to their 12.19 rotor with a correpsonding bracket change. You'd have to call their tech line to see if that's possible.

[John_Kunkel]

I think the only thing the Wilwoods have going for them is weight reduction, for the rotor size and actual caliper clamping power the factory single-pistons are better.

[RKCHARGER]

I ordered the Willwood brakes with the four piston calipers  and 12 inch rotors for all four corners!!!!!! Hope they aren't as bad as you say lol..... I know they will look great either way!

[Ryan]

I have an older 10.75" kit but it's the street kit not the race. The newer street kit is 11" or 12.19". I talked to wilwood tech support (great service) and decided it to be more economical to sell what I have and purchase the larger kit if I decide to go that way. Trying to find out if the 12.19" kit with 6 piston calipers would fit behind some steelies.