Nice write up.

I just did my SS brakes last week on mine. They are a very easy brake to change and the rear disc are nearly as easy but you do have to crank in the piston adjustment for the E brake. But that is not anything difficult.


I might add one thing here. You may want to pull the spare tire and put it on the front. I suspect like in my case it may not fit anylonger. The SS require you to install a rear tire up front and the spart on the rear if you get a flat. The larger brake SS brake Brembo or non Brembo will not clear the HHR spare on the front. Solman you might want to check this to confirm.


Also I might add it is recomended to open the bleeder when you push in the caliper piston. It is posible to push crud in the line back into the ABS pump and hang it up. It is rare but that is what most MFG's recomend. I admit I am guilty of not doing it this way too.

Also please seat or bed your brakes too once installed. It will make a big difference later in the service life of your brakes. It will help you avoid pulse issues later. Some pads have break in material on them now like the EBS's I installed but most others don't.

I also took the time to paint my calipers and rotors when I installed them. the SS rotors will have a thin area off the hat that will rust and not touch the pads, If you have open wheels where you can see the rotors I would recomend painting the hats of the rotors to keep them looking good. IF you can't see them don't bother.

 

I keep telling myself to replace the boot, but I usually forget until I see it again.....LOL

I though about painting, but not important to me. WIth the Cobalt wheels, so much is hidden. TO see the rotor hat, you have to be looking for it.

I rarely will open the bleeder screw, or take the cap of the master cylinder. If your going slowly, it shouldn't be an issue, and I don't like the idea of allowing any contamination to possibly get in the fluid. I like to keep the system as sealed as possible.

 

Did you forget to clean the rotors? or just forgot to mention it. If I do this I will likely also hunt down some ss calipers. If they went to the trouble of putting on brembo calipers and not just base calipers at the factory, then they must be a major part of the improvement, not just rotor size.

 

I read here that the SS piston is only 1mm larger.

 

Slow or not dirt and rust become part of the fluid with time anways as the system is not a perfect seal.

To be honest we should all really flush the fluid in the system over time but few do it.

These are little things that are not what I would call critical for failure but they are what is often recomended and will normally help prevent most issuess. Generally most MFG have made brake systems pretty fool proof but a little extra recomended care can prevent most of these.

Not I am telling myself this too as I too cheat and not follow the recomended things too. As they say I may ber pointing my finger at you but my thumb is pointing back at me LOL!

I would recomend checking your spare. That could be an issue on a rainy night when you get a flat front. You know if you check it that it will never happen!

 

I would expect he just forgot it as he knows what he is doing. When you pick up new rotors you generally can tell then need clean by the grubby feel of them.

 

Another good point that I hadn't considered. And I tested that today, the 15" spare does not clear the caliper now. So if you have a flat, you will have to put the spare on the rear and the rear tire on the front. What you should do with a FWD anyway (not that any of us do it if we don't have to lol).

Now knowing this, still can't answer if a 16" wheel will clear. I don't have one to test. If anyone in my area wants to try it out, let me know and we will work something out.

As far as cleaning, these were very smooth out of the box, but a quick shot of brake cleaner will remove anything that might be on them, including a protective coat. And who working on brakes doesn't have a can of brake cleaner in the garage..... I always leave them in the bod until I actually put them on to prevent any more dirt getting on them, same as the pads.

 

16" will easily clear...
In the pic below, I had 16" on...

 

This will give me something else to do when I go to change up my rims. I'll surely gather the parts soon but since no one knows if they'll fit over the factory 16's, I'll swap them out when I put on my 17's........of course if most of you all are like me, if I have a flat, AAA takes me home to where my tools (and spare car) are.

Thanks Solman for the write up.

 

The post above yours is a member confirming they fit. I do see they were posted at the same time though lol. and I can say that if they are the same as the Cobalt SS rotors and calipers that a 15" wheel will actually fit given the correct offset and design.