GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I've read up on the AWD rear drum brakes, and I'm still intersted in converting them to discs. I found a kit for the matrix, and I was wondering if anybody knew if it will work for my 2003 AWD Vibe. Here's the link:http://www.ssbrakes.com/produc...=2003Thanks for the input.

Is there a specific kit for a base vibe drum conversion? I couldn't find one, maybe I just didn't look hard enough.BTW, you're the first person EVER to understand drw2514. Awesome!

SSBC makes a kit, but I believe that converting the rear to discs makes the balance uneven and the rear will have too much power. Basically, you would have to convert the front also to a big brake kit. I've been have heartedly looking into buying the rear discs off of a GT, but was turned off a bit because of the ABS factor that all GTs come with. There is a lot of info floating around Matrixowners.com about this topic.

I'd be converting the front brakes as well. I couldn't find a kit specifically for the vibe on SSBC's website, only a kit for the Matris. Any place else I could look? I would imagine that the matrix kit would work.

The Matrix and Vibe are the same, so yes that kit will work.

Cool... I was planning on converting my rear drum brakes to disc at some point... Drum brakes don't look the best with performance rims lol. Great info guys.

More stopping power is not what I'm looking for. I just want regular stopping power yet looking good with those calipers through the rims.

Drum brakes can actually perform better in some circumstances...a drum brake will grab and gradually increase its pressure and thus provides a very mean stop....the problem is when it comes to repeated braking....a drum does not dissapate heat as fast and as a result it begins to lose its braking power at a faster rate than a disc. If you've heard the term "brake fade", usually associated with race cars or when track testing cars....thats what it is. With repetitive braking, how long can the brakes keep performing before they start to get squishy and lose their power. Better brakes = less brake fade.But back to the subject.....I think a drum brake on one cold stop can actually out brake a comparable disc....i could be wrong here but thats the impression i have. I think im rambling....better go now....im hungry!

yes, i think that's what happened w/ my brakes on my tundra. i didn't wash the wheels off right away and they ate my breaks prematurely!

ya i paid $300 for front brakes a week before i sold the truck... plus $250 for the IM!

ouch!!! rubbing my (removed) because that would really hurt!

Time to get back on the real topic here...

ok, so is this the same as slotted or drilled rotors? i'm confused

Drilled and slotted rotors can warp really easily thoguh so I would suggest slotted rotors but not drilled.I really want to change the rotors out for a kit in the back of my Vibe but it is a TON of $ to do it.I will prolly jsut end up putting new bigger rotors on the front. My new wheels are really heavy thast why i wanted the big brake kit

Quote, originally posted by Devlop »I've been have heartedly looking into buying the rear discs off of a GT, but was turned off a bit because of the ABS factor that all GTs come with.Would that work? Swapping out an AWD's rear drums with a set of the GT's discs? I'd thought of that, but I figured it would have been too convenient to be possible.

On the topic of swapping out rear drums for the standard GT discs: I assume if you have all the parts this is fairly straightforward, but are the master cylinders the same on a base and a GT? If not you'd have to swap out the master cylinder also.

From what i've been able to find, the part numbers are the same for the GT and the Base's Master Cylinder. I don't know how well the brakes will mount to the base's axles, as the drum sits behind the mount. maybe someone with a little more know-how could clarify that one.

SSBC has a rear brake conversion kit out for the vibe. I can't link directly to them, but you can find them at http://www.ssbrakes.com/ They have 12" rotors and are priced at $740.00, same as the kit for the matrix. Same part number, so I guess SSBC finally updated their website. BTW, what color would you paint the calipers to compliment a two-tone neptune vibe? I like red but I'm not sure if it would look right with a blue car.

Personally I'd go with a blue caliper. i think it would look great in there with big shiny rotors

why cant you have slotted or cross drilled drums for heat disapation???