[Z06] Squeaky Brakes
Carbotech which makes excellent brake pads calls their pads ceramic. We know these are excelent pads for the track XP-10, 11 and 12s and the XP-9s for the street.
I also had a student in a C6 Z51 last Oct and she had GM ceramic pads on her car. These brake pads did quite well for the whole weekend and yes I was impressed. However, my other student also in a C6 Z51, but had C5 ZO6 pads on. Both students used SuperBLue brake fluid.
On a partiular portion of the track the speeds were abour 115 mph. We had to slow to 45-48 mph for the corner. Both students hit the brakes at between the 4 and the 3 marker ( about 350 feet before the turn) in the early runs on day one. With the ceramic pads we had to stay at that 350 foot point to put on the brakes. They were considtant for the weekend.
The other student with the C5 ZO6 pads we were able to go down to teh 3 marker to stop for the afternoon of the first day and the moring of the second day. The afternoon of the second day we were back to the 350 foot point . Mostly the student was gettign tired and there was some brake fade.
I took both students for rides and we hit that same point at in my car at 125 and I hit the bakes at the 2 marker, but also took the corner at 65.
They both asked what brake pads I was using?? I mentioned WIlwood H and Castrol SRF fluid. HOWEVER, it is more then just brakes. Lots of neg ative camber, R compunds vs street tires. and my front rubber was 305 vs thier 265. So lots of differences.
When my student with the cermic pad got home for the weekend she had her husband look at the car. He noticed something funny about the brakes so he took off the wheels and checked the brake pads. The pads were glazed over. A little sand paper and bleed the brakes and the car was good to go.
I am not found of ceramic pads at all. Why? may be it is my braking style. I brake hard at the last moment, Even when I drive my wifes vette, bone stock.
Ceramic pads have their place in the automtive industry to reduce dust and keep noise under control. They do have a much different feel to stopping the car the normal or race pads.
The other thing that I have never seem mentioned is that ceramic pads dont have that inital BITE that normal or most race pads do. That can be good or bad. It takes a different driving/ braking style to use ceramic pads.
For most ppl they are fine for every day lots of miles and normal braking and even minimal track use.
I\For track prefer the Wilwood H pads and the PFC-01s. Severl ppl have mentioned that the new Hawk DT-70 are excellent pads too. and again the Carbotechs are favoites of many ppl.
For street use I prefer the stock GM pads and the Stock GM ZO6 pads.
Last edited by AU N EGL; Dec 30, 2005 at 07:36 AM.
You said High Performance Driving School. Levettegirl and many others on here would read that as you went to an HPDE, not an autocross. At an HPDE you would be on track and would be going fast. Those ceramic pads would start to fade badly well before your 20-30 minutes session ended. On an autocross course you never got going fast enough or long enough to see the fade.
I do agree with you on the Z06 pads on track. I used them for 2 visits to Roebling Road in warm 70-90deg days and they were fine with street tires (the GY SC). Although they would get heat soaked on a course with more braking required. But I like them just fine. And they last. I could care less about the dusting part. It washes off easily.
Only done Roebling Road on a sportbike, but I could see the stock pads working there. Now for Sebring, I wouldn't go with stock Z06 pads, if I was going to push it at all. Sebring is hell on brakes.
Carbotech which makes excellent brake pads calls their pads ceramic. We know these are excelent pads for the track XP-10, 11 and 12s and the XP-9s for the street.
I also had a student in a C6 Z51 last Oct and she had GM ceramic pads on her car. These brake pads did quite well for the whole weekend and yes I was impressed. However, my other student also in a C6 Z51, but had C5 ZO6 pads on. Both students used SuperBLue brake fluid.
On a partiular portion of the track the speeds were abour 115 mph. We had to slow to 45-48 mph for the corner. Both students hit the brakes at between the 4 and the 3 marker ( about 350 feet before the turn) in the early runs on day one. With the ceramic pads we had to stay at that 350 foot point to put on the brakes. They were considtant for the weekend.
The other student with the C5 ZO6 pads we were able to go down to teh 3 marker to stop for the afternoon of the first day and the moring of the second day. The afternoon of the second day we were back to the 350 foot point . Mostly the student was gettign tired and there was some brake fade.
I took both students for rides and we hit that same point at in my car at 125 and I hit the bakes at the 2 marker, but also took the corner at 65.
They both asked what brake pads I was using?? I mentioned WIlwood H and Castrol SRF fluid. HOWEVER, it is more then just brakes. Lots of neg ative camber, R compunds vs street tires. and my front rubber was 305 vs thier 265. So lots of differences.
When my student with the cermic pad got home for the weekend she had her husband look at the car. He noticed something funny about the brakes so he took off the wheels and checked the brake pads. The pads were glazed over. A little sand paper and bleed the brakes and the car was good to go.
I am not found of ceramic pads at all. Why? may be it is my braking style. I brake hard at the last moment, Even when I drive my wifes vette, bone stock.
Ceramic pads have their place in the automtive industry to reduce dust and keep noise under control. They do have a much different feel to stopping the car the normal or race pads.
The other thing that I have never seem mentioned is that ceramic pads dont have that inital BITE that normal or most race pads do. That can be good or bad. It takes a different driving/ braking style to use ceramic pads.
For most ppl they are fine for every day lots of miles and normal braking and even minimal track use.
I\For track prefer the Wilwood H pads and the PFC-01s. Severl ppl have mentioned that the new Hawk DT-70 are excellent pads too. and again the Carbotechs are favoites of many ppl.
For street use I prefer the stock GM pads and the Stock GM ZO6 pads.

Last edited by Z06-Nomad; Dec 30, 2005 at 11:17 AM.
Only done Roebling Road on a sportbike, but I could see the stock pads working there. Now for Sebring, I wouldn't go with stock Z06 pads, if I was going to push it at all. Sebring is hell on brakes.

I may get down to Sebring late this fall or early next year. If I do I'll keep your suggestion in mind and maybe swap over to some Carbotechs. Thanks foir the tip Michael.
Graham
We'll see how they last at Road Atlanta in March...
Graham
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