I did a search and didn't see any thing on this. The brakes on my 03 Z06 squeak whenever applied. I just bouhgt the car last week and the brakes started to squeak the other day. I'm not sure if the pads have been changed. I don't think so the car has 2,300 and it has a fair amount of dust so I don't think they are ceramic. ANny advie would be appreciated.

 

Ah yes, brake squeal.

Search again as it's been covered quite a bit. The stock pads bite nicely and really bring the car to a stop but if you aren't braking hard much, they tend to start singing loudly at stop lights and dusting like crazy.

Go to the ACDelco Durastop Ceramic Wave II Brake Pads and you'll be fine. The install isn't too difficult if you're a do-it-yourselfer.

 

Of course the stock are not ceramic. Do a search for ceramic brake pads. They eliminate the squeak and 99% of the dust.

 

Mine squealed too, so bad at times I was embarrased as I was creeping in heavy traffic and I could see folks look at me. Then there was all that dust.

Since I don't track my car (I don't count an occaisional auto-cross event to be tracking) I decided to try the new C5 GM Durastop Ceramic Brake Pads. For $80 I could gamble. I was installing new Baer Enhanced slotted/drilled rotors at the same time. So far I've noticed a few things.

First the C5 GM Durastop Ceramic Brake Pads don't have the initial BITE that the OEM Z pads provide. But the C5 GM Durastop Ceramic Brake Pads are more linear and progressive feeling, my right foot modulates the braking power, I much perfer the linear feel. Brake dust has been cut considerably. I just went 3 weeks w/o washing my Z and there is hardly any brake dust on the wheels. Third, they are SILENT. no more squealing.

Would I track these rotors/pads - NO. But that's not why I bought them. If I want to track my car I'll swap back to the OEM rotors/pads that way if I toast them I'm not out anything.

As far as braking power with my new set up, all I know is in high performance weekend warrior back road romping and stomping I can brake as hard as I want/need to include getting the ABS to engage and my new brakes are as smooth and silky as anyone could ask for. So I don't believe my new rotors/pads decreased my braking power. But that's taken from my seat of the pants meter with no empirical test data to support a claim one way or the other.

But I believe you'll be happy with the new C5 GM Durastop Ceramic Brake Pads.

Tom

 

Yes it quite normal for the amount of stopping power we get. That and the amount of brake dust.

 

Pull your wheels and rotors. Using a wire brush, clean all corrosion deposites from the rotor hats, wheels (where they contact the hats), and lugs. Reinstall the wheels and torque them in 2 steps. 1st pass to 50...2nd to 100. My Z squeaked badly when new. Installed Baer rotors w/hawk HPS Street pads...still squeaked. Performed the above procedure when installing CCW wheels and I have yet to have a single squeak after 2K miles. Corrosion deposites prevent the rotors/wheels from seating correctly.

 

If you remove rotors have the hubs glass beaded clean instead of a wire brush. Does a better job.

But in removing rotors mark them so they can be replaced in the same position. Very critical as the were originally dialed in. Also clean the back of the wheel until the deposits are gone.

Next apply anti-freeze to the cleaned surfaces. Then torque as described above.