QUIKAG

I remembered seeing some picures from the service manual showing the steps to replace the ZR1 brake pads. I can't find it now.

Can someone please post up the steps/pics from the service manual on swapping the brake pads? I would really appreciate it as I want to do it right and not die in a big ball of 130mph flame at my next track day.

jvp

The procedure really couldn't be any easier assuming you have the right tools. Mainly: a properly sized punch. I honestly can't remember the size, but you need something big enough to tap the pad pins out, and small enough to fit into the pin opening in the caliper.

Have that, a rubber mallet, and something to spread the pads handy. For the rears, punch the two pins out being careful to keep the pressure bracket from flying off and hitting something (like you). Spread the pads out as far as you can, and then pull them from the caliper. Replace, put the bracket on, and lightly knock the pad pins back into place.

The fronts are identical except for the bolted-on bridge across the pad opening. You'll need to get a socket to pop that off as well. The rest is straight-forward.

Just look at the calipers. Anyone with even a small ounce of mechanical knowledge or aptitude should be able to swap them easily.

jas

911/Q45

I always do one at a time completely, so I can look at the opposite side when I put it back together.

QUIKAG

Thanks, Jas and Don. I'm sure it's easy enough, I was just hoping to have the scanned pages of the service manual as a back-up, so I didn't mess anything up. I recalled seeing a few scanned pages on the forum before referencing the brake pad swap and I can't find those threads now.

jvp

Seriously: it's nearly impossible to mess up. The Brembo calipers are unbelievably easy to work with. The hardest thing to do is not dent the calipers near the pressure pins when you center-punch them out of the slots. But if you do, no harm.

Just pop the wheel off and look at the caliper. Study it for 4-5 minutes and you'll realize it's no sweat.

If I can do it, anyone can.

jas

QUIKAG

Thanks for the encouragement, Jas. I've swapped a bunch of brake pads on my '01 C5 and '08 C6 LS3, so if it's not that much different, it should be a cakewalk. I get the new pads here in a few days, so I'll be ready for the swap hopefully Friday evening. Guess what I'll be doing Saturday morning at 5:15am if I get the new pads put on? Burnishing the pads on a nearby access road.

jvp

The mechanics involved are very different. Your previous Corvettes had floating calipers which are nothing like the fixed calipers on your ZR1. The concepts are the same though. You need to remove what's holding the pads in place, spread the pistons, remove the pads, replace the pads, replace the pad-holding hardware.

The big difference is that with the floating caliper, the caliper itself is what's holding the pad in place. With the fixed caliper, you have spring-loaded brackets, pressure pins, and for the front calipers: the bridge bolt. But again, just spending a few minutes studying the caliper should make it crystal clear what needs to be done.

jas

911/Q45

Hardest part is spreading the caliper pistons enough to fit in the new pads. I've got this slick tool to do that, too bad you don't live closer. (This is not to be confused with that slick tool:Jas)

jvp

Hey.. props to you if you can do that with your slick tool.

I use a hand-held crank tool that I got from a Porsche mechanic well over 10 years ago for use on my then highly modified C5. Same idea as what you have pictured, but it's fairly small and operates using a screw vs. a lever.

jas

justoyz2

Where does everyone get their pads?