Guys!
So I bought a GS zo7 and when I did they installed new rotors and ceramics on it.
I've never owned ceramics and didnt know i had to break them in.
500 miles into owning her and they are squealing like crazy up front. The rears are fine but you can tell from looking at them the fronts are tough. I'll add a picture.

Please someone tell me a fix that doesnt include replacing them. I've got quotes around 5k for the fronts and cant really swing that right now, it's also my daily driver so I need it for daily use.
Amy suggestions needed!

Thanks!!!!!
TK

 

New rotors can be had for roughly $1k each, but those do not appear to have been recently replaced to me. Pads maybe, but those rotors look a little rough.

You can, and should, try the burnishing procedure which may help with the squealing.

 

You dont think it's too late to do it?
That's what the Chevy guys said but they might just be trying to sell me new rotors.

Thanks!
TK

 

I don't think your rotors were replaced. Line of crappola in all likelihood, because of the expense, if no other reason. "They" who said so?

As suggested, probably just the pads were replaced. You might try another set of pads and do the appropriate break-in... and hope. But, unless a carbon expert chimes in differently, you may be up-a-creek, so to speak. I wish you the best, though.

 

Someone mentioned resurfacing. Do you think that's an option with these? I'm going to drive out to the desert and going to try to burnish my brakes and see if that helps at all. I'm willing to try everything before replacing them. Also does anyone know the cheapest rotors for the zo7? Or even selling lightly used ones?
Thanks,
TK

 

i did not burnish my brakes and they seem fine. besides brakes should not squeel. i myself would have removed the brake pads to inspect them as well as looking closely to the rotors for scratches. i just think it seems fishy sound is not good to hear from brakes. brakes do have a metal pin in them to worn when brakes get worn. Just my first thought if it was my brakes I would of inspected them first.

 

I recommend using a flashlight and inspecting the pad thickness first. This will confirm if you have good pads or not. Check all 4 sets. Look for any apparent damage to the rotors also; i.e. chips on the outer edge, large gashes, etc. Next step is burnishing the brakes. On a daily driver, the ceramics rotors do not get hot enough to deposit material to the rotor surface. Drive it like you stole it per the burnishing procedure, in a safe area of course, and see if the results improve or go away. You can tell if you do a good job by looking at the rotor surface afterwards. If the burnishing improves the results but you still hear squealing, pull the pads for a visual inspection and reinstall with the proper pad lubricant in the areas where the pads glide on the caliper and where the back of the pads contact the caliper pistons. Be careful not to over lubricate and follow the procedures outlined in the help section of Corvette Forum.
Good luck & have fun with your new performance car ... she likes to be driven rather than just walking to the grocery store!

 

The rotor in the picture doesn't look that bad. There is still some shine to it and it isn't heavily pock marked. It looks like the rotor may have seen some track duty but hasn't been worn out.

Here is what my front rotors looked like after 9 hard track days. This was 4 track days before I replaced them due to heavy pock marking which was causing excessive pad wear.





First thing to remember is that good brakes can and do squeal so the fact they squeal doesn't mean squat.

The CCM brakes on my 15Z never squealed even before I burnished them but for some reason some of the brakes do squeal. I believe any squealing comes from the pads vibrating in the calipers not from the ceramic rotor. The rotors should not be resurfaced. They are a ceramic composite.

Here is a Brembo sponsored video showing how their rotors are manufactured.

I think your rotors are fine for lots of street duty and at least 5 or 6 track days. The surface shouldn't cause excessive wear of the brake pads like heavily pock marked rotors can do (like wearing out a new pad set in one track day).

On Amazon the rotors cost about $1700 each and the pads go for about $550.
Rotors:

Pads:


C6ZR1 front rotors and pads will work as well.
C6 ZR1 front rotors which are about $1300 on Amazon.

C6 ZR1 front pads are about $460 on Amazon:

The big difference between the C6 ZR1 front rotor and the C7 Z07 front rotor is the C6 ZR1 rotor doesn't have the bolt hole that permits bolting of the rotor to the wheel hub. That bolt can be a huge PIA since it tends to freeze in the wheel hub and some times the only way to remove it is to drill it out. I had to do that with my front rotors the first time I weighed them. I never replaced the bolts as the wheel does a great job of holding the rotor on the hub face.

The C6 ZR1 front brake pads have shorter wear sensor harnesses than the C7 pads do. This can be overcome by splicing in some wire from the old C7 pads or just swapping the sensors from one set of pads to the other if the sensors aren't worn through.

Replacing the rotors and pads yourself you are looking at about $3100 cost if purchasing the C6 ZR1 rotors/pads from Amazon.

Another thing about brake squeal is DO NOT baby the brakes. Use them harder with more pedal pressure. In town that means shortening your stopping distance. If the distance you normally apply the brakes to stop at a stop sign is 200 ft don't apply the brakes until you are 100 ft from the stop sign at the same speed.

Bill

 

There is a burnishing procedure listed in the Owners Manual for Z07 equipped cars. It involves 50 hard stops(and cooling procedures) and what not and is supposed to be performed whenever new pads and/or rotors are installed. You should look this up and do it.