For those who have actually replaced their Z51 brake pads with a low dust pad, on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most difficult, how difficult was it? One of my concerns is that the OEM pads are glued in but the replacement pads don't require glue. Why OEM and not aftermarket?
Thanks in advance...

 

I'd say like a 6 on difficulty. Pretty standard procedure but takes a weird socket. The OEM pads are glued to the piston but you don't have to use anything on the new pads going in. As for why, I'd be guessing the pads and calipers are assembled away from the car and are glued in so the pads don't fall out or shift during storage or transportation to the car they are going on.

 

Best answer is by reading my detailed PDF "How I installed low dust pads on my C8" week one. See if it fits your skills. Due to an inaccurate video that said it was easy to break the double sided "brake tape" hold I did it with the calipers installed. Thankfully I had done the same with my early 2013 built Z51 C7 that also used double sided strong "brake tape" on the front pads. So when I found the pads did not release easily (or even with difficulty) I used the same approach I had for my 2014- a paint scraper hammered between the piston and pad. BUT not as easy in the C8. The piston dust boots are close together and you can nick them IF not very careful. Mine were fineBUT recently modified my PDF to suggest it's safer and straight forward to 1st remove the caliper. That does require lifting the front quite high, ~17 or 18 inches at the GM designated jack point to have room for the breaker bar and torque wrench to remove/install the 155 ft-lb bolts holding the caliper. You'll also need to remove the bolts holding the front aero panels to locate a suitable place to use jack stands. I would never get under a car without them. You'll be using a lot of force to remove the caliper bolts.

This is the recently updated PDF: Ceramic_Pads.pdf (netwelding.com)

SIDEBAR
Since you asked the question, many European cars use this strong brake tape. The purpose is to Redcue vibration and noise. I installed my 2014 Carbotech Low Dust Pads without tape as I did my C8 Carbotech pads. Zero noise. 3M makes one, quoting: "The 3M material is VHB (Very High Bond,) an advanced high temperature double sided tape. It holds the outer brake pad in place and prevents squealing."
I do use high temp ceramic brake lub on the replacement pad backs- which I think helps.

This is a pic from my C8 install (there are many pages of install pics and captions in the PDF.) Note the high temp ceramic lub I use don the new pad backs. BTW, brake tape was NOT Used on latter 2014 C7 Z51~ Only us early buyers had to deal with it!

 

I change mine last week, for the 1st front pad change it is easier to remove the front caliper to remove the glued on pads. I put a large screwdriver in the center of pad and twisted , the pad came off easily., be careful not to hit the rubber seals on caliper.
I used a battery operated lug nut tool to remove the 21mmm bolts. It's not a difficult job with the right tools
I used this video as a guide.

 

I'd rate it as a 3-4 difficulty when I swapped out the Z51 pads to Carbotech 1521 pads, and I'm not much of a mechanic either. I followed the Paragon Performance video, and removed the front calipers. Made it really easy to unstick the pads. I did not disconnect the battery. When I popped the pads out, I put in some wood blocks as spacers to fill up the space temporarily, 'just in case', but the electronic boost never actuated. Even though I had the 10-pt socket, I did not remove the bolt since I took the pads out from the back. I did not need a piston compression tool either - the pistons were not difficult to push in. I did remove the brake fluid reservoir cap.
I took the time to clean the calipers and ceramic coat them before re-installing them. The rears were a breeze.

 

I'd say no more than a five. I left the calipers on. If it weren't for the tape easily a 3-4. Once you do one side on the fronts the second goes easily twice as fast.

 

I took the caliper off because I changed the rotors, why because I'm retired and was bored since my car was snowed in

 

Which rotors did you install?

 

Bought the Girodisc From
https://knsbrakes.com/c/car-item/568...+Rotors+-+PAIR

 

How did you get the pads loose from the pistons and that strong holding brake pad double sided tape?

I removed mine with the calipers in place as well. I used a 1 inch wide paint scraper and hammered through the tape. But have to be very careful not to nick the piston dust boots.

 

Just realized this may have been the video you posted and made me think removing the pads with the calipers in place would be easier than my early 2014 Z51 that used the same strong brake tape- PERHAPS NOT, BUT NO WAY DID THIS WORK FOR ME:
C8 Corvette brake pad replacement on a 2020 Corvette - YouTube

The video shows it was "simple to separate the pads as the pad anti-squeal backing plates easily separated from the pad." The strong tape is between the pistons and anti-squeal steel metal backing plates . My pad sheet metal backing shims were attached strongly to the pads just like my early 2014 Z51 that used the same tape. In the video, the pads separated easily from the pad backs. The the pads just slipped out and left a lot of room to leverage the tape hold on the shims leaving room as when the calipers are removed! Maybe I was unlucky BUT NO WAY did the sheet metal anti-squeal shims release from the pad. It is attached very strongly. Strong adhesive is often used to attach them. Even after the pads were out, placing a stiff paint scraper between the pad and sheet metal backing plate just caused it to bend! Exactly like my early 2014 Z51. (BTW, they eliminated the two sided brake tape mid 2014 so only us LUCKY early buyers had the issue. Perhaps the 2021's won't use it either!)

IF THAT WASN'T YOUR VIDEO HOW DID YOU SEPARATE THE PADS FROM PISTONS.

Pic from my How To Install PDF. The Sheet Metal Anti--Squeal Shims Were Strongly Attached To The Pad Back. Just like my early 2014 Z51 front pads that used the same tape it was bending when I tried to remove after I got the pads out! I carefully hammered that paint scraper to release the anti-squeal shim from the piston BEING VERY CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAMGE PISTION DUST BOOTS. All had same issues with early 2014 Z51s. Don't think I was the only unlucky one with the C8 Z51. Looks like the person who made the video was LUCKY and their sheet metal backing plate shim were not strongly attached!

 

Just a note that even the factory service manual procedure is to remove the front caliper to change the pads.

Also, my pads came out easily and I suspect that having gotten the brakes really hot helps release the glue. In my case that was from track time but you may have good results just doing the street burnishing procedure.

 

^^^
Yep my recent PDF update recommends removal of the calipers although I show how I removed with Calipers in place.

To safely remove calipers (if you don't have a lift) is more difficult as the car must be raised about 18 inches for room to remove and torque the caliper bolts to the specified 155 ft-lbs. That also requires a two step jacking process since to use jack stands you need to 1st remove the aero panels to access a suitable frame member. Need a safe way remove panel bolts! In my revised PDF I cover how I would do that with 2 jacks, stanchions under the wheels to remove the aero panel bolts and two jack stands when the car was raised to ~18 inches. Longer method but safer as no chance on nicking the piston dust boots. http://netwelding.com/Ceramic_Pads.pdf

RE burnishing and heat a help in loosening the tape hold - don't think so. For my early 2014 Z51 that used the same tape, I drove with the OEM pads for 6 months (foolish as I had to clean my wheels of brake dust every ~200 mile/ 2 to 3 trips into town with lots of aggressive stops and turns) or the wheels not only looked bad the dust was pitting my Black Wheels! In fact, had used the Owner's Manual burnishing suggestion for Tracking to eliminate squeal with the OEM pads that started at ~1000 miles (not as many cycles but same hard braking cycles.) Still had to use a paint scraper to break the double sided tape holding piston to anti-squeal shim. In 2014 since other early Z51 buyers reported the tape problem so I called 3M who sell brake tape. It's designed for high temperatures and does not release after being even up to 2000 F! BTW they had no idea what chemical could be used from their products to help loosen the hold!

However, after watching that video again today, thought perhaps the adhesive used between the anti-squeal shim and metal pad back would be easier and certainly safer to deal with than the brake tape from piston to anti-squeal where dust boots were at risk. I had stopped trying to remove the shim on my 2014 when the shim bent. When I made a cursory try on my C8, after the pads were out, I found my ~1" paint scraper could hardly be pushed between the shim and pad - so stopped. So this morning carefully removed the ant-squeal shim from essentially the new C8 Z51 front padI removed after I had the car a week.

Below is the progressive pic made.
1st, as I had before, used my ~1" wide stiff paint scraper. Had to pound with a hammer (as I did to remove the double sided Brake Tape on my install with calipers in place.) It only bulged in that area.
2nd Used a thick 1 inch wide wood chisel. It separated further but the anti-squeal shim again only budged in that area.
3rd Used the thick wood chisel progressively along the whole anti-squeal shim length going deeper so as not to bend the shim.
Finally as can be seen, was able to get it to peel away BUT a strong adhesive was used on the whole surface.

BOTTOM LINE: Harder to remove the anti-squeal shim than releasing the double sided Brake Tape! Also when on the car no room for the thick chisel!

Over 50% of the 2020 C8s sold were Z51s. Forum members said the brake dust on the C8 Z51, is as bad as the C7 Z51, GS and Z06 so expect many will change to low dust pads. Need to be sure my PDF “How to” covers the easiest an safest for DIYers like myself who don’t do this every day!




BTW, re high temp adhesives. My area of expertise is welding and joining, cars are my hobby and have been since I was ~13. When I was visiting the Worlds Largest Welding Institute in the UK (who are also experts in joining carbon fiber composite etc and work with every F1 team joining whatever) they showed me an interesting application. They were making exhaust manifolds for a client from two halfs of pressed stainless steel sheet with an excellent gas flow shape. The two halfs had flanges that were joined with a high temp adhesive/sealent! They were using a few spot welds to hold the assembly together while the adhesive/sealent cured!

 

Jerry, would something like Goo Gone, Goof Off, etc. squirted onto the double sided tape worked to loosen the glue?

 

^^^
From my discussion with 3M in 2014 don't think so. I tried 3M Adhesive Remover I use on a lot of things. Not cheap but good stuff that does not bother paint. Used by body shops before painting.

This is what I used to clean the caliper after the pads were out of my 2014 that had 6 months of use. NOTE: Only used Brakleen very sparkly and ONLY on a rag. It's warned that it can eat caliper paint! Even after use only on a rag I washed with alcohol. Used the 3M Adhesive Cleaner prior to trying to break the brake tape hold. Don't think it did anything!