Brake dust again
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,198
Likes: 853
Brake dust again
Sorry if this has been covered.
Why does GM install brake pads that create huge amounts of dust on wheels, when there are pads available that do not produce much if any dust.
Why does GM install brake pads that create huge amounts of dust on wheels, when there are pads available that do not produce much if any dust.
Popular Reply
Oct 31, 2023, 09:49 PM
Pro
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 615
Likes: 654
Funny how this has turned into a hate fest.......Z51 vs non-Z51. If you want Z51 get it, if you don't then don't.......the car is fantastic either way.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 12,790
Likes: 10,218
From: Garden Valley CA
I'm assuming you have a Z51. GM markets the Z51 as track capable so they need to use brake pads that are capable of withstanding a track environment. I'm not aware of any conventional track capable brake pads that don't create a lot of dust (or have other street issues). There are ceramic rotors but those are big bucks and have other issues.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 1,197
From: Early 2020 Z51 Coupe, Original Owner, Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ
As to why, come's down to Performance, Philosophy's and Cost.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 841
Likes: 526
From: Colorado Springs
Pro
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 535
Likes: 516
Why would GM put a racing pad on a car thar 99% of the buyers will never track and wear out quickly? Could bet your left nut it has more to do with the cost savings for GM than a benefit to the customer. That filthy dust you see is your cheap pads wearing out before your eyes. IMO.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 12,351
Likes: 14,184
From: Central Illinois
Why would GM put a racing pad on a car thar 99% of the buyers will never track and wear out quickly? Could bet your left nut it has more to do with the cost savings for GM than a benefit to the customer. That filthy dust you see is your cheap pads wearing out before your eyes. IMO.
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 4,353
Likes: 252
From: Minnesota
Why would GM put a racing pad on a car thar 99% of the buyers will never track and wear out quickly? Could bet your left nut it has more to do with the cost savings for GM than a benefit to the customer. That filthy dust you see is your cheap pads wearing out before your eyes. IMO.
I got 4 track days and 17,000 street miles out of the oem pads. That is better wear than many expensive aftermarket pads that I have used.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 535
Likes: 516
Not necessarily, I've driven normal street pads until they had so much fade they wouldn't stop the car. The Brembo pads on the Z51 will tolerate far more heat than a conventional pad. I absolutely abused them at Spring Mountain and never ever lost any braking. A non Z51 pad would have been toast in a few laps.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 9,928
Likes: 2,024
From: 200 AGL
St. Jude Donor '15
Why would GM put a racing pad on a car thar 99% of the buyers will never track and wear out quickly? Could bet your left nut it has more to do with the cost savings for GM than a benefit to the customer. That filthy dust you see is your cheap pads wearing out before your eyes. IMO.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 12,790
Likes: 10,218
From: Garden Valley CA
It sounds as if you are one of the 1% that track your car. The option should be to install racing pads if that is how you will use your car. Not to pull the racing pads to have a good pad for the street as this is how most of the buyers use the car. Sounds like you burnt up street pads on the track? Seems like a lot of Z51 pads are being taken off the cars and trashed for low dusting quality street pads. I just tossed my Z51 pads in the recycling bin a couple of days ago.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,202
Likes: 765
From: Houston, TX
Yep, the OEM Brembo pads do perform very well on the track. A set of cheap Evo Evolution ceramics for the street are a great alternative.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 1,197
From: Early 2020 Z51 Coupe, Original Owner, Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 646
From: manalapan new jersey
Why would GM put a racing pad on a car thar 99% of the buyers will never track and wear out quickly? Could bet your left nut it has more to do with the cost savings for GM than a benefit to the customer. That filthy dust you see is your cheap pads wearing out before your eyes. IMO.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 493
Likes: 124
From: Albany NY
Why would GM put a racing pad on a car thar 99% of the buyers will never track and wear out quickly? Could bet your left nut it has more to do with the cost savings for GM than a benefit to the customer. That filthy dust you see is your cheap pads wearing out before your eyes. IMO.
If you insist on having Z51, but don't want the dust, simply change them out.
Last edited by Mvfvette1; Oct 30, 2023 at 05:36 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,424
Likes: 1,197
From: Early 2020 Z51 Coupe, Original Owner, Ahwatukee Foothills, AZ
Z51 Package:
* Brembo Brakes
* Performance Suspension
* NPP Exhaust
* PTM
* Z51 Axle Ratio
* Elec. Limited Slip Diff
* Spoiler
* PS4 Summers
* HD Cooling System
* Resale (no time soon)
* Brembo Brakes
* Performance Suspension
* NPP Exhaust
* PTM
* Z51 Axle Ratio
* Elec. Limited Slip Diff
* Spoiler
* PS4 Summers
* HD Cooling System
* Resale (no time soon)
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 1,520
Likes: 1,604
From: Franklin, TN
Z51 is a track package. If you do not want parts that were designed for the track, you should probably not order Z51. The brembo pads that come on z51 cars are not cheap by any means ($640 for brembo z51 pads on Rock Auto). They are designed to shed their lining in order to dissipate heat. The lining being shed creates dust but they do what they were designed to do. They will stop the car better on a track environment (or street environment for that matter) far better than a ceramic alternative that makes far less dust.
If you insist on having Z51, but don't want the dust, simply change them out.
If you insist on having Z51, but don't want the dust, simply change them out.
The Z51option is a performance package, not a track package. I will probably never take my C8 to the track and wouldn't even consider buying it without the Z51 package. Everything in the package makes it a higher performance car.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,909
Likes: 2,701
From: Phila Suburbs 2023 C8 & 2013 650ix
Without the Z51 package you get a high performance street brake setup with hardened rotors and ceramic low dust brake pads and resulting long life.
You also get all season tires. Your choice.
You also get all season tires. Your choice.
