Z51 vs Non Z51 Brake Pads
 

Dumb question....but do the Z51 & Non-Z51 brakes share the same pads? Sizes, etc?

Same size, same caliper in the front, rear is basically the same, just a slightly smaller piston. But the pads themselves are the same size and interchangeable.

Really? We get a ton of complaints about Z51 brakes dusting, but not so many with the base brakes.

Or are the pads the same size, but different materials between base and Z51?

Dealership says my 2009 Z51 pads are part #:
19152862
and
89026853

Same size, they may be a different compound, i dont know.

I wore my Z51 pads out after about 30,000 miles. They dusted like crazy. I bought the GM Ceramic pads from Gene Culley and I really like them. I didn't notice any change in feel, car still stops great, and no more dusting.

are the oem z51 pads ceramic or semi metallic? Just picked up an 08 with 29,000 miles and the rears squeal like nobody's business. Looking to replace, and wondering if ceramics would fix my issue...

P.S. Sorry to dredge up an old thread.

Semi Metallic

As long as you don't track or auto-x I think you will be very happy with ceramic pads. Many here are.

So I do plan to do maybe two events per year. Do I need to just live with the noise or is their some happy medium out there?

JL9 and J55 pads are not the same.

The J55 HD pads have more initial bite, are rated for higher working temp use, and have better brake feed back isntead.

The Downfall, the J55 HD pads are aggressive as hell, and if you are using the brakes a lot, will end up going through the pads in around 30K, and the rotors about every 60k instead. Hence when you go through the first set of pads at 30k on new rotors when the pads where first installed, will have enough meat leave on the rotors to have them turned to square them (both side surfaces against each other), but at the 60K mark, will not have enough metal on the rotors to turn them isntead.


As for the JL9 pads, they are not that bad in general (will still stop the vet faster than most other cars on the road), but the problem is most guys will not power bleed the brake fluid frequently enough , and it not the pads/calipers, or even rotors the problem as hand, but the moisture contaminated fluid in the system the problem isntead.

So normal street driving, then every few years, and if you are tracking the car and getting the fluid any where near its boiling point, then power bleed the brakes after your done with the event.