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I was watching CC on tech tuesday this week and they had a note on the brake ducts. When I picked up my 2020 in Dec. of 2020 I assumed the dealer prep at MM was done . I was told that the Z51 brake duct package was in the trunk which I looked and that everything was done prior to turning over the car to me. So when Chuck took us over to the C8 on the lift and showed the rear brakes from under the lift I was a little surprised. He pointed to the upper part of the duct that is installed by the dealer . I thought that this looked different from what I saw on my car . So out to the garage I went and lifted the car on the lift and low and behold the parts were not installed on my car. Looked around the garage for my bag and all of the duct parts were in it. Just wondering if all of the Z51 folks have looked to see if the upper duct had been installed by their dealer.
The uppers aren't installed by the dealer. The theory of installing the upper only is to save time at the track. If you're not going to track the car, just leave everything off.
St. Jude Donor 05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
[QUOTE=Mark9;1607417648]The uppers aren't installed by the dealer. The theory of installing the upper only is to save time at the track. If you're not going to track the car, just leave everything off.[/QUOTE
It is the LOWERS that are NOT installed by the dealer.
I guess it's another matter of who do you believe. In the video (21:54) chuck shows the part of the duct that he says is dealer installed. It isn't an issue with me as I am only daily driving and not track use of my car. He said it is part of the PDI. Just sayin.
These are the PDI special instructions located at the bottom of the checklist that's provided as to what parts of the brake ducts for the Z51 should be installed by the Dealer during PDI...
The uppers aren't installed by the dealer. The theory of installing the upper only is to save time at the track. If you're not going to track the car, just leave everything off.
Originally Posted by BlaznZ06
Only for track use. Owners manual states this, but ya know.
WRONG. Although many dealers don't install the brake ducts at PDI unless you call the on it, the front ducts and the rear upper ducts are supposed to be installed on every Z51. The 4 piece (2 per side) lower ducts are the only ones that are only for track use.
^^^ That lower rear control arm brake duct is a two part duct, neither is supposed to be installed by the dealer at PDI
This is correct and accurate. The two piece rear duct that goes on the control arm are for track use only. You can get away with installing the top half to save time at the track and not risk having the duct suck debris into the rear brakes.
WRONG. Although many dealers don't install the brake ducts at PDI unless you call the on it, the front ducts and the rear upper ducts are supposed to be installed on every Z51. The 4 piece (2 per side) lower ducts are the only ones that are only for track use.
WRONG, both pieces of the rear ducts are not supposed to be installed, Specifically per post 6, the part of the rear duct that directly connects to the rear lower control arm is the Upper portion of the duct. The lower portion connects to the upper part, so no part of the rear two-piece duct is supposed to be installed for the street.
The piece that attaches to the rear wheel hub is supposed to be installed during PDI.
Neither piece of the two piece duct that attaches to the lower control arm is supposed to be installed during PDI. So you should have 4 pieces left in the bag after PDI.
However, people that track their cars prefer to leave the upper part of the two piece duct attached to the control arm and just remove the lower piece of the two piece duct for street use.
Part of rear cooling duct component are in fact installed by the dealer in accordance with the attached instructions. Steps 1-5 are dealer completed. Steps 6-9 are for track use. Its helpful to start with review of the actual parts, their correct names, their mounting locations, and part numbers. The parts are summarized in first page of the instructions. Once familiar with the actual duct parts, the instructions will be easy to follow.
The rear duct does in fact have two assemblies for each side. In the instructions, steps 1-5 are completed by the dealer. Steps 6-9 are completed for track use only. Step 5 (part of what the dealer does), includes installation of the rear, knuckle mounted duct parts (LH-84781211 and RH-84781212). The are not referred to as "upper ducts" or anything like that. The other part(s) of the rear duct are referred to as Rear Lower Control Arm Cooling ducts. There are installed as part of steps 6-9 that are not completed by the dealer. Each side actually consists of two parts, an upper and lower half (not to be confused with the rear, knuckle mounted ducts that were installed in step 5). Anyway, the upper and lower halfs of the rearl lower control arm cooling ducts are not dealer installed. Those parts are LH 84926351, LH 84926352 (the upper and lower halfs of the rear lower control arm cooling duct for the left side) and RH 84926052 and RH 84926053 (the upper and lower halfs of the rear lower control arm cooling duct for the right side)
Interesting story to add to my previous post showing the Z51 "Special Instructions" that are located at the bottom of all C8 PDI sheets regarding Z51 brake duct install...
The Service Director at the Dealership where I was having my PDI done at had no idea at the time that the front and upper rear duct parts were supposed to be installed on all Z51...He also owns a C8 Z51 and has had it for a few years...After they completed the PDI on my C8 Z51 I asked if the brake ducts on my Z51 were installed per GM's PDI "Special Instructions" located at the bottom of the PDI Checklist Sheet...The Shop Manager, who is responsible for all Corvette PDIs, said to me that those instructions I mentioned are not listed on the PDI instruction sheet.. He also went on to tell me that they have never installed any of them on all the C8 Z51s that they've PDI'd over the past few years...
I then showed him the copy of a PDI checklist sheet where the "Special Instructions" listed at the bottom of the PDI checklist clearly shows the front upper and front lower ducts parts as well as the rear upper duct parts were supposed to be installed and that only the rear lower duct part was left off and re-installed by the owner for track purposes...This part of the PDI instructions was completely overlooked by the Shop Manager...My Service Director was also there during this discussion, and you should have seen the look on his face!...A combination of disappointment and anger that he's driven his own C8 Z51 very aggressively for all these years without having the required duct parts installed per GM's instructions on his Z51! He then turned to the Shop Manager and said get those required ducts parts of his Z51 and after your done with his you can do mine...Boy was he pissed!
Interesting story to add to my previous post showing the Z51 "Special Instructions" that are located at the bottom of all C8 PDI sheets regarding Z51 brake duct install...
The Service Director at the Dealership that was having my PDI done at had no idea at the time that the front and upper rears duct parts were supposed to be installed on all Z51...He also owns a C8 Z51 and has had it for a few years...After they completed the PDI on my C8 Z51 I asked if the brake ducts on my Z51 were installed per GM's PDI "Special Instructions" located at the bottom of the PDI Checklist Sheet...The Detail Shop Manager, who is responsible for all Corvette PDIs, said to me that those instructions I mentioned are not shown on the PDI instruction sheet and therefore are required to install and are only for track use... He also went on to tell me that they have never installed any of them on all the C8 Z51s that they've PDI'd over the past few years...
I then showed him the copy of a PDI checklist sheet where the "Special Instructions" listed at the bottom of the PDI checklist clearly shows the front upper and lower ducts as well as the rear upper duct parts were supposed to be installed and that only the rear lower section was left off and re-installed by the owner for track purposes...This part of the PDI instructions was completely overlooked by the Shop Manager...My Service Director was also there during this discussion, and you should have seen the look on his face!...A combination of disappointment and anger that he's driven his own C8 Z51 very aggressively for all these years without having the required duct parts installed per GM's instructions on his Z51! He then turned to the Shop Manager and said get those required ducts parts of his Z51 and after your done with his you can do mine...Boy was he pissed!
And some who read that PDI instructions and not the instructions that come with the kit incorrectly assume that the "rear brake cooling ducts that attach to the rear lower control arm" are the only rear duct parts. They overlook the "rear, knuckle mounted cooling ducts" are supposed to be mounted by the dealer. At least, that is my guess as to where the confusion arises.
And some who read that PDI instructions and not the instructions that come with the kit incorrectly assume that the "rear brake cooling ducts that attach to the rear lower control arm" are the only rear duct parts. They overlook the "rear, knuckle mounted cooling ducts" are supposed to be mounted by the dealer. At least, that is my guess as to where the confusion arises.
Yup,
Long story short...My Service Director was very grateful that I brought this to their attention and moving forward all Z51s would have the appropriate duct parts installed during PDI...
... but only the part that mounts to the knuckle. The owner should receive both parts of the duct that mount to the lower control arm i.e the upper part that mounts directly to the lower control arm and also the lower piece that mounts to the upper piece.
01-11-2024, 05:34 PM
Didn't know on brake ducts
