New brake pad change on Z06
09-03-2023, 05:40 PM
#42
Race Director
Did the carbotechs on my 16 Z06 made two stops from 120 down to 65 or so and removed them. Thats just my experience with them. I never tried them again on my 19Z after my experience 3 years earlier.
They definitely cut brake dust down to nill. But that's a non issue with me after spring mountain. Experience. I realized I was showing the car and not enjoying it. CCBs are nice but not 8500 worth to avoid brake dust imo.
They definitely cut brake dust down to nill. But that's a non issue with me after spring mountain. Experience. I realized I was showing the car and not enjoying it. CCBs are nice but not 8500 worth to avoid brake dust imo.
09-03-2023, 09:45 PM
#43
Safety Car
Did the carbotechs on my 16 Z06 made two stops from 120 down to 65 or so and removed them. Thats just my experience with them. I never tried them again on my 19Z after my experience 3 years earlier.
They definitely cut brake dust down to nill. But that's a non issue with me after spring mountain. Experience. I realized I was showing the car and not enjoying it. CCBs are nice but not 8500 worth to avoid brake dust imo.
They definitely cut brake dust down to nill. But that's a non issue with me after spring mountain. Experience. I realized I was showing the car and not enjoying it. CCBs are nice but not 8500 worth to avoid brake dust imo.
09-04-2023, 09:40 AM
#44
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I had them on my C6 Z51 and liked them. I'm not loving them so far on the C8 Z06. The initial bite isn't as good as the stock and I feel like I have to get much harder into the pedal than the stock pads. Carbotech's website states no bedding is required for the 1521s, so that shouldn't be the issue. I'm experimenting with the brake feel settings to see if using a different setting feels better. I'd like to avoid going back to the stock pads due to the dust, but the 1521s may not be what I keep, even for street driving.
09-04-2023, 09:41 AM
#45
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
09-04-2023, 12:54 PM
#46
Race Director
Strange I installed them on my C8 Z06 first week and felt they grab great and seat of the pants the stopping power seems the same as the stock ones. After 2200 miles still loving them and minimum brake dust. I also had them on my C7 Z06 and C8 SR no issues and in fact talk with both current owners all the time.
That tells me theyre great at reducing dust because they don't bite hard. Not to mention the pedal vibrating hard. Junk. Good for cars and coffee and a spirited drive you don't have to slam on the brakes for.
09-04-2023, 01:09 PM
#47
Burning Brakes
Carbotech pads
I figured I pass this along as some of us are not crazy about brake dust. I changed my pads on my C7 Z06 and C8 SR and recently on my C8 Z06 all 3 were replaced with the Carbotech pads that always reduced brake dust by up to 90%. These are street pads not track pads.
What I wanted to let people know is on changing the front pads on the C8 SR it can be extra work, the rears are easy to do just remove 2 pins and slip out the old and slip in the new, but on the fronts GM glues the pads so you have to actually remove the caliper and take a screw driver and pop out the pads. Then install new pads and reinstall the caliper and you know removing caliper bolts can be tough.
Also there is a bolt across the top of the caliper and the SR it uses a "star" pattern head so you have to go find and buy this special star socket.
The good news is when I went to change the pads on the Z06 I expected the same issues and even watched a couple of videos but to my surprise GM did it right, first the pads are not glued on and second they didn't use this star bolt just a standard nut I think it was 1/2". So replacing the front pads took only minutes removing the bolt and punching out the 2 pins. Slip out the old pads and slip in the new ones.
The rears were the same as the SR just remove the 2 pins.
Also don't forget to disconnect the battery first or you will pay for it. Also don't completely close the frunk.
I also found the braking no different using the Carbotech pads vs stock pads.
What I wanted to let people know is on changing the front pads on the C8 SR it can be extra work, the rears are easy to do just remove 2 pins and slip out the old and slip in the new, but on the fronts GM glues the pads so you have to actually remove the caliper and take a screw driver and pop out the pads. Then install new pads and reinstall the caliper and you know removing caliper bolts can be tough.
Also there is a bolt across the top of the caliper and the SR it uses a "star" pattern head so you have to go find and buy this special star socket.
The good news is when I went to change the pads on the Z06 I expected the same issues and even watched a couple of videos but to my surprise GM did it right, first the pads are not glued on and second they didn't use this star bolt just a standard nut I think it was 1/2". So replacing the front pads took only minutes removing the bolt and punching out the 2 pins. Slip out the old pads and slip in the new ones.
The rears were the same as the SR just remove the 2 pins.
Also don't forget to disconnect the battery first or you will pay for it. Also don't completely close the frunk.
I also found the braking no different using the Carbotech pads vs stock pads.
09-04-2023, 02:25 PM
#48
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Friend. Then you and I drive our cars differently when enjoying them 🤣 the stock pads throw dust because they're working. The carbotechs reduced my braking performance by 50% after 2 hard stops from triple digits to hwy speed. The factory pads never did that. Think roll racing and having to hit the stop pedal after.
That tells me theyre great at reducing dust because they don't bite hard. Not to mention the pedal vibrating hard. Junk. Good for cars and coffee and a spirited drive you don't have to slam on the brakes for.
That tells me theyre great at reducing dust because they don't bite hard. Not to mention the pedal vibrating hard. Junk. Good for cars and coffee and a spirited drive you don't have to slam on the brakes for.
Again I have been using Carbotech since 2015 on 3 different Corvettes in all kinds of traffic and weather situations and never felt they would get me into trouble, In fact my biggest fear is not stopping or hitting the guy in front of me it's the guy behind me that don't have the brakes we do. Another thing I've had zero brake vibration and I've hit the brakes hard so I'm just wondering in your case did you get a set of bad pads?....... I'm also assuming you didn't have warp rotors...
I'm not expert nor trying to pretend to be one these are just my personal opinions and observations. Also I am just a customer and don't represent Carbotech in any way.
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Joys4me (03-15-2024)
09-04-2023, 02:26 PM
#49
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
09-04-2023, 02:33 PM
#50
Burning Brakes
Friend. Then you and I drive our cars differently when enjoying them 🤣 the stock pads throw dust because they're working. The carbotechs reduced my braking performance by 50% after 2 hard stops from triple digits to hwy speed. The factory pads never did that. Think roll racing and having to hit the stop pedal after.
That tells me theyre great at reducing dust because they don't bite hard. Not to mention the pedal vibrating hard. Junk. Good for cars and coffee and a spirited drive you don't have to slam on the brakes for.
That tells me theyre great at reducing dust because they don't bite hard. Not to mention the pedal vibrating hard. Junk. Good for cars and coffee and a spirited drive you don't have to slam on the brakes for.
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23/C8Z (09-04-2023)
09-04-2023, 07:42 PM
#51
Race Director
You cannot drive any modern Corvette for more than 4-5 seconds at 10/10s without being thoroughly illegal. Far and away all the students I have had that push their car to the limit on the street quickly find running on the track that the limit is significantly higher than anything they did on the street.
As far as how Corvette drivers drive, out of roughly 200 mostly old members not more than 5 or 6 have ever driven their Corvettes at more than 80% of its capability and for all of them the performance All-Season tires are far and away the best choice over summer-only tires.
Regarding the Carbotech street pads, I had no problems doing my stops at Mojave from 200 MPH+ in my HCI C6Z. I chose those as my street pads as their race pad compounds are compatible with the street compound so there is not extensive cleaning of the rotors when swapping back and forth between pads.
As far as how Corvette drivers drive, out of roughly 200 mostly old members not more than 5 or 6 have ever driven their Corvettes at more than 80% of its capability and for all of them the performance All-Season tires are far and away the best choice over summer-only tires.
Regarding the Carbotech street pads, I had no problems doing my stops at Mojave from 200 MPH+ in my HCI C6Z. I chose those as my street pads as their race pad compounds are compatible with the street compound so there is not extensive cleaning of the rotors when swapping back and forth between pads.
Last edited by AzDave47; 09-04-2023 at 08:57 PM.
09-04-2023, 08:17 PM
#52
Burning Brakes
I certainly do not advocate driving at 10/10s on the street. But there are plenty of legal and relatively safe ways to use these cars at their full potential such as Autocross, Drag Racing (at drag race venues) and Track driving. A small percentage of Corvette owners actual participate in those activities. Those people are the ones looking for information about how different parts will perform on their cars. There are also a lot of owners who want to upgrade their cars for (as much as I can tell) "bragging rights" because they do not actually use the performance they are upgrading to.
09-04-2023, 09:06 PM
#53
Race Director
Having raced in SCCA and IMSA successfully for 40 years, I know about pushing cars to the limit, but that does not happen on the street unless you are talking about straight line performance. Yes I know people do some really fun canyon carving and I have enjoyed my Corvettes that way on the street, but that is maybe a little quicker than a warmup lap on a real race track. Autocrossing and organized track nights at road courses or the strip are great ways to use all the performance there is in the car.
Back to the brake pad question, I had no problems using Carbotech Bobcat 1511? on the street or from very high speed at Mojave or Gila Bend from 160 to over 200, so people reporting their experience on this thread certainly vary in opinion on those pads. I would recommend them for the street. I also went thru a good number of sets of their track pads when I did road course events in my C6Z.
I won't have an opinion on those pads for the street as my C8Z has CCBs.
Back to the brake pad question, I had no problems using Carbotech Bobcat 1511? on the street or from very high speed at Mojave or Gila Bend from 160 to over 200, so people reporting their experience on this thread certainly vary in opinion on those pads. I would recommend them for the street. I also went thru a good number of sets of their track pads when I did road course events in my C6Z.
I won't have an opinion on those pads for the street as my C8Z has CCBs.
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LE MANSZ (09-07-2023)
01-20-2024, 07:07 PM
#56
New c8 ZO6 totally disappointed in breaking power
For one, do they still glue the brake pads to the caliper pistons, which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of and looking for a brake pad that will stop in a panic situation. The brakes suck just like the Z 51 suck is there anything that stops better without replacing the rotors???
01-20-2024, 08:27 PM
#57
Race Director
Member Since: Nov 2017
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2020 C6 of the Year Winner - Modified
On the fronts, the pins just punch out, same as on my Z, and they hold the large spring clip in. Slide out the old pads, slide in the new, replace the clip and the pins. Good to go. The pad swap on my Ms took 20 min for all, probably the easiest I've ever done.
*after a 10 min drive
I've removed the pads on my Z's CCBs to inspect them & add Brembos break quiet (didn't help), and that was equally as easy.
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AzDave47 (02-01-2024)
01-20-2024, 09:19 PM
#58
Burning Brakes
For one, do they still glue the brake pads to the caliper pistons, which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of and looking for a brake pad that will stop in a panic situation. The brakes suck just like the Z 51 suck is there anything that stops better without replacing the rotors???
01-22-2024, 02:16 PM
#59
Supporting Vendor
For one, do they still glue the brake pads to the caliper pistons, which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of and looking for a brake pad that will stop in a panic situation. The brakes suck just like the Z 51 suck is there anything that stops better without replacing the rotors???
The rear is all new so it's limited but things are coming along.
From low dust to high friction track - what do you need?
Ken
01-22-2024, 02:18 PM
#60
Supporting Vendor
Having raced in SCCA and IMSA successfully for 40 years, I know about pushing cars to the limit, but that does not happen on the street unless you are talking about straight line performance. Yes I know people do some really fun canyon carving and I have enjoyed my Corvettes that way on the street, but that is maybe a little quicker than a warmup lap on a real race track. Autocrossing and organized track nights at road courses or the strip are great ways to use all the performance there is in the car.
Back to the brake pad question, I had no problems using Carbotech Bobcat 1511? on the street or from very high speed at Mojave or Gila Bend from 160 to over 200, so people reporting their experience on this thread certainly vary in opinion on those pads. I would recommend them for the street. I also went thru a good number of sets of their track pads when I did road course events in my C6Z.
I won't have an opinion on those pads for the street as my C8Z has CCBs.
Back to the brake pad question, I had no problems using Carbotech Bobcat 1511? on the street or from very high speed at Mojave or Gila Bend from 160 to over 200, so people reporting their experience on this thread certainly vary in opinion on those pads. I would recommend them for the street. I also went thru a good number of sets of their track pads when I did road course events in my C6Z.
I won't have an opinion on those pads for the street as my C8Z has CCBs.
Ken
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C8ZO6Greg (01-23-2024)