reading the damn instructions seldom hurts!

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
one of my neighbors owns a 2010 camaro and he had a minor SHIMMY condition when braking the car, the dealership said the rotors were wearing badly and the rotors were heat warped and needed replacing, he asked if the rotors could be re-cut and trued up, and just new pads installed and was told that could be done but theres zero guarantee that would fix the issue and it would only result in about a $120 savings, the local dealership quoted him a bit over $700 for installing new STOCK OEM brake rotors and pads (that includes labor) new disc pads and rotors but re-using the existing calipers.
I found that to be a bit steep $$$, and suggested he call around to at least find out his options, and if better quality performance brakes were available , and the cost difference and be sure the price included all four wheels, rotors and pads so he was comparing apples to apples,

http://www.carid.com/powerstop/1-cl...-kc1548.html?gclid=CNyc3IO2lsoCFQ2HaQod8iwEgA

http://www.carid.com/powerstop/1-cl...-kc1548.html?gclid=CMrU0-K2lsoCFQkxaQodxcYJwA

$700 but includes new calipers


obviously theres hundreds of various options,in products and quality, from dozens of potential sources

http://www.r1concepts.com/category/search/2010/Chevrolet/Camaro/LS/parts/allbrand/Brake-Kits


K2816.jpg


After reading through a dozen on-line adds, he ordered a semi decent set of rotors and pads from
ROCKAUTO (the best pads and rotor combo kit they listed for $350)
https://www.rockauto.com/
we installed the kit after reading the directions and , reading the instructions , is a highly advised course of action here!
those instructions ,that listed a brake in procedure, helped,
the first couple times the car was stopped using the new brakes they still had a slightly grabby,feel and he was not thrilled, so we re-read the instructions and followed the brake-in procedure, hoping it was required and would result in the brakes functioning correctly. but after following the brake in procedure, we were pleased, that they smoothed out very noticeably,
YES THEY VERY OBVIOUSLY IMPROVED ONCE THE DIRECTIONS WERE READ AND FOLLOWED

here's what I've learned over the last 5 decades,
the brake pads you select,

must, be selected to match the intended application,both wear and the ability to function under high and sustained heat varies a great deal with the pad compound and brake caliper and rotor designs,
theres a huge difference in the various brake pad compounds ability to function under extreme heat,and race, brake rotors, and pads and calipers, are designed differently than daily transportation brake designs.
older semi-metallic brake pads are cheap, and dirty , they work fine under most low stress conditions , but they puke a constant shower of fine corrosive, debris on your wheels constantly and they don,t stand up to extended heat very well, they fade!
Ceramic pads cost more but they don,t shed a constant rain of corrosive dust on your wheels and for the street I think they are much superior.
yes they are are a harder compound and in theory they would wear the brake rotor a bit faster , but for street transportation and daily driver use I doubt youll see any effective difference in life span.
brake pads and rotors, like fan belts, hoses, and tires, are a replaceable item, that will periodically need to be replaced, but Id expect the rotors to last well in excess of 100K miles in normal transportation use and through several ceramic brake pad replacements.

if you intend to use the car for auto cross or road racing youll need both different rotors and brake pads and in many cases calipers, so a complete upgrade over the O.E.M. brakes will be almost mandatory


Z23 Evolution Sport; Incl. Hardware

High-performance rotor & pad set delivers the big brake feel without the big brake price

  • Custom-matched components are engineered to work together for maximum performance
  • Pads & rotors crafted for your specific year, make & model vehicle
Kit includes high-performance carbon fiber/ceramic brake pads and a complete set of cross-drilled and slotted rotors

Power Stop Z23 Evolution Sport Brake Pads:

  • Carbon Fiber and Ceramic Compound
  • High temperature threshold to resist fade during extreme driving
  • Quiet, low-dust ceramic formula
  • Shims made with dual rubber layers over constrained steel to eliminate noise
  • Premium stainless steel hardware kit included where applicable
  • High temperature ceramic lubricant included with every pad set
Power Stop Drilled & Slotted Rotors:

  • Drill holes reduce brake temperature
  • Slots sweep gas and dust away for solid pad contact
  • Silver zinc plated to resist corrosion
  • Precision machined for exact OEM fit
Power Stop Brake Rotor/Pad Instructions & Break-In Procedure
Front Rear
Rotor Construction Floating Rotor Floating Rotor - Drum In Hub
OE Type Vented Vented
Diameter (mm) 321.00 315.00
Diameter (in) 12.60 12.40
Height (mm) 51.00 48.00
Height (in) 2.01 1.89
Nominal Thickness (mm) 29.90 23.00
Nominal Thickness (in) 1.18 0.91
Minimal Thickness (mm) 27.00 21.50
Minimal Thickness (in) 1.06 0.85
Hub Hole Diameter (mm) 67.40 67.40
Hub Hole Diameter (in) 2.65 2.65
Stud/Stud Hole Size 16.2 16.6
Studs 5 5
Bolt Circle (mm) 120.00 120.00
Bolt Circle (in) 4.72 4.72
http://www.rockauto.com/info/PowerStop/RotorPadInstBreakInProc.pdf

STEP ONE: Have the following parts available before you start the brake change: 1) Power Stop brake pads such as the Evolution ceramic pads, 2) Power Stop cross-drilled or slotted rotors, 3) a bottle of DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid as recommended by your owner’s manual, 4) brake pad grease 5) a c-clamp. You should also have a car jack and jack stands.
STEP TWO: Block the rear wheels so the car won’t roll once you jack it up. Put the car in park and set the parking brake firmly.
STEP THREE: Before jacking the car up off the ground, loosen the lug nuts on the wheels just enough to break them free. Work them off just enough until they loosen their resistance and become easy to turn with the tire iron. Raise the car and support with safe jack stands under flat spots on the frame. Usually the frame support area is immediately to the rear of the front wheels. CAUTION: Always use jack stands. Never attempt to work on an elevated vehicle held in place only by a hydraulic jack.
STEP FOUR: Remove the lug nuts and the wheel. It is best to work on one wheel at a time, leaving the other side intact as a point of reference. As a safety precaution, roll the wheel/tire assembly under the front-center of the car, between the jack stands, and set it down beneath the engine’s K-member. In the event of a faulty jack stand.
STEP FIVE: Review the brake components. A disc brake assembly is composed of . a caliper, two brake pads, and a rotor. The caliper works on pressurized brake fluid through a piston in the caliper. The caliper has a fixed part bolted to the spindle knuckle and a slide part that holds the brake pads. The caliper is mounted with two bolts. These bolts usually have dust boots. When the brakes are applied, the caliper piston squeezes the pads against the rotor creating friction. NOTE: If you are not replacing or turning down the rotor, then install 2 lug nuts backwards to hold the rotor in place when removing the caliper (fig. 2).
STEP SIX: Remove the two bolts that hold the two parts of the caliper together (fig 3). Gently slide it out and away from the rotor. Hang the caliper inside the wheel well using a coat hanger, so that the hose is not stressed. Do not let the caliper dangle from the brake hose line. Inspect the inside of the caliper and remove the brake pads. Remove the two remaining bolts that hold the caliper slide to the knuckle. Use a wire brush to clean rust from the rails where the pad contacts the caliper.

STEP SEVEN: With the caliper out of the way, remove the rotor. Sometimes the rotor rust will make it bind and you will need to use a mallet to loosen it. Tap both the front and back side alternating left and right, top and bottom of the rotor. The rotor thickness should be measured and compared to the minimum discard thickness that is etched on the rotor. If the thickness is less than this minimum, then the rotor should be replaced.
STEP EIGHT: The next step is to move the piston back inside the caliper. The piston has extended as the pad material wears. With new thicker pads, you must return the piston back inside the caliper body to give the thicker pads room for installation. First crack open the bleeder screw on the caliper to allow brake fluid to be relieved. Place a container under the caliper to collect the fluid. Get a large C-clamp, place the used brake pad over the face of the piston to protect the surface from marring, and work it back that way. As you turn the handle on the clamp, it will increase pressure on the piston, until it becomes flush with the surrounding metal. Brake fluid will be released through the bleeder. Then loosen and remove the C-clamp. Close the bleeder screw for now. If you cannot open the bleeder screw, then push the C-clamp in slowly to prevent unsafe back pressure and damage to the ABS modulator, brake valving or master cylinder. It may be necessary to drain some fluid from the master cylinder reservoir.
NOTE: many rear brakes pistons cannot be retracted with a C-clamp as they screw in and out. This type of rear brake piston will have two recessed notches where you can use a set of needle nose pliers to retract the piston.
STEP NINE: Check and replace all hardware as needed. Improper hardware can lead to noise or poor brake pad performance. Clean the caliper rails or hardware slides where the pads make contact. Clean the hub mating surface with a wire brush. Rust or debris on the hub can cause rotor runout and lead to wheel vibration.
STEP TEN: Resurface the rotor or replace the rotor. Most auto retailer stores provide rotor resurfacing. After machining, use a 120 grit sandpaper on the rotor in a light circular motion to give a non-directional finish. Clean the rotor with mild soap and wipe clean with a lint-free cloth. Do not use petroleum based cleaners. STEP ELEVEN: Install the new rotor and remount the caliper bracket (not the piston part) to the spindle knuckle arm. Use brake grease to lubricate the edge of the brake pad plate where it touches the caliper. Do not put grease on the friction material. The lubricant goes between the plate and the piston or caliper back. Don’t overlook this. If you don’t do it, you may get brake noise when you apply the brakes. NOTE: When you install new rotors, it is recommended that you check rotor run-out. Rotor run-out can cause brake pulsation. First tighten the stud nuts to the manufacturer specification using spacers as required. Mount a dial indicator and rotate the rotor while measuring the run-out. Run-out should be less than +/-.001 inch. If run-out exceeds this then mark the high spot, remove the rotor and index it two studs and check to see if the high spot moved. Make sure that the hub and rotor mounting surface is clean.
STEP TWELVE: With the fixed part of the caliper bolted to the spindle. Reinstall the brake pads in the caliper slide, and make sure that they are pressed back to leave clearance for the rotor to slide between them. Slide the caliper over the rotor and line up the bolt holes. Bolt the piston part of the caliper to the caliper bracket. Note:sometimes the rubber boot will extend the bolt and cause interference during installation. Just push the rubber boot back to allow the caliper to slide over the rotor.
STEP THIRTEEN: Bleed the brakes to remove air from the brake line. First make sure the brake fluid is full to the top. Have a buddy press down slowly on the pedal as you monitor the bleeder screw. When you see a constant stream of fluid, close the bleeder screw. It usually takes three pumps of the pedal to clear the air out of the line. Check the master cylinder reservoir and replace brake fluid to the MAX line. Do not overfill the reservoir. Pump the brakes several times to seat the brake pads to the rotor and check the reservoir one more time.
STEP FOURTEEN: Replace the wheel and bolts. Drop the car to the ground to finish tightening the bolts to the manufacturer’s specified bolt torque. Alternate tightening sequence by going to the opposite side of the hub. A torque gun is not recommended. IMPORTANT: BREAK IN NEW FRICTION USING THE PAD BEDDING PROCEDURE AS FOLLOWS. PROPER PAD BEDDING CAN PREVENT ROTOR WARPING.
The break in procedure is critical! If you do not break in the pad properly, it can result in brake pedal pulsation and thermal shock to the rotor causing stress cracks. Break in the pads as follows:
5 moderate to aggressive stops at 40 mph to 5 mph without letting the brakes cool and do not come to a complete stop.
Then do 5 moderate stops at 25 mph to 5 mph and let the rotors cool after each brake application.
You should expect to smell some resin as the brakes get hot.
 
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selecting the correct brake pad material for the application
failing to read the links below would be a huge failure to take advantage of a great deal of useful info

discb1.jpg

if you don,t think brake pads and calipers and rotors are subjected to a good deal of heat energy slowing down a ton or more of car from speeds exceeding 140 mph youve never been to a sports car race like the 12 hours a sebring florida
discb2.jpg

discb3.jpg

http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-the-Right-Brake-Pads

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/upgrading-your-c4-to-c5-brakes.13/#post-48045

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/brake-pads.5241/#post-32212

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/trouble-shooting-brakes-1.526/#post-4722

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/ceramic-brake-pads.1361/#post-2987

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/trouble-shooting-brakes-3.380/#post-463

https://blog.hemmings.com/index.php...-to-choose-the-right-brake-friction-material/

http://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Choose-Disc-Brake-Pads-/10000000009117929/g.html

http://www.autoanything.com/brakes/the-best-brake-pads-ceramic-or-metallic.aspx

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2004/ic10422.htm

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...oven-facts-if-your-in-doubt.13051/#post-69824

http://www.turnology.com/tech-stori...ction-choosing-the-proper-brake-pad-compound/

I've always been a bit amused at the fact that so few guys think things through carefully, before something breaks, and they are forced to look into why some part failed or why the car ran into some track barrier!
most newer guys are far more concerned with adding engine power, and tend to ignore the drive train strength, suspension control and braking capacity and endurance and durability.
Well that is of course, untill they are forced into looking at those factors by a combo of parts failures and having a car fail to go where the driver wants it to or slow down rapidly and consistently enough to prevent body work costs from getting out of hand when the car hits things it should have been able to avoid in the hands of a skilled driver.

For all that we ask them to do, disc brake pads don't get a lot of consideration, let alone respect. As long as they fit in the caliper and do a reasonable job of stopping the vehicle, a pad is a pad, right?

When it comes to high performance and racing, that common perception of brake pads is not only wrong, it can be downright dangerous. You can't throw a set of typical auto parts store pads on your high-powered street machine and expect them to hold up for any length of time. On a circle track or road race car, those pads can fail without warning, costing you a race or worse, your car.

Once you dig into the world of performance brake pads, you will find a bewildering array of compounds with different materials, wear ratings, friction values, and temperature ranges. Companies like EBC Brakes, Hawk Performance, Power Stop, and Wilwood make brake pads for very specific performance levels, both street and race. Even OE-replacement manufacturers like Bendix offer pads tailored for everything from Grandma's go-to-church-on Sunday sedan to high performance sports and musclecars.

In this article, we'll explain the basics of disc brake pad materials, how to choose a pad based on intended use, and the proper procedure for bedding in those new pads.

Brake Pad Materials
A disc brake pad is a simple thing, composed of a formed pad of friction material on a steel backing plate. The composition of the friction material is one part science and one part black art. Some pad manufacturers have more than 50 different compounds tailored for specific uses-and those compound formulas are more top secret than the alien spaceships the government says it doesn't have over in Area 51.

Back in the good old days, manufacturers used asbestos to bind the friction compound materials together. It resisted high temperatures, and the barblike composition of asbestos fibers held the friction material together quite well. When asbestos was phased out back in the early 1990s, pad makers went looking for a new material. The industry settled on three types-non-asbestos organic, semi-metallic, and ceramic. When you see a brake pad advertised as metallic or ceramic, for example, they're really talking about the binder that holds the friction material together.

Organic pads have a non-asbestos organic friction/binder material; the pads must have less than 20% metallic content to be labeled organic. The main benefits of a qaulity organic pads are quiet operation and longer rotor life. Because they are not as hard as semi-metallic pads, organic pads typically do not last as long and don't perform as well in high temperature applications like towing or racing. EBC Brakes Greenstuff 2000, Greenstuff 6000, and Greenstuff 7000 series pads are high-quality organic street formulations that offer stopping performance on-par with semi-metallic pads without the metal-to-metal confact and accompanying rotor wear.

Semi-metallic pads are made of a hard resin matrix with steel fibers added to increase hardness and prolong pad life. It's probably the most common pad available-most cars and light trucks on the road use semi-metallic pads. One big advantage of a metallic pad is improved high temperature performance; its grip actually increases as the pad warms up to operating temperature. That makes semi-metallics ideal for heavy- duty use (high performance street, towing, etc.) and racing, especially circle track and road racing. A downside to semi-metallics is noise-the pads' hardness and steel fibers increase metal-to-metal contact with the rotors, and tend to magnify noise-producing vibrations rather than dampen them.

Ceramic pads are the latest type on the disc brake scene. As the name implies, the friction material contains ceramic fibers as part of the binder. Ceramic is a good choice for the street because it offers stable, predictable friction characteristics, especially at lower temperatures. Ceramic pads also provide a consistent pedal feel that is unaffected by hot or cold (unlike semi-metallic pads, ceramic's coefficient of friction does not drop off as quickly when the temperature changes). Ceramic pads are quieter than semi-metallic and organic pads, and generate low amounts of light-colored brake dust so it isn't as noticeable on your wheels.

So which type of pad is the right one for your application? If you are looking for stock replacement pads on a street-driven vehicle, stick to the type specified by the factory. If your truck came with semi-metallic pads, for example, use semi-metallic replacement pads to maintain proper braking performance.

Fortunately, there is no problem upgrading to performance-oriented brake pads. You can safely switch from organics to semi-metallic or ceramic pads, or go from semi-metallic to ceramic and vice-versa. Upgrading your pads will help decrease stopping distances and improve pedal feel-and make you safer.

Here is a general guideline to help you choose the right type of pad:


Semi-Metallic Pads• High-horsepower street cars
• Tow vehicles and heavy-duty hauling (passengers or cargo)
• Racing, especially circle track and road racing
• Severe-duty applications that generate high brake temperatures (hilly/mountainous terrain, city or other heavy stop/go driving, etc.)

Ceramic Pads• Daily-driven vehicles
• Performance-oriented, street-driven vehicles
• Applications where improved pedal feel, longer rotor life, and low noise/low dust are important

A rule of thumb: when shopping for pads, stick with proven brands. This is especially important when choosing pads for racing or towing, where brake failure can lead to disaster very quickly. Choosing a quality name brand is especially important when buying ceramic brake pads. There is currently no standard defining how much ceramic material a pad must have to qualify as a “true" ceramic. Some pads labeled as ceramic may contain very little of the stuff and will not perform as desired. High-quality brands may cost more, but you will get the performance you're paying for.

Temperature Matters
Choosing a brake pad for a race car is a more involved than choosing a pad for a street-driven vehicle. The pads must be able to function at the temperatures reached on the track; in other words, the brakes should not fade at operating temperatures. According to the folks at Wilwood, pad compounds rated for temperatures of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and up are usually necessary for most asphalt circle and road race applications. Dirt track, drag racing, and high-horsepower street performance applications can use pads rated at temperatures between 500 and 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keep in mind that these are general recommendations, not absolute values. Things like track length, brake cooling (airflow to the brakes), weather, and tire selection can affect brake temperatures. Like any other upgrade, the best way to find the right brake pad is run 'em at the track. You might have to go through a couple sets to find the pad that provides the best overall performance. Fortunately, Wilwood and other performance brake companies offer a wide range of pad formulations to help make your selection chores easier.


Bedding Your PadsTo ensure your new pads will work as advertised, they must be broken in, or bedded. Subjecting new pads to hard service right out of the box will result in poor performance or even damage to the pads and the rotors due to extreme temperature variations between the rotor surface and the body of the pad. Think of the bedding process are a "heat cure"; the new pads are gradually brought up to temperature and then slowly cooled over a period of time.

Here is a widely-accepted procedure for bedding brake pads for your street vehicle. It can be used with any pad type.
Step 1: Make 8 to 10 gentle stops from 30 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour. Allow 20 to 30 seconds between each stop so the brakes can cool down.
Step 2: Make 8 to 10 moderate stops from 45 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour. Again, allow a 20 to 30 second cooldown period between each stop.
Step 3: Make 8 to 10 hard stops from 55-65 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour, allowing 20 to 30 seconds of cooldown time between each stop.
Step 4: You should notice a more positive brake feel during the bedding process. If you notice any significant brake fade during the hard stop phase (Step 3), it may be an indication that the brakes are overheating. Immediately do some light driving without using the brakes to allow the brakes to cool down, then repeat Step 3.
Step 5: Drive at a moderate cruising speed, using the brakes as little as possible, until most of the heat has dissipated from the brakes. Avoid using the brake pedal to hold the car at any stops you make. Park the vehicle and allow the brakes to cool to ambient air temperature.

Alternative Bedding Procedures

Bedding Street PadsStep 1: Drive smoothly and gently for the first 100 miles, avoiding harsh braking unless in an emergency. Try to do most of your driving in urban and stop/go situations. Freeway driving will not provide enough opportunities to use the brakes for proper bedding.
Step 2: From 100 to 200 miles, gradually increase the pressure when applying the brakes.
Step 3: After 200 miles, you can do the final bedding. Find a quiet, unused section of road. Get the vehicle up to 60 miles per hour, then apply the brakes and slow down to 10 miles per hour. Do this five times in a row. After the fifth slowdown, drive around slowly for a few minutes to allow the brakes to cool. Avoid coming to a complete stop while the brakes are still hot.
Step 4: Repeat Step 3 one more time after the brakes have totally cooled down. You may notice an odor from the warm brakes-this is normal. Once the final bedding procedure is done, it may take up to 1,500 miles for the pads to reach their full performance potential. Some noise is likely during the first 1,000 to 1,500 miles of use.

Bedding Race Pads
If you are using race pads on a dual use (street/race) vehicle, use the bedding procedure outlined above before going to the track. If this is not possible, use the following procedure to bed in the pads at the track:
Step 1: Make two laps around the track, steadily applying the brakes every few seconds. Make a cooldown lap, avoiding any unnecessary braking to allow the pads and rotors to cool down.
Step 2: Drive a third full lap and apply the brakes as in Step 1, but use slightly harder pressure each time. Make another cooldown lap. Do not park the car with hot brakes-try to let them cool as much as possible before coming to a stop.
Step 3: If you have excessive fade during competition after taking these steps, you must repeat the bedding procedure. Some brake fade early on is OK; this is called green fade and will eventually disappear (you will know this when the odor disappears). If you are getting fade after 20 laps and the pads are partly worn, try bleeding the brake system, altering your driving style, or trying another pad compound.

We hope this brake pad primer gives you a better idea on what types of disc brake pads are available, what each is best for, and how to break them in for optimum performance. Thanks for reading and happy stopping!

PERFORMANCE BRAKE PADS
read the instructions and specs carefully

http://www.sixity.com/brake-pad-selection-guide


http://www.ogracing.com/blog/2012/10/choosing-a-race-brake-pad/

http://www.racingbrake.com/Brake-Pad-Selection-s/5786.htm

http://www.westcoastcorvette.com/c-154-corvette-brake-pads.aspx

https://www.carid.com/brakes.html?gclid=CMCE78mjj9ACFYwDhgodvbsKeA

http://www.racingbrake.com/v/main/pad_warning.asp

http://www.racingbrake.com/v/main/rb_pads.asp

http://www.ctbrakes.com/pads.asp?Make=Corvette

http://ebcbrakes.com/articles/best-pads-for-track-day-driving/

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance-street/pads

http://blog.caranddriver.com/performance-brake-pads-compared-hawk-hps-hawk-hp-plus-ebc-yellowstuff/
 
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"reading the damn instructions seldom hurts" ...anything more than pride :D:D:D
 
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