Changing Front Brakes 2017 Camaro SS

DannyC · 03-14-2026, 07:02 PM

I read somewhere there was a special procedure when replacing brakes if you have electronic park brake. Does it really matter for the front brakes??

cdb95z28 · 03-14-2026, 07:03 PM

No

p47dman · 03-14-2026, 07:14 PM

I replaced all 4, nothing special that I remember. What were you thinking that needs to be done?

DannyC · 03-14-2026, 07:28 PM

Not sure. I work at Advance Auto Parts and when I looked up the pads it said something about some special procedure for electronic park brake.

p47dman · 03-14-2026, 07:34 PM

I just reread the instructions in my kit. Not a word about parking brake.

DannyC · 03-14-2026, 07:38 PM

I didn't think it made sense but thought I check to see it you guys knew something I didn't.

Thanks!

p47dman · 03-14-2026, 07:39 PM

Not saying there isn't. But not from what I read.

bishopts · 03-14-2026, 08:52 PM

The rear brake has an electric motor for the parking brake. On the SS it pulls a cable kinda like how a handbrake would work. Only its pulling from the rear subframe.
On the LT the rear brake has electric motors on the calipers themselves. Usually those will need to be backed up with a scan tool or by removing the motors and turning the gear.
Ive read on this forum several people have done them without needing to use anything special.
For your SS the front are going to be pretty much the same as the back. If you're removing the rear rotors then make sure you dont set the parking brake.

The instructions that say you need a special tool is probably a generic note labled on the camaro platform as a whole just because some may need it and they didn't want to pick and choose which cars needed that warning.

p47dman · 03-14-2026, 09:13 PM

That might make sense then. GM big brake kit only changes the front rotors. You do not need to remove the rear rotors.

arpad_m · 03-14-2026, 10:10 PM

Nothing special was needed when we changed my SS front brakes over to the larger SS 1LE kit. The 1LE has different brake lines and smaller shields, but that's known and to be expected, the Chevrolet Performance upgrade kit also contains these parts.

The rears are identical between the SS and the SS 1LE, so as p47dman said, you can leave those in place (except you probably want new pads on all four corners).

If, however, you upgrade to ZL1 spec or the latest BCD spec brakes, then you'll need to swap out the rears, too, but fortunately the parking brake on the SS is a sensible one, you won't have any issues.

ctrlz · 03-15-2026, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyC

Does it really matter for the front brakes??

I have never owned or worked on a vehicle where the parking brake system used or affected the front brakes. Maybe I'm just missing out!

S.Macias · 03-15-2026, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bishopts

On the LT the rear brake has electric motors on the calipers themselves. Usually those will need to be backed up with a scan tool or by removing the motors and turning the gear.

Rears on my 2016 1LT was able to be rotated back with a cheap caliper piston rewind tool. Nothing special to it.

bishopts · 03-15-2026, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S.Macias

Rears on my 2016 1LT was able to be rotated back with a cheap caliper piston rewind tool. Nothing special to it.

Cheap caliper rewind tool is more than no special tool required.

Normal brakes are a screwdriver or pair of pliers will compress the caliper.

p47dman · 03-15-2026, 06:37 PM

I just use vise grips. Guess I am really old :(

03-14-2026, 07:02 PM	#1
DannyC Drives: 17 Camaro SS Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Central VA Posts: 122	Changing Front Brakes 2017 Camaro SS I read somewhere there was a special procedure when replacing brakes if you have electronic park brake. Does it really matter for the front brakes?? __________________ Flow Tech axle back, Roto-Fab, Nick Williams 103, AEM Wide Band, Defrost vent pod, billet catch can, BBK long tube headers and NGK LTR6GP, #90198, one step colder, Magnuson 2650, Snow Performance water/methanol injection. (Also tune myself w/HPTuners)

03-14-2026, 07:03 PM	#2
cdb95z28 Drives: 2022 1SS 1LE A10 BCD WCT+PDR Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Johnstown, PA Posts: 3,826	No __________________ 2022 1SS 1LE A10 BCD WCT+PDR2014 1SS 1LE NPP RECARO SIM-SOLD1995 Z28 M6 GSC PGM-SOLD1975 NOVA COUPE 300HP 350 TH350 FLASH RED-SOLD "KEEP THE FAITH"-Fbodfather

03-14-2026, 07:28 PM	#4
DannyC Drives: 17 Camaro SS Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Central VA Posts: 122	Not sure. I work at Advance Auto Parts and when I looked up the pads it said something about some special procedure for electronic park brake. __________________ Flow Tech axle back, Roto-Fab, Nick Williams 103, AEM Wide Band, Defrost vent pod, billet catch can, BBK long tube headers and NGK LTR6GP, #90198, one step colder, Magnuson 2650, Snow Performance water/methanol injection. (Also tune myself w/HPTuners)

03-14-2026, 07:38 PM	#6
DannyC Drives: 17 Camaro SS Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Central VA Posts: 122	I didn't think it made sense but thought I check to see it you guys knew something I didn't. Thanks! __________________ Flow Tech axle back, Roto-Fab, Nick Williams 103, AEM Wide Band, Defrost vent pod, billet catch can, BBK long tube headers and NGK LTR6GP, #90198, one step colder, Magnuson 2650, Snow Performance water/methanol injection. (Also tune myself w/HPTuners)

03-14-2026, 10:10 PM	#10
arpad_m Drives: 2018 Camaro 2SS A8 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 13,448 View My Garage	Nothing special was needed when we changed my SS front brakes over to the larger SS 1LE kit. The 1LE has different brake lines and smaller shields, but that's known and to be expected, the Chevrolet Performance upgrade kit also contains these parts. The rears are identical between the SS and the SS 1LE, so as p47dman said, you can leave those in place (except you probably want new pads on all four corners). If, however, you upgrade to ZL1 spec or the latest BCD spec brakes, then you'll need to swap out the rears, too, but fortunately the parking brake on the SS is a sensible one, you won't have any issues. __________________ 2018 Camaro 2SS — G7E MX0 NPP F55 IO6 735 rwhp \| 665 rwtq Magnuson TVS 2300 80mm pulley \| Kooks 1 7/8" LT headers \| JRE smooth idle Terminator cam \| LT4 FS & injectors \| TSP forged pistons & rods JMS PowerMAX \| DSX flex fuel kit \| Roto-Fab CAI \| Soler 95mm LT5 TB \| 1LE wheels \| 1LE brakes \| BMR rear cradle lockout \| JRE custom tune 1100 - 1/30/18 \| 2000 - 1/31/18 3000 - 2/06/18 TPW 2/26/18 3400 - 2/19/18 \| 3800 - 2/26/18 4300 - 2/27/18 \| 4B00 - 3/01/18 4200 - 3/05/18 \| 4800 - 3/14/18 5000 - 3/16/18 \| 6000 - 3/19/18

03-14-2026, 07:14 PM	#3
p47dman Drives: 2024 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Minnesota Posts: 435	I replaced all 4, nothing special that I remember. What were you thinking that needs to be done?

03-14-2026, 07:34 PM	#5
p47dman Drives: 2024 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Minnesota Posts: 435	I just reread the instructions in my kit. Not a word about parking brake.

03-14-2026, 07:39 PM	#7
p47dman Drives: 2024 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Minnesota Posts: 435	Not saying there isn't. But not from what I read.

03-14-2026, 08:52 PM	#8
bishopts Drives: 2017 2ss 6mt Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: dallas Posts: 1,537	The rear brake has an electric motor for the parking brake. On the SS it pulls a cable kinda like how a handbrake would work. Only its pulling from the rear subframe. On the LT the rear brake has electric motors on the calipers themselves. Usually those will need to be backed up with a scan tool or by removing the motors and turning the gear. Ive read on this forum several people have done them without needing to use anything special. For your SS the front are going to be pretty much the same as the back. If you're removing the rear rotors then make sure you dont set the parking brake. The instructions that say you need a special tool is probably a generic note labled on the camaro platform as a whole just because some may need it and they didn't want to pick and choose which cars needed that warning.

03-14-2026, 09:13 PM	#9
p47dman Drives: 2024 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Minnesota Posts: 435	That might make sense then. GM big brake kit only changes the front rotors. You do not need to remove the rear rotors.

03-15-2026, 06:37 PM	#14
p47dman Drives: 2024 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Minnesota Posts: 435	I just use vise grips. Guess I am really old :(

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