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Old 08-03-2021, 05:50 PM   #1
Mando895
 
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What are the Best Brake Pads?

I have been looking around for some time now, and it seems like people who (like me) are fed up with the stock brake dust have tried out the PowerStop Z26 brake pads. However, I have heard that they have decreased performance and a tendency to squeak (especially in cold weather). I have also heard a few good things about Akebono pads, but surprisingly there's not a lot of conversation on the Camaro6 forums about them. I have only used OEM pads on my car, so I'm unsure what the aftermarket pads feel/perform like. Since I need new brakes ASAP, I would like to know what pads people recommend and which to stay away from. Thanks
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Old 08-03-2021, 05:58 PM   #2
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oem or z26 pads if what most people go with or you can try to see if you can get those new special cali only pads lol
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Old 08-03-2021, 06:14 PM   #3
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Less dust will equate to less performance. Clean wheel or stopping distance, take your pick.

I would think anything that can do at least as well as OEM won't be significantly better in the dust generation criteria. Just the nature of semi-metallic pads.

As for brake noise, it's a sports/pony car, deal with it. Buddy's CAN$150k Audi RS7 makes some brake noise when it's rainy out.
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Old 08-11-2021, 12:45 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mando895 View Post
I have been looking around for some time now, and it seems like people who (like me) are fed up with the stock brake dust have tried out the PowerStop Z26 brake pads. However, I have heard that they have decreased performance and a tendency to squeak (especially in cold weather). I have also heard a few good things about Akebono pads, but surprisingly there's not a lot of conversation on the Camaro6 forums about them. I have only used OEM pads on my car, so I'm unsure what the aftermarket pads feel/perform like. Since I need new brakes ASAP, I would like to know what pads people recommend and which to stay away from. Thanks
I've ran a good amount of pad combos on my Camaro. I love the stock Brembo pads (Ferodo HP1000), but you're right that they dust quite a bit. For daily use I swap to the PowerStop Z26's currently, still good stopping performance for the street, but definitely a step down from the stock pads. The feel of the powerstops is different, needs more pedal before they start to bite, some people don't enjoy that.

Another company to look into is DFC, or Dynamic Friction. I've got a set of their Track Pads on my Cobalt SS and they're similar performance to the Ferodo pads, but significantly less dust. I've also ran a set of their Euro 5000 ceramic pads on the wife's HHR SS, those are great for the price point!
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Old 08-13-2021, 01:56 AM   #5
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Thanks for the input. I ended up purchasing the Z26s with StopTech slotted rotors. I haven't installed them yet, so I don't know quite how they're going to feel. Do you think that stainless brake lines would help restore some of the initial bite in pads? I've heard conflicting things from various sources about them. Some people seem to think it's the best $200 they've spent, and others (such as Mark from savagegeese) think they aren't designed for street driving and can cause more headaches than they're worth.
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Old 08-13-2021, 08:21 AM   #6
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"Bite" is all about pad "mu" (coefficient of friction), which can and does vary with temperature. Higher values of mu = stronger bite.

Brake pedal "feel" isn't the same thing.


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Old 02-27-2023, 06:38 AM   #7
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The Z26 is an absolute diffenrece it's a +/- less dust, less braking power. First time you stand on the Z26 you'll know right away. They're great on the street there's no issues there, I'm on my 2d set of them from having a set on my (former) 1LE, now my ZL1.
I chose less dust and traded some braking power.
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Old 02-27-2023, 10:44 AM   #8
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For my V6 RS with the front Brembo option, the PowerStop Z26 pads were also a good swap.
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Old 03-21-2023, 09:45 AM   #9
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I'll happily replace these OEM 2SS factory front pads with the cheapest thing Amazon sells just to eliminate the SQUEAL while inching along in bumper to bumper traffic. Less than 500 miles on this ride and its fuggin MINDNUMBING!!!
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Old 03-21-2023, 10:18 AM   #10
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I'll happily replace these OEM 2SS factory front pads with the cheapest thing Amazon sells just to eliminate the SQUEAL while inching along in bumper to bumper traffic. Less than 500 miles on this ride and its fuggin MINDNUMBING!!!
Here's an unorthodox idea, try re-bedding those pads, the process (see below) worked for me early on. Granted, I had to do it very early in the morning and finding a suitable road wasn't easy, but the end result was worth it.

Another thing you can do is Powerstop Z26 pads, several forum members use those to nearly eliminate brake dust at the cost of slightly less braking power (which is okay for the street), I believe those are quieter, too.
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Old 03-21-2023, 10:47 AM   #11
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Agreed on burnishing.

Z26 are a very large decrease in braking performance vs OEM. I tried them and they actually wear out due to heat cycling, mine were ruined after 10% of the pad was used. I live in CO so we have mtns and I autox, they can't even take that type of use.
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Old 03-21-2023, 11:03 AM   #12
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I like the z26 pads. Best price I found was on amazon. I installed them myself.
No squeal. definitely less dust. Slight difference in stopping power for street use. I do not track the car, but I don't doubt the z26 would underperform there.
The stock semi-metallics were killing my rotors, and I do not miss them. I only did fronts, BTW.
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Old 04-05-2023, 06:24 PM   #13
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Not crazy about the brake feel on my new LT1, the only thing I was disappointed with. Plan to take it in to the service dpt, if they can't so something considering Hawk pads have used in the past, want more immediate clamping power with less effort. I just did the brakes on the Ford 500 6 months ago and feel much stronger than the camaro.
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Old 04-21-2023, 09:40 AM   #14
MakCamaro
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arpad_m View Post
Here's an unorthodox idea, try re-bedding those pads, the process (see below) worked for me early on. Granted, I had to do it very early in the morning and finding a suitable road wasn't easy, but the end result was worth it.

Another thing you can do is Powerstop Z26 pads, several forum members use those to nearly eliminate brake dust at the cost of slightly less braking power (which is okay for the street), I believe those are quieter, too.
Very useful information, as usual Arpad! Based on the information in the manual my understanding is that the first step may be skipped if there are more than 200 miles on the pads. I guess I will have to follow this bedding procedure as I started experiencing some vibration when I brake and it seems that the consensus is that rotors don't warp... So I will go through steps 2, 3 and 4. Also several people in the forum strongly support that there is no need to apply the brakes as many times as suggested in the manual and that half a dozen would perfectly do the job - I would go for 10. I now need to go on a long highway, probably late at night to avoid traffic and the possibility of scaring other drivers or causing an accident
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