[SFV1LE]

After running my ZLE at several 2 day HPDE track events (no wheel to wheel racing) in 2019, taking off most of 2020 due to COVID other than some skidpad drifting at WSIR and a couple of events, and then another busy year in 2021, I have some observations about the ZL1 brakes...

These are fantastic brakes in 100% stock form, except Castrol SRF or Brembo Racing fluid (that's a must, and RBF 660 boiled over). A racing brake upgrade is the last thing I would do with this car, but I'm not a racer.

The OEM pads are great even for people running in the top 5-10 in advanced groups. With OEM pads I can brake or out-brake better drivers in GT3s, GT3 RS etc. They can out-turn me, but the ZL1 brakes are special.

The original rotors have held up over all these track days, I'm amazed. Must be over 20 track days, I lost track--15k total miles street + track.

Adding a set of Ferodo DS 1.11 takes it up a notch--I don't even think about braking too late, and no real track pad warm up needed the out lap takes care of that. Initial bite is good even cold on street.

Upon inspection, I'm amazed by the even pad wear wear front and rear. There is very little difference side to side and front to rear--I can't really measure it, just fractions of a mm if any.

Also I'm seeing zero pad taper.

The DS 1.11 is the most durable, highest performing track pad I've ever run, after 13 track days on one set they still have a lot of life left. I run these at the 2 highest speed tracks in the west, Willow Springs and Auto Club Speedway, where brake zones after long straights really heat things up.

DS 1.11 seems to last over 3x as long as the OEM pads, and performs better than OEM pads, so at ~3x the cost per set they are well worth it IMO. I save my OEM pads as back ups and for street duty.

Even with the high heat of the DS 1.11, the OEM caliper paint has not discolored at all from heat. I was nervous about using the DS 1.11 for this reason, the paint must be first rate like the whole ZL1 brake/caliper system.

[Checkmate1]

Great feedback. Are the DS1.11 pads rotor friendly?

[SFV1LE]

Originally Posted by Checkmate1

Great feedback. Are the DS1.11 pads rotor friendly?

Due to the race pad design of the DS 1.11 they're less rotor friendly than the OEM pads, but the rotors are so strong that they don't seem to wear out prematurely.

The only downside of the DS 1.11 IMO is the upfront cost at ~$1000 for a set of F+R. OEM are only $300 for F+R on Amazon, which is cheaper than any top level pad set I've seen.

But the DS 1.11 long life and performance advantage vs OEM makes them worth it, depending on how many track days you do if you swap in OEM for street use the DS 1.11s may last 2+ years like mine have.

[ohsmily]

Originally Posted by SFV1LE

Due to the race pad design of the DS 1.11 they're less rotor friendly than the OEM pads, but the rotors are so strong that they don't seem to wear out prematurely.

The only downside of the DS 1.11 IMO is the upfront cost at ~$1000 for a set of F+R. OEM are only $300 for F+R on Amazon, which is cheaper than any top level pad set I've seen.

But the DS 1.11 long life and performance advantage vs OEM makes them worth it, depending on how many track days you do if you swap in OEM for street use the DS 1.11s may last 2+ years like mine have.

Do you have a link to the proper set of pads on Amazon?

[RUQWIKR]

FCP5030 is the front Ferodo PN. You add the suffix for friction material. FCP5030H is the DS2500, and ...W are the DS1.11. KNS, etc. gives 10% or so off, so, the H's are are maybe $350 and the W's are just under $600. The rears are FCP1348 but have more than just H and W PN's available, maybe around $220 and $420, respectively. Just swag on current actual prices.

IMO, the best bang for the buck are cheap used stock HP1000's, next are new as mentioned, and so on. I have ran the DS2500's and the DS1.11. The DS2500's are better than stock but not for the price compared to piles of new / used stock ones. The DS1.11 is a very good pad - but you pay for it.

Talking with a Ferodo engineer before, unofficially, there isn't a need to scrape rotors if swapping between those different friction compounds. I never had an issue if the pads were bedded in already or bedding on top of one of the Ferodo compounds.

I know that is not always the case between compounds especially from different manufacturers.

[ICTsccaCamaro]

If you got 15K out of the stock pads I must be doing something wrong lol (maybe you were just talking rotors) These are my factory pads on the bottom with 2500miles on them and my new factory pads on the top.

[RUQWIKR]

Originally Posted by ICTsccaCamaro

If you got 15K out of the stock pads I must be doing something wrong lol (maybe you were just talking rotors) These are my factory pads on the bottom with 2500miles on them and my new factory pads on the top.

Looks like SFV1LE was talking rotors: "The original rotors have held up over all these track days, I'm amazed. Must be over 20 track days, I lost track--15k total miles street + track."

[ZRacerLE]

I got about 3500 track miles out of my stock pads as another data point. Love the stock brakes too.

[SFV1LE]

Originally Posted by RUQWIKR

Looks like SFV1LE was talking rotors: "The original rotors have held up over all these track days, I'm amazed. Must be over 20 track days, I lost track--15k total miles street + track."

Yes I was talking about the long rotor life not pads, OEM pads seem to wear as expected when you use them on track. Not bad wear either IMO, and they're quiet on street while DS 1.11 are not, but as I said the OEMs wear much faster than DS 1.11 which have unusually long life.

Also, looks like Ferodo may be phasing in the new DS 3.12 which looks like an evolution of the DS 1.11, even more bite and stopping power with a similar super flat torque curve that makes the DS 1.11 so great. The Essex site only seems to have the DS 3.12 in rear size for ZL1 now, and it wouldn't make sense to have a stronger pad in rear.

[SFV1LE]

Originally Posted by RUQWIKR

FCP5030 is the front Ferodo PN. You add the suffix for friction material. FCP5030H is the DS2500, and ...W are the DS1.11. KNS, etc. gives 10% or so off, so, the H's are are maybe $350 and the W's are just under $600. The rears are FCP1348 but have more than just H and W PN's available, maybe around $220 and $420, respectively. Just swag on current actual prices.

IMO, the best bang for the buck are cheap used stock HP1000's, next are new as mentioned, and so on. I have ran the DS2500's and the DS1.11. The DS2500's are better than stock but not for the price compared to piles of new / used stock ones. The DS1.11 is a very good pad - but you pay for it.

Talking with a Ferodo engineer before, unofficially, there isn't a need to scrape rotors if swapping between those different friction compounds. I never had an issue if the pads were bedded in already or bedding on top of one of the Ferodo compounds.

I know that is not always the case between compounds especially from different manufacturers.

Yes DS 1.11 is expensive, my main point is they wear so much longer than OEM that the cost is equal in the end, and performance is better. I don't know if Hawk, Carbotech and G-Loc have the same ~3x long track wear vs OEM, or same/better performance vs DS 1.11. Never tried them because DS 1.11 lasted since I bought my new ZLE.

Yes I agree the OEM pads are great, maybe all you need, and the up-front price may be better than any track-worthy pad in the world--thanks Ferodo and GM for developing these!

I also agree no need to resurface rotors when switching between OEM and DS 1.11, there was no noticeable effect at all. I put on the DS 1.11 and do a basic re-bed-in to check them during week prior to track event and they perform perfectly.

Thanks for pointing me to KNS, they list the DS 1.11 at a lower price than Essex and with the 10% discount it's a significant savings. I'll buy there next time, when I bought mine in 2019 I think maybe only Essex had them for ZL1. No need to use the part number on KNS, they're listed as DS 1.11 under ZL1 options.

[kropscamaro16]

yea i have hawk dtc60 on my car right now not a huge fan ill be looking into these for my next set

[HD_ZLE]

Hey nice observations with the stock set up and DS1.11
I too ran ds1.11 on west coast tracks and thought of them as the perfect pad (excellent wear and rotor friendly). I Got about 8 days on them before glazing them.
However, once I came to texas and started running cota, I glased the ds1.11 in 2 days once I got comfortable and up to base. COTA is a very demanding track for brakes without much cool down. I switched out to Cobalt XR1 and haven't had any issues

[RUQWIKR]

Originally Posted by HD_ZLE

Hey nice observations with the stock set up and DS1.11
I too ran ds1.11 on west coast tracks and thought of them as the perfect pad (excellent wear and rotor friendly). I Got about 8 days on them before glazing them.
However, once I came to texas and started running cota, I glased the ds1.11 in 2 days once I got comfortable and up to base. COTA is a very demanding track for brakes without much cool down. I switched out to Cobalt XR1 and haven't had any issues

Run the 3.1 MSR-Cresson much? I find it harder on brakes overall than COTA with 10 HARD brake zones with VMax's 100-125 +/- in a SS / ZL1 1LE. If you haven't been to the 3.1 or don't run it much and want to, PM me. My sons and I are members out at Cresson.

[khcoaching]

The stock pads work well, but only lasted 3 days for me. The 3.12s weren't available when I bought pads, so I used the 1.11s and they were a huge step up, but also wear pretty quickly or me, I might get 4 days out of them.

I have a set of ZLE F/R calipers I might upgrade to, not so much of the stopping power, but to see if the pads last longer.

Ken