Brake Pads

[lex luther]

I did not like the stock brakes on my 92, and replaced the fronts with 13s (ZR kit). The brakes are still not that great and I would appreciate input regarding new pads that will not tear up the rotors and not create a lot of dust or noise.

 

[tedster]

I did not like the stock brakes on my 92, and replaced the fronts with 13s (ZR kit). The brakes are still not that great and I would appreciate input regarding new pads that will not tear up the rotors and not create a lot of dust or noise.

Didja get the kewl looking Grand Sport versions (black powder coat with CORVETTE embossed on the side) or the ZR1 type that look like the base caliper? Just curious?

Regarding pads....how do you use your Vette? Do you prefer appearance and show events or do you autocross, etc?

I ask because pads that minimize dust just don't stop as well as the ones that dust. I actually liked the OE pad as an excellent multi-use pad. It has good feel, stops well, doesn't dust too much and is pretty friendly to rotors. They are good autox pads, too, but fade quickly on a race track. Some prefer a pad that produces less dust, and are willing to concede stopping power for that.

A good replacement is the Performance Friction street pad (not the Z pad). Performs very much like the OE pad but guaranteed for life. Wotta deal, but they do dust.

Raybestos makes street pads for most vehicles that are rotor friendly and don't dust as much. IMO, they don't stop as effectively as the others, but they ARE less dusty. Available a most NAPA or Autozones.

F*rd uses the same calipers on the mid-90s era Cobra. You can get OE pads at a F*rd dealer for significantly less than what Chevy charges and those have little rubber bumpers for reducing noise when the caliper shifts on its pin during use. Just ask for pads for a 95 Cobra. F*rd also has Motorcraft pads that are much less expensive and perform more like the Raybestos pads.

Hope this helps....
Tedster

 

[LT4man]

I have always used the OEM pads on mine. I do a lot of highway and city driving. I don't race or autox. The OEMs stop really well. Very little dusting. Not enough to even clean between washes.

In 95 all of the Vettes started getting the bigger brakes. Must have had a lot left over from the ZR1 days!

As in the previous post, there are a lot of aftermarket pads out there. Check there websites out. Hopefully more guys will post here with their experiences.

Save The Wave!

 

[c4cruiser]

If you like "spirited" driving, you might want to look at more of a high-performance pad. I use EBC Greenstuff pads on my 87 autocross car and they are also a great street pad. They have great cold initial bite (some pads do't work well until you build up some heat in them), they are quiet, and for a performance pad, they generate very little dust.

Most all performance pads will dust, but so do the GM OEM pads. The Hawk HPS pad is a good pad and has excellent bite, but they generate tons of dust. Brake dust can build up on the inside of the wheels and on the aluminum caliper. If the dust gets wet and the brakes are hot, the dust effectively cooks onto the surface and is very difficult to get off. With the cast aluminum calipers you have, you might consider using a high-heat paint on them or one of the two-stage epoxy caliper paints.

IMHO, the Performance Friction Z pad is a good pad and is worth considering. Raybestos also has some good street pads in both semi-metallic and ceramic materials. The EBC pads can be purhcased from the Tire Rack at really great prices.

Did you do a completer brake fluid flush after installing the brake upgrade? Use a good quality DOT3 or DOT4 fluid and it takes about a quart to do a flush. I use the Ford Mortorcraft HD fluid for autocross and some track use in my 87 and Castrol LMA in my 92 'vert. I also added Earl's stainless steel flex lines for an improved pedal feel. I also use Speed Bleeders (the brand name ones, not the Russell's) on my 87 so I can bleed the brakes by myself.

 

[lex luther]

Thanks brake pad information

Thanks all for your input. I am leaning towards Performance Friction, which I had on the 12 incher's before an incident with a plastic bag between the caliper and the rotor caused me to put on the 13s as an upgrade. I would be interested to learn more about the ceramics.

 

[lex luther]

Brake Pads - EBC

Thanks everyone for the input. I installed EBC reds on the front (13s) and they are a vast improvement over the stock pads. Have had them on for about 500 hundred miles.