Brake question after first track day

Cooter42 · 09-20-2018, 06:32 PM

Had my new ZL1 1LE at Portland Int'l Raceway last weekend. Nothing new to you guys I'm sure, but I'm slack-jawed at how capable this car is - it blows away c6 Z06's and 911s I've owned. I ran 4 sec quicker than my lightly modified 991 Carrera S - there's no comparison...

Question for the enlightened (and sorry if I didn't search the forum well enough). Apparently I went thru a few mil's on brake pads which seems normal after 5 sessions braking from ~140 to 60 twice per lap. However the dealership is telling me I have to change the rotors with the brake pads - which may last me 2 more track days. Does this seem right? Apparently I have some "blue" in the rotors and they aren't "serviceable".

I guess this is the price of going this fast in a 3800lb rocket? My consumables budget looks like it's about to change. Thanks

esm · 09-20-2018, 07:13 PM

Are you getting any vibrations under braking. I don't have a ZL1 but I have some experience from tracking a Viper. The local Dodge dealership wouldn't turn my rotors but Viper Exchange did in Houston. Got rid of all the uneven pad deposits that were causing vibrations under braking. Maybe try a local speed shop if you need the rotors turned?

RSFR · 09-20-2018, 07:17 PM

You don't "have" to. The rotors scorch easily doing track days, but they'll hold together without cracking. Just need to keep an eye on the condition of your rotors/pads before, during, after track events (which you should do regardless).

I went through the stock pads and switched to Carbotech XP-12s and have around 10 track events (4 of which were at CotA) on the stock rotors and they're just now needing to be replaced.

Individual mileage will vary, of course.

777Jackpot777 · 09-20-2018, 08:02 PM

All you need is brake lathe to resurface them while on vehicle.

kramard · 09-20-2018, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooter42

Had my new ZL1 1LE at Portland Int'l Raceway last weekend. Nothing new to you guys I'm sure, but I'm slack-jawed at how capable this car is - it blows away c6 Z06's and 911s I've owned. I ran 4 sec quicker than my lightly modified 991 Carrera S - there's no comparison...

Question for the enlightened (and sorry if I didn't search the forum well enough). Apparently I went thru a few mil's on brake pads which seems normal after 5 sessions braking from ~140 to 60 twice per lap. However the dealership is telling me I have to change the rotors with the brake pads - which may last me 2 more track days. Does this seem right? Apparently I have some "blue" in the rotors and they aren't "serviceable".

I guess this is the price of going this fast in a 3800lb rocket? My consumables budget looks like it's about to change. Thanks

Posting pictures would help but I highly doubt it. StephenZL1 has 10 - 15 days on his rotors iirc and they are in my garage - was trying to make a steel setup for my Z/28. You should get at least 2 pad changes to steel rotors for an aggressive driver. Once you start getting heat cracks there's a rule of thumb when to change them (I have CCBs so I don't recall exactly). Reach out to a couple of the fast track guys and see what their average service intervals are and what they used to.

If for some reason you already replaced them, save the discs because they're probably still good.

travislambert · 09-20-2018, 10:39 PM

I went through 4 sets of stock pads before changing the front rotors. There's no need to change them until there's a problem.

Mine eventually started cracking so I replaced them.

Badgerbimmer · 09-21-2018, 07:18 AM

You should be able to go through a few sets of pads before you need to replace the rotors unless something unusual is going on. You also don't need to turn them or face them. The new pads will adapt to the rotor surface after a few laps.

Stealerships will always give you that line. One, they don't know what they are talking about, and two they are trying to sell you something whether they need it or not.

Best advice is find a good shop, preferable performance oriented, and use them for everything other than warranty work. Dealership repair determines generally suck other than the rare exception.

RedHot18 · 09-21-2018, 09:13 AM

These rotors are fantastic, I've got 6 track days at Sebring on this current set and they still have life left, I also put a few turns on them after some way to hard carbo tech pads! Keep changing the pads and fluid, always good to inspect rotors for cracks and wear when you have car on the lift.

Cooter42 · 09-21-2018, 10:41 AM

All the advice is much appreciated! Great forum - learning a ton.

Stephen12ZL1 · 09-21-2018, 12:14 PM

Just slap a new set of pads in there and tell the dealer to stop padding the ticket!

R3ctivision · 09-21-2018, 03:26 PM

Your rotors will probably last about ten track days, based on my SS 1LE experience. Keep running them and changing pads as needed until rotors start to crack.

Blue rotors are normal. That's a result of pad material transfer, i.e., burnished brakes. No resurfacing should be necessary.

09-20-2018, 06:32 PM	#1
Cooter42 Drives: ZL1 1LE Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Oregon Posts: 28	Brake question after first track day Had my new ZL1 1LE at Portland Int'l Raceway last weekend. Nothing new to you guys I'm sure, but I'm slack-jawed at how capable this car is - it blows away c6 Z06's and 911s I've owned. I ran 4 sec quicker than my lightly modified 991 Carrera S - there's no comparison... Question for the enlightened (and sorry if I didn't search the forum well enough). Apparently I went thru a few mil's on brake pads which seems normal after 5 sessions braking from ~140 to 60 twice per lap. However the dealership is telling me I have to change the rotors with the brake pads - which may last me 2 more track days. Does this seem right? Apparently I have some "blue" in the rotors and they aren't "serviceable". I guess this is the price of going this fast in a 3800lb rocket? My consumables budget looks like it's about to change. Thanks

09-20-2018, 08:02 PM	#4
777Jackpot777 Drives: 2018 ZL1, 2018 Tahoe RST Edition Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 106	All you need is brake lathe to resurface them while on vehicle. __________________ 2018 Camaro ZL1 6MT and 2018 Tahoe RST Current Mods: ROTO FAB / MBRP Catback Coming Soon: 9.1 IW / TSP 2" Headers with Catless Connection Pipe / NGK Plugs / Possible Meth injection / HPTuners Tune

09-20-2018, 10:39 PM	#6
travislambert Drives: '17 ZL1 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Fairmont, WV Posts: 1,558	I went through 4 sets of stock pads before changing the front rotors. There's no need to change them until there's a problem. Mine eventually started cracking so I replaced them. __________________ 2023 Camaro SS 1LE A10 2023 Camaro ZL1 1LE M6 2017 Camaro ZL1 M6 2016 Camaro SS M6 w/LT4 (Sold)

09-21-2018, 07:18 AM	#7
Badgerbimmer Drives: ZL1 A10 Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 306	You should be able to go through a few sets of pads before you need to replace the rotors unless something unusual is going on. You also don't need to turn them or face them. The new pads will adapt to the rotor surface after a few laps. Stealerships will always give you that line. One, they don't know what they are talking about, and two they are trying to sell you something whether they need it or not. Best advice is find a good shop, preferable performance oriented, and use them for everything other than warranty work. Dealership repair determines generally suck other than the rare exception. __________________ My rides: 2017 Camaro ZL1 A10 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel 2012 Audi S4 1992 Porsche America Roadster 1990 BMW 325Ic

09-21-2018, 12:14 PM	#10
Stephen12ZL1 Drives: '21 ZLE A10 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Mechanicsville, VA Posts: 6,808	Just slap a new set of pads in there and tell the dealer to stop padding the ticket! __________________ '21 ZLE A10 Wild Cherry PDR 2:00.78 VIR Full 10.68@131.69 1.68 60' '17 ZL1 A10 Mosaic Black PDR/Nav 2:03.08 VIR Full 11.003@129.2 1.75 (sold) '15 Z/28 #325 Black a/c & stereo. 2:10.1 VIR Full (sold) '12 ZL1 A6 Black 10.52@131 1.55 60' 2:13 VIR Full (sold)

09-20-2018, 07:13 PM	#2
esm Drives: 2019 ZL1 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Texas Posts: 141	Are you getting any vibrations under braking. I don't have a ZL1 but I have some experience from tracking a Viper. The local Dodge dealership wouldn't turn my rotors but Viper Exchange did in Houston. Got rid of all the uneven pad deposits that were causing vibrations under braking. Maybe try a local speed shop if you need the rotors turned?

09-20-2018, 07:17 PM	#3
RSFR Drives: ZL1 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Texas Posts: 350	You don't "have" to. The rotors scorch easily doing track days, but they'll hold together without cracking. Just need to keep an eye on the condition of your rotors/pads before, during, after track events (which you should do regardless). I went through the stock pads and switched to Carbotech XP-12s and have around 10 track events (4 of which were at CotA) on the stock rotors and they're just now needing to be replaced. Individual mileage will vary, of course.

09-21-2018, 09:13 AM	#8
RedHot18 Drives: 2018 ZL1 Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Vero Beach FL Posts: 114	These rotors are fantastic, I've got 6 track days at Sebring on this current set and they still have life left, I also put a few turns on them after some way to hard carbo tech pads! Keep changing the pads and fluid, always good to inspect rotors for cracks and wear when you have car on the lift.

09-21-2018, 10:41 AM	#9
Cooter42 Drives: ZL1 1LE Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Oregon Posts: 28	All the advice is much appreciated! Great forum - learning a ton.

09-21-2018, 03:26 PM	#11
R3ctivision 1LE Convert Drives: 2018 ZLE Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Mountain View, CA Posts: 367	Your rotors will probably last about ten track days, based on my SS 1LE experience. Keep running them and changing pads as needed until rotors start to crack. Blue rotors are normal. That's a result of pad material transfer, i.e., burnished brakes. No resurfacing should be necessary.

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