[DamonZ28]

I have installed Power Stop Z26 pads on the front of my 2020 Chevy Camaro 2SS with 4-piston Brembo brakes. I am having an issue with brake squeal at low speeds when coming to a stop. I have applied CRC Industries Disc Brake Quiet on the following: 1-top edge & side edge of the pads (on the metal part, not on the pad material of course); 2-back of the pad where they contact the pistons; 3-the 2 spring retention pins; and 4-the parts of the springs that contact the pins, and the pads. Am I missing some spot(s)? Am I using the wrong brake lube? I sure don't like using this brake lube anyway, it's very messy and I would be fine removing it all, cleaning everything up, and re-applying different brake lube, if that's what it takes.

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by DamonZ28

I have installed Power Stop Z26 pads on the front of my 2020 Chevy Camaro 2SS with 4-piston Brembo brakes. I am having an issue with brake squeal at low speeds when coming to a stop. I have applied CRC Industries Disc Brake Quiet on the following: 1-top edge & side edge of the pads (on the metal part, not on the pad material of course); 2-back of the pad where they contact the pistons; 3-the 2 spring retention pins; and 4-the parts of the springs that contact the pins, and the pads. Am I missing some spot(s)? Am I using the wrong brake lube? I sure don't like using this brake lube anyway, it's very messy and I would be fine removing it all, cleaning everything up, and re-applying different brake lube, if that's what it takes.

I've been fighting the exact same thing for a couple years now on my 2020 2SS with the Z26 pads, it is intermittent, some drives nothing, stop for lunch somewhere and the next drive is squeak, squeak, squeak... Drives me nuts, it is only when you are going maybe 1 Mph... I've even had my wife and daughter try to walk along the car when it is squeaking they can't even tell which one(s) are squeaking because of the way the sound radiates...

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by 2SS Capt

I've been fighting the exact same thing for a couple years now on my 2020 2SS with the Z26 pads...

Tough problem, and not easy to isolate front vs rear because the 2SS doesn't use discs for the e-brake.
The squeal theoretically originates with the pad and some other surface, usually the rotor.
I would order new front and rear pads from amazon. Swap out the front ones first and see if the noise goes away. if not, then swap the rears. At the very least you will get to see what the face of your old pads looks like and maybe find the noise source.
There is always the possibility that the pads themselves are squealing due to a weak rivet or adhesive. You will never see that.

I swapped my stock pads for z26's and I'm not sure I used any assembly lube when I reinstalled. Never had a squeal.

And, please, no one flame me for saying I'm telling the Capt to "rip off" amazon. I'm saying to (maybe) return the unused rear pads if he doesn't need them. That's part of why prime offers free returns. it is a service you are paying for!

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

Tough problem, and not easy to isolate front vs rear because the 2SS doesn't use discs for the e-brake.
The squeal theoretically originates with the pad and some other surface, usually the rotor.
I would order new front and rear pads from amazon. Swap out the front ones first and see if the noise goes away. if not, then swap the rears. At the very least you will get to see what the face of your old pads looks like and maybe find the noise source.
There is always the possibility that the pads themselves are squealing due to a weak rivet or adhesive. You will never see that.

I swapped my stock pads for z26's and I'm not sure I used any assembly lube when I reinstalled. Never had a squeal.

And, please, no one flame me for saying I'm telling the Capt to "rip off" amazon. I'm saying to (maybe) return the unused rear pads if he doesn't need them. That's part of why prime offers free returns. it is a service you are paying for!

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated!

Interesting that you didn't use any brake lube. Are the Brembo's different and don't need lube (I was under the impression that pretty much all brake pad should be lubed where they move. I may not have bedded mine enough, it really hard to find somewhere out here where you can do that many stops in relatively quick succession and not having to sit a light or get interrupted by other traffic...

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by 2SS Capt

Interesting that you didn't use any brake lube.

I can't remember what exactly I did. Over years of doing this, sometimes I lube certain parts sometimes I don't. pretty sure i am SUPPOSED to be lubing contact points. Frankly, I now do a more thorough job on my kids' cars than my own!
In my defense, I will say that every brake system I have worked on was bone dry lube-wise when I took it apart. One exception being caliper slide pins protected by a boot. And I'm usually replacing pads for thickness, not squeal. That tells me that the overall design (spring clips, etc.) is pretty noise free.

As an aside, some of these designs are pretty tricky with how spring tabs have to hook through certain bits. And you can't always trust a youtuber to have done it 100% correct. A lot of pads will seem to go in fine by jamming them, but best to pay attention to the details!

[grampa_ss]

I had the exact same issue with those Z26's. That along with inferior braking. I'm sticking with the OEM Brembos. Better stopping power and no noise.

[Pickles]

Hello from Aussie, I suggest you try this.
Get yourself onto a suitable stretch of road, & then do TEN HARD STOPS IN QUICK SUCCESSION, BUT DON'T STOP, from 60 mph to zero, but like I said, don't stop, this'll probably get ém smok'n, but it shouuld remove the film from discs/pads causing your squeal! After you've done your ten stops, drive around for 15 mins or so to let the brakes cool.

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Hello from Aussie, I suggest you try this.
Get yourself onto a suitable stretch of road, & then do TEN HARD STOPS IN QUICK SUCCESSION, BUT DON'T STOP, from 60 mph to zero, but like I said, don't stop, this'll probably get ém smok'n, but it shouuld remove the film from discs/pads causing your squeal! After you've done your ten stops, drive around for 15 mins or so to let the brakes cool.

I honestly think that is the problem on mine, with the new pads they never got bedded in properly... If I can find the space to do that in SoCal, I will, the problem is traffic always seems to get in the way...

[Pickles]

Originally Posted by 2SS Capt

I honestly think that is the problem on mine, with the new pads they never got bedded in properly... If I can find the space to do that in SoCal, I will, the problem is traffic always seems to get in the way...

Hello, yeah, for sure you need a deserted bit of road,...I got this procedure from the Aussie distributer of AP Racing (brakes), & it's worked for me with a few big braked cars. The problem is that these brakes need to be worked hard, but with ordinary driving this doesn't happen, hence the "workout" as described should assist.

[arpad_m]

Continuing on Pickles's theme, you can try the official GM brake burnishing procedure on a low traffic road (or at 3am in the morning ), see below.

Not sure if ths process works as well with non-metallic brake pads as it does with the stock Ferodos, but definitely worth a try. I burnish the brakes every time I change pads using my favorite "private road" early in the morning or after hours, and the brakes are eerily quiet despite being oh so powerful.

The other day I was traveling at about 60 mph when some moron suddenly decided to hook a left in front of me just past a hill crest with no turn signals except in the last second, and of course there was oncoming traffic, so he had to come to a full stop. I'd left a good bit of distance between him and me, as is my wont, but the hill threw a small wrench; however, the car stopped in a pinch just fine with zero brake squeal. Must have been scary for him, if he even looked in his rearview mirror, that is.

[2SS Capt]

Thanks guys, I'm really starting to think that is the problem, since the brakes are so big, when you are just doing regular casual driving the pads may build up spots that squeal on occasion...

[The Maverick]

Originally Posted by DamonZ28

I have installed Power Stop Z26 pads on the front of my 2020 Chevy Camaro 2SS with 4-piston Brembo brakes.

I have the front Brembo setup for my 3LT and swapped in the Z26 pads in November 2022. I followed the Powerstop burnishing procedure to the letter (courtesy of an early Sunday AM drive on a quiet rural road, which offered the key feature of a long stretch that would accommodate driving five minutes without stopping -- but wouldn't you know, I had a car pull in behind me halfway through the procedure and I had to wave them around me).

No squeaks on stops at all. The only thing I have noticed is an infrequent one-time squeak pulling out of the garage in the morning, which seems to be related to cold temperatures more than anything else.

Edit: One additional note - I wasn't sure if I got the wrong hardware with my Z26 kit, as it didn't seem to fit right, so I ended up reusing the "like new" stock hardware with the Z26 pads. Doesn't seem like that would play any part in these issues, but figured I would mention it.

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by The Maverick

I have the front Brembo setup for my 3LT and swapped in the Z26 pads in November 2022. I followed the Powerstop burnishing procedure to the letter (courtesy of an early Sunday AM drive on a quiet rural road, which offered the key feature of a long stretch that would accommodate driving five minutes without stopping -- but wouldn't you know, I had a car pull in behind me halfway through the procedure and I had to wave them around me).

No squeaks on stops at all. The only thing I have noticed is an infrequent one-time squeak pulling out of the garage in the morning, which seems to be related to cold temperatures more than anything else.

Edit: One additional note - I wasn't sure if I got the wrong hardware with my Z26 kit, as it didn't seem to fit right, so I ended up reusing the "like new" stock hardware with the Z26 pads. Doesn't seem like that would play any part in these issues, but figured I would mention it.

Thanks, I used the Stock hardware as well... I'll have to reburnish mine...

[DamonZ28]

Originally Posted by Pickles

Hello from Aussie, I suggest you try this.
Get yourself onto a suitable stretch of road, & then do TEN HARD STOPS IN QUICK SUCCESSION, BUT DON'T STOP, from 60 mph to zero, but like I said, don't stop, this'll probably get ém smok'n, but it shouuld remove the film from discs/pads causing your squeal! After you've done your ten stops, drive around for 15 mins or so to let the brakes cool.

I actually did this - it didn't help. And I did the break-in procedure when I installed the pads new as well. I'm lucky enough to be able to drive less than 5 minutes out to back country roads.