C8 Corvette Z51 Brake Dust: Necessary Evil or Fixable Error?

The excessive brake dust generated by the C8 Corvette with the Z51 package is a thorn in many owners’ sides, but is it preventable?

Ever since automakers began installing massive brakes on performance vehicles, stopping distances have gotten shorter and shorter over the years, while track performance has also improved. This is obviously one of those things that everyone can agree is, well, a good thing, because who doesn’t need a set of competent brakes, particularly on a vehicle that has a lot of power? However, there is one downside to most of these modern performance braking systems – they tend to generate a lot of brake dust, and that understandably remains a thorn in the side of many CorvetteForum members who own a C8 Corvette with the Z51 Performance Package.

Recently, CorvetteForum member Dale Fehrenbach stirred up a bit of a debate in this thread when he asked a simple question – “Why does GM install brake pads that create huge amounts of dust on wheels, when there are pads available that do not produce much if any dust?” It’s a simple question, but a good one, which conjures up plenty of reasonable answers, as well as a general debate over whether or not brake dust on something like a C8 Corvette is even preventable.

“GM markets the Z51 as track capable so they need to use brake pads that are capable of withstanding a track environment,” said RKCRLR. “I’m not aware of any conventional track capable brake pads that don’t create a lot of dust (or have other street issues). There are ceramic rotors but those are big bucks and have other issues.”

Of course, many chime in to note that there are low brake dust pads out there that one can purchase, but there are also reasons why GM doesn’t do this with the C8 Corvette from the factory. “C8 Z51s with Brembos are know for excessive brake dust and was that ever so true for me. My first mod was a set of Carbotech Low Dust pads. As to why [GM doesn’t install them at the factory], it comes down to performance, philosophy, and cost.” “Only if you want to – lots of folks swap out pads for low dust versions, added PhoenixM3. “If you plan on lowering your car, change the pads while you have the wheels off.”

Some obviously think that this rapid wear signals that the pads used on the C8 Corvette Z51 package are cheap, low-quality items, but as Phil1098 points out, that simply isn’t the case. “I’ve driven normal street pads until they had so much fade they wouldn’t stop the car. The Brembo pads on the Z51 will tolerate far more heat than a conventional pad. I absolutely abused them at Spring Mountain and never ever lost any braking. A non Z51 pad would have been toast in a few laps.”

Of course, one can also make the argument that the Z51 package is designed for mixed track and street use, and as such, will come with concessions during regular driving – which includes the need to constantly clean your wheels due to excessive brake dust. At the same time, this package has become quite popular for all of the other goodies it adds, such as the performance exhaust and suspension tweaks. Some suggest offering the Z51 package with all-season tires and lower-dust-generating pads from the factory, but for now at least, it seems as if owners are left to either deal with this themselves, whether that be by constantly cleaning their wheels or switching out the pads.

Photos: Chevrolet

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