Chevy recommends owners of the 2023 Corvette Z06 break in or “burnish” their brake pads before taking their vehicle on a spirited drive or to the racetrack. Some C8 Corvette Z06 buyers that haven’t owned a high-performance car before may not be familiar with the process of bedding in a vehicle’s brakes, but thankfully Chevy includes an explanation in the mid-engine supercar’s owner’s manual.
As many GM Authority readers will already know, the 2023 Corvette Z06 is available with two different braking systems: the standard iron brake system (RPO code J56), along with the upgraded carbon ceramic brakes (RPO J57). The processes for bedding in these two systems are different, but let’s start with the standard J56 braking system.
2023 Corvette Z06 J56 Brake Burnishing Procedure:
1. Apply the brakes 25 times starting at 60 mph (100 km/h) to 30 mph (50 km/h) while decelerating at 0.4 g. Drivers can use the g-meter in the driver information center to ensure they are applying the right amount of braking force. Chevy recommends owners drive for at least 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) between applying the brakes. This first step may be skipped if there are already more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) on the brake pads.
2. Apply the brakes 25 times starting at 100 km/h (60 mph) to 25 km/h (15 mph) while decelerating at 0.8 g. This is considered a hard brake application. Depending on conditions, some increase in brake pedal travel and brake pedal force may be experienced. Once again, Chevy recommends drivers travel for at least 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) between brake applications.
3. Drive at 60 mph (100 km/h) for approximately 10 miles (15 kilometers) without using the brakes. This is a cool-down step.
4. Apply the brakes 25 times from 60 mph (100 km/h) to 30 mph (50 km/h) while decelerating at 0.4 g. Chevy again recommends the user drive for at least 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) between brake applications.
The optional Brembo carbon ceramic braking system features larger carbon rotors and thus requires a slightly different albeit similar brake burnishing procedure. This process is outlined below.
2023 Corvette Z06 J57 Carbon Ceramic Brake Burnishing Procedure:
1. Apply the brakes 25 times starting at 100 km/h (60 mph) to 50 km/h (30 mph) while decelerating at 0.4 g. Drivers can use the g-meter in the driver information center to ensure they are applying the right amount of braking force. Chevy recommends owners drive for at least 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) between applying the brakes. This first step may be skipped if there are already more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) on the brake pads.
2. Apply the brakes 20 times starting at 60 mph (100 km/h) to 15 mph (25 km/h) while decelerating at 0.8 g. This is considered a hard brake application. Depending on conditions, some increase in brake pedal travel and brake pedal force may be experienced. Chevy recommends drivers travel for at least 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) between brake applications.
3. Apply the brakes 12 times starting at 60 mph to 5 mph (8 km/h) while decelerating at 0.8 g. Deccelerate as rapidly as possible without activating traction control between applications.
4. Drive at 60 mph (100 km/h) for approximately 10 miles (15 kilometers) without using the brakes. This is a cool-down step.
This procedure will not damage the vehicle’s brakes if it’s performed as outlined in the owner’s manual. The following quote is taken from the 2023 Corvette Z06 owner’s manual and addresses any concerns that owners may have about performing this process themselves:
“The brake pads will smoke and produce an odor. The braking force and pedal travel may increase. After the procedure, the brake pads may appear white at the rotor contact. Perform this procedure only on dry pavement, in a safe manner, and in compliance with all local and state ordinances/laws regarding motor vehicle operation.”
While this process may seem like overkill, it’s an important step before taking the vehicle on track or for a spirited backroad drive that requires frequent and heavy applications of the brakes. This process can improve braking performance by ensuring the brake pad has an even, uniform contact patch with the rotor, in turn minimizing brake squeal and vibration. We should point out that it’s normal to hear brake squeal during the bedding-in process, as is the case with most high-performance braking systems.
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Comments
Forget about the fxxxxxx brakes, just give us the
fxxxxxx price!!!!
I was on track with a C8 that could not finish its HPDE weekend due to brake chatter (severe). Not sure if this would have prevented it, but possibly.
Aside from those that their own facility and/or are in rural areas, it’s worth noting (in case it’s not obvious) that the procedure will be very difficult to perform precisely near any major suburb/city. Same with the procedure for ECU readiness…which I know firsthand, having been unlucky enough to have a dead battery soon before a required emissions test.
I’m not saying I have never broken a traffic law, but technically speaking, is there anywhere one could “legally” do multiple 60 to 5mph stops on a public road? 60mph requires a highway near me (again, to be legal…surface streets have lower speed limits), and the highways have minimum speeds (40mph, I think)…
With the available acceleration, I suppose 0-60-5 is quite doable in larger parking lots…when empty…then drive around for .6 miles and repeat…might get more forgiveness from a security guard in a golf cart, than the average local police patrol…though could be a youtube “fail” video in the making…
Agreed, on highways yo can cause an accident slowing down so many times, city streets you cannot floor it and stomp on the brake over and over
I studied this carefully in my new Corvette C8 owner manual. Z51 has similar requirement. But note this, it seems
to be if you have brand new pads, and are going to the track immediately, the way it reads it says not required
if you have at least 200 miles on the pads. I know some here will argue and disagree that pads should always be burnished.
But it made sense that brand new pads on your race car do not get a chance to go 200 miles, so we burnish.
Regular street drives like me, will get there in 200 miles.
Well I will never have this problem. I will own a Unicorn, a Dragon, and a Mermaid before I ever see a Z06 for sale in real life.
I did download and print the 2023 Corvette owners manual which covers Z06, fun to read about the fictional prize,
even if they do not exist for sale.
Follow steps 1-4.
Step 5. Replace the brakes and repeat the break-in procedure. 😜
Enough with the freakin wonderful sh*t about the Z06/Z07. A legion of long time faithful CORVETTE OWNERS are standing here with our d*cks in our hands waiting for:
>PRICING???
>A FAIR, UNDERSTANDABLE ALLOCATION PROGRAM
>A PRODUCTION DATE ESTIMATE
>CONTROLS OF THE STEALERSHIP’S ALLOCATION PROCESS
>CONTROLS OF THE STEALERSHIP PRICE GOUGING ISSUES WHICH HAVE ALREADY SURFACED.
Come on GM/Bowling Green. You continue to tout all the wonderful features of the Z06 (and especially) the Z07 which, IMHO is an overpriced, barely street-able vehicle (here in Florida) aimed at the buyers with more money and sense.
Instead of telling me how to “BURNISH THE BRAKES ON MY Z06″ how about telling us WTF we can see something with substance rom an ordering/allocation/production standpoint.
TO QUOTE THE INFAMOUS CLARA PELLER:
‘WHERE’S THE BEEF?”
25X???? W H A T?? Then drive half a mile between each application??
Ok. I have the info on shock settings for track days and now I know how to break in the brakes, but I can’t help feeling like I’m still missing something.
So… is this 25 accelerations to 60 MPH, with one brake application per deceleration. Or… is it pump the brakes 25 times during one deceleration.