Questions/opinions/experience changing from OEM to Powerstop Z26 brake pads...

[Ronin]

How's that for a descriptive thread title? No clickbait here!

I know we have a brake specific forum, but I wanted to put this out on blast so as many folks as possible get their eyeballs on it.

I'm curious about the Powerstop Z26 specifically, but if anyone wants to chime in with their experience with other pad manufacturers, please, by all means, do!

As far as questions that I have go for folks that have switched to the Powerstops:

• Did you resurface or replace the rotors/is that necessary (particularly with low mileage vehicles)?
• Front and rear pads or just fronts?
• If you think it's applicable, the type of driving/use of your vehicle (I'm looking at track whores like @DGatzby, etc.!)
• Anything else pertinent to the decision, where to purchase links, etc.

Are y'all hardcore OEM to you die? I get it, throw those two cents in here too and tell those Powerstop nerds whatfor!

 

[MikeD1]

sub'd

 

[Ronin]

…and if you’re @BULL …we know…I get it! 🤪

 

[Hellcatcfp]

sub'd

 

[GBLWRMR]

22' Super Stock, 1450 miles. I changed my front pads to the Z26 last weekend. Purchased from Amazon.

Install took about 20 minutes per wheel. Rotors were perfect as expected from a nearly new car. I put about 30 miles on the car this past Saturday and spent most of the time bedding the new pads. After the 30 miles, nearly zero dust. Braking feels as good as factory.

I'll have the car out again next Saturday and will update after a few more miles. The car is used for spirited street and 1/4 mile drag racing.

 

[BULL]

On the Hellcat now is Demon Performance rotors with Z26 pads.

On the DSRT as well (Z26 pads on O.E. 2-piece rotors)

(One corner gets swapped for testing "other" units as needed on the HC).

I did not resurface before swapping, but rotors were very low miles.

All four (I seriously do NOT recommend mixing pads, especially like I do.) Do as I say, not as I do. Really...

Z26s are good for aggressive street driving and if bedding correctly/well can have really good initial bite and stopping power.

That said, their initial bite is not quite as good the O.E. pads, they will fade if used on a race course and will severely heat check your rotors if you do.

Bedding is key to making the Z26s work well, if you don't, they will be subpar.

I've always bought them from Amazon.

 

[BULL]

Z26s on O.E. rotors used for the Colorado Mile.


Oops.

 

[Mean Cat]

I changed to Z26 on all 4 just for less brake dust on the wheels. The stock pads just put off too much brake dust and make the wheels look terrible if they're not cleaned constantly.

 

[Confuzed1]

Replaced mine with Z26 pads front and rear back when the car only had about 300 miles on it. Of course I reused factory rotors. Took maybe 1/2 hour to bed the new pads in and no issues.

-The Z26's are not nearly as "grabby" as the Brembo pads....and IMO the brakes seem more predictable. Dusting on the wheels was dramatically improved. Car is only street driven. Forgot where I got them at.

I will say, if you're more interested in pads for track use, I could care less about brake dust and most likely would have kept the original Brembo pads on it or a more track oriented pad than the Z26's.

 

[Diboblo]

15 Charger Hellcat.

Changed to Z26, when I had to do front rotors (Centric 126.63088). Never looked back. Daily driver and never an issue.

Be sure you properly bed them. I think I over did it, but they do get the job done. Haven't encountered a fade issue, like pure ceramics. I think the carbon fiber, in the compound, helps mitigate fade.

Whatever it is, the Z23 and Z26 pads are exactly what I was looking for (I've run both).

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[EricG]

I put the powerstop Z26 pads on the front(bought off Amazon too), left the OEM pads on back. There is so much less dust, I wish I would have done that right when I got the car as I completely burned through the front OEM brakes(pads and rotors) at 29k miles. $$$

Haven't done a lot of crazy driving with them just yet but they feel fine, only a little less grabby than the OEM pads but honestly it's very hard to tell under normal to moderate driving.

 

[MiHiHemi]

They don’t have nearly as good of bite as stock pads. I wanted that bite with less dust and went with Stop Tech “street” pads on mine. All the Brembo bite with less dust.

 

[Hunter]

Z26 all around.
Got tired of the heavy dust right after cleaning.
It was low mileage, so I just swapped out the pads.
Yes, there is still dust, but only a fraction of what you would get.
Never regretted.

 

[DGatzby]

Bottom line and to the point.

The Powerstops have almost no brake dusting. I guess compared to Brembos and what is similar the Hawk DTC’s for road course work they don’t dust. That is observing it on my chrome street wheels.

Wear. Here is where they are spectacular compared to Brembo’s. I change from the Powerstops and to the Hawks several times per year. If anyone has changed pads you know the pistons need expanded or new pads don’t go in. It is a PIA changing from race back to Powerstops. Of course the Hawk pads are down to at least 1/2 or less of their new thickness about every time. But. Almost every race pad change is with brand new pads. What is noticeable? The damn Powerstops are near the same thickness as new after nearly four years and 20,000 miles! I will measure them exactly next week when I pull them for an exchange and report back exactly what I have. Bottom line here, if you don’t road race it, you exponentially minimize the wear on your pads AND therefore your rotors.

Performance. I frankly cannot stand the initial bite when and if I need to use the Hawks briefly for any reason on the street. I can’t remember using Brembo’s on either of my Hellcats because the dust was so bad on the ‘15 b4 we discovered Powerstop. Conversely the smooth and transitory bite from the Powerstops make driving the Redeye an absolute pleasure. So for those who say they don’t stop? Bullshit! WTF are you doing? If necessary they stop just fine. In a test of absolute braking against the Hawks or maybe the Brembos, I bet they may lack 10’ from 60. I have measured the Hawk absolute stop at about 100-105’.

 

[Jack_Toepfer]

I agree with most of what has been said here.
I only did the fronts.
Didn’t touch the rotors.
The trade off was less “grabby” than stock, but way less dust. I did it for the dust and only the dust because the OEM pads were excellent for stopping (and making a mess).

 

[Ronin]

Awesome responses coming from first hand, personal experience...

VERY much appreciated, keep 'em coming!

 

[Slowpoke387]

Three Challengers now with them. SRT, Hellcat, Redeye. All four corners, no rotor prep. Proper bed in. Literally the best mod I've done to all three. Zero street fade, great initial bite, 99% less dust, zero regrets. They are not for the track though. Cannot stress how happy I am with these enough.

 

[drag racer]

See answers below in color

As far as questions that I have go for folks that have switched to the Powerstops:

• Did you resurface or replace the rotors/is that necessary (particularly with low mileage vehicles)? Did not resurface rotors on either vehicle. My Challenger had 3,000 miles, and Durango about 300 when I swapped pads; have not done new Charger yet, but waiting get some miles on it and see how bad the dusting is (not sure if they have the aggressive semi-metallic pads on them or not as built)
• Front and rear pads or just fronts? Both front and rear on both vehicles
• If you think it's applicable, the type of driving/use of your vehicle (I'm looking at track whores like @DGatzby, etc.!) I do not race either vehicle - just pleasure cruising mainly, but that does involve some spirited pulls once in a while (just to make sure the speedo 3rd digit slot still works)
• Anything else pertinent to the decision, where to purchase links, etc.
• I think I just shopped the P/N around, and ended up getting from Summit Racing
• General observations: the dusting is way less than the semi-met OEM pads, which is the primary reason for my change, but know that they still do dust a little. Braking performance is still very good (proper bedding procedure is key though), but maybe just a skosh worse than OEM pads, but will still put your forehead into the dashboard when needed lol. All in all, very happy with the product for the way I currently use the vehicles.

 

[Diboblo]

Three Challengers now with them. SRT, Hellcat, Redeye. All four corners, no rotor prep. Proper bed in. Literally the best mod I've done to all three. Zero street fade, great initial bite, 99% less dust, zero regrets. They are not for the track though. Cannot stress how happy I am with these enough.

IIRC, they do offer track day pads, as well.

Already bought the towing grade Powerstops, for my Grand Cherokee. Have to install those, before camping ramps up, this year.

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[Jack_Toepfer]

If anyone wants some low mileage stock pads let me know!
haha