The previous set of all-season tires were as useless as a stick of deodorant at a Phish concert, and the brakes felt more like a '68 Chevy than a '98. It could have been a lack of maintenance, improper bedding-in of the rotors, or just insufficient factory pieces-but the brakes did not inspire any confidence in normal street driving, let alone spirited driving or racing. Fresh off his Raceway Park road racing school experience, owner Frank Cicerale was definitely itching to improve his Z's handling not to mention its appearance.
Thankfully the folks at Discount Tire were happy to hook us up with a set of Replica Alloys C6 Vette 17x9.5-inch chrome rims and Yokohama S.drive 275/40R17 tires. Meanwhile, Power Slot chipped in a set of cryogenically-treated brake rotors and Hawk added a set of HPS pads. Between the added grip of the tires and extra bite with the brakes, the Z was sure to improve its handling with this small handful of upgrades. We were so pleased with the last brake install that we decided to head back over to our good friends at Stage 1 Automotive in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, which had just undergone some renovations and the opening of a shiny new showroom. Lots of fast, chassis twisting GMs have come out of Stage 1, we were sure they could handle our little Z. Once Stage 1 got us outfitted with the fresh brake upgrades and new rolling stock, it would be time to hit the track.
Discount Tire shipped us these...
Discount Tire shipped us these Yokohama S.drive 275/40R17, 300-treadwear tires ($141 each) mounted on Replica Alloys C6 17x9.5 rims ($190 each) as seen here. They even came with tuner lug nuts (that you need to fit the wheels) and a matching socket, which made the whole process easy and pain-free. We liked the look of the C6 rims, but had initially wanted a stickier, lower treadwear tire. However, once I read the glowing customer reviews of this tire on Discount Tire's website, I couldn't resist the Yokos. Quiet, great grip and a great price--how can you go wrong?
Hawk HPS brake pads are known...
Hawk HPS brake pads are known for being low dust, having great pedal feel, bite and fade resistance. At about $88 for the front set and $77 for the rears, we weren't exactly breaking the bank on our brake upgrade, but it should help optimize the Z's fairly powerful braking system...
...So too would the Power...
...So too would the Power Slot Frozen Rotors, which utilize a -300F cryogenic treatment to help reduce rotor wear by 150 percent. These generally go for about $120 a piece for the fronts, and $100 for the rears.
Stage 1 Automotive technician...
Stage 1 Automotive technician Dan Panycia uses a 12mm socket on the caliper bolts, and an 18mm for the carrier bolts,...
...before the rotor is liberated....
...before the rotor is liberated. Since these are not fixed calipers, the brakes require a slide pin to clamp, and while changing the pads and rotors it is wise to pull it out and lubricate it to prevent the brakes from freezing or locking up, Dan said.
Note the rotors are side specific,...
Note the rotors are side specific, as well as front to back, so pay attention to the handy engraving that indicates such.