LLY: Best "Bang for the Buck" Brake Kit

Bdsankey

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Well its time to start upgrading the truck again as the brakes are just awful. It spends enough time embarrasing corvettes and comaros on the street that the standard brakes just can't cut it in terms of both stopping power as well as life.

It glazes pads over quickly or warps the rotors from heat making a few hits. Granted, typically this happens on my way back from a sled pull when I'm rolling around 8500lb with my weights, pulling tires in the box, floor jack, weight bar, ect.

I was looking at the Powerstop kits like the Z36 front/rear which is calipers/drilled and slotted rotors/. Are they decent? I know SSBC is the next stepping stone up between entry level and Wilwood/Brembo/Baer.
 

nmband13

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Jan 17, 2011
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I ran stock brakes/rotors for years when I used to haul my setup for sled pulling. Maybe you have some poor quality rotors thats why theyre warping.

I upgraded to drilled/slotted on my street/drag truck and stopping power is lot better than oem. Also steel braided brake lines. Run a kit almost like the Z36 you mentioned.
 

Bdsankey

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I ran stock brakes/rotors for years when I used to haul my setup for sled pulling. Maybe you have some poor quality rotors thats why theyre warping.

I upgraded to drilled/slotted on my street/drag truck and stopping power is lot better than oem. Also steel braided brake lines. Run a kit almost like the Z36 you mentioned.


The issue isn't so much generated by hauling. The issue was generated trying to slow it down from 120-130 many times running someone back-to-back multiple times. I know the factory breaks aren't bad, and probably wouldn't be in the future with new components. Now my brakes are weak and mushy.

My rotors/calipers/pads have all been replaced in the last 3 years since I've owned it (I did the work in 2016) along with all new ez-bend lines ect. I think the biggest issue I have is a weak master/booster so an LML swap is my next starting point BUT my rear rotors are just about junk again from rust as well as I had a brand new caliper hang up and put a lot of heat/stress cracks into the right rear rotor.


I figured the Z36 powerstop kit should be perfect for what I want. Sure I'll take it to the strip but I'm not about to go putting aluminum hubs and stuff on it to cut weight. Its a daily driver built truck with intentions of looking like a pure sleeper. It is rusty as hell, chipped paint, 356k miles (probably why it needs a booster and master) but goes like hell.
 

snowman22

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Jan 30, 2018
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I have seen the power stop stuff crack at the drill holes. I don't really trust anything drilled all the way through.

I have been running the EBC slotted and dimpled rotors with the orange and yellow pads. I prefer the yellows over the orange for brake fad, but both are good.
 

KRODMAX/KS

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Jul 27, 2017
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Check out GM's Extreme Duty To with stop pads or Danville Performance slotted Rotors.
 

Burn Down

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The 05’ has the power stop kit on it, rotors and z36 pads it stops great, I never knew how shitty the 04.5 was:rofl: I don’t know the mileage on them but there holding up fine. I’ll be putting the power stop kit on my 04.5 as well.
 

Bdsankey

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gmduramax

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I have seen the power stop stuff crack at the drill holes. I don't really trust anything drilled all the way through.

I have been running the EBC slotted and dimpled rotors with the orange and yellow pads. I prefer the yellows over the orange for brake fad, but both are good.

X2 do not get drilled rotors
 

gmduramax

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Jun 12, 2008
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Are the AC Delco wave slotted or even the EBC kits decent?


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I have SSBC front 14.25 rotors and they’re holding up well. The rears are ac delco professional and they’re holding up but I don’t have many miles. I love my yellow pads but they’re not lasting long.
 

Bdsankey

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The yellow's don't last too long, but they do stop good. I was getting 30-40k miles out of them. My orange ones lasted 60k miles and probably had 10-20k left. Both are front pad life.



30-40k would take me too long to get to.


Are Stock calipers good enough? Now leaning towards the EBC slotted with yellow pads.


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Ne-max

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Nov 15, 2011
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Napa Fleet Pads & Rotors work vary vary well. Lots of brake dust but are holding up great in my street/race truck.
 

Bdsankey

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Napa Fleet Pads & Rotors work vary vary well. Lots of brake dust but are holding up great in my street/race truck.



Well after NAPA boned me on my starter that failed literally 5 times I really try and avoid them.

Put starter in, works for a week, dies. The activation stud was so loose on the last 2 it would fall in contact with the main power lug.


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snowman22

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30-40k would take me too long to get to.


Are Stock calipers good enough? Now leaning towards the EBC slotted with yellow pads.


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I only had the stock calipers and thought they did a decent job. I would start there.

I'll check tomorrow, but I think I have a set of rear rotors still sitting around I could sell you. If I find them Ill PM you.
 

TheBac

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Apr 19, 2008
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Just how many mph are we talking about slowing down from?
How quickly do you want to stop, anyway?
What weight?


I bought the Powerstop rotors from Rockauto years ago for the little truck. I used stock rebuilt calipers with NAPA heavy duty pads. No miles, though.
Other than using NAPA premium rotors, its the same setup Ive used for 10 years on BBT (6450 or 7200 lbs), and Ive never had an issue stopping quickly and confidently, either on the road or at the track.
 
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Bdsankey

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Just how many mph are we talking about slowing down from?
How quickly do you want to stop, anyway?
What weight?

When I’m driving to a pull and horsing around running cars it’s on the way home weighing 8500-8700lb.

I usually lift at 120 or when I realize the speedo is gone.