Serious Brake Thread

[Diesel Pilot]

I want to start a "Serious Brake Thread" to talk about all the upgrades, maintenance (preventive/corrective), aftermarket parts, and general knowledge surrounding the brakes on our trucks. We spend hours and hours about how to make the trucks go faster, but we spend very little time talking about how to make them stop safely. I know the stock brakes are pretty good but over time they get bad and they can be made better.

Background into why I want to start this thread:

I've had various problems with my brakes ranging from the pads sticking on the sliders to having to totally replace all brake hardware in one service. This weekend, after what I thought was adequate preventive maintenance, I noticed my pads sticking to the sliders again. This is after grinding and wire wheeling the pads and bracket to get proper clearance at the install about a year ago. I check my pads and sliders every tire rotation and they were fine about 3k miles ago. So I can't blame it on winter weather and salt this time. On this set of rotors and pads, I've also noticed a "warped rotor" effect that I also remedied this weekend by having the rotors turned.

So it seems that every 5-10k miles I will have to pull the brakes apart and re-grind and wire wheel the pads and brackets to make sure everything is loose and moving the way it should or risk a total brake replacement again. I need to get the special brake grease to put on the sliders, this might help a bit.

I'm interested to here what some of you might have done to help this problem and if you don't have the problem what hardware you have installed that might be contributing to prevention.

Here is an interesting article about warped rotors or the the effect that causes them, and also how to prevent it from happening.

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_warped_brakedisk.shtml

Also, let's talk about the spongy pedal feel that sometimes comes up in these trucks also what brand and type of pads, rotors, or hardware you guys have had good luck with. I'd like to put together an information thread about combination's and techniques that the DIY'er can do in their garage without breaking the bank.

 

[LBZ]

Are you using GM brake parts or aftermarket stuff?
I've had a vibration in my rear brakes almost since the truck was new and the dealer keeps trying to blame it on my tires-even though I've put on 4 different sets of tires since and still have the problem.

 

[maxaholic]

Are you putting any silglyde on the sliders?

 

[SmokeShow]

I'm not trying to tell folks to go to other boards but there is a really good lengthy thread on another forum about this topic. It would be awesome! if those that contributed in it over there were here and posted the info again to help some more folks out!!!

Other than that, I'm subscribing cause I fight with the brakes too. My next stint, I think I'm going to try GM parts, they seem to last the longest without issue.

 

[SSchmi5519]

On my 05, im still running the original pads and rotors.

Currently, at 91k miles, the stock pads have about 40% life left on them and the rotors arent warped at all.

The brakes are still plenty strong enough to set off the ABS system so im not too worried about increasing braking performance if my tires wont even grab that hard.

 

[paint94979]

The brakes are still plenty strong enough to set off the ABS system so im not too worried about increasing braking performance if my tires wont even grab that hard.

x2 my brakes allow me to stop very well... 52,000 miles on my truck and 70% left in them

 

[RENODMAX]

I've got 125k on mine with stock pads and they still
have about 20%. I think I'm going to replace them with EBC pads the end of this summer. I'd use a coating after you clean the sliders like a rust preventing paint to keep the buildup off them

 

[SSchmi5519]

I will replace mine with the same OEM pads that are on there now. They have done so well and lasted so long, i have no reason to swap to any other pad.

 

[jraymer]

My buddy up in ND has been having problems with is brakes too on his 06. He says the right rear brake kept hanging up and smoking the pads when he is not on the brakes. He temp. pulled the caliper off and wired it up out of the way and drove it again just to have the same thing start on the left side. SO he wanted me to do some diggin for him since he isn't on the forums.

 

[Chevy1925]

got 156k on mine and pads are at 35-40%. been runnin big tires since its had 85k and been in salt from flagstaff for last 4 years of its life in flagstaff.

I did notice some rust build up on the right front caliper where the pads slide. i wire wheeled it and put anit sieze on all the exposed sliding areas. I use anti-sieze on all the brake jobs ive done and seems to work very well.

ill be using factory pads again when these wear out (if they do ) and jsut turn the rotors. rotors barely have any wear into them and only a few grooves

 

[Righteyeblind]

170k on my OE brakes and 50% still remaining. I have never had any problems with them. Make sure you use good grease on the sliders to prevent sticking and squeaking. IMO turning rotors on our trucks or any 3/4ton or above is worthless. They warp even faster after turned.
The pads on our truck are awful hard and dont stop well so I am going to try EBC yellow stuff and EBC slotted rotors here soon. I found some rotors for $202.00 and pads for $134 from car parts wholesale.
Calipers are another big thing because you have a seal that goes around the piston that holds all your fluid and it weakens through time after rolling back and forth brake after brake.

 

[Diesel Pilot]

My first set were OE GM stuff, this set are Car Quest and they aren't doing so hot. Thinking of going with EBC or Hawk for the next pads. I'm skeptical of slotted/drilled rotors, I had a set go bad on my BMW and I think they are good for cool factor and road racing, other than that I'm not totally sold on their effectiveness.

I have used, anti-seize and grease on the sliders, so far still having problems. I need to get the special grease for brake parts and try that.

Also, I'd like to note that most of the guys that have gotten good mileage on their stock brakes live in the south or out west. I'm guessing the heavy salt from midwestern and eastern winters are causing a lot of the problem.

 

[Cougar281]

160K on my 04 and plenty of pad left.... stop as well as the pavement will let them (They'll stop hard enough to make ABS kick in on dry pavement).

 

[Righteyeblind]

My first set were OE GM stuff, this set are Car Quest and they aren't doing so hot. Thinking of going with EBC or Hawk for the next pads. I'm skeptical of slotted/drilled rotors, I had a set go bad on my BMW and I think they are good for cool factor and road racing, other than that I'm not totally sold on their effectiveness.

I have used, anti-seize and grease on the sliders, so far still having problems. I need to get the special grease for brake parts and try that.

Also, I'd like to note that most of the guys that have gotten good mileage on their stock brakes live in the south or out west. I'm guessing the heavy salt from midwestern and eastern winters are causing a lot of the problem.

Just slotted rotors not drilled and slotted. IMO drilled would not be good for our use because there is less surface area to heat up were worried abot braking under big loads and not brake fade under constant hard braking like in road racing.

 

[one stack wonder]

i dont know wats wrong with mine about 2 wks ago my right front tire starts cherping & squalling, tring 2 slide with brake half way down??

 

[S Phinney]

I've had problems with stock rotors warping. I do some heavy towing and have a lift with bigger tires. I fixed that problem by changing to some slotted and dimpled rotors along with carbon metallic pads form Brake Performance and they work tons better than the stock setups.

 

[whitetrash21]

Never had pads wear fast or rotors warp on either truck. Issue I've had with both is that the pads crack right between the two pins holding them to the backing. They then sag into the rotor causing a chirp. Most annoying sound on the damn planet. Drag the brake for a second and they get pushed back into place, maybe temporarily heated/melted since the sound goes away, but comes right back when I hit a bump.

Have never tried any other pad, just stock gm stuff. Anyone had an issue with this on gm parts or aftermarket.

Had the spongy pedal once on the 05. Trying to shut the truck and trailer down coming off a short, steep ass hill and the pedal went to the floor. Hasn't happened since, but it will make you shit your britches.

 

[Noreaster]

I had problems with my rear brakes in the past, rear pads were gone at 55K, at 125k RR rotor split in half, caliper piston seals blew & rear pads were shot again.
The front pads had some life left but changed them all the way around.
I went with Hawk LTS pads, powerslot rotors & Russell SS brake lines.
I filed the pads were they sit on the slides, I use Napa ceramic brake parts lubricant on the slides & flushed system with valvoline syn. DOT 3&4 fluid. I pull the calipers, clean & regrease the slides in the spring & the fall. The pads & rotors are holding up great, the slots do have some junk in them but are doing their job.

 

[juddski88]

i think the biggest thing i have taken away from all of my reading on this subject is regular preventative maintenance is key. there are several great threads on DP about proper brake maintenance. #1 tip- prevent rust buildup under slides. #2 tip- use StaLube, NOT Antisieze on the pins and seals. no sense in lubing the slides since they get buggered-up with dust anyhow. on the rotor and pad debate- i have seen aftermarket parts perform better than stock stuff on the same truck (it was heavier than stock and lifted yada yada yada). and i have seen stock stuff hold up on the lighter trucks and last quite a while while giving great performance.