Upgrading Tow Vehicle Brakes

[Whammon]

Hi all..looking for brake recommendations. I have a 2008 GMC diesel 2500HD TV towing a 2018 Jayco Eagle fiver. Haven’t towed it much yet but with 100g miles on the truck, I’m thinking of completely changing out, and upgrading it’s brakes since I probably need to replace them anyway. Looking at upgrading the rotors and pads, front and rear. Not sure about the calipers but I think they’re ok. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations for which ones to go to or even upgrade at all? Thanks

[Midnightmoon]

My first suggestion would be to thoroughly inspect your braking system first before you plan any parts upgrades. At 100K, it is time to flush and replace the fluid in your system, remove and inspect calipers, clean and lubricate the slide pins, inspect the flexible brake hoses, etc. If you find that you need pads, rotors, etc. at that time, I would suggest going with OEM replacements. Good working OEM parts are more than sufficient for safely stopping your rig while towing.

I have tried several aftermarket rotors and pads from companies such as EBC over the years and always seem to come back to good quality OEM components for my tow vehicles.

[mokurt]

I have had good results with Centric brand.

[kcordell57]

PowerStop Rotors & Pads. Did this upgrade on my 2018 F250 and the performance increase was incredible. I did all 4 rotors.

[Colorado]

I initially installed Powerstop brakes on my F350, never again! Just 3 years of 5-6k miles a year and the calipers were shot. I replaced them with calipers with NAPA brand and used EBC YELLOW PADS…those pads are awesome! They are significantly better than the Powerstop brand. Check any hoses for deterioration, often the inside of the hose collapses and restricts flow of fluid.

[CAG]

I know you are looking at truck brakes but the best mod I ever did to the toy hauler was disc brakes. It ran about $2500 to have it done and between it and the exhaust/turbo brakes on the Duramax it took a major load off of the truck when stopping. A Duramax will pull anything but stopping could be a problem. By doing disc on the 5er it shared to braking load.

[curver900]

I've used the power stop slotted/drilled on a avalanche and a 1500 max tow.. and they didn't crack or warp and have pretty good stopping power... Even with a large trailer no issues...

I did the NAPA ones on the avalanche before the upper end ones and they warped after 15k on the avalanche... the DW likes to use them...

[Lake Huron]

Originally Posted by CAG

I know you are looking at truck brakes but the best mod I ever did to the toy hauler was disc brakes. It ran about $2500 to have it done and between it and the exhaust/turbo brakes on the Duramax it took a major load off of the truck when stopping. A Duramax will pull anything but stopping could be a problem. By doing disc on the 5er it shared to braking load.

X2 on the 5th having disc brakes!!!!!
I did mine this past spring and what a difference that made!
I can use the trailer brakes to stop the entire rig if I needed to.
My price for the kit was a around $1900. I did the install myself. The total cost on mine did go up but that's because I went full idiot mode and did a lot of customizing, little better performance and a lot of bling.

[madmaxmutt]

Powerstop slotted and drilled rotors with Z36 towing pads +1

[Whammon]

Thank you all for your great replies and opinions. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, I’ve settled on the new PowerStop Z36 pads rotors and calipers. I felt that my 2008, 2500HD GMC, with 100,000 gently used miles, plus starting to tow my first 28 ft fifth wheel, and never doing a brake replacement, I would feel better to upgrade to a heavy duty brake system. So, with that in mind, I am asking those that replaced their brake systems to the above mentioned brakes, are you happy with them? Please elaborate...thanks

[CAG]

Originally Posted by Whammon

Thank you all for your great replies and opinions. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, I’ve settled on the new PowerStop Z36 pads rotors and calipers. I felt that my 2008, 2500HD GMC, with 100,000 gently used miles, plus starting to tow my first 28 ft fifth wheel, and never doing a brake replacement, I would feel better to upgrade to a heavy duty brake system. So, with that in mind, I am asking those that replaced their brake systems to the above mentioned brakes, are you happy with them? Please elaborate...thanks

Interestingly, I owned two Chevy Duramax and spend a lot of time monitoring and commenting on My Diesel Place web site over the last 16 years, where owners of all Duramax go for answers if they have Duramax questions. I never heard of one who wore out their brakes. My grandson has 176K not so gentle miles on his and still has the OEM brakes. I actually cannot think of anyone who ever mentioned redoing their brakes for towing.

[curver900]

Originally Posted by Whammon

Thank you all for your great replies and opinions. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, I’ve settled on the new PowerStop Z36 pads rotors and calipers. I felt that my 2008, 2500HD GMC, with 100,000 gently used miles, plus starting to tow my first 28 ft fifth wheel, and never doing a brake replacement, I would feel better to upgrade to a heavy duty brake system. So, with that in mind, I am asking those that replaced their brake systems to the above mentioned brakes, are you happy with them? Please elaborate...thanks

Questions are your current brakes end of life? have you gotten under the truck and looked at the amount of pad left? are they cracked ?

are they original?

has the stopping power diminished?

warped rotors?
with 100k have you done the following?
flush the brake lines?
flush the power steering fluid?
if you are having soft or non responsive braking in a diesel at 100k these two things should be done first.

[Whammon]

Thanks Curver900! Yes I have flushed the brake lines but not the power steering. Not sure how that relates. The current brakes are not bad but they’re not like they were when new. I figured that within that first 100k miles on the truck, and I’ve never pulled that kind of weight any distances with the TV, now, with the addition of my new FW, and intending to tow a side x side behind it, I figured doing this will at least give me piece of mind. Thanks for replying...

[curver900]

the power steering fluid is part of the hydroboost system... in a diesel

DO NOT put PS fluid in the brakes or brake fluid in the hydroboost (people have) and visa virsa here is a link

https://www.duramaxforum.com/threads...st-flush.9081/


I would just inspect the pads and rotors and if over half the pad is left I would leave well enough alone... if below half then replace...

[Seann45]

Drilled and slotted rotors ceramic brake pads and braided stainless brake hoses.. (the first things I did when I got my tow vehicle) all from Summit Racing.