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Stock Brakes......Is there an upgrade?

3K views 18 replies 6 participants last post by  krashDH 
#1 ·
I realize these 3500's are heavy trucks. My stock, brand new, brakes (only about 1600 miles) feel very soft and don't seem to slow this beast down very well. I find myself standing on the brakes harder than I have ever had to do with my previous Chevy/GMC Duramax trucks. Am I just imagining this, or are these brakes soft?

Any upgrades to be on the look out for?
 
#2 ·
Might have some air trapped in the lines, I'd hit it with a bleed before you jump ship to a new brake system. OEM calipers are generally the way to go with these trucks, I usually rebuild the OEM ones if it needs it, or if I replace the entire caliper, look for a company that uses OEM cores for rebuilds.

With a new truck, try the simple stuff first.
 
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#6 ·
These new trucks that brakes feel odd, and the ABS will scare people. When it kicks on in and emergency stop the peddle drops, but the everything works. I think the peddle feel on the 13+ trucks is a bit soft in general, and i'm not convinced the pads are the greatest. the rotors and calipers seem to do their job, but i think a pad upgrade would be beneficial

Looked over at the Hawk performance website and they have a nice comparison for brake compounds on our trucks. The LTS is much better and noise reduction and dust, on my 12 i had zero issues with brake dust accumulation, but the SD pads exceed in heat capacity and overall stopping power, but not enough for me to want to move over to the SDs i think. I might just throw some new pads on at 40k miles and see how it improves the braking, i remembered there being a very noticeable difference between OEM and the Hawks pads on my 12, it might just make me feel good to do it again on the 18

 
#3 ·
Are you saying the truck only has 1600 miles, or the brakes have been changed and there is 1600 on new brake components?

I feel that the 2020's brakes have more stopping power than the previous generations.

If the system has been apart for a while allowing air to get it, it may require bleed procedure using a scan tool to clear out any air the abs module too.
 
#4 ·
there are times i think my 18s brakes feel weak as well, when compared to my 12's. My 12 had OEM calipers and rotors, but Hawk performance pads, i ran the LTS pads on my 12, but might consider the SD pads for the 18. I need to do a tire rotation here soon, so i am going to inspect the OEM pads then
 
#5 ·
My stock, brand new, brakes (only about 1600 miles) feel very soft and don't seem to slow this beast down very well.
I'm certainly no expert on Ram brakes, if for no other reason that it's very rare that I need to use them (thank you, exhaust brake), even though I practically always tow something.

My best guess is completely generic, as it applies to any new vehicle (or one with new brakes installed); did you bed the brakes in when you first got this pickup? Or was it subjected to a hard brake application when it was new?

If I remember correctly, you skipped the gear break-in, so maybe the brakes, too.
 
#9 ·
If I remember correctly, you skipped the gear break-in, so maybe the brakes, too.
I'm pretty sure I did what was required for the drive train for the break-in period. I didn't tow for the first 700 miles and then did a short tow before 1000 miles. Not sure what else the gear break-in required. I have not heard about the brake break-in??? Certainly there was not any crazy driving yet (now with 1600 miles). What do you suggest for a correct brake break-in?

Thanks!!
 
#11 ·
All new pads/rotors require a brake "bed" procedure, which deposits the pad material onto the rotor through heat.

Every company may claim a different procedure, but the theory is the same.
Get the brakes warm a few times...then get the brakes hot a few times...but while doing this, never come to a complete stop.

Usually involves stopping from 45 mph down to 10-15 mph at a medium/controlled rate. Usually 5 or so times. Then do the same thing from 60mph down to 10 or 15, but as fast as you can SAFELY do that. Don't ever come to a complete stop, roll out of the last one into the next one. Repeat 5 or so times. You will smell the brakes.

I've found though sometimes you cannot find a safe stretch of road to do that on, so you can achieve the same heating and bedding process by standing on the brake with light to medium pressure while on the skinny pedal. Do it for a section, then roll out of it, repeat same as above. Then, add a bit more braking pressure while you give it the skinny pedal, repeat the same thing over. Just make sure your clutch or transmission can handle it and be cognizant if it's too much or too little. You're really doing it through feel.

I've had the same results doing the bed in procedure both ways, all positive outcomes.
 
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#13 ·
I think it depends how is been driven for those 1600 miles. It's worth a shot though to try the procedure.
 
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#15 ·
Not even in the same league but I installed a full set of Powerstop drilled/slotted rotors and carbon ceramic brakes in my Lexus IS250 and the stopping power is night and day better than the OEM setup.

It looks like they make a kit for our trucks that are designed for use with towing as well. I will likely upgrade mine when the pads are done based on my positive experience with them on my commuter car.

Proper break in per the included instructions are key to getting the best performance.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
#16 ·
do NOT put drilled and slotted rotors on a HD truck. Drilled and slotted rotors come out of racing, they are designed to increase cooling at the cost of strength. In racing they are generally changed out every race due to their lack of strength. Drilled and slotted rotors have a tendency to warp when used in heavy duty applications, and cheap ones have a tendency to do it on any application because the thickness of the rotor is so thin that it can't take the stress during the heat cycles and warp. Get normal rotors for these trucks, if you really like to feel fancy, get dimpled rotors, or some variation of it. But do not install drilled or slotted rotors on these trucks, especially if you are using the truck as a truck and towing or hauling with it.
 
#17 ·
I've run slotted/dimpled rotors for years with no ill effects. I wouldn't do drilled through though, prone to stress cracks.
 
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#18 ·
the dimple makes a huge difference in strength compared to the drilled. I don't see a point to spend the extra money on slotted and dimpled though, you reduce contact area to increase resistance to heat fade, and increase the possibility of warpage during heavy use at the same time. Not worth it to me.
 
#19 ·
Not really. If you threw a rotor that's drilled into an FEA with the rotational forces seen at the braking locations, those tiny drilled through spots are not going to phase the strength of a rotor that is 1" thick steel. The combined loading area of those drill through spots are moot in the big picture. What is an issue are the sharp corners of the holes and chamfers that combine with heat. That cyclical loading could create havoc with the heat deltas and cause stress cracks in the material, leading to the failure. That being said, if the holes are finished properly (chamfered or radiused), they shouldn't be an issue.

Still, yes, there's really no point in spending the extra money. I'll take slotted over anything, at least brake pad debris as well as dirt, mud, water etc, has channels to exit the braking surface.

I haven't personally seen any failures of drilled rotors on these trucks though (as well I had run a set of drilled through rotors for years before I replaced them with just dimpled and slotted). Then again I'm not hauling huge loads and really taxing my brakes on a daily.
 
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