Brake upgrade

[BrainDead]

I drug my 6000lbs boat down the 5800ft hill today for the first time and halfway down the brakes started heating up and my foot kept going further to the floor, yes I have trailer brakes and they were working, I'm looking for an upgrade to be on the safe side.

I searched the forum but didn't come up with any results.
I know that Baer and EBC exist and probably have upgrades, but does anyone have firsthand experience with a kit that delivers results?

 

[1BADI5]

Wilwood has a couple options as well.

I do not have Wilwoods in my Tahoe, but I have a set of their 6 pot calipers on my Colorado with their track pads and the brakes are ****** amazing.

There are other more cost effective options though. There are companies that my brakes to retrofit corvette ZO6 or even the ZR1 calipers to the GMT900 trucks. I have a set of brackets to adapt ZO6 calipers and would mate with the Baer 14" rotors.

 

[gooffeyguy]

Powerstop is another brand out there that I've heard of. I have no personal experience with them, just throwing it out there.

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[exp500]

That also sounds like a typical new driver downhill in big trucks. If you ever noticed on a steep/long downhill, big trucks get on the brakes and drop speed 5-15 mph and then stay off to cool the brakes,until the next must apply event. Also your trailer brakes are definately in question here, as my old k2500 has come down many times with 12000# trailer ( which I consider about 3000# more than it should be pulling) with no brake overheating. Still had Looonnnngggg stops. which i figure is what you are mainly referencing. Was still braking shorter than a fully loaded semi. After Upgrading brakes, tires will be the weak point for braking. Hope this helps in your diagnosis/decision. Towing will never stop like a single unit.

 

[gooffeyguy]

I drug my 6000lbs boat down the 5800ft hill today for the first time and halfway down the brakes started heating up and my foot kept going further to the floor, yes I have trailer brakes and they were working, I'm looking for an upgrade to be on the safe side.

I searched the forum but didn't come up with any results.
I know that Baer and EBC exist and probably have upgrades, but does anyone have firsthand experience with a kit that delivers results?

What year vehicle?

Starting In 2012 they have powertrain braking when in tow/haul mode, and in 2013/2014 they have it in normal mode.

Powertrain braking lets the transmission downshift to help slow the vehicle on downhill grades and not having to use the brakes as much.

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[Tozan]

What year vehicle?

Starting In 2012 they have powertrain braking when in tow/haul mode, and in 2013/2014 they have it in normal mode.

Powertrain braking lets the transmission downshift to help slow the vehicle on downhill grades and not having to use the brakes as much.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

If you have an earlier model just manually down shift to save your brakes. I run in the mountains all the time with no problems. Your over heating and fading will not be improved even with better brakes if you do not down shift.

I do have the EBC rotors and yellow pads they do help in stopping my larger 35 inch tires and I would recommend them if you need additional braking.

 

[BrainDead]

That also sounds like a typical new driver downhill in big trucks. If you ever noticed on a steep/long downhill, big trucks get on the brakes and drop speed 5-15 mph and then stay off to cool the brakes,until the next must apply event. Also your trailer brakes are definately in question here, as my old k2500 has come down many times with 12000# trailer ( which I consider about 3000# more than it should be pulling) with no brake overheating. Still had Looonnnngggg stops. which i figure is what you are mainly referencing. Was still braking shorter than a fully loaded semi. After Upgrading brakes, tires will be the weak point for braking. Hope this helps in your diagnosis/decision. Towing will never stop like a single unit.

What year vehicle?

Starting In 2012 they have powertrain braking when in tow/haul mode, and in 2013/2014 they have it in normal mode.

Powertrain braking lets the transmission downshift to help slow the vehicle on downhill grades and not having to use the brakes as much.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

If you have an earlier model just manually down shift to save your brakes. I run in the mountains all the time with no problems. Your over heating and fading will not be improved even with better brakes if you do not down shift.

I do have the EBC rotors and yellow pads they do help in stopping my larger 35 inch tires and I would recommend them if you need additional braking.

To answer all your questions cars an 07, I had tow/haul on and I was in manual mode and was downshifting. This road doesn't give you much time to let the brakes cool down before you're into the next corner. This car does have power train braking but as stated before was in manual mode so it didn't kick in

I Have had an 01 2500 and an 02 3500 that would stop this load just fine on that hill the way I drive without fading or overheating and yes I know the brakes are bigger but the trucks are also a lot heavier

 

[BrainDead]

Wilwood has a couple options as well.

I do not have Wilwoods in my Tahoe, but I have a set of their 6 pot calipers on my Colorado with their track pads and the brakes are ****** amazing.

There are other more cost effective options though. There are companies that my brakes to retrofit corvette ZO6 or even the ZR1 calipers to the GMT900 trucks. I have a set of brackets to adapt ZO6 calipers and would mate with the Baer 14" rotors.

You happen to know the company's name?

 

[petethepug]

The current and best upgrade using Brembo 6 piston calipers from the CTS V carbon ceramic set up with standard pads and standard iron discs is here …

https://ctsvbrakeswap.com/products/gm-truck-suv-6-piston-c6-zr1-caliper-big-brake-bracket-kit

20" minimum rims needed. The issue is that the 16" discs that Centric / Stoptech manufactures for GM are on back order due to COVID related shipping and manufacturing delays. I have not looked into purchasing the same disc as an OEM part from GM # 84263238.

The calipers are massive C6 Corvette ZR1 Monoblock units made by Brembo for the 09-13 ZR-1 Vette with carbon discs. I'm waiting on the discs to come in from Stoptech to install the kit. I already shelled out the $9h for new calipers. I went with this kit because of the massive discs. This kit is essentially a clone of the factory BBK for 2015+ vehicles listed for $2.6K here …

https://www.brembo.com/en/company/news/brembo-and-gm-team-up-on-performance-front-brake-kit

The kit allows standard and less expensive ZR1 mono block calipers to be used with an adapter instead of Brembo's proprietary kit made just for the offset of the GM / Chevy / Cadillac trucks.

 

[Baddawg]

Good thread, all the upgrades on rotors and calipers are certainly a big help, big change. BUT
break fade is often from old break fluid that has absorbed water.
Have you completely flushed the break fluid in the last two years?