Just need a little brake advice.

[rotwiler]

I tow around 4500, travel trailer with truck back loaded. Put on some brake motive front disc's with good pads and zero issues past couple years and was like $120 for set with pads.

 

[pacofortacos]

So...I purchased the PowerStop Z36 front and rear kit from Amazon. Based on the advice from the good folks on this forum. NOT looking forward to the install, but I have never paid to have brakes installed. At age 63 I may soon rethink this issue, its getting harder to get up and down on a garage floor. Thanks for all the input guys.

At 61, I find I get down ok. Getting up is getting harder and harder every year. Lol

 

[GTyankee]

When i absolutely have to get on my knees, i have some dense foam rubber that i put down.
I need something like a bumper or something sturdy to use as a brace.
I have been trying to squat, instead of bending over to grab something off the floor.

 

[Black1500Ram]

Don’t skimp on the brake fluid.
I come from a racing background and I know most people will say it’s overkill but for the $50 you’ll spend on 3 bottles of motility 600 or stoptech 600, the fluid not boiling and fading imo is worth it.

Stoptech on all 4 corners and motul 600 fluid in my cc. World of difference vs conventional fluids and oem.

Also, i agree with the trailer brakes should basically stop the trailer and may need adjusting… if you have a gravel / loose dirt road nearby a good test is to drive around 20 and press and the activate switch for the trailer brakes for a second or two. You’ll want to look in mirrors and look for the trailer wheels to lock up. If they don’t, up the bias and try again at 20mph ish. Once they do lock back off .5 to 1.0.

When properly adjusted you shouldn’t feel the trailer pulling (over biased) or pushing (under biased) the truck.

 

[tron67j]

There is some really good technical information on brakes within this forum, and one thing you can be sure of is that brake rotors don't warp. There is no way a vehicle can get that metal hot enough to move out of its manufactured shape. There is some foreign material either on the pads or on the rotors that's causing that spot to result in more friction and that is the pulsation that you feel. More than likely it is on the rotor, but you could just replace the pads first and see if that solves your problem for you. Also, the trailer should almost stop itself so those brakes need to be adjusted so that there is minimal if any additional stress placed on your towing vehicle.

 

[BossHogg]

I don't post here often but I do have automotive experience. Imo, skip the powerstops. The z36 rotors are slotted and cross drilled. This is actually not ideal for towing. Or daily driving for that matter. It's basically all marketing.

Slotted rotors do not improve heat transfer but the slots improve brake output by removing gas and dust that is trapped between the brake pads and the rotor. Anything in between the brake pad and the rotor will reduce the friction force. The drill holes will give you better braking power over slots for typical driving. Take a look at BMW, Porsche, Corvette, and Mercedes vehicles, their rotors are drilled.

There is science of thermo transfer, all above my pay grade but I can tell you, I'm very pleased with the Power Stops.

 

[Sherman Bird]

I've been researching the brake threads on here, and I'd like to describe my towing situation and get your advice. I have a 2017 Bighorn 5.7 and I tow a 24ft Tritoon with one set of disc axle brakes on the trailer. The dry weight of the boat is under 2900 lbs. Not sure if that includes the motor or not, either way adding the trailer weight and I'm guessing 4500 lbs ballpark? My OEM brakes have 56,000 miles and are warped, so I'm ready to not only replace, but upgrade within reason. I like the powerstop recommendations, but not sure I need that Z36 set for my braking needs...maybe the Z23 kit would be all I need. The other question is should I go 4 wheel or the front only for now. Doesn't the front bear the main braking load? I haven't done an inspection of the system and I don't mind spending the money to get the job done right, but I am still cost conscious. My other thoughts are the Wagner solid rotors and OEX pads. How's that for choices?!! If I sound like a confused old man I'm sorry, sure looks that way to me when I read this post back to myself!

So.... You wonder about going all 4 wheels as opposed to just front for a brake job. Do them all at the same time. Here's why: The difference in brake fade, modulation, and friction co-efficiency from front to rear after just doing one axle or the other CAN result is unintended ABS application while applying brakes in a normal stop. This has caused accidents due to longer stop distance during unintended engagement. It happened to me. Object lesson learned! Do all 4 wheels at the same time. The risk isn't worth it.

 

[Hemi832]

Again get what you can affordable. I went with the Z36. Install wasn't too bad once the rear rotors were off. That parking brake is what got me.

 

[OutpostRam]

Flush your brake fluid also! Had a friend that bragged about having 165k miles on his Isuzu Trooper II and never touching the brakes. He had a trailer with an ATV he was pulling. On the way back, we went down a very long downhill and he lost his brakes!! His wife was scared to death. We waited over an hour for them to cool enough to gain braking. She rode the rest of the way back in our vehicle.

 

[Fiddlebick]

I installed the PowerStop brakes last week and I am well pleased with them. Never been one to pay much attention to brake performance, noise or dust for that matter. With this late model truck I am trying to be more attentive than I was with my old beaters I used to drive. I barely touch the brakes and I get a really nice, instant response under my foot. Don't know how to explain it, but it feels different than ever before, so I'm glad I spent the extra money for the PowerStops. I've never in my life changed brake fluid in a vehicle, so I am ready to learn more about the value of that, as well as how to go about it....I suppose Youtube can help with that. Again, thanks for all the advice on the brakes, and as far as the trailer goes, the surge system has disc brakes, so no adjustment is necessary.

 

[ramffml]

Slotted and drilled rotors are missing surface material, valuable surface material that can help you stop your truck when you're towing.

I don't think it's as simple as that. Look at beefy/knobby all terrain or offroad tires and how they are "missing tread" with all the big gaps, but yet they give superior traction on everything that isn't a dry sunny hot road.