Brake techniques for city driving?

[JoeHobart]

My new truck is far and again the heaviest thing I have ever driven. My truck only has 800 miles on it, and already i have a thick coat of brake dust on the front wheels.

My question is, for stop and go city driving empty, what is the better way to apply the brakes? I generally am gentle with them, lightly slowing early rather than punching them pretty hard when i get close to the stopped traffic. I usually downshift into 4th at about 35mph as well as braking, but without an Ebrake, its not helping much.

I read one thread that said for heat purposes it was better to lay into them when you need to, but as I am empty, heat management is not as important to me as braking in a way thats best for my tires and pads.



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Big Fish-2001. 5 2500 QuadLWB 4x4 SLT Black/silver ETH/DEE SnowPlow/Camper/3. 55

 

[Shovelhead]

I've found that in D. C. traffic it's advisable to run into something soft and cheap to save the wear and tear on the brake pads/ rotors. #ad
#ad
#ad

But seriously folks, IMHO, I think that the slow, soft approach allows more heat to build up in the rotors increasing the warped rotor problem especially in city traffic where there is less open running to help cool them off between stops.

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Ed Anderson
99 3500,6x4,QC,Auto,4. 10,Everthing 'cept leather,stock until warranty runs out.
'76 H-D FLH, '98 FLHTCUI

 

[Whitmore]

Joe, save up 591 bucks and get the E-brake,its the best thing I ever did,I hardly use the foot brakes any more,I only use them if I need to stop completly. The e-brake will extend the life of your brakes 4 or 5 times, IMHO Kevin

 

[LSMITH]

Joe, I run a lot of heavy traffic too. I try to keep as much seperation as I can number one, and if I do need the brakes I use them firmly. You need to use them and get off them as soon as you can, heat will build up even in the city. Once the brakes are hot they work very poorly, and at city traffic speeds there isn't a lot of cooling air for them. Good carbon metallic pads help a lot in reducing the fade. Pads and tires are cheap compared to your truck, use the brakes.

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99 2500 QC 4X4 AUTO SB 24V LARAMIE SLT 3. 5 LSD 285-75-16'S SPA Boost/EGT Everything but leather NRA Member Great Lakes TDR Member

 

[Pete Peterson]

Joe, I down shift at every light and use the service brake as little as possible. If you are running empty then the transmission will slow you down quite a bit. I have the 4:10's so I come to just about a full stop with the transmission but I'm never in a hurry and start my slow down by watching the traffic 5 or 6 cars ahead of where I'm at... ... Pete

 

[BCFAST]

OK, here's the straight poop... drive your truck as I would my race car during an endurance race: brake earlier and lighter. During city driving, you are seldom above 50mph or so, so the heat build-up is minimal in the rotor; dont worry too much about that. Comming down an off-ramp from 70mph (especially pulling a load) will super-hear your rotors... but treat them just the same in your light-to-light driving: when you get to a stop, IMMEDIATELY get your foot off the brake pedal!By keeping the pads clamped to the rotor, you are drawing all the heat to one spot and risking a warp... this is why automatic-equiped cars and trucks have this problem... folks just forget to pop it into neutral and get off the pedal!

 

[JoeHobart]

I lost a lot of sleep pondering an Ebrake. Since 90% of my driving is empty and around town, i chose against it. After trying to do 'multi-gear' engine braking coming up to stoplights, i find the extremely close ratio of the DEE makes this next to impossible at the typical 45-0 (5th to 2nd) city redlight scenario without some SPRINT car paddle air-shifters. After looking at the stock brake-HP of the cummins, vs the performance of the BD or Jake brake at RPMs <2000, i dont think i would get a lot out of it with my low-revvin short-shiftin sunday-driving style.

I definatly don't think i am overheating the rotors, never notice any fade, although BCFAST made a great point about releasing the pedal to prevent warping. Ill have to make a more conscious effort on that. Any thoughts on how to do that on light hills (the rolling piedmont) we have. I can do a gentle 5mph coast before i stop, but no pedal, and im gonna roll one way or the other in most places. .

I have definatly been trying to keep at least 100-300 yards following distance, but here in charlotte, that much room is an invitation to have people merge into my buffer space, giving me a lot less room #ad
to slow down than if i just got on the binders a little sooner and gradually slow down and making the hole thru early braking. .

 

[Missouri Mule]

I'll second BCFAST on braking technique.

 

[Hammer]

I'll concur with the panel here as I do not like dust on my wheels either,,I do use my ebrake in town more now and it does help,,Low rpm Sunday putting,come on now,some of us 12 valvers may take that as an insult,we love making low rpm power,,I also went to a set of plastic inner wheel liners inside my wheels ,due to my HEAVY right foot(Big Juice Pedal does get used) and the over abundance of Powerlesspukes and Duracraps in my area to terrorize,,Use of the big juice pedal and sudden deceleration stops sometimes are necessary,thus more dust can be a problem,,Earlier and easy if you do not like to shift as far as I'm concerned will help you,, Now tell us the real story,tell us you do not pamper this power horse... ... .

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98, Flame Red, Quad Cab, 2500, 4x4, 5spd, Autometer and Cyberdyne gauges,Edelbrock Performer IAS shocks,TST#10 plate,16cm housing, B-D Exhaust Brake,Timing Advanced,K&N,Totally Amsoiled,Cat Muffler and Silencer ring ALL M. I. A. ,A BOMBING IN THE PROCESS!!

 

[JoeHobart]

Well of course I pamper it. . its only got 800 miles on it! #ad


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Big Fish-2001. 5 2500 QuadLWB 4x4 SLT Black/silver ETH/DEE SnowPlow/Camper/3. 55

 

[jwgary]

Why would you build up more heat applying the brake slowly? Seems to me that you are taking out the same amount of energy (heat) whether breaking hard or light. When you brake light, it gives the rotor more time to cool off. Is the braking efficiency better when you slam it on? I do agree that you should not hold the brake in one spot after coming off the exit ramp (although I usually try to coast all the way to the light and am only running about 30-35 by that time).

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B I G O R A N G E AMBER-FIRE (BURNT ORANGE) / BRITE SILVER 2001(. 5), 2500, SLT, Q-CAB 4x4, SWB, AUTO, 3. 55, LSD, TOWING PACKAGE
ADD-ON'S: LINE-X, 1/4" STEEL LONGHORN HITCH COVER, WESTIN NERF BARS, YELLOW-TOP OPTIMAS

 

[Morphious]

Where did you find an e-brake fro 591? All I have been able to find one for is 665. 00 + shipping, plus they are trying to sell me a kit for another 100bucks to go with it for my 99.

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'99 2500 4x4 QC Std transmission, Purple (usually Mud Red), 10 Disc Changer, 285x75Rx16 BFG Mudders, Amr. Racing Baja Wheels, Gooseneck hitch, 275lb King Klaw front bumper, Towing/Camper packages. DDIII's, Exhaust, TTPM, Boost Module. Fuel Pressure, EGT adn Boost Guages. Mallory Fuel Pump. AGR Beefed up Steering Box. (fastest farm truck around). And can't forget the hydraulic PigSticker.

2001 Yamaha Raptor, dropped tooth on front sprocket, sand skate II tires on rear, CT Racing Exhaust, Pro Flo Air, Hipo Cam, DG Nerf Bars, DuraBlue 2+2 Axle.

1965 Chevy 1/2 ton Pickup, 350-350hp/2spd powerglide, PS, PB, Disc Brakes on the front, Tilt, Fuel Cell, 3. 73 posi.

26ft Gooseneck Flatbed Trailer, 2 horse bumper pull, Round bale Trailer.

1960 Farmal 340 Diesel Tractor.

 

[DCL]

Morphious, give Alex a call at 1-800-559-6698. Great price and service to match!

Chad

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Chad Lemmel

2001 ETH,3500QC,4x4,SLT,6spd,4. 10,White/Agate,Straight Exhaust.

2001. 5 ETC,3500RC,4x4,SLT,5spd,3. 54,Red/Agate,Straight Exhaust.

 

[MikeR]

I use my exhaust brake to slow the rig down,but I very rarely ever down shift to slow/stop the rig. My reason is,I'd rather pull the wheels to change brakes instead of pulling the trans to change a clutch.

-Mike

 

[Hammer]

ARGH!!!!!Pampering it,some body get me some oxygen!!!!

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98, Flame Red, Quad Cab, 2500, 4x4, 5spd, Autometer and Cyberdyne gauges,Edelbrock Performer IAS shocks,TST#10 plate,16cm housing, B-D Exhaust Brake,Timing Advanced,K&N,Totally Amsoiled,Cat Muffler and Silencer ring ALL M. I. A. ,A BOMBING IN THE PROCESS!!

 

[Wiredawg]

Folks:

I drive in DC traffic and we're running 5 to 80 MPH up and own the roads. I use combo of e-brake, downshifting and brakes. Everything seems to work ans wear fine. Plus, I do love the sound of this bad boy coming down thru the gears.

I had a guy driving new Chevy Suburban motion for me to roll window down at red light. He saisd he like the looks and sound of my truck and gave me a thumbs up.

Hooowahh!

Wiredawg

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2000 4X4 SLT QC 8' bed; 6 spd, 3. 54 ; BD exhaust brake and 4" exhaust syst; TST PM2; Airlift Super Duty rear air bags; RS 9000 shocks; pyro/boost gauges in 2 gauge a-pillar mount; back preasure gauge mounted under dash; KN air filter; Brown's Welding brush/grill guard, rear bumper & headache rack; nerf bars and aluminum roll top rear cover, Warn front receiver and Hadley air horns, 20K Reese hitch,Mag-Hytec dif cover,Psycotty Air.

 

[DavidTD]

I agree with the brake early and light. Remember how much power it takes to get these trucks moving when you go to stop it.

I use 5th gear to slow me as I exit the interstate until about 1k rpm then to brakes to stop the truck. Of course with trailer and traffic, it requires more planning. I also ride with the semi's in traffic and creep along with them. These guys keep a steady pace and I find in most cases, I make the same distance with the other fools that are accelerating and stopping in the left lanes. This has worked great for me. 86k miles and I am still on factory brakes. I don';t baby this truck either. It has made many hard stops during this time, I just don't make it the normal.

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David
1998 3500 QC 4x4 5 speed 4:10, 235-85-16, VA CPC via JRE, PS Boost Module, RV 275 injectors, K&N air filter.
And ONE BIG A$$ GRIN.
Emerald Green w/tan leather. B&W turnover ball.
Pre- injectors - 1/4 mile 18. 2 @ 74. 75mph
1999 Exiss 3 horse slant, 4ft midtack, 6ft shortwall dressing.
70k miles as of 6/21/00