Help! Smoked my heavy duty brakes!

[JJudy]

Anyone know of brake upgrades for an 03 2500HD. I drive a mountain road daily and always run into sports cars who think they can out run me. I have plenty of power to stick with them and pass but the truck is very heavy and I overheat them frequently. The last time I came to the bottom of the mountain I had smoke coming from my brakes rising above the truck. I have cooling ducts like the SRT10 but that still is not enough.



Thanks in advance,

Jason

 

[Got Smoke?]

:--) two words: EXHAUST BRAKE! ... . either that or the next time you may lose all braking and run into something!

 

[GSherrill]

How about, stop trying to stay with Sports cars, the fact that you smoke your brakes says you are doing somthing your truck isnt meant to do. I understand having your ego saying my truck can stay with that car, but it cant, you are pushing it in turns and on downhills, acceleration is one thing, having the whole package is another. I'd say you are asking for an accident.



Just my personal opinion.

 

[Bertram65]

Baer makes replacement 3rd gen performance rotors, http://www.baer.com and Perforance Friction makes high performance pads for the 3rd gens, http://www.performancefriction.com These are the only ones I have heard of though there may be others.

 

[bmoeller]

I'm with GS. That is stupid behavior.



And the potential Darwin Award nominee is... .....

 

[BHolm]

Since I live right in the mountains, I do a lot of steep road driving as well. If you heated the brakes to the point of smoking them please let me know where you drive so I can avoid you. It is just plain foolish behavior to run a 7000lb truck that hard. Vehicular Manslaughter is a very real concept you should consider.



If you want to run with sports cars, BUY ONE.



To properly do the brakes to the specs you seem to desire, plan on larger wheels to fit them behind as well. So you really need about $2500 in brake parts from Brembo or Alcon, they can make them to fit for you, and probably a set of wheels at least 18"s probably 20's. So there is another at least $2000... . or you could just slow down.

 

[DPKetchum]

I think I'd change the brake fliud now.

 

[SHyans]

Oh yeah, and welcome to TDR! :-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf

 

[nauidvr1]

Anyone know of brake upgrades for an 03 2500HD. I drive a mountain road daily and always run into sports cars who think they can out run me. I have plenty of power to stick with them and pass but the truck is very heavy and I overheat them frequently. The last time I came to the bottom of the mountain I had smoke coming from my brakes rising above the truck. I have cooling ducts like the SRT10 but that still is not enough.



Thanks in advance,

Jason

Jason,

On my 2nd Gen gasser I had all kind of brake problems and ended up contacting EGR Performance Brakes



They make a good replacement/upgrade system with several options starting at about $1100 for our trucks. The system also includes the Motul high temp brake fluid. This was one of the best braking enhancements I had ever done to my truck (and my buddy's) and really made it perform (stop) as good or better than the new 3rd Gen braking systems. However, by the sound of things, you may be needing more stopping power than that.



NAUIdvr1

 

[DPKetchum]

Porsche makes a good braking system.

 

[KevinO]

I didn't know TDR was full of so many lawyer/interest groups here.

 

[BHolm]

I've got the heaviest Porsche made, the Cayenne at over 5000lbs. The smallest wheel diameter that clears the brakes is an 18". The front calipers are 6 piston, 4 piston rears. This is a "truck" I am comfortable barreling down a mountain road in. Even those impressive brakes would have a hard time with 2000 extra pounds



I'm no lawyer or special interest, but I know from years of running cars on racetracks that it takes some serious pushing to "smoke" brakes. So, on one hand, congratulations to JJudy for finding the trucks limits, few would ever be bold enough to go that far. I don't think it is a stretch to suggest that the reasonable and prudent among us would find that driving style very excessive. With smoke rolling off, you have simply pushed too hard regardless of the venue. One more good push could have boiled the fluid. Believe me, I had it happen once on a track, scared the willys out of me. On a public road..... I suggest taking the hint the truck was giving you.

 

[bmoeller]

I didn't know TDR was full of so many lawyer/interest groups here.

I'm not any of the above. It's called being responsible.



If you were alone and you want to be stupid, fine. Thining the herd of idiot drivers won't hurt my feelings any. But could just as easily be surprised by someone coming around a corner and slide into them... .

 

[KevinO]

There is a time and place for everything but nobody but the guy asking about better brakes knows exactly the situation it may have been a mile straight down. I think it far worse for guys to load their trucks up beyond GVWR and put tons of power so they can pull it doing 90. I've never pushed my truck close to either but would have never thought you could smoke these brakes without some serious extra weight on the truck.

 

[Diesel Nut]

All I know is it took a 5000# slide in and 285's + a 14% (NO JOKE) slope about a mile long to smoke the brakes on my 02 2500. Nver been more scared in my life. Slow down man, It ain't worth hurtin your truck. My peddalwent to the floor ant the truck was gaining speed and the engine was overrunning gears!! If you find out what THAT feels like on a bunch of hairpins and noway out you'll drive like a granny in the hills, believe me!! Exhaust brake would have helped me, I don't think it will hepl you. Restraint is a beautiful and honorable thing.

 

[timjones]

Jason,

Cross drill the rotors, Change the calipers, Change the brake fluid to high temp stuff and goto Ceramic pads.



http://www.baer.com

http://www.performancefriction.com

http://www.brembo.com/ENG



By the way guys, He asked about brake upgrades, not how to drive like a blue hair. Also its not real hard to get these brakes good and toasty with out trying hard. A coupla (4 or 5) near max slow downs will do it. Your generating a hole lot of heat to slow down 7000 lbs.

 

[Diesel Nut]

But ... .

I see your point and agree completely, I think some of us were trying to show that the brakes weren't in need of upgrading so much as the drivers need to use them. Just my 2 cents.

 

[JJudy]

Thanks for all your positive input and ideas. I needed to know who had some aftermarket brake stuff for the truck and you guys have pointed me in the right direction.



Appreciate the help,

Jason

 

[BHolm]

Poor advice to run cross drilled rotors if the truck is ever going to see gravel roads or off-road. Rocks WILL get stuck on the holes and tear up everything. Slotted rotors are a better compromise and perform much the same function. Porsche uses cross drilled rotors on pretty much every car they sell. They do not however come on the Cayenne, even the 450hp twin turbo model. The reason is because the truck was designed for off-road use and the above mentioned reason is why they didn't use cross drilled rotors.



Also, DO NOT actually buy rotors that have been drilled. The good "holy rotors" have holes that were cast in, not drilled. Drilling them will weaken the rotor and it removes mass form the rotor which is what you need. Simply drilling a stock rotor will decrease your rotors ability to absorb heat. You need a larger heavier heat sink, ie; bigger rotors.



Since you are obviously going to do this, the first two changes would be to a better pad, the stockers were not meant for what you are doing. Expect some brake squeal though, there is a price for the perfomance. Then go to a high temp brake fluid. You might be surprised what those two simple, inexpensive changes will make.

 

[WalterJ]

Baer makes replacement 3rd gen performance rotors, Baer Brakes and Perforance Friction makes high performance pads for the 3rd gens, Performance Friction - Brake Pads, Rotors and Calipers for Racing, Street and Fleet Applications These are the only ones I have heard of though there may be others.

I would suggest looking at BrakePerformance.com; and they are are MADE IN THE USA!!! Very reasonable pricing including shipping. My rotors were machined to order.