OT Opinions on good brakes for my truck?

I know this is OT but this IS my tractor hauler so it is somewhat related. I've been figuring that my truck (2000 Silverado 4x4) will be due for fresh brakes for sometime now and today I got down and checked them out. Rears should be fine till spring but the pads on the front are down to about 3/16" so I'm thinking I should get a new set on there next chance I get. I'm curious about your guys opinions on the best brake parts, I've always had good luck with napa and they seem to be high quality parts. The braking power has never really been what I thought it should ever since I got. I mean I've driven a few other trucks bigger than mine and the would stop better. I may replace the calipers as well to see if that will help. So in a nut shell are there any pads and rotors that perform better than others? And is there anything else I should look at performance wise as far as brakes go? Thanks in advance. Mike

I've had good luck with raybestos super-stop brake parts (their top of the line friction material). They grab much better than stock. Or, just go and buy the parts from your dealer....that way you know it will stop like when it was new! And opt for the slotted rotors if you can (ACDELCO Part # 18A1008). They will help with long hard stops as they will relieve the gases that can form between then friction material and the rotor.

And of course, stay away from any brake part that says "made in china."

I'd suggest going with the good grade stuff from NAPA. They generally have three grades depending on the warranty... The best one will probably cost you as much as a dealer though, so price around.
The cheap NAPA stuff isn't worth your time or effort to install.
If the caliper pistons seem good and free you can get by with a new hardware kit on them. Otherwise, replace them, the pads, the hardware kits and the rotors.
The only way I wouldn't replace everything is if it was a very new vehicle that had miles put on it quick. Once stuff starts rusting and corroding, you never get it back to where it should be...
What I've seen on my own rigs is that it's more the corrosion that gets that stuff than actual wear.

Rod

Either the high grade NAPA stuff, or Wagner. Had good luck and service out of both. China brake parts, especially rotors, arent even worth their weight in scrap.

When I replaced the brakes on my little Dodge Dakota, I installed Bendix SUV pads, that I got from advance auto. These have been so much better then the stock pads it is unbelievable. They are also wearing faster, but the truck will stop so much smoother and faster it is well worth the faster wear.
Lou

I would almost advise AGAINST getting slotted or drilled rotors on your truck, especially if you drive it in the winter, or through the fields on the farm. They're great in the summer, and on higher-performance vehicles, but I'd argue that the slight performance gain you'd see on your truck would be negated by the fact that you'd need to replace rotors nearly yearly, not so much due to wear, but due to slotted/drilled rotors rusting a LOT faster than their non-modified counterparts. The fact you can't turn them like you can solid rotors hinders things a bit, too.

I've heard nothing but good things about Napa's line of brake parts. They'd be my first stop if I was in your shoes.

I've always been pleased with Napa brake components. I do always have my brakes done at a shop. For years I just thought that aftermarket brakes werent as good as origional. The shop I get now sizes shims to what he turns the rotors as opposed to not shimming the pads. Makes a huge difference.

I always use the cheapest stuff I can find. I turn rotors undersize too. No problems so far. I think you will find the pads that give the best breaking are not the ones that last the longest. I wonder if something else may be wrong with your breaks. My co worker has a 2000 Yukon that has enough brakes that, sans seat belts, can but the passangers throught the front window. Is your truck a 1/2 ton...3/4 ? How much weight do you hook to it ?

Accually, they would help stop the truck better when hauling. I noticed a 40 -60 ft shorter distance UNLOADED, 15 - 25 ft loaded, on my 99 Z71 with them.Mine were drilled and slotted, using Raybestos pads. The pads lasted much longer, ALMOST justifying the extra expence.

Pretty much all of the AC Delco rotors say "made in china" on the box now and the price went up !

Oh that's nice. That's why I stick with Raybestos, but even that's a pig and poke.

Raybestous Quiet Stop ceramic from Rockauto.com. Replace the rotors at the same time from the selection at Rockauto.com.

I've got a '97 Ram 1500 4x4. Last year I installed drilled-slotted rotors and ceramic pads (front wheels only). Bought them from JC Whitney. I forget the price, but it was equivant to a conventional set at one of the chain autoparts stores.

I do notice less brake fade when braking hard. I live in the rust belt and have not had any issues after 1 winter.

NAPA= Raybestos, CarQuest I beleive is Bendix, if you get the high grade stuff (usually the "Blue" box program rather than the red) you're pretty much getting the same stuff from all... The 'Quiet Stop' mentioned earlier is good stuff

I always recommend the Ceramic upgrade- better stopping, particularly when hot, and longer life plus less noise. Calipers? clean the slides, but otherwise if they aint broke don't fix or replace 'em- OE seems much better than most stuff off the shelf. Rotors? If they are in spec and have low runout, I don't machine them on my own cars/trucks- most should be machined on the car/ truck now due to bearing stack anyway ( I could go on and on about machining rotors).

FYI- 108k or my 2500hd and brakes are still fat front and rear. OE brakes last MUCH longer than the replacements.

also FYI- If you have rear discs, make sure you check the parking brake shoes inside the rotor hat - these are notorious for coming apart (esp in Fords)

Top of the line Bendix.

Your truck may of just been ordered "cheap" if the brakes don't seem as strong as other simimlar sized trucks. Regardless if Ford, GM, or Dodge, there are several optional brake packages available when you buy a new truck. Brakes get bigger and stronger as the GVRW goes up - and much depends on exactly what you have. If you have small brakes, you're not going to gain much by changing quality of the brake pads and/or shoes.

In regard to price versus quality - and getting what you pay for? I don't believe it. A good friend of mine owns a NAPA store and we've had many discussions on the subject. Some of the "econmomy" NAPA stuff is excellent quality, and some of NAPA's highest price parts are crap. Price does NOT guarantee quality.

If you buy a longer lasting ceramic or metallic pad and/or shoe - the material lasts longer, some throw off less debris, have less fade under heat, but wear the metal parts out faster (disks and drums). Buy a soft organic-based lining - and metal parts last much longer - but the brakes glaze fast if you get them hot.

If you do a lot of serious towing, and your brakes make you nervous - you need a different truck - OR - and upgrade to a better brake system.

I recently upgraded my W250 Dodge diesel truck - but mostly because Dodge made it easy for me. It came OEM as an 8510 lb. GVRW truck. Rear brake shoes were 2 1/2" wide by 12" diameter - but . . . came with 3 1/2" wide drums. So, upgrading only needed larger-bore wheel cylinders and new 3" X 12" shoes. Worked nicely.

With your truck - check you GM RPO code-decal. It will tell you what brake system your truck presently has. Probably a JC4 of JC5 unless it's a real heavy rig.

J1F : BRAKE PROVISION SPECIAL TO SUIT FOREIGN REGULATION
J41 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON
J42 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, ALUMINUM
J50 : BRAKE SYSTEM, POWER
J52 : FRONT DISC BRAKES
J55 : BRAKE SYSTEM, HEAVY DUTY
J56 : SPECIAL HEAVY DUTY BRAKE PACKAGE
J61 : DRUM BRAKES
J65 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT & RR DISC
J81 : INDICATOR SWITCH, EXPORT
J85 : BRAKE SYSTEM, PWR, FRT & RR DISC
JA1 : BRAKE, LIGHT WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JA2 : BRAKE, HEAVY WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JA3 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, WAGON DISC DRUM
JA4 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON
JA5 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, SPORT COUPE DISC DRUM
JA6 : BRAKE, EXTRA LIGHT WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JA7 : HANDLE, PARK BRAKE RELEASE, LEATHER
JA8 : BRAKE, MEDIUM WEIGHT DISC DRUM
JAF : BRAKE, PROVISIONS EUROPE
JB1 : BRAKE, MANUAL, DISC/DRUM, 4300 LBS
JB3 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DRUM, 4600 LBS
JB5 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DRUM, 6400 LBS
JB6 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 7200 LBS
JB7 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 8400 L85
JB8 : 8RAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 10000 LBS
JC4 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC, DRUM 5600 LBS
JC5 : BRAKE, VAC POWER, 4-WHEEL DISC, 7200 LBS
JC7 : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DRUM, 12000 LBS
JCB : BRAKE, POWER, DISC/DISC, 20000 LBS
JD3 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, DISC/DRUM
JD5 : BRAKE, DUAL POWER, DISC/DRUM, 6400 LBS
JD6 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, DISC/DRUM, 7200 LBS
JD7 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, DISC/DRUM, 8400 LBS
JE1 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, EUROPE
JE5 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR, ANTILOCK, FRT & RR WHL
JF9 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, 4 WHEEL DISC
JG1 : SHAFT, PROP, ALUMINUM
JH5 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, 4-WHEEL DISC, 7200 LBS
JH6 : BRAKE, HYD POWER, 4-WHEEL DISC, 9900 LBS
JL2 : BRAKE, FRT DISC, SINGLE PISTON
JL4 : ACTICE HANDLING
JL6 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, MAN, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON
JL8 : FRONT & REAR DISC BRAKES
JL9 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR, FRT a RR OISC, ANTILOCK, FRT W
JM3 : BOOSTER, BRAKE, 240MM TANDEM, HIGH FLOW
JM4 : BRAKE, SYSTEM, PWR, FRT DISC, RR DRUM, CAST IRON,
JM5 : BOOSTER, BRAKE, 200MM TANDEM, HIGH FLOW
JM7 : BOOSTER, BRAKE HYD HI PERF, DELCO-MORAINE
JM8 : BRAKE SYSTEM PWR, FRT DISC RR DRUM, ALUMINUM,