Truck brakes upgrade???

[slonezp]

Anyone do an aftermarket upgrade on rotors. Drilled and slotted rotors worth it? Looking at PowerStop https://www.powerstop.com/ but I'm open to suggestions. Would just be rotors and pads. The upgrade kits come with new stainless steel hardware for the existing calipers. I won't be upgrading calipers. PowerStop claims "dust free" ceramic pads. I take that with a grain of salt. I'm not happy with the premium pads or fleet pads from Goodyear. Brakes work fine but the dust is ridiculous. I'd also like to get away from replacing rotors every 60K if that's possible. I'd be happy to get at least 1 pad change in between complete brake jobs. 

[Woody B]

I put "R1 Concepts" brakes and rotors on my Titan.  I didn't do a bunch of research.  For some reason that's the brand I picked off Amazon.  I suspect many of the "kits" are all made in the same factory.  The stuff is all made in China but most of the brake stuff is made there now.  I've got 10,000 miles on them now with no problems.    It took 25,000 miles to develop pulsations with the original rotors, and after machining them.   My original brakes weren't worn out.  I had machined the rotors a couple times due to pulsations and it was time to replace them.  The dust is about the same as the factory pads.  (not too bad)   FWIW 97,000 miles when I installed the brakes, 107,000 now.

 

If anyone just needs pads "Napa Adaptive One" are quite, low dust and long lasting.  We put them on our problem cars at work.  (I'm an auto tech)

[DaubsNU1]

Good buddy is service manager at local dealership. His opinion, go with OEM. 

 

Most, if not all of the aftermarket stuff, is no better than OEM...sometimes worse. 

 

And, check with dealership...many times they will offer limited warranty on OEM parts. 

[MN Fisher]

^ Local guy I go to for all my work has owned an independent repair shop for 30 years...so he's beholden to no one brand.

 

His recommendation is to go OEM when ever possible...only go aftermarket if you can't find an OEM part (he works on some really old vehicles occasionally)

[Jmilburn76]

My wife is pretty hard on brakes so when she wore down the stock pads on her new Wrangler I replaced them and the rotors with Powerstop. They have been great for almost three years now. 

[Deephaven]

Drilled and slotted is silly for a street car and often even a track car.  Tons of OEM brake parts are crap and lots are great.  If you want to get rid of the dusting oem won't be the choice.  Everything is a tradeoff though so depends on what your goals are.  Long lasting is a how you drive thing not what parts you buy...

[TOXIC]

2016 Silverado, 5.3, 1/2 ton.  I pull 2 boats all over the east coast.  A 21 foot Ranger dual axle and a 20 foot Ranger dual axle.  Decided to upgrade my brakes at 75k.  It’s got 91k on it now.  I went with the Powerstop pads and slotted rotors.  I have been very happy with them.  Less dust and waaaay better stopping power from my oem setup.  I also flushed the brake fluid at the same time.  I would highly recommend you do that as well.  I had a brake line failure on my last truck a 2004, 3/4 ton from the line rusting from the inside out.  Almost put the truck and trailer in the Potomac river.  

[TnRiver46]

I need new rotors but mine have 160k miles on them, I drive grandpa style 

 

@TOXIC is gonna install them out in the work parking lot tomorrow 😂 

[TOXIC]

I had a very slight vibration braking from hiway speeds.when we examined the pads and rotors, both were as expected from age and wear.  Could have probably gone another 25-30k but I wasn’t happy with the stopping power from the oem setup.  These weren’t bad to change out.  The ones on my 3/4 ton HD were a bear.  And another tip from experience, break them in by the book.  Do exactly as they instruct.  It sets the bar for the lifespan of the setup.  

[spartyon8]

I have had PowerStop drilled/slotted rotors on my Tundra for roughly 70,000 and other than new pads am extremely happy with them. Unfortunately, I did replace the rear rotors with stock due to a stuck caliper. Otherwise the truck would still have them on the rear. 

[slonezp]

Another question.

Ceramic

Carbon fiber ceramic

Semi-metallic

I'm thinking semi-metallic???

[GReb]

Akebono full ceramics. Best overall daily driver/light duty pad on market for under $100 per set. 

[MyKeyBe]

Raybestos element 3 hybrid. Semi metallic/ceramic hybrid. The coated rotors seem pretty good too. Only had them for a little over a month but their quite, minimal dusting, pretty inexpensive, and they grab. So far the rotors have no rust. Opinions might change after a winter with them though. No experience with the akebonos that Greb suggested but they where on my short list and they come highly rated as well.