Hey all,

My 99 suburban has shit brakes ... the damn thing takes forever to slow down, and it's down right scarry with the trailer. I realize that it will never stop like the race car, but there has to be some decent brake pads available for tow vehicles that will raise my confidence a bit.

So, what is everyone using? Any reccomendations?

Hey all,

My 99 suburban has shit brakes ... the damn thing takes forever to slow down, and it's down right scarry with the trailer. I realize that it will never stop like the race car, but there has to be some decent brake pads available for tow vehicles that will raise my confidence a bit.

So, what is everyone using? Any reccomendations?

Hawk Super Duty. I've used them on an Explorer and and F350. Had friends use them on various GM products, all with great success. Cheers.

does your trailer not have electric brakes? If it does, get an electronic brake controller. It makes quite a difference to using your truck brakes to stop a trailer.

does your trailer not have electric brakes? If it does, get an electronic brake controller. It makes quite a difference to using your truck brakes to stop a trailer.

Uh, yeah. I assumed proper trailer braking was already accomplished. If not definitely do as kenster says. I don't know what the cat's ass is these days for controllers but I used the Tekonsha Prodigy and loved it....in both vehicles.

does your trailer not have electric brakes? If it does, get an electronic brake controller. It makes quite a difference to using your truck brakes to stop a trailer.

Yes, it does, and I have a controller ... That's not the issue :) I just need some good pads for the truck. Will look into the Hawks (figgures they'd make some ... if they're good enough for the race car, why not the truck!)

Yes, it does, and I have a controller ... That's not the issue :) I just need some good pads for the truck. Will look into the Hawks (figgures they'd make some ... if they're good enough for the race car, why not the truck!)

We have a special running on Hawk pads if you are interested. Its 15% off of list price.

We have a special running on Hawk pads if you are interested. Its 15% off of list price.

Do you sell Hawk pads for a 2007 GMC 2500?

Yes, it does, and I have a controller ... That's not the issue :) I just need some good pads for the truck. Will look into the Hawks (figgures they'd make some ... if they're good enough for the race car, why not the truck!)

good to hear that that is in order. Carry on... :)

How about pads for 2003 MB ML500? I'm not complaining about the oem pads, but a little better won't hurt.

Do you sell Hawk pads for a 2007 GMC 2500?

I don't show a listing for a 07 yet. I assume the brakes are different than the 06 models since the new body style?

How about pads for 2003 MB ML500? I'm not complaining about the oem pads, but a little better won't hurt.

Hawk only has pads listed for the ML350 for that year, I assume the brakes are bigger on the ML500?

Hawk only has pads listed for the ML350 for that year, I assume the brakes are bigger on the ML500?
Yes, they are. Perhaps another brand?

2001 Yukon?? Not denali.

Yes, they are. Perhaps another brand?

I will see if Pagid has anything, I only have a BMW price sheet for them.

2001 Yukon?? Not denali.

Is it 4wd? Are the rear brakes disc or drum? Limited slip rear end or open? Chevy/GMC must have made 10 variations of brake setups for these trucks/suvs. ;)

Put a BBK on it. It solves EVERYTHING. Heck it'll probably make your race car go faster too. :thumbup:

I've used PFC for towing applications and they work good too. Plus, just like in a racecar, bleed the brakes (just not as often) with some decent fluid.

Just make sure all of your trailer brakes are working well. Some of them require manual adjustment from time to time. Also, I've had only one trailer brake working because of either broken wires, wore out magnet, wheel bearing seal goes bad (flinging grease all over the inside of the drum) or wore out shoes. You have to jack up each side of the trailer and apply the brakes to make sure they are all working up to their full potential.

I've used a bunch of different pads on my 99 C2500 and the best ones have been carbotech bobcats.

Keeping your rear brakes adjusted helps some. They are supposed to self adjust in normal use but my experience is they dont. Once in a while do a few hard (hard enough engage ABS) stops in reverse to keep them adjusted. If they are really loose you may have to pull them in a bit with the parking brake before you do that to get them to adjust at all.

Is it 4wd? Are the rear brakes disc or drum? Limited slip rear end or open? Chevy/GMC must have made 10 variations of brake setups for these trucks/suvs. ;)

He said its a '99 sub. Its got disks in the fronts and drums rear. I'm pretty sure all the half tons all have the same brakes for '99. On the 3/4 tons the only difference in '99 is whether they have 2.5" or 3.5" drums -- fronts all the same. I'm also pretty sure the only way to be sure which you have is to measure them since the VIN and the RPOs seem to be vague on this aspect.

GM's whole build system (RPOs) is a flipping nightmare. As you said, from year to year things change a lot, and not always in sync with the changes to the sheetmetal.

'01 was the MY Subs got rear disks, along with the new (now old) sheetmetal and the new generation motors (5.3L, 6L, 8.1L). Trucks got all that in '00

Thanks for all the input guys!

He said its a '99 sub. Its got disks in the fronts and drums rear. I'm pretty sure all the half tons all have the same brakes for '99. On the 3/4 tons the only difference in '99 is whether they have 2.5" or 3.5" drums -- fronts all the same. I'm also pretty sure the only way to be sure which you have is to measure them since the VIN and the RPOs seem to be vague on this aspect.

GM's whole build system (RPOs) is a flipping nightmare. As you said, from year to year things change a lot, and not always in sync with the changes to the sheetmetal.

'01 was the MY Subs got rear disks, along with the new (now old) sheetmetal and the new generation motors (5.3L, 6L, 8.1L). Trucks got all that in '00

Its quite the mess from what is listed on the catalog, it even goes as far as if there is a different size rear drum then the front pads are a different shape. Also if you have a limited slip diff the pad shape is different than with an open diff. :help

Its quite the mess from what is listed on the catalog, it even goes as far as if there is a different size rear drum then the front pads are a different shape. Also if you have a limited slip diff the pad shape is different than with an open diff. :help

Jeebus ... I guess I'll take some measurements before I order anything!

I've used a bunch of different pads on my 99 C2500 and the best ones have been carbotech bobcats.

Keeping your rear brakes adjusted helps some. They are supposed to self adjust in normal use but my experience is they dont. Once in a while do a few hard (hard enough engage ABS) stops in reverse to keep them adjusted. If they are really loose you may have to pull them in a bit with the parking brake before you do that to get them to adjust at all.

http://www.praisedynobrake.com/

they have upgrade packages for burbs. very popular with the gmc truck crowd. i did the full front rotor/pad and rear shoe with trick adjuster setup and oversize rear cylinders on my 99 3/4ton burb. made a huge difference in how well it stopped. call them. they know these trucks and will send you the right stuff without getting lost in catalogs.

now, if you want to talk about the total mush pedal feel on gm products, that is another story. even though the pedal felt bad, the truck stopped great.

http://www.praisedynobrake.com/

they have upgrade packages for burbs. very popular with the gmc truck crowd. i did the full front rotor/pad and rear shoe with trick adjuster setup and oversize rear cylinders on my 99 3/4ton burb. made a huge difference in how well it stopped. call them. they know these trucks and will send you the right stuff without getting lost in catalogs.

now, if you want to talk about the total mush pedal feel on gm products, that is another story. even though the pedal felt bad, the truck stopped great.
GM finally figured that out in '05. Test drives pretty much ruled out anything earlier for me.

Keeping your rear brakes adjusted helps some. They are supposed to self adjust in normal use but my experience is they dont. Once in a while do a few hard (hard enough engage ABS) stops in reverse to keep them adjusted. If they are really loose you may have to pull them in a bit with the parking brake before you do that to get them to adjust at all.


I may just have to try that on the white beast. I'm sure it'll be a great story when I have to explain to the officer why I'm doing panic stops in reverse in a molester-van. :buttrock

Another vote for the Hawk SD's here.

-Charlie

I may just have to try that on the white beast. I'm sure it'll be a great story when I have to explain to the officer why I'm doing panic stops in reverse in a molester-van. :buttrock

Another vote for the Hawk SD's here.

-Charlie
"Officer, how else am I going to get out of the school lot quickly?"

Is it 4wd? Are the rear brakes disc or drum? Limited slip rear end or open? Chevy/GMC must have made 10 variations of brake setups for these trucks/suvs. ;)

4wd, 4 way disk, LSD

4wd, 4 way disk, LSD

(Front) HB323.724 - 86.17 - Superduty Compound / 74.92 HPS Compound

(Rear) HB385.640 - - $80.75 HPS Compound (only compound listed for rear)

Prices include shipping.

The brakes on my old '99 Tahoe were complete crap, and I'm guessing the exact same system is on your Suburban, which makes it even worse as the vehicle weighs more. More than once, I warped rotors coming down mountain roads.

I don't think upgraded pads are necessarily going to be your answer, as the rotors themselves are undersized (IMO) and are not able to dissipate heat effectively enough. More aggressive pads are not going to solve that problem, and could make it worse.

I had heard that upgrade kits consisting of Corvette front brakes were out there, but I never got very far investigating it as we got rid of the vehicle not long after we got it.

I think a BBK of some sort is the only true solution. I was always REALLY disappointed in the brakes on that Tahoe - to the point that I thought they were a product liability issue for GM....but it hasn't seemed to have gone there yet.

I have a 01 2500 8.1L (yeah the fuel effiecent one) suburban and my mech replaced the rear disks as they were doing their own cross drilled look, not app to the orig poster since he has drums, but for the rest of you take a look. He said that GM's have a prob with their rear disc quality from the factory, good to know. also check your brake lines as they tend to rust through, go ahead I dare you ask how I know, not happy :mad.

I used the LTS pads by Hawk, (severes are one grade up and tirerack didn't recommend them unless I was only towing with the vehicle all the time) and they stop my 5k open trailer with car on it like no ones business much better than than with the factory pads, don't get the akebono or whatever as they are the factory part and they suck out loud.

The brakes on my old '99 Tahoe were complete crap, and I'm guessing the exact same system is on your Suburban, which makes it even worse as the vehicle weighs more. More than once, I warped rotors coming down mountain roads.

I don't think upgraded pads are necessarily going to be your answer, as the rotors themselves are undersized (IMO) and are not able to dissipate heat effectively enough. More aggressive pads are not going to solve that problem, and could make it worse.

I had heard that upgrade kits consisting of Corvette front brakes were out there, but I never got very far investigating it as we got rid of the vehicle not long after we got it.

I think a BBK of some sort is the only true solution. I was always REALLY disappointed in the brakes on that Tahoe - to the point that I thought they were a product liability issue for GM....but it hasn't seemed to have gone there yet.

the brakes on a 3/4 ton suburban are different than on a tahoe, in 99. although the pedal felt like crap, once i put my foot into the praise dyno pads, rotors and shoes, the thing STOPPED...with a 20ft enclosed trailer behind it. before on the stock setup..stopping was a white knuckled experience.