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Brake upgrades

13K views 55 replies 15 participants last post by  southmike 
#1 ·
Ok guys I am looking to do something with my brakes.... I find they suck and looking for so help. Who has made changes to their brakes and what have you done?
 
#2 ·
Ssb oversize are great but omg expensive.
I like my powerslot and hawk lts combo.gT
 
#4 ·
I have run them on a Camaro but not on my truck. Stopping at 140+ was a whole lot less a** puckering than with the stock brakes:eek:
 
#7 ·
there was a couple of guys with ssbs on here .

what size tires are you gonna run?
 
#9 ·
I am running the SSBC with a 35x12.5x18 KM2. There is an incredible difference over stock. They have already paid for themselves as they kept me out of another trucks tail gate when I wasn't paying close enough attention.:doh:

I also have a full replacement front and rear bumper with a Warn 16.5 so I am a little heavier than stock.
 
#10 ·
There's an oversize brake kit made by ssb thats not listed yet on there website but is sold by a company that's not a sponsor here (I think?)
 
#11 ·
There is also oversized calipers that use stock rotors, and a mod that uses 550 parts.
 
#12 ·
#14 ·
I beleave you need everything, the dust shield, unit bearings, rotors, callipers, and 20" wheels to clear them. but you still can use the same Master cylinder and hydroboost. I saved a link for the info somewere but can't seem to find it. I'll post it up soon as I find it.
EDIT: just found this;
Rotor diameter 13.03" 14.53"
" area 12.40 13.9
" width 1.89 1.81
" thickness 0.47 0.468
Caliper diameter 2.12 2.36
Lining area 49.6 55.6
Swept area/axle 264.48 294.0
 
#16 ·
Has anyone done this swap? If so - I would appreciate any insight into it. Is it front and rears? Any additional info would be great - I am a bit slow when it comes to a lot of this...

Also - anyone who has done this - would 19.5" wheels clear them?

Sam
 
#17 ·
Well looking at NAPA's prices, this is what I got. and it looks like the 350/550 unit bearings have the same part #, so you might not need those. But I did have NAPA list 550 rotors under 350's as a possible otion when I did my brakes last. I'm sure you can get the calliper brackets and dust shield at a junk yard and save a few bucks if you can find them as cheap as the new ones.

Calliper brackets, $15ea
Ultra Pemeum rotors $145ea
Callipers $115ea
 
#18 ·
But will they fit if your running less then a 20" wheel?
 
#26 ·
From what I have read you need 19.5's+ to clear the 14.53 rotors plus calipers.

I dont know if I can post a non sponsor,but I found the name for the big brakes distributor. Critical arent those caliper brackets for the bigger axle in the 550's?
those caliper brackets are for the front, a Dana 60, these trucks didn't come with anything larger than a Dana 60 far as I know. I beleave the 350 caliper bracket wont line up with 550 calipers.

I am not sure of the whole price on the 550 but I do know the rotors and pads is about $500. Pad alone were 100 a set.
But if you need to replace your rotors and pads anyhow the price diff is small. I was thinking about doing this about 2 years ago but desided against it. The reason being was that 20" wheels and the tires that go with them are stupid expensive, expecially compaired to my pay scale in the Army. And 2; the unsprung weight of 20's seems rather high. Wouldn't the weight counter act the increased braking? And 20"s aren't my thing. I was thinking about what is needed to go with the 05+ brakes, I beleave they're 20% larger than 99+-04's, you'll need 17" wheels to clear those. SSBC is way out of my price range but would like to get better stopping. I did the cryo power slots and hawk pads but in less than 6 moths I had crazy runnout on the rotors and the truck was almost undrivable, then I went to NAPA's ultra preamium rotors and hawks, and those seem to work great for the last year+ but I'm only running stock size tires. We'll see how they do in the next few weeks when I get the lift and 35" on. I'm just trying to come up with a game plan for the next time I need to tear into the brakes.
 
#19 ·
I dont know if I can post a non sponsor,but I found the name for the big brakes distributor. Critical arent those caliper brackets for the bigger axle in the 550's?
 
#21 ·
Get a price if you could... With 37's I would love to have my wife be able to stop quicker.
 
#23 ·
I would be interested - but think the 550 route would probably be more economical. I think the breaks on my truck are in need of replacing but not sure how much of that is the condition of brakes or the 19.5s that weigh a quarter ton...

Sam
 
#24 ·
I am not sure of the whole price on the 550 but I do know the rotors and pads is about $500. Pad alone were 100 a set.
 
#25 ·
I put together the following prices (without shipping):

Pads: $20-145 (Hawk $90/Motorcraft $60) x2
Calipers: $53-$110 (Motorcraft $76 or with pads $115) x4
Rotors: $40-$157 (Brembo $40/Motorcraft $105) x 4

So without dustshield, unit bearings, or anything that wasn't listed you would be at $880 to do all 4 corners with Motorcraft Parts (without checking with Sunrise - site sponsor) - and you could always do it MUCH cheaper with non-OEM parts ($412).

I would be shocked (pleasently) if the SSBC group buy price would come close to touching that with new pads, rotors, and calipers.

Sam
 
#28 ·
That still seems like a good price, from what I remember three years ago at least I got quoted 2600 ish for all four, then there was a need for new rims.
At the time everyone said you need hub centric rims and they were fugly, like fell off a haul truck fugly.
 
#30 ·
I remember thinking about the whole swap one time because the newer 550 and 450 out turn me. Then there is the whole 19.5 rim deal etc so I buried the idea. I would go ssb or raul deal for now.
 
#31 ·
I have used both powerslot and EBC and for me EBC was better. They were on two different trucks but same models.

I would go with:

SSBC Force 10 V8 calipers front and rear
EBC 3GD Rotors (they are slotted and dimpled)
EBC Yellow pads
SS hoses replacement
ATE Super blue or other top end brake fluid


But honestly anyone not happy with their brake performance if you have not done a full brakes fluid flush and swapped over to SS hide do that first. Everytime you experience any brake fade it means you burnt the fluid at the caliper. You need to bleed that amount out or you will continue to have reduced perf. For heavy use you should be doing complete brake system flush once a year. Many find a big jump in brake perf from just doing that.

I want the coil front as well I am eventually doing a 550 front axle swap and will likely do A caliper upgrade on the rear if i find the need.
 
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