Gmt900 Brake Job

DFWSierra · October 16, 2009

I currently have 43,000 miles on my NNBS Sierra. It had brake shutter the day I bought it used with 38,000 miles. It seems to be getting worse lately. So what has everyone contributed the bad brakes on the GMT900 trucks to? Is it bad OEM brake pads or bad rotors? I have 3 options that I have been considering and wonder what everyone else has done.

Option #1: Replace the factory brake pads with aftermarket.

Option #2: Have factory rotors turned and replace factory brake pads with aftermarket.

Option #3: Replace rotors with Slotted and drilled with aftermarket brake pads.

Keep in mind I want the new brakes to last awhile. I plan on keeping this truck until at least 100-120K miles.

Mattallica · October 16, 2009

On my 08...the rotors started grooving at about 15k...they said there was a TSB and that it was fine.So I waited until 35k and went back in and they said the same thing ...I called BS and said the rotors were warped and it wasn't 'fine'.

I dont drive my truck any harder than any other vehicle I have ever owned...and IMO factory rotors and pads are crap..............so is the bumper2bumper 36k warranty that GM advertises.

The pads are a 'wear item' and so they turned the rotors for 'free' under warranty...but I had to pay for the pads and installation..............$172.50????????!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought new rotors and pads for my wifes full size SUV and it only cost $125 to do it myself.

So to answer your question .....from my experience

I've had good luck with aftermarket rotors and pads from advance auto.Nobody around here turns rotors anymore...so the only option is to buy new.Might want to look into that where you live.

I had drilled/slotted rotors on my 9c1 caprice for years and they were awesome....hard braking never warped the rotors...pads seemed to last long enough...but I dont know if the rotors can be resurfaced.I have drums on the rear of my silverado so I figured they would be kinda useless overall

mhenshaw · October 16, 2009

I'm about to buy brakes for mine too, it has 56000. I'm going to get Hawk brake pads and Power Slot rotors. The slotted rotors will not tear up the brake pads as fast as the drilled and slotted. I am going to get them from autoanything.com when they do 15% off and free ship.

I'm with you I dont want to cheap out, and I dont mind spending a hundred bucks more for some performance brakes.

Daryl LBZ · October 16, 2009

On my 08...the rotors started grooving at about 15k...they said there was a TSB and that it was fine.So I waited until 35k and went back in and they said the same thing ...I called BS and said the rotors were warped and it wasn't 'fine'.
I dont drive my truck any harder than any other vehicle I have ever owned...and IMO factory rotors and pads are crap..............so is the bumper2bumper 36k warranty that GM advertises.

The pads are a 'wear item' and so they turned the rotors for 'free' under warranty...but I had to pay for the pads and installation..............$172.50????????!!!!!!!!!!!

I bought new rotors and pads for my wifes full size SUV and it only cost $125 to do it myself.

So to answer your question .....from my experience

I've had good luck with aftermarket rotors and pads from advance auto.Nobody around here turns rotors anymore...so the only option is to buy new.Might want to look into that where you live.

I had drilled/slotted rotors on my 9c1 caprice for years and they were awesome....hard braking never warped the rotors...pads seemed to last long enough...but I dont know if the rotors can be resurfaced.I have drums on the rear of my silverado so I figured they would be kinda useless overall

I like the drums, you would be suprised how much better the news ones with drums stop compared to my dads 99 with 4 wheel disc. As for my brakes they have 7,500 miles on them and the rotors are warped already and the dealer told me Wednesday that the pads were 50% worn already! I don't brake hard at all, and I find this to be garbage. My 05 was the same way when I bought it with 17,000 miles on it. I put Powerslot Slotted Rotors on it and that solved the problem. I will be doing the same with this truck too.

Sir Dan · October 16, 2009

I like the drums, you would be suprised how much better the news ones with drums stop compared to my dads 99 with 4 wheel disc.

UH OH...I feel another drums vs. discs brawl coming on!!

pm26 · October 16, 2009

Summary: GM has been using substandard, low quality brake components on their full size trucks. At least since 2004.

dlstewart01 · October 16, 2009

Summary: GM has been using substandard, low quality brake components on their full size trucks. At least since 2004.

At least for the rotors. OEM rotors are not very good. Mine warped early on. I replaced them with Power-Slots and have had zero brake issues sinse.

mhenshaw · October 16, 2009

Summary: GM has been using substandard, low quality brake components on their full size trucks. At least since 2004.

At least for the rotors. OEM rotors are not very good. Mine warped early on. I replaced them with Power-Slots and have had zero brake issues sinse.

What kind of brake pads do you use with your Power-slot rotors? And how long do they last?

pm26 · October 16, 2009

Summary: GM has been using substandard, low quality brake components on their full size trucks. At least since 2004.

At least for the rotors. OEM rotors are not very good. Mine warped early on. I replaced them with Power-Slots and have had zero brake issues sinse.

Mine have not warped, but one started grooving practically from day one.

DFWSierra · October 16, 2009

My 99 had 130,000 miles on the original brake pads and never had any shutter or squeal the day I sold it. I guess GM figured out they were making their brakes last to long and went the cheap route around 2003 or 2004.

I think slotted and drilled rotors are probably a little over kill on a daily driven crew cab. But I was looking at brakeperformance.com.

Link. Their dimpled and slotted rotors come with free pads for only $226 for pair. The problem is they might come with crappy pads that will eat up the new rotors. Or get there slotted rotors for $175 pair and throw probably some Hawk pads on them. Or go with plain rotors for $133 pair.

EBC dimpled and slotted are $254 pair from summit.

Powerslot rotors are $244 pair from autoanything.

I really dont know which one to go with at this point.

BurroWDMS · October 16, 2009

Dimpled, slotted, drilled, with little tiny pink polka dots and a bow around them rotors are total and utter BS.

Get yourself some quality standard plain solid rotors (NAPA Ultra Premium, an American made heavy rotor), some heavy duty pads (NAPA Severe Duty is a *great* pad) and be happy No I don't work for NAPA, but I've had great luck with them.

Think of it this simple way. Brakes work by friction. Surface area = king. Start slotting and drilling away surface area, you're gonna lose contact surface. Don't buy in to the hype.

My .02. Take it for what it's worth...

dlstewart01 · October 16, 2009

Summary: GM has been using substandard, low quality brake components on their full size trucks. At least since 2004.

At least for the rotors. OEM rotors are not very good. Mine warped early on. I replaced them with Power-Slots and have had zero brake issues sinse.

What kind of brake pads do you use with your Power-slot rotors? And how long do they last?

At the time the only pads avaleable were the stock ones. GM changed the pad design for 2005. Hawk had not started making them yet. Neither had EBC. I used stocks pads and they are still on there. They have not worn out yet.

pm26 · October 16, 2009

It is important that a rotor or a drum be properly balanced. This is commonly done by machining a piece of metal out of the rotor on its edge near the center of the casting. In the past they typically spot welded weights to brake drums. Now I noticed they balance them pretty much like rotors - by machining some metal out of them in a non critical area.

Do not buy rotors or drums for these trucks if they show no evidence of having been balanced. They are large components and nearly all will require some metal removal from the heaviest part to be properly balanced. Cheap Chinese made rotors or drums are almost never balanced and they perform accordingly.

dlstewart01 · October 16, 2009

The reason I went with Power-Slots is I had them on another truck. They held up better than any rotors I have had before. Hardly any ware and never warped. The ones I have now have been on there four years and are holding up very well.

IceCactus · October 16, 2009

I had to redo mine at 33,000. My rotors were warped. I told the dealer about it, they said its a wear item and not under warranty after 12k. I said its bs and that i baby the truck and hardly use the brakes. He went on about how hard braking cuases warping etc even though i told him i baby the truck, i could tell he didnt believe me. When they tore it apart, he said i had 9mm out of 10mm left of the bads.

I Ended up doing the brake job myself (Old pads looked brand new) and getting the dimpled and slotted rotors from brakeperformance. THey seem to work well, but i wouldnt recommend the free pads. Mine squeak like a bitch and the rotor doesnt look very smooth. I got the metallic ones though as i tow a small camper (has its own brakes) and i wanted the better braking of metallic over ceramic.