Brakes Insufficient?

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · January 21, 2015

I can understand that any improvement helps because I'm sure some accidents could have been avoided if one of them had better brakes or maintained the brakes better. ME going from a 98 Silverado with really bad brakes to my '14 and also having a CDL class A license I've learned to look further ahead at traffic. I know sometimes someone will cut you off or something like that, but right now I think the brakes on mine are great after over 9,000 miles. Maybe if I drove heavy traffic on an almost daily basis then I would think different, but I've driven in heavy traffic and they seemed to do fine. Are there trucks with better stock brakes? I'm sure, but do they need to be better? I don't think so. Someone mentioned changing the rubber hoses to steel braided and that makes since for quicker response and it shouldn't cost that much. Now if I had planed on lifting it and all then ya I would somehow upgrade the brakes, but I don't plan on lifting it.

EaZ8 · January 21, 2015

I dont blaim ya.

I know the dealer can upgrade my pads so i may switch to EBC grèenstuff under their warranty if i pay the difference and the do the braided lines.

What did the wilwood complete setup run you? I looked at it a cpuple yra ago fpr the cts and it was about 1500 or 2k ish.

Spurshot · January 21, 2015

I honestly can't recall exactly. It was just over $2k. I figured it like buying a cat back, CAI, and a tune. I know it's not going be as popular to spend money to slow down as it is to spend the same $ to go faster. But I'm old. I need to make up for my slow reaction time compared to you wet wicks. Nobody wants an old fart to drive fast.

high country · January 21, 2015

Thinking back to your close call would you blame it on driver error or equipment failure? I don't see these trucks rear ending other vehicles all the time so I believe it was driver error, following to close or distracted driving. I am real close to 60 so yes I know our reaction times are off a tic.

WendysOrBust · January 21, 2015

I've never had any issues with the brakes fading and would think that a truck designed for towing and hauling weight would have a brake system more than capable of day to day driving. My issue, as well as others is that the pedal feel is off and "spongy" to say the least.

gnet158 · January 21, 2015

Looks like the brakes on the 2014-15 are just as bad as the previous gen. One thing that helps (my 2012 with stupid drum rears) is having them adjusted. Not sure if the same applies to the news disk rears. The best brakes I had were on my 2002 Sierra X-cab, I was running 35' tires using a 6' suspension lift and 3' body lift, disks all around and I NEVER had to replace the rear pads, only did fronts once, and she had 110,000+ miles on her. So that tells me GM got cheap with their parts.

My 2008 Sierra with factory 20' chewed thru pads and rotors

My 2012 I replaced the pads at 31k, replaced pads and rotors at 50k

So well see.

high country · January 21, 2015

The brakes took a little to get used to, and with these new trucks riding so nice and so quiet inside I find myself going faster than I think I am, hence it takes a little more whoa peddle than my mind thinks it will. Having owned 1978,188,1989, 1990, 2002 2006 2009, which had 80K on the original brakes and less than 1/4 worn and 2012 full size trucks before this one plus working on them since 73 I think they all performed as designed, they are not sports cars and will never stop like one unless you think you need to spend 5K on upgrades that will add minimal improvements. If your truck doesn't stop correctly there is something wrong with it and a good technician can fix it.

MattUofM · January 21, 2015

i have no complaints with my breaks. as i recall reading somewhere, the sierra/silverado had one of the best 60-0 braking distances of the half ton trucks out right now. and this is coming from a guy that was spoiled by driving an evo with awesome brembo's for 5 years

WendysOrBust · January 21, 2015

I really like my brakes to have a good initial bite, I would be really interested to see how the trucks react to aftermarket brake pads. I generally stay with OEM's as they tend to last longest, quietest, and have the overall best performance. EBC, Hawk all make aftermarket brake pads. Usually the trade off to better braking is, more dust, and more noise. If anyone has any experience with said above please say something.

I personally have had great experience with Hawk Pads before. I ran an Daily Driver/Auto-X STS Class car on Hawk HP-Plus pads. These had fantastic initial bite when cold and overall dramatically improved brake performance. The only draw back was that they squealed during daily driving, which was only an issue when coming to a stop or for example; were driving around a parking lot.

Hawk offers two different series for our trucks;

High Performance Street

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance-street/pads/high-performance-street

Key Features
- Increased stopping power 
- High friction/torque hot or cold
- Gentle on rotors 
- Extended pad life 
- Low dust 
- Virtually noise-free 
- Ideal for import and domestic automobiles

Fronts-

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance-street/pads/hb561f710

Rears-

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance-street/pads/hb568f666

LTS Light Duty Truck and Suv

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance-street/pads/light-truck-suv

Key Features
- Designed for large brake systems found on full-size trucks
- Engineered using technology from Fleet & Military applications
- Ferro-Carbon friction material delivers more braking power and fade resistance than OE pads
- Low dust
- Excellent pad and rotor life
- Virtually noise-free
- Ideal for import and domestic full-size trucks, vans and SUV’s (1/2 ton) with moderate towing and hauling duty

Fronts-

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance-street/pads/hb561y710

Rears-

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance-street/pads/hb568y666

WendysOrBust · January 21, 2015

i have no complaints with my breaks. as i recall reading somewhere, the sierra/silverado had one of the best 60-0 braking distances of the half ton trucks out right now. and this is coming from a guy that was spoiled by driving an evo with awesome brembo's for 5 years

Well that is a weird symptom that the Sierra/Silverados have had and it is visible in various aspects of the truck. If you look at the 0-60 times for the 5.3 they are really good and it stacks up really well versus the competition. Yet the truck still struggles with poor partial throttle performance under anything below WOT. Same with the brakes, the truck produces great 60-0 braking numbers yet produces a soft brake pedal feel and poor initial bite. Both have been commented on by several magazine reviews, threads on this board, and myself.

It doesn't make the truck a terrible truck by any means or would cause me to file a complaint. Just minor issues that can be resolved.

rdsaustintx · January 21, 2015

I have been driving pickups for 37 years (across four manufacturers). These are, hands-down, the best truck brakes I have ever owned.

Silverado-Hareek · January 21, 2015

Looks like the brakes on the 2014-15 are just as bad as the previous gen. One thing that helps (my 2012 with stupid drum rears) is having them adjusted. Not sure if the same applies to the news disk rears. The best brakes I had were on my 2002 Sierra X-cab, I was running 35' tires using a 6' suspension lift and 3' body lift, disks all around and I NEVER had to replace the rear pads, only did fronts once, and she had 110,000+ miles on her. So that tells me GM got cheap with their parts.

My 2008 Sierra with factory 20' chewed thru pads and rotors

My 2012 I replaced the pads at 31k, replaced pads and rotors at 50k

So well see.

On my 2007, I replaced the front disc pads and rear drum pads once at 93,000 miles. Vehicle stopped on a dime like a sports car from day one. They say the brakes will last longer on these K2 trucks....I can't imagine!

Spurshot · January 21, 2015

Thinking back to your close call would you blame it on driver error or equipment failure? I don't see these trucks rear ending other vehicles all the time so I believe it was driver error, following to close or distracted driving. I am real close to 60 so yes I know our reaction times are off a tic.

You can put it on me. Anytime someone rear ends another it's a given that it's driver error. If you like you're brakes, that's all that matters.

WendysOrBust · January 21, 2015

Does anyone know if there are any changes in rotor or caliper size across trim levels? I havn't seen anything so suggest a Silverado LT uses different brakes vs a LTZ or vice versa. I know in the last generation trucks the lower trims were equipped with rear drums but know it seems disc brakes are the standard.

Spurshot · January 21, 2015

The brakes took a little to get used to, and with these new trucks riding so nice and so quiet inside I find myself going faster than I think I am, hence it takes a little more whoa peddle than my mind thinks it will. Having owned 1978,188,1989, 1990, 2002 2006 2009, which had 80K on the original brakes and less than 1/4 worn and 2012 full size trucks before this one plus working on them since 73 I think they all performed as designed, they are not sports cars and will never stop like one unless you think you need to spend 5K on upgrades that will add minimal improvements. If your truck doesn't stop correctly there is something wrong with it and a good technician can fix it.

What makes you think the improvements are minimal?