2011 Silverado 1500 5.3 Towing, mountains, etc - Rear Brake conversion to disks? Yay or nay?

[HoneyBadger302]

Hi all, I have a 2011 Silverado that I pretty much plan on driving into the ground, resuscitating, and driving into the ground again LOL. I like my truck, and it serves me quite well, and it's about paid off.

 

Thing is, I use it for some commuting a couple times a month (in a major metro mind you, so stop and go, sudden stops, etc), and then it's "main" job is towing an extra tall cargo trailer to motorcycle races/trackdays. Towing a lighter trailer into the mountains or driving loaded into the mountains. It's my only 4 wheeled vehicle, if it was just a drive to groceries/Home Depot and I lived in a less crazy area, it would be fine as it - but, that is only part of its job, and a small part at that. It's main purpose is the towing, and we are regularly heading up and down very large hills/mountains the freeways go over. Engine does fine. Brakes not so much.

 

I find this truck stops HORRIBLY compared to almost every other vehicle I've driven the past 10 years, including my boyfriend's 2002 4 runner. It's down right scary how bad it stops towing the trailer (still a single axle trailer). I love everything else about the truck, but the braking is terrifying sometimes (and yes, they've been kept up, maintained, checked regularly).

 

It's due for brake work again, and I'm seriously thinking about doing the rear brake conversion considering how I drive this truck. I would have no issues buying one of the higher end conversions, not some single piston caliper one. I want to stop when I need to!

 

Anyone who has done the conversion with a good set up, did it improve things, or not? What I've found online is convincing me more and more to make the switch considering how I use this truck...

[bubbanbrenda]

A trailer brake controller would be a lot cheaper and easier.

[swathdiver]

10 hours ago, HoneyBadger302 said:

Hi all, I have a 2011 Silverado that I pretty much plan on driving into the ground, resuscitating, and driving into the ground again LOL. I like my truck, and it serves me quite well, and it's about paid off.

 

I find this truck stops HORRIBLY compared to almost every other vehicle I've driven the past 10 years, including my boyfriend's 2002 4 runner. It's down right scary how bad it stops towing the trailer (still a single axle trailer).

 

There's something wrong with your brakes.  My guess is that the rears are way out of adjustment and barely grabbing and the fronts are no longer original but parts store stuff.

 

I've towed 6K pound trailers with no brakes and the truck stops the whole kaboodle just fine; on flat land.

 

Does the trailer have brakes?  Does the Silvy have a trailer brake controller of some kind?

 

Yes, you can convert the brakes but the discs would only be marginally better IMO.  

 

When you replace your front and rear brakes, do yourself a favor and use only GM OE parts, there's a reason these things could stop from 60 mph in 130 or so feet.  You could test the stopping prowess of your rig now with an app for your phone.

[HoneyBadger302]

13 hours ago, bubbanbrenda said:

A trailer brake controller would be a lot cheaper and easier.

Not when the trailer doesn't have brakes....nor does the other trailer I regularly tow.

4 hours ago, swathdiver said:

 

There's something wrong with your brakes.  My guess is that the rears are way out of adjustment and barely grabbing and the fronts are no longer original but parts store stuff.

 

I've towed 6K pound trailers with no brakes and the truck stops the whole kaboodle just fine; on flat land.

 

Does the trailer have brakes?  Does the Silvy have a trailer brake controller of some kind?

 

Yes, you can convert the brakes but the discs would only be marginally better IMO.  

 

When you replace your front and rear brakes, do yourself a favor and use only GM OE parts, there's a reason these things could stop from 60 mph in 130 or so feet.  You could test the stopping prowess of your rig now with an app for your phone.

Trailer does not have brakes, neither does the other I regularly tow. This isn't flat land, we're talking Appalachian mountain roads and freeways in the area around them.

 

Truck has had horrible stopping since I've gotten it, have had the brakes checked and done at a few different shops at this point. It's never improved, everything checked out (or so I've been told time and again). Compared to everything else i get in, I practically send myself through the windshield on other vehicles because they stop that much better (slight exaggeration, but it's significantly different), including other trucks in the same class. 

 

There are enough complaints about the brakes on these I don't think it's just me...and marginally better I would take at this point.

Edited April 14, 2023 by HoneyBadger302
auto correct errors

[asilverblazer]

Just to cover the basics... I would do some braking comparisons, full pedal stop, and measure the distance. Comparing your truck to one just like it would be best in addition to a similar truck like an F150. The measured distance is what is important. All this just to eliminate the possibility it is the braking pedal FEEL you are not having a problem with.

 

Mostly, because your description of the braking PERFORMANCE is not typical of these trucks, however, a more common complaint would be the pedal feel. Having to press more or further on the pedal may give the impression that the brakes are not as good. Some brakes are more sensitive giving the impression that they are stopping better. 

 

Otherwise, make sure they have been bled properly and the rear shoes are in proper adjustment. 

 

Lastly, upgrading the front brakes will yield more noticeable improvements than fiddling with the rears. If you do upgrade the fronts, I'd go full tilt with something like Willwood including bigger rotors and bigger calipers. I wouldn't want to go through the effort and expense to rebuild brakes and not be impressed.

[diyer2]

My opinion.

You can upgrade front to bigger brakes and rear to disc/bigger. Options available made by several manufacturers. Look on line. 

Not cheap. 

[HoneyBadger302]

40 minutes ago, asilverblazer said:

Just to cover the basics... I would do some braking comparisons, full pedal stop, and measure the distance. Comparing your truck to one just like it would be best in addition to a similar truck like an F150. The measured distance is what is important. All this just to eliminate the possibility it is the braking pedal FEEL you are not having a problem with.

 

Mostly, because your description of the braking PERFORMANCE is not typical of these trucks, however, a more common complaint would be the pedal feel. Having to press more or further on the pedal may give the impression that the brakes are not as good. Some brakes are more sensitive giving the impression that they are stopping better. 

 

Otherwise, make sure they have been bled properly and the rear shoes are in proper adjustment. 

 

Lastly, upgrading the front brakes will yield more noticeable improvements than fiddling with the rears. If you do upgrade the fronts, I'd go full tilt with something like Willwood including bigger rotors and bigger calipers. I wouldn't want to go through the effort and expense to rebuild brakes and not be impressed.

Thanks, I will try to test that, it could be pedal feel and required travel...truck stops but I feel like i have to stomp on it (as an example if this was my motorcycle I'd think there was air in the brake system or calipers due for a rebuild)....so this might be it. 

 

Since I plan on keeping this truck for a good while (up to and including replacing the engine when the time comes) it would be worth the upgrade IMO.

27 minutes ago, diyer2 said:

My opinion.

You can upgrade front to bigger brakes and rear to disc/bigger. Options available made by several manufacturers. Look on line. 

Not cheap. 

Ya, I've seen a few kits out there, I'm okay with some investing if it'll help give me what I'm looking for. Most of the prices seem pretty reasonable for what you're getting.

[garagerog]

Good advice from diyer, he lives in some real mountains so if anyone should know, he would.  Main advantage of disc brakes over drums is lack of fade, so towing a trailer without brakes down grades I could see a possible issue with your rears in that instance, but unloaded around town something else maybe going on as others have mentioned. In the meantime before any brake upgrades, while towing down a grade, make use of engine braking, use the tow/haul mode and manually downshift to a lower gear to let your engine help your brakes out.

[KARNUT]

You have no weight over your rear tires. The antilock is going to modulate your rear brakes to prevent lockup. Nail your brakes to see if there’re pulsating, try on a gravel or dirt road. If they don’t you have a brake problem. If they do they’re doing their job. You need to address the trailer. That’s where you need the braking power. I would never let my load push me. Adding more braking power to the rear wheels while your load is pushing against it. Just will increase the pulsating. 

[swathdiver]

10 hours ago, HoneyBadger302 said:

Not when the trailer doesn't have brakes....nor does the other trailer I regularly tow.

Trailer does not have brakes, neither does the other I regularly tow. This isn't flat land, we're talking Appalachian mountain roads and freeways in the area around them.

 

Truck has had horrible stopping since I've gotten it, have had the brakes checked and done at a few different shops at this point. It's never improved, everything checked out (or so I've been told time and again). Compared to everything else i get in, I practically send myself through the windshield on other vehicles because they stop that much better (slight exaggeration, but it's significantly different), including other trucks in the same class. 

 

There are enough complaints about the brakes on these I don't think it's just me...and marginally better I would take at this point.

How much do these trailers weigh loaded?

 

Something is wrong with your brakes, I bet if you pull the drums you'll see that they are not engaging as they should.  Last Silverado we had in the driveway had the wrong shoes on it and the owner complained about his too, are your front pads GM OE or aftermarket?  There is a difference and we see people degrade their cars and then complain about them all the time.

 

If you have an Android phone, you can download the Torque Pro app and it hooks up to an OBDII code reader and you can run a 60 to 0 stopping test.  

[richard wysong]

Try NAPAs best brake pads and shoes before making radical changes. I regularly tow a 6000 lb unbraked trailer with these brakes with 0 problems. If you have ever had the master cylinder changed there is a good chance they put the wrong 1 on it. There are MANY different bore sizes listed for the same truck so maybe try going to the largest bore size as your first upgrade to cure the problem

[redvett]

I tow my 5th wheel RV with my 2020 Chevy 1Ton dually over the rocky mountains and rarely use the brakes, I downshift on grades like your supposed to. I also tow my enclosed trailer 4000 lbs. with my Buick Enclave and use engine braking also with out any problems. Use the engine to brake not the brakes for the most part just like semis do.