Has Anyone Upgraded Their Brakes On An Nbs?

hutcher1 · February 16, 2008

Has anyone upgraded their brakes to aftermarket on an 07 or 08 half ton NBS? If so, what products have you used and how did it work out ?

As much as I like my new truck (08 1/2 ton Z71 Crew Cab) I just don't like drum brakes on the rear.

Thanks.

VMax2007 · February 16, 2008

Has anyone upgraded their brakes to aftermarket on an 07 or 08 half ton NBS? If so, what products have you used and how did it work out ?

As much as I like my new truck (08 1/2 ton Z71 Crew Cab) I just don't like drum brakes on the rear.

Thanks.

Me either, that is one of the reasons I got the Vmax. Rear disc brakes!!! (only if you have Stabilitrak and the 6.0).

Heysdad · February 16, 2008

Here is the link to my post from a few weeks ago.

http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry543315

hutcher1 · February 16, 2008

Thanks for sharing this post. Sorry - but I could not tell if you installed these on the front, or rear, or both ? If you put them on the rear, you left the stock on the front? It has worked out well ?

Seems like one guy in that post was not on board with converting a truck with rear drum brakes to disc brakes.

Heysdad · February 16, 2008

Sorry, you're right it's not clear. I only did the front. I pull a large bass boat and it was getting the stock ones hot. These made a huge difference....I really like them. No fading at all.

redvett · February 16, 2008

Why the OEM are more than adquate for up to 20" wheels. Slow down and live.

Heysdad · February 16, 2008

Why the OEM are more than adquate for up to 20" wheels. Slow down and live.

Well, there was that part in there of me pulling a large boat...Did you see that in there?.. ...And that's with 20" wheels in traffic on hot days with my wife yellin at me......

Going fast is not an issue with me....It's stopping late that's the problem.

diehrd · February 16, 2008

Get Good quality Rotors and CERAMIC pads , it is a simple process and expect 100k or more from the set.

mljenkins · February 16, 2008

I would have rather had discs on the back because of what everyone says about them. But, the truck should not be doing all the braking for the trailer, and what it should do for a ~8,500 lb trailer (about the max you can tow w/out something bigger such as VMax package or 2500 which would have rear discs) should not be exceed what Chevy engineered the truck to do. Get good brakes on the trailer, get a good brake controller (not one of those low end timed ones they sell at most retail stores). I am at the GCWR for my truck when towing (~14,000) and do not have any issues with the brakes. I am not on the brakes a lot because I am towing my horses and they don't care to be thrown around in the trailer. But regardless of what I tow behind it, I definitely adjust my driving style to not run into the nice friendly people that pull in front of you at the last minute when stopping at the red lights. Did anyone catch a hint of sarcasm in there?

Heysdad · February 16, 2008

Ya know, bottom line, when you get down to it, it's all about how you want your truck to look and perform.

I did the slotted rotors for the reasons I listed in the previous posts, but I think they look great also.

If you have the money to do it....Than Do It.

You'll like the performance rotors better than the stock ones in every way. Hands Down!

Look at it this way...If you have drums in back and the front rotors are doing most of the work, why not make the rotors even better? Any heat build up translates into stopping loss. Stopping loss only screws you in the end...So to say!

Why Lose anything if you don't have to?

If all you get them for, is the looks, than by God you have accomplished that.

Saying that the stock GM rotors are more than capable of doing the job required is fine and probably true.

However along the same idea of GM making everything capable of doing the job, then why do people install cold air induction kits? Are the stock air boxes not capable of supplying enough cold air?

What about all the aftermarket exhaust systems? I'm sure GM did a fine job there also, but everyone needs more power and sound (NOISE).

It's really no different than someone getting a $700.00 spray in bed liner that carries nothing more than a golf bag to the links now and then, or his no good, cheating, ex-girlfriends boxes of stuff to the park to burn.

Right???

OK Then.....

Y'all have a great day!

Doomsday · February 16, 2008

Wow that was alot of smiley faces..

Brake upgrades are one of the things you can always do on preatty much anything you drive, wether it makes a huge difference or not more stopping power is never a bad thing. I have the rear drums on my truck, I did'nt want the stabilitrack program so I had to give em up. I've been thinking about doing the rear disc conversion, but I'm not sure, if I do that I'll be replacing the fronts too. Not because I think the braking system is inadequate, I just want upgrades discs all the way around. But who knows I may end up doing nothing, in either case I think its foolish to tell me or anybody they wasted their money on a brake upgrade.

Heysdad · February 16, 2008

Yea it was a lot...LOL

I just didn't want it to read in a angry way....LOL

I'm really a happy go lucky guy....

I was shocked that rear disk brakes were not available on a Z-71 SLT 5.3 Flex Fuel Crew Cab with a sunroof. This is what they told me.....

I really think the drum brakes are a step backward. But the GM Gods think otherwise.

Whatever...She really stops now....LOL

mljenkins · February 16, 2008

Hah, I figured I would get flack on that one. I'm not saying anyone is wasting their money doing any sort of upgrades. If that was the case we'd all be back in the Ford days of the black model T. My pet peeve is upgrades that are done while overlooking other issues at hand. If the truck can't hold back the trailer you're pulling, it's probably not entirely due to the factory brakes. In this case truck brakes + GCW + speed + stopping distance + trailer brakes + brake controller (if not using inertia brake such as on heavy equipment trailers).

jnpaddison · February 16, 2008

any speciality tools needed to pull the old rotors off / install the new rotors ??

would it bit wise to also change the pads too ??

Raymond Lowe · February 16, 2008

Threads such as this are frequently riddled with assumptions. Disc brakes are not automatically better. From a cost perspective, the OEM's are not saving significant money by installing drums brakes in the rear. Disc brakes might have better stopping power vs brake effort but there is a big downside to discs on the back and that is corrosion. I recall reading some industry news a few years back that some manufacturers were even switching back to drums on trucks because of this issue. If you live in an area that gets a blast of winter and they use salt or ice-melting solutions, then the rotors and exposed e-brake hardware are going to take a beating. Drums are better suited for this environment.

Ceramic pads. Careful with these! Less dust, more friction, less effort, better braking, but hell on the rotors. If you're buying upgraded rotors and matched pads, then by all means. Ceramics on factory rotors (even the "good" quality new rotors) can warp them quickly if you get them hot. Do yourself a favour and stick with GM or their AC Delco aftermarket line.