Question about towing and ceramic brake pads

[Jeff SS]

I'm putting ceramic AC Delco brake pads on at least the front of my '06 TBSS next week and would like to know if anyone has these pads and have towed with them on their TBSS or other trailvoy and how it worked out.

Please let me know what vehicle they're on and what kinda load you've towed. I'd be towing an open car trailer, tow dolly or travel trailer that ways ~4500 lbs.

I like what I've read in other threads about less rotor wear and less brake dust, and I'm willing to give up a little on the stopping distance. I just don't want them fading if and when I tow.

Thanks,
-Jeff

[Warwagon]

:m2: You are messing with one of the better brake systems GM has put on a SUV.

You have Corvette spec front brakes. By putting low dust pads on you just went away from that spec.

If you drive your TBSS to the limit you will get brake fade even with the dusty Corvette pads. They make a brake cooling duct kit for the TBSS after all.

Rotors are a wear item. If they are not worn out during a pad change they likely have a hot spot burned into them. This hot spot is harder then the rest of the rotor. So turning the rotor has the tool bounce off this hard spot. So you get pedal pulse after the brake job. It is best to just toss the rotors during a pad change esp with the high mileage you get on them now.

I would recommend you simply wash your car once a week and wax it every 6Mo. You will always have a clean car. It is cheaper than the brake parts and say rear ending someone. And if the attorneys find out you changed the pads to non-GM spec for the TBSS...

I have towed lots of trailers including 4500 LB trailers with electric brakes. The TBSS did not really notice when the electric brakes quit on the trailer due to bad wiring. Other towing vehicles I have had both feet on the brakes when freeway traffic came to a sudden stop. That one time with less than 12” to spare... Well I damn sure would not increase my stopping distance for the vanity of less dust! :no:

[Jeff SS]

Thanks for the input Warwagon. I can't say I disagree with anything you've said.

If anyone has put the ceramics on their TBSS and can testify a good or bad experience I'd appriciate the feedback. I pulled off the wheels and checked the pads and it looks like I have a little life left so I haven't changed the pads yet. I did buy roters and ceramic pads for the front but I'm skeptical...I may chicken out and go with stock metalics...time will tell.


FWIW, I did haul a Uhaul transport trailer with a '72 reg. cab pickup on it yesterday for about 100 miles and it pulled very well with good braking on the metalics...

Happy Holidays :)


-Jeff

[Warwagon]

You could look at going with he slotted rotors as you will likely need to change the rotors with the pads. They not only look better but I have used both on my 95 Yukon, same brake setup as that 1972, and they increase the 12K mile life to 17K on the pads. Yes, I do brakes way more than I would like. (You got to slow down sometime.)

I have heard that you get less dust, but still some dust that is a lighter color. It is the bad with the open wheel concept. Better cooling but dust everywhere.

There is a dust shield you can put behind the rims. They hide all the brake stuff too. As it messes with the cooling I would not recommend it.

[ontimeman]

Did I Not Read That He Was Going To Use Ac-delco Pads,,, If He Uses The Crossover Pads Ceramic Or Not Then They Are Gm Approved,,, Says So In My Parts Catolog,, They Are What Gm Recomends As A Replacement Pad Per Gm And Vehicle Spec,,, Again If He Uses The Correct Crossover Pad,,, Post A Vin # And I Would Be Happy To Post The Part Number,,, Taking The Wrong Kinda Of Advice May Lead You To Spend Excess $$$ Leave The Parts Bussiness To The Gm Certified Parts Pro, We Do It Every Day..

[SStbSS]

maybe he should go to the stealership and have them put on:laugh:

[Warwagon]

2007 Vin
1gnes13h372294958

[mikebragg25]

I used ceramics on mine too and got them cheap from a Canada auto parts (http://www.autopartsway.ca) shop. Sadly, I haven't used it long enough to give you a good feedback because a st*pid teen rammed my chevy in a Wal-mart parking lot. The brake system was among the things included during the repair, they're OEM now.

[Jeff SS]

OK, so I installed the GM approved AC Delco Ceramics and. . . .I love them! It's been almost two months so I wanted to give my review. Note: I also installed new rotors at the same time. I have not touched the rear brakes, still running on the original factory set of metalics and I've seen no ill effects.

What I love the most about these brake pads is how they don't cover the wheels with brake dust, and I mean at all! Also wanted to see how many miles they will last but won't know that for maybe two years... Again, If anyone else has these and have logged over 20k miles please report back.

Now for what its worth you may give up a very slight bit of braking distance but I'd say it's hard to notice much difference at all. I've noticed that the immediate response under light braking is detained maybe 1/4 or 1/2 second. To say this another way, they don't have the intial "grab" of the metalics. BUT ! in any panic situation or otherwise fast braking, applying more pressure instantly remedies the situation. So unless you're going to trackdays where you'll be driving your TBSS at 10:10's there's no reason to have to fight that brake dust any more! :)

FWIW- My TBSS is an early '06 with the amber turn signals on the mirrors, vin# ends with 00051.

later,
-jeffss