1999 K3500 Brake Upgrade

[Proper Historics]

Hello.

i'm new to the K3500 platform and trying to research brake upgrades, but I'm not finding much out there.

Are there bolt on disc conversions or caliper/rotor bolt on upgrades?

I'm hoping to increase stopping power for highway useage while running larger tires. Suggestions are welcome.

 

[andy396]

Here’s a thread about upgrading the rear shoe to a GG friction compound. @Supercharged111 says they make a noticeable difference.

Most Aggressive Rear Shoes?
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...ar-Shoes?.48464/&share_type=t&link_source=app

Hopefully someone will start making the front pads in a GG compound soon.

If your truck isn’t a dually, you can easily upgrade to the dually calipers which have a slightly larger piston. That upgrade also must use the thicker dually rotor.

Beyond that I’m not sure, but I think it is possible to put GMT800 spindles on which gets you only slightly bigger rotors. There’s ball joint compatibility issues to deal with there. I’m pretty sure someone here has a write up on it.

A smaller piston master cylinder might be possible but as far as I know no one has explored that option for a K3500 with hydroboost.

 

[Supercharged111]

Here’s a thread about upgrading the rear shoe to a GG friction compound. @Supercharged111 says they make a noticeable difference.

Most Aggressive Rear Shoes?
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic?share_fid=40934&share_tid=48464&url=https://www.gmt400.com/index.php?threads/Most-Aggressive-Rear-Shoes?.48464/&share_type=t&link_source=app

Hopefully someone will start making the front pads in a GG compound soon.

If your truck isn’t a dually, you can easily upgrade to the dually calipers which have a slightly larger piston. That upgrade also must use the thicker dually rotor.

Beyond that I’m not sure, but I think it is possible to put GMT800 spindles on which gets you only slightly bigger rotors. There’s ball joint compatibility issues to deal with there. I’m pretty sure someone here has a write up on it.

A smaller piston master cylinder might be possible but as far as I know no one has explored that option for a K3500 with hydroboost.

Raybestos makes a GG front pad. Df2x4 has posted about them before.

 

[andy396]

Raybestos makes a GG front pad. Df2x4 has posted about them before.

Thanks, I read through that thread before but for some reason it didn’t stand out in my mind as being a GG.

It looks it’s either a EHT370H for w/o DRW or a EHT459H for w/DRW

 

[stutaeng]

Aren't the GMT 800 calipers dual piston? My '99 NBS 1500 has dual piston fronts. I haven' taken apart a 2500/3500 in the same body style, but would think they are also 2 piston? I'm not sure on the rear. Mine are still the originals at 260,000 miles, LOL.

My '00 K3500 SRW fronts are single piston. Not sure how much that matters.

 

[andy396]

Aren't the GMT 800 calipers dual piston? My '99 NBS 1500 has dual piston fronts. I haven' taken apart a 2500/3500 in the same body style, but would think they are also 2 piston? I'm not sure on the rear. Mine are still the originals at 260,000 miles, LOL.

My '00 K3500 SRW fronts are single piston. Not sure how much that matters.

Good point, they are dual piston. Checking total piston surface area it looks like the dual piston gets you about 11% more braking force. That’s comparing a GMT800 K2500 to a GMT400 K3500 DRW.

 

[stutaeng]

So what's involved in changing a 14 bolt FF from a newer truck on the GMT400? I've thought about upgrading to disc on the K3500 drum rears, but seems there's an issue with the ebrake and there sometimes fabrication to do, depending on the kit?

If I'm going to be cutting, grinding and welding, might as well go with a GMT-800 rear end and gain the dual piston discs? My drums work just fine, so I don't think it's worth the effort. Maybe down the road.

Also, are the newer rears end wider? If I recall the rear width is narrower than the front on the GMT-400?

Just a thought for OP's question.

 

[andy396]

So what's involved in changing a 14 bolt FF from a newer truck on the GMT400? I've thought about upgrading to disc on the K3500 drum rears, but seems there's an issue with the ebrake and there sometimes fabrication to do, depending on the kit?

If I'm going to be cutting, grinding and welding, might as well go with a GMT-800 rear end and gain the dual piston discs? My drums work just fine, so I don't think it's worth the effort. Maybe down the road.

Also, are the newer rears end wider? If I recall the rear width is narrower than the front on the GMT-400?

Just a thought for OP's question.

Found this thread.


https://www.gmt400.com/threads/will-gmt-800-truck-rear-axle-swap-into-gmt-400s.22860/

 

[454cid]

Switching to the drw parts is the same amount of work as replacing the srw parts....its all a bolt in.