'96K1500 Front Brake Upgrade

[GeorgiaBoy 68]

Hello guys, is there a factory, bolt on, front brake upgrade available that will allow staying with 15" wheels? Maybe calipers/rotors from a newer year model or a 2500/3500 series? Looking to upgrade but don't want to have to buy new tires and wheels to do it. I've read a ton of posts on here about it but haven't found one that specifically says can use 15" wheels. Thanks for any input.

 

[df2x4]

I believe all the 4WD trucks came with 16" wheels, 2WD were 15". I'm not sure if the factory K1500 brakes will even allow a 15" wheel.

That said, you can get considerably more stopping power from the factory front brakes just by upgrading to decent rotors, braided stainless soft lines, and a more aggressive pad. PowerStop and Raybestos both make GG code pads for these trucks, which are very aggressive. There's a bunch of info in this thread about DOT friction codes on pads/shoes and lots of other cool stuff.

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/ebc-yellowstuff-brake-pads-worth-it.47903/

 

[Schurkey]

JB5 brakes according to the glovebox decal???

The best thing you can do to "upgrade" your front brakes...


...is to shiitcan the crappy 10" leading/trailing rear drum brakes.

The rear brakes are weak. When you get REAL rear brakes, you may not need to upgrade the fronts, except to assure that the caliper pistons aren't sticking, and the caliper floats properly on it's pins.

Best way to get better rear brakes is to grab a 14-bolt 9.5" semi-float axle from a 6-lug 2500. Better axle, better brakes.

 

[GeorgiaBoy 68]

Thanks for the tip. I get the impression you are less than impressed with them. Any idea how hard it would be to find a 14 bolt, hopefully with 3.73 gears? Yes, JB5 brakes on decal by the way.

 

[Schurkey]

JB5 + 14-bolt and the 11.x drums = JB6. That's what I built for my '88 K1500. Started out with JB3.

3.73 gears are the most common for the 6-lug 2500. I needed 3.42. Took a long time to find an axle.

GM had NO BUSINESS putting the 8.5" rear axle, or the shiity 10" (254mm) leading/trailing rear drum brakes on a full-size pickup.

 

[b454rat]

Or get the brakes from a 4wd Tahoe/Yukon, they have the same rear brakes as the 9.5 14sf.

 

[Schurkey]

Good call. I keep forgetting that those vehicles got better brakes than the pickups, even when they had the same weak 8.5" axle.

 

[GeorgiaBoy 68]

Or get the brakes from a 4wd Tahoe/Yukon, they have the same rear brakes as the 9.5 14sf.

What do I need to make the swap? I assume everything from the backing plates out?

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

If you have a 2wd, you can swap the rear axle from a Suburban. Many of them are 3.42 ratio ( both of mine have been). 3.42 is the standard ratio on a 2wd Burb, and they have the better/bigger JB6 brakes, 11" drums. And mine stops well even with a load. 2wd Burbs are around 4900 pounds dry, according to GM; all the extra glass and steel.

 

[boy&hisdogs]

Thanks for the tip. I get the impression you are less than impressed with them. Any idea how hard it would be to find a 14 bolt, hopefully with 3.73 gears? Yes, JB5 brakes on decal by the way.

Not too bad, I have seen many of them over the years of combing the pick-n-pulls. Some will be under 1500s, and some will be under "light duty" 6 lug 2500s. That's what mine came out of, and it had 3.73s.

I learned the hard way that you can't just take an 8 lug SF and swap 6 lug shafts and drums on it. The 8 lug drums are a different size.

On my truck, for brakes, I have:
2500/SRW3500 front calipers (stock 1500 pads and rotors)
14bsf rear, completely rebuilt end to end
NBS K1500 m/c
Stainless braided lines all around

They are better, but still not as good as a newer truck. But mine have to stop 37s.