Brake Sensitivity, Sudden Stops

[454cid]

Use the parking brake often and stop the truck with the brakes when you back up rather than putting the trans in drive and they should stay well adjusted.

Stopping the truck by shifting into drive is really hard on the transmission.

 

[LouF]

Drum brakes are self-actuating, meaning that once you press the pedal, the friction material pulls itself tighter.

This is only on the rear shoe due to the orientation with the static pivot point - this is why the rear shoe is longer (more wear). Disk pads also self-actuate at the leading edge.

 

[MRAJB]

I've had the same issue with my brakes locking up in the wet/damp weather, for the first few applications of the pedal. It's been doing it forever years, ever after a rear brake overhaul.

 

[LouF]

When I went shoe shopping I didn't see any ceramic.

In my recollection, I tried ceramic pads (or compound with ceramic), and they had WAY less friction when cold (shocked the **** out of me first discovering this). This is in my memory as they are good for high performance in the racing sense - not daily driver. I have stayed away from them, since. FYI.

 

[Supercharged111]

In my recollection, I tried ceramic pads (or compound with ceramic), and they had WAY less friction when cold (shocked the **** out of me first discovering this). This is in my memory as they are good for high performance in the racing sense - not daily driver. I have stayed away from them, since. FYI.

Ceramic pads, yes. Shoes no.

 

[Erik the Awful]

It really depends on the compound. The racing compound on my Jag doesn't stop worth a crap cold, but is like dropping an anchor when hot. The street compound on my Mustang is all-around great. I have no idea what my truck has on it, but they're new!

 

[Frank Enstein]

I just think semi-met shoes and pads are a poor choice. They are hard on the rotors/drums. They are a major cause of the evil red/orange brake dust. Most of the brake dust is rotor material!

Saying Ceramic is like saying blue shoes (no pun intended). They come in many shapes and sizes.

I recommend the following from personal experience.

As far as pads the Summit ceramic and the Powerstop Z-16 pads have a crisp initial bite and have a very linear coefficient of friction throughout the whole temp range.

As you go up the Powerstop ladder of pads the Z-23 have a softer hit and grab a little harder when hot.

The Z-26 pads take this a little further and the Z-36 I have on Frank have a VERY soft initial bite (so you don't lock up on ice if you look at the brake pedal) but the hotter they get the harder they pull! Just what the doctor ordered for heavy towing. They have exceptional brake feel in my opinion.

Regardless of the pad/shoe you choose bed them in (break in) the way the manufacturer recommends. It really does matter. The brake frictions we have today are very different from the ones from just a few years ago.

 

[df2x4]

More brake nerd stuff here:

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

 

[LouF]

Ceramic pads, yes. Shoes no.

I'm not following that. Shoes aren't made with these compounds?
(yes, the recollection was from front pads on a car)

 

[LouF]

Stopping the truck by shifting into drive is really hard on the transmission.

I thought I have noticed strange and bad things to my transmissions after downshift braking - and have stopped doing that. I have no idea why this except that some force(s) is reversed.