Looks good im going to need new pads on my obs I might try those EBC brake pads,

 

Thanks for all of the info. I am not satisfied with NAPA OEM replacements that were on sale, so I'll be switching to these in Jan.

 

Nice job on the brake job Jason! Looking good.

 

Oh yeah, I added some slots to the e-brake drums too. After being properly adjusted, it will now actually hold this 5 ton truck on a hill and you will not drive away and forget it is on!!

While this is an important safety feature in this 6spd truck, it's a really good idea to use a functioning e-brake with your 4R100 as well. The park cogs don't really take much abuse and a loaded truck/trailer on a hill can cause them to fail.

 

I have tremendous respect for your mechanical abilities, Jason, and I certainly don't want to throw stones at your work, but I do have a question about your drum face slotting technique.

I assume that those slots are rounded bottom slots? A sharp angled bottom geometry in the slot would create potential crack locations otherwise. As it is, the hoop strength of the drum is slightly compromised with any slot at all, especially with it being slotted all the way through the outer edge like that. At the same time, though, your having angled the slot in a "spiral" orientation does help mitigate the hoop strength reduction issue.

 

Very tactful Pete! Thanks.

I cut the slots with a cut-off wheel. I suppose there is a chance of failure with this hack job, but this drum is probably 10lbs. There is a LOT of material here and I'm banking on it being ok.

I really want to find a real solution to the parking brake problem on these trucks. Seems like a knurled finish in the drum would be good and not create stress fractures like this could. A stand-alone driveline brake would be pretty sweet.

After suffering for 300k miles in my own ZF6 dually, I'm just desperate to find a better way!! This works REALLY well for now at least! If it fails, I hope it is not catastrophic and I doubt the autoparts will notice my little mod when I return them under the lifetime warranty.

 

Jason, I really meant it when I said that I have a very high level of respect for your skills, and I'm glad that I managed to get the question in the way I did... (I've NOT always been very successful with being tactful, but continue to try as I get older and older, especially since I see more and more clearly how I've too often been a rash judgementalist who tends to just "find fault" in the name of "continual improvement"!)

I agree wholeheartedly, too, that some improvements in the E-brake system would be greatly valued and used by others if it can be found, and I admire your willingness to invest in the effort the way you have as well as the level of thought required to get it to that point.

Having done the rear brakes myself several times, I know there is a lot of meat on those drums. I guess I was thinking more along the lines that someone like me could easily get away with the score lines in the drum face because I'm not really stressing my brakes very much at all. With your self-acknowledged level of heavy towing in and around mountainous terrain, I was trying to take into account how all the extra heat and stress from your driving conditions might be a game changer in your situation as compared to mine. Hopefully, it's just my overly conservative engineering mindset kicking in and stirring a little dust where it might not make any difference.

Also, have you run the Hawk LTS pads on your vehicles, and if so, how do their stopping abilities compare with the YS pads you're now so pleased with?

Personally, I've run the Hawk LTS pads front and rear on my truck, as well as the Napa Ultra Premiums front and rear, both with the Ultra Premium rotors/hubs and with cryo'd powerslots up front, and I just cannot find any difference in stopping power between any of those combinations. Again, I don't tow or haul anything except my own big butt, so it might simply be that the "upgrade Hawks, etc." cannot show their true abilities unless they're pushed in more demanding conditions. In all honesty, I've gained more stopping power from simply flushing and replacing old brake fluid than I ever have with pads and rotors.

 

Well, now I'm in the dust and giving the DIY slots more thought... That can make my head hurt! I dismiss heat from the e-brake friction, since that should not happen - but, the rotor surface can see 500* or maybe more during extreme braking. The drum/hat area will see at least a portion of that heat.

I should clearly disclose that I don't recommend others do this, just from good engineering practices.

I went out and studied the old rotors. Both were beaten well beyond any reasonable expectation of severe abuse. You'll see in 2nd pic what I mean. I was surprised to see cracks in the drum! Not life threatening, but present.







I come from a world where butt joints were 100% x-ray and every other weld received at least 2 forms of NDE. That included arc strikes and anyplace a grinder touched steel.

I have not compared Hawk pads on my trucks, but I have run the napa premium semi-metallic pads - and the Yellowstuff are notably better. Less pedal pressure req'd and high resistance to fading under hard use.

 

And I change brake fluid every time I do pads. Gravity bleed is cheap and easy to do with no downsides.

 

Good conversation guys. I've changed mine and they looked new when I did it. Still don't hold like they should. Mine is a 99 cc drw 4x4.

 

Clay hooked Us up with EBC Yellow pads & EBC roters,We gross 19k with slide in camper & boat there was some noticeable improvement braking power/fade.compared to what Schwabs installs.

 

Thanks for the response to my question on pad life, I just might try them the next time this beast needs stoppage.

As far as ebrakes go, I'm with you on using them to reduce the strain on the parking pawl, and since i'm often parked on grades while on jobsites, and usually unloading/loading a 1300lb mower, I like the extra insurance.
That being said- my ebrake shoes and hardware are original at 372k miles,
and the rear rotors were finally changed for the first time a few weeks back.
The only ebrake system part I've had to replace is the pedal assembly itself, (it broke internally) mostly due to me standing on it to set it.
I like the knurling or scoring idea, it would be nice to have a rock solid set, without having to break pedals every now and then.
I suppose it would help if we didnt have 600+ lb ft of torque available and all...

 

Only reason I haven't gone to the yellows yet was because usually after market pads don't last as long if they stop better. But you say they last as long. That's good news. I'll give them a chance next brake job.