There's been a lot of talk about rotors/brake combos. I'm looking to just replace the pads and not the rotors. My NAPA rotors that I put on several years ago are still good, no pulsing at all. At the same time I put on the rotors I put on some Wagner premium whatever they're called pads. They've been on there 7 maybe 8 years and the pads still look brand new with zero wear showing. Good thing.. Right? No.. They're so damn hard there's no bite and terrible braking. What flavor brake pads does anybody have actual experience with? I don't mind a little brake dust on the wheels as long as the braking is good. The Wagners have never produced even a speck of dust. They're too hard a brake pad. Thoughts??

 

I went with the oem a couple years back- Rotors & pads- No problems

 

Something doesn't sound right there. If the pads are that hard the rotors should be wearing. Did you mic them?

 

No I haven't micd them. Just going by the smooth feel in the foot. Like I said there's no pulsing, just don't stop the way I think it should.

 

Those Napa pads are ceramic base yes??

If so, therein lies the problem. Lifetime warranty correct. That's because they won't wear and you at the end of your foot will see they are a problem. Less braking activity, minimum wear.

My two bits. Have your rotors turned out. Throw on a set of (you pick) any other pad with a good label and see if you feel and see a difference. (I know, you say your rotors are true but unless they're turned they will be glass from the Napa brand and anything you follow them with without turning will just result in the same fade or feeling).
Been there done that.

I eat a set of pads every two years. I have no complaints. I can stand the truck on it's nose when I have to. Before, as you, I grabbed for the passenger side seat belt a few times.

If everything in your brake inventory is in order, you'll find a very satisfying change in personality.

Denny

 

These work great
LOL....
All kidding aside Ive had good luck with Autozoo Duralast Gold Max pads they do create alot of brake dust in city driving, but the stopping power is great.

 

Didn't want to put another line out there for pads, but I use ^^^^^^^^^

By the way before all the tit biting starts. Wags and Napa are....................

 

Well they're actually Wagner Thermoquiet semi-metallic. But no stopping power. Especially towing our 10000lb travel trailer and an 1100lb golf cart in the bed.
Heck I would replace the brake pads every year or two if they had good stopping power.

 

Running Hawk LTS right now, pretty satisfied. Good bite when cold and minimal fade when hot. More brown dust than I want but oooo well. I can recommend them.

Next up I'm going to try the Hawk Super Duty pads, just cuz I already have them on the bench. Somewhere.

 

Shlep,

Whens the last time you did your trailer brakes. And/or adjusted them??

My 29 5'r came to a squealing stop last summer. To my surprise, when I pulled all four drums, two of the four were laying in the bottom of the drum. I replaced all four and made the correct adjustment and now I can easily stop both truck and trailer just using the trailer brake activation. Wow what a difference.

Denny

 

We bought it new in 2014. But have since had to replace all the wheel bearings.. Crappy grease from the mfr.. But yeah I adjusted all the brakes.

 

I've just fitted some EBC Greenstuff pads to the rear of my dually, initial thoughts are very impressive, great bite with alot less pedal effort. Still got the original discs which will likely need replacing next pad change. The truck has just hit 80k KM's 50k miles, the fronts will need to be done soon too.

 

I asked Clay at Riff Raff for Recommendation & ended up with EBC yellow stuff & EBC roters,Were happy,but don't have anything to compare with,since the ones that came with the truck are unkown brand.

 

In the past, I have had brake pads glaze from lighter braking when unloaded. I ended up rebedding the brakes, every now and then, to restore the proper braking by heating them up and gaining. Going through the proper heating and cooling cycles restored my brake feel.

 

Hawk LTS pads have worked the best for my Ex for the past 14 years. Every single time I've tried a different pad (my Ex had a terrible brake shudder problem from black spotting/cementite formation) the pads either didn't work, didn't last, or caused too much black spotting on any non-cryo'd rotor I used.

Stewart