Getting new brakes...

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ThwopKing

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Tahoe had been pad slapped by previous owner and got a discount on em so figured I would give them a shot... Autozone GT brake pads and rotors, both front and rear. Should be going on next week at some point. Will keep ya posted. Random Pic for quick looky-loo3e553470e5acecce38c15d062e2d44b3.jpg

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jcb2

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I’m not familiar with the GT brakes. I bought the standard Duralast rotors and pads at AutoZone for my ‘07 Yukon XL4x4.But they seemed to warp as I developed that condition where braking wasn’t smooth anymore but rather bumpy.It bothered me to the point where after only a year, I went to NAPA and asked for premium rotors and pads. That was a year ago and they are still very smooth. So paying extra for better quality parts, especially brake parts is worth it to me.
 

OneofFew

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I’m not familiar with the GT brakes. I bought the standard Duralast rotors and pads at AutoZone for my ‘07 Yukon XL4x4.But they seemed to warp as I developed that condition where braking wasn’t smooth anymore but rather bumpy.It bothered me to the point where after only a year, I went to NAPA and asked for premium rotors and pads. That was a year ago and they are still very smooth. So paying extra for better quality parts, especially brake parts is worth it to me.
The cheap rotors are more prone to warping. Unevenly torqued lug nuts lead to warping.
 

jcb2

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Oneoffew, I use an air gun but first just snug the lugs then tighten alternate lugs and finally going over all of them again. I feel confident that this gives them the same torgue. I think the cheaper ones warp due to inferior steel. Could I be wrong?
 

Doubeleive

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it pays to get at least premium brake parts they last longer, work better. I put the GT's and the carbon infused rotor's on mine.
honest opinion---- they stop REALLY well
problems-lots of brake dust, LOTS
squeaks after a while, they are basically carbon fiber racing pads they will squeak eventually it's annoying.
I dumped the GT pads kept the carbon infused rotors, went with the premium ceramic pads, still stops REALLY well, very little brake dust. totally silent.
i've had a new set of GT pads for sale on ebay for $40 for almost a year nobody wants them oddly enough.
 

iamdub

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Oneoffew, I use an air gun but first just snug the lugs then tighten alternate lugs and finally going over all of them again. I feel confident that this gives them the same torgue. I think the cheaper ones warp due to inferior steel. Could I be wrong?


Rotors don't actually warp. Well, there may be horribly low-quality ones made of a dangerously cheap metal that can warp from the sudden and drastic temperature fluctuations. But, the temperatures required to soften and melt the metal to cast rotors is far higher than what they experience when braking. What really happens is brake pad material burns itself to the rotor's surface, creating a high spot that is only measurable with a precision micrometer. Over time, this high spot(s) collects more pad material and grows. This makes the rotor extra thick in that area/those areas so they grab and release the pads as they pass through the caliper. This causes the pulsating feeling in the brake pedal. Cheap rotor material does play a factor as it can be a lower-quality iron that is more "adhesive" to the pad material. The pad material is what's primarily at fault, though. Sometimes, it's not necessarily a low-quality pad material as it is the pad material not being a good combination with the quality of the rotor's iron.

Improper installation can cause the same thing. If the rotor isn't seated perfectly flat against the hub due to dirt, rust, etc., this will make it wobble. It may be so minor that it's undetectable at first and the brakes may feel perfectly smooth. But the misaligned rotor will drag the pads more on that side that isn't flush and kick start the buildup of extra pad material on the rotor that gradually increases over time until it is able to be felt.

It all boils down to using quality parts and having them properly installed.
 

jcb2

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Iamdub, Thanks for that information. I never knew that. Everyone mentions “warped rotors” but what you’ve said makes sense.
 

HiHoeSilver

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Rotors don't actually warp. Well, there may be horribly low-quality ones made of a dangerously cheap metal that can warp from the sudden and drastic temperature fluctuations. But, the temperatures required to soften and melt the metal to cast rotors is far higher than what they experience when braking. What really happens is brake pad material burns itself to the rotor's surface, creating a high spot that is only measurable with a precision micrometer. Over time, this high spot(s) collects more pad material and grows. This makes the rotor extra thick in that area/those areas so they grab and release the pads as they pass through the caliper. This causes the pulsating feeling in the brake pedal. Cheap rotor material does play a factor as it can be a lower-quality iron that is more "adhesive" to the pad material. The pad material is what's primarily at fault, though. Sometimes, it's not necessarily a low-quality pad material as it is the pad material not being a good combination with the quality of the rotor's iron.

Improper installation can cause the same thing. If the rotor isn't seated perfectly flat against the hub due to dirt, rust, etc., this will make it wobble. It may be so minor that it's undetectable at first and the brakes may feel perfectly smooth. But the misaligned rotor will drag the pads more on that side that isn't flush and kick start the buildup of extra pad material on the rotor that gradually increases over time until it is able to be felt.

It all boils down to using quality parts and having them properly installed.

Proper installation includes bedding. Don't forget the bedding. Need to bed them bad boys. Bed em.
 

jcb2

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Hihoesilver, Please forgive my ignorance but what do you mean by “bedding?”
 

iamdub

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Iamdub, Thanks for that information. I never knew that. Everyone mentions “warped rotors” but what you’ve said makes sense.

I only recently learned this stuff a couple years ago. I always thought rotors were just sensitive to uneven temperature changes and cringed every time I hit a water puddle after using the brakes.
 
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