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Carbon fiber?????

B

Brooklyn Tow

9 11 Never Forget
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Brooklyn, NY USA
Anyone hear of or use carbon fiber brake pads?......are they the same quality as ceramic?......Gimme some feedback they make specific 3500HD pads and thre is not a whole lot of choices, usually AC Delco are the best quality and they're very pricey $200 a set.....I've tried Hawk (not impressed) EBC doesn't make 3500HD pads and all the aftermarket stuff is crap......Carbon Fiber, Hmmmm, what do you think?

Feedback Please!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chev...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5ad6f2a17d
 
The price is right, give them a shot.

Thats how I found out about ceramic's by trying them out.

I strongly recommend Ceramic, but not sure on your 3500HD options. I use NAPA or CAP's ... The most expensive CERAMIC i can find. Very happy with them.
 
Performance Friction has been doing carbon pads for years. At least that's what I use.

Carbon 'fiber' is a buzzword.
 
3500GMC said:
Performance Friction has been doing carbon pads for years. At least that's what I use.

Carbon 'fiber' is a buzzword.
Click to expand...

Buzzword for what.....Carbon Fiber is supposed to be a very strong synthetic (Plastic?) material.....How that translates to brake pads and rotor friction, I really don't know.....Do you?

Are they as good as ceramic? are they rotor killers? are they better than OEM, life?....They make Kevlar pads also, do the pads last longer than the roters?.....Best pads I've used are OEM AC-Delco, no aftermarket comes close for, bite, quality, life......whats your take on these carbon pads?.....I e-mailed them and asked if they could put ceramic liners on there (Only hear good things about them)......I'm interested in the Kevlar pads, but changing rotors every 10-12k isn't cost effective.

Need info!!!!!!
 
Brooklyn Tow said:
3500GMC, any info to add to that?
Click to expand...

You could search some online articles on carbon metallic pads.

I can comfortably recommend Performance Friction because I know they work for me. I probably do not lean on my pads as hard as you though. There are a few different compounds to choose from within the PF line.

Avoid the Z-rated for the street. That is, if they even offer these in an HD fitment.
 
True 100% carbon fiber pads are extreme use and can withstand 3000F temps. Formula 1 uses them on carbon discs. Mercedes uses them on their super cars for far superior stopping distance, last demo I watched stopping from about 150 or so very quickly the brakes had flames temporarily they got that hot. Their caveat is they need to get hot to do anything though, also very expensive.

What you are looking at are semi metallics enhanced with carbon fiber sort of an economy thing, AFAIK they are used in Nascar etc and are resistant to around a 1000F to fade etc. Never used them so cannot comment as to how they feel.

What issue do you have with Hawk pads? I use them on Powerslot rotors and like them. Only issue is that they need to warm up a bit to fully function so one has to be a little easy when first leaving the driveway.

Cheers
Nobby
 
First job out of college was in a financial rotational program in the West Coast operations of McDonnell Douglas. Got to tour the Douglas Aircraft Factory many times. The commercial aircaft, MD80 and MD11, both used carbon fiber brake pads on all the landing gear. They only use the brakes after the thrust reversers have slowed the planes sufficiently to allow the brakes to be used safely.

I do a lot of fishing....all types. All your modern big game reels use carbon fiber disc brake type drag systems. Many grease the drags to improve smoothness and lessen initial start-up. Greased or not, carbon fiber is known to become slicker as it heats up. Still, carbon fiber is the standard in the industry, but reel drags don't get used as much as truck brakes and they do not require as much material, so the cost issue is not a factor.
 
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You might try Rockauto for the ac delco pads. They are usually near half of what the stealer gets for the same part. They post the GM part number if you have it to compare.
 
Avoid the Z-rated for the street. That is, if they even offer these in an HD fitment.
Click to expand...

Thats the problem....Not a lot of choices in "HD,"....I'll call and see if the can line the hardware in ceramic liners.

Everything brake and suspension wise on this truck is odball......It's like a Kodiak in "pickups" clothes.
 
The only thing you need to worry about is the "warm up" time. Flying along on the freeway and then taking an off ramp or typical stop and go traffic starts. That first stop while the brakes warm up can eat distance fast and make you uncomfortable being used to their warm in city performance. Freeway driving will cool them off enough to provide a cold rotor/pad 1st stop!

So you get used to the city and hit the freeway just once forgetting about the warm up time - it will wake you up!

I used a set of high temp pads on my Yukon once. The warm up time was noticeable, but, the warm stopping was almost worth it. Pads still didn't last much over 12K no matter what I used. Slotted/drilled rotors made the cold stops more frequent, but took life to 15-17K per pad set.

http://www.shotimes.com/brakes/survey/brakes3.html
 
Matt, the HD has bigger rotors, and four of them. 4 wheel disc with a drum parking brake on the back of the transmission. that, along with the OEM body lift and the leaf sprung solid axle are one of the many things that set a true HD apart from the rest. tough, but heavy, that is why my old man and I use regular 3500s for cross country hauling. (I am looking for the longest HD available and would like to try and lighten one up and see if it can run light)
The cool thing is that the front and rear share pads, but I am uncertain about rotors (I thought the rear was thicker??? )

Brooklyn, I would second looking at Rock Auto if you havent already. they seem to carry more HD stuff than most places.

also, the 200 bucks a set, is that an axle set (4 pads for 2 wheelends for 1 axle) or is it for the whole truck? if it is 4 pads for one axle, the e-bay ones look not too bad.

just by reading the description, they emphasize rotor friendly, so hopefully it wont eat those too quick, and It did say carbon fiber enhanced, so I would say nobby is correct, semi-metallic with carbon enhancements.

If the delcos are 200 bucks an axle, 400 bucks to do the whole rig, I would say try these out on at least 1 axle, but it isnt my money, and I am plenty satisfied with OEM quality braking, so I am not a braking conessouir (spelling?) and dont live in or near or work in high traffic volume areas, so I wont be offended if you take my thoughts on brakes with a grain of salt.

good luck sir!
 
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Thats $200.00 per set......Which equals $400.00 for the front and rear, (What are you paying for AC Delco Pads?) and thats with my 30% discount.

Rear rotors are different than front, and considerably more expensive (from the stealer).....Most average auto parts stores can't distinguish between the HD 15,000 GVWR and you end up with regular 3500 1 ton parts.
 
thats what i thought, rear rotors are different (same diameter, but wider, correct?), but still same pads. now you have me scared, dads 92 has some pretty bad grooves worn into its rear rotors.

honestly, with manual transmissions and easy driving and light traffic, we have yet to change pads on the hds yet, so IDK how much it is around here, If you would like a price quote from the middle of nowhere, I can phone the GM dealer sometime if you have the PN.
 
Wait....Correction, the hub is different, it has webbed notches around the whole thing......but I still don't know if the rotors are the same.

The rears look something like this......AZ has this as a front rotor (I don't take much stock in AZ's details, but thats what the rears looked like)....maybe that webbing is part of the rotor after all......I bought all 4,a long time ago, and I could swear the rears were different.

WAIT!....Thats got to be a rear because the front only has 5 lugs.
 

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that is a 2wd GMT400 C3500 DRW front hub. it is weird as it is unitized. IIRC, all 4x4s and newer 2wds bolt on an adapter, I think GMT400 C3500 was about the only body to use this.

Rather than try and remember, I got out my 1999 chevrolet commercial brochure.
front rotor (diameter, width, in inches) 13.90x1.43
rear rotor: 13.58x1.43

I guess I was turned around, it is different diameter, but same width...at least for that year
 
I just checked rock auto under 1996 chevrolet C3500, and there is a mess of info out there, but as long as you look for "HD Chassis cab" "C3500HD", or where they list the pads for front and rear, it looks to be the right stuff. I looked under heavy duty/high performance and there are semi-metallic Raybestos brake pads for around 66 bucks a set (It shows a big pair of pads, and a small pair, so it looks like a set to do an axle, not just one wheelend. so we are cheaper than the dealer there!)

You are also right about the webbing. you just found the wrong pic. there is a good pic on the rock auto site under the heavy duty/high performance Spec. area of the rotor list.

And after research, the final verdict looks like:
Rotors: diffferent diameter, same width. front is bigger.
Pads: they are the same, front and rear

good luck!
 
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