Brake caliper upgrade - make a difference?

[devilsfan]

I recently upgraded my brakes - everything but the calipers. They're still pretty soft tho. Normal driving conditions, I can anticipate stops, but if anyone cuts me off, there's no way I'm going to be able to stop in time. Would replacing the calipers (heavy duty) make that much of a difference?

[Hellz]

im not sure how much more HD you can get with the H2 brakes...

i know there are big brake kits out there.. but they come with a big price tag too..

like starting at 5k for the brembo, willwood an such..

i upgraded my front brakes and rotors to EBC. i have the slotted and dimpled rotors with EBC yellow stuff pads.

i plan on doing the same to my rear brakes at a later time.

right now i have some issues with my TC/EBS system.. so i am able to fully lock up all tires when i need to brake hard.. and i have done it a couple of time... amazing how fast the H2 will stop with all 4 tires locked up.

[charles06]

I recently upgraded to AP Racing clippers and rotors. 6 piston calipers with 16 inch rotors in front. 4 piston calipers with 15 inch rotors in the rear. HUGE difference! I work for a boat dealership, so I had these installed for towing purposes as much as safety, and the ease of stopping while towing a boat is vastly improved. Plus, they fill up the 22 inch wheels nicely. Also, if u do any off-roading or driving in the sand, go with slotted rotors as cross-drilled can fill up with mud/sand.

I have pictures, but I've been too lazy to post.

[fyr145]

Originally Posted by Hellz

... amazing how fast the H2 will stop with all 4 tires locked up.

How can they get locked up with an ABS system in place? Did you disable the ABS system for the bigger brakes??

[[__--MUD--__]]

I was curious how your brake upgrade went.

I do have an extra front set of the brembo big brake kit, used. 6 piston capilers, two piece rotors, red powdercoat.

If your interested, you can PM me an offer. Note nothing on these brakes are "cheap"...but the components far outlast the stock parts.

Any of the brake kits you look at now will not just bolt on. You will have to do some grinding on the spindles. How much depends on how much more material your lifted spindles have as compared to stock. I can't find a before pic of my spindle, but this shows how much I ended up grinding off.



I'm sure your steering sucks at low speed. If you get a high pressure powersteering pump, you will get back some more braking/pedal. I'd call AGR for this. http://www.agrperformance.com/ I"d get all the optional upgrades on the pump.

[cecil-1]

MUD does the steering pump affect the braking? Honestly didn't know that.
How?

[Hellz]

since i had my regearing done.. MY TC2 and ABS has been disabled..


still a work/diagnostic in progress

[[__--MUD--__]]

Originally Posted by cecil-1

MUD does the steering pump affect the braking? Honestly didn't know that.
How?

Yea...the H2s have hydroboost- that powers your steering and brakes. May god be with you if you ever blow your steering pump and have to make an emergency stop. I think a freight train could stop sooner.

I snapped the shaft on my pump clean in half raising hell in the snow one night. It is very easy to do...all it takes is full crank on the steering wheel and jabbing on the brakes hard at the same time...wasn't more than 1 or 2 seconds of high resistance against my wheels and applying the brakes.

My new AGR pump was built w/ chromemoly shaft, so i'll never snap that damn thing again.

[[__--MUD--__]]

Originally Posted by Hellz

since i had my regearing done.. MY TC2 and ABS has been disabled..


still a work/diagnostic in progress

I bet you have a broken wheel sensor on one side of your rear axle... Those damn things are glued in there. They break real easy when you swap gears.

[cecil-1]

Originally Posted by [__--MUD--__]

Yea...the H2s have hydroboost- that powers your steering and brakes. May god be with you if you ever blow your steering pump and have to make an emergency stop. I think a freight train could stop sooner.

I snapped the shaft on my pump clean in half raising hell in the snow one night. It is very easy to do...all it takes is full crank on the steering wheel and jabbing on the brakes hard at the same time...wasn't more than 1 or 2 seconds of high resistance against my wheels and applying the brakes.

My new AGR pump was built w/ chromemoly shaft, so i'll never snap that damn thing again.

Thanks thats good to know. This is the first truck i've ever owned and had never heard of hydro boost.

Do you know if there is an easy way to test the steering pump to see if it needs to be replaced? I've had a couple OH **** moments when i stabbed the brakes and didn't think i would stop. Wondering if that might be my problem.

[[__--MUD--__]]

Originally Posted by cecil-1

Thanks thats good to know. This is the first truck i've ever owned and had never heard of hydro boost.

Do you know if there is an easy way to test the steering pump to see if it needs to be replaced? I've had a couple OH **** moments when i stabbed the brakes and didn't think i would stop. Wondering if that might be my problem.

Every H2 and GM truck brand new had/have **** powersteering pumps. If you have any steering wheel resistance in parking lot manuevers (no throttle, hard turns of the wheel to get in/out of parking spot/space) GM wont do **** about it. If you want to fit it yourself, call AGR and have them build you a pump. It makes driving so much more pleasant. I can throw my steering wheel and easily turn my 37" toyos on hot pavement. It gave my back, atleast feels like I got about 20% boost in braking power. My bad ass pump - chromoly shaft, needle bearings and every other upgrade there is ran under $400. I still say I wish that was the 1st mod I did on my truck.

[Hellz]

you should try to find the paper work on the one you bought so we know what model to look for and extras.

AGR website is junk really. i have been to it many times, and it doesnt really make it easy to build a pump with the options you want.

[[__--MUD--__]]

Originally Posted by Hellz

you should try to find the paper work on the one you bought so we know what model to look for and extras.

AGR website is junk really. i have been to it many times, and it doesnt really make it easy to build a pump with the options you want.

Its the same pump that comes in their rock ram kit...I think its sold individually as their "super pump". But I dont believe the options I got are on any websites...just their base kits. They can do anything you want to it. Chromoly shaft, upgraded needle bearings, swear there was one other thing they upgraded. I'd get the pump w/ the tank already on it. I swapped mine out, little bit of a pain. Just call them up, good guys to talk to.

[charles06]

My shop talked to AGR about all this stuff today. I'm going with the Rock-Ram kit, which includes the other upgrades. I'll post here what we end up getting with the kit.

[Hellz]

What did the RockRam kit run you?

[[__--MUD--__]]

Originally Posted by Hellz

What did the RockRam kit run you?

Like $1200.

Its totally unnecessary. Just buy the pump, if your not happy w/ it then add on the ram. Same cost. If it works, you just saved over half of what you were going to spend.