I just bought a ’93 Chevy pickup that I’m gradually fixing it up. The front rotors need replacing and I’m probably going to add rebuilt calipers. This got me to thinking about if the stock brake pads would be okay. I plan to use this truck to pull a car trailer occasionally and maybe a more high performance brake pad would be a good idea. Do you have any suggestions?

T. D.

Making brake pads is an art form that borders on voodoo. The concept is that the material is made up of multiple compounds that combine to create what could be called the ultimate brake pad material. In reality, there isn’t one material that works for all applications. Instead the brake pad companies combine several materials to create a pad for a specific application. Stock brake pads offer excellent cold stopping power and excellent friction but tend to fade when subjected to high temperature situations like a long downhill run or track days at a road course.

On the opposite side of the spectrum are race pads that generally do not work well when cold but operate very well in high temperature situations. Plus, race pads are designed to offer outstanding friction and pay less attention to dust, wear, or abuse on the brake rotors. Some pads will offer excellent friction characteristics but will eat up a set of typical cast iron rotors in perhaps one or two races. For competition these are considered consumable components to be replaced on a regular basis.

For street operation with your truck you are looking at a variety of uses. Stock pads would probably work okay but when faced with helping to stop when pulling a trailer, this is where high heat can come into play. You’d rather not want to face a situation where coming down a hill that those stock brake pads might begin to fade.

When addressing the selection of brake pads, everyone has their favorite company they recommend. We are no exception. Raybestos has an excellent reputation for brake parts in a wide variety of vehicles. In the truck arena, they offer several different front brake pads and we’ve listed a couple in the parts list. The truck pads are perhaps the least expensive but do offer excellent cold stopping ability if that’s a concern.

We’ve also had outstanding luck with EBC brake pads and rotors. EBC offers several different blends of pad materials and uses colors to differentiate these pads. For most street applications and light towing, we’ve had great results with EBC YellowStuff brake pads. We’ve used them on both our V8 S10 truck as well as our full size 1500 series pickup that is often used for towing. We’ve never had a brake fade issue with these pads.

man holding brake pad in front of camera
The EBC YellowStuff brake pads would work well for both performance car and light truck street applications. (Image/Jeff Smith)

Don’t Overlook Your Other Brake System Components

It’s also a great idea to combine the pads with new brake rotors. Often trying to machine old rotors can cause more problems than it solves and with the minor cost of replacement rotors, it’s just a good idea. Always completely clean the friction surface of new rotors before installing them on the truck. Most rotors are shipped with some kind of anti-corrosion treatment that should always be removed before installing the calipers and new pads.

While you are replacing the brake pads, rotors, and possibly the brake calipers, also take the time to fully flush the old brake fluid from the hydraulic system. This is a maintenance item that very few people ever perform. Brake fluid does not last forever. Due to its chemical makeup, brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means it absorbs moisture out of the air. This moisture will eventually lead to internal corrosion but more importantly, water also lowers the brake fluid’s boiling point.

This is important because as the brakes get hot, the lower boiling point allows the brake fluid to boil which turns to steam which puts air into the hydraulic system. This will cause  the brake pedal to become mushy. In extreme cases, this can cause the brake pedal to fall to the floor at the exact time when the brakes are needed most. But just to eliminate corrosion and allow the brakes to operate properly it’s a good idea to flush the brake system every few years, especially if the vehicle is not driven regularly.

Properly Bed-In Your Brakes

It’s also important to point out that new brake pads must be bedded in before they can be expected to work to their full potential. This bedding process transfers material from the brake pad to the rotor and needs sufficient heat to accomplish this conversion. Every brake company has its own recommendations for it brake pads.

For the EBC Yellowstuff pads, the company suggests driving normally on the street for 50 to 100 miles to allow the pads to mate properly to the rotor. This should be followed by 8 stops from 80 mph to 30 mph allowing 300 yards of distance between each application. Once this has been accomplished, drive the truck easy using as little brake application as possible to allow the brakes to fully cool.

Other companies will offer different brake bedding recommendations but most will follow a similar process. The idea is to generate enough heat to fully cure the resins in the brake pad material. This may create a minor amount of brake smoke along with that distinctive smell of heated brakes. This is normal and will allow the brakes to generate the proper friction bond between the brake pad and the rotor.

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Perform all these simple tasks, and your truck will deliver an outstanding braking system that you can rely on for years to come.

Brake Pad Recommendations for a Truck Tow Rig

Keywords
brakes, towing, trailer
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Author: Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith has had a passion for cars since he began working at his grandfather's gas station at the age 10. After graduating from Iowa State University with a journalism degree in 1978, he combined his two passions: cars and writing. Smith began writing for Car Craft magazine in 1979 and became editor in 1984. In 1987, he assumed the role of editor for Hot Rod magazine before returning to his first love of writing technical stories. Since 2003, Jeff has held various positions at Car Craft (including editor), has written books on small block Chevy performance, and even cultivated an impressive collection of 1965 and 1966 Chevelles. Now he serves as a regular contributor to OnAllCylinders.