Looking for better rotors

+1 brulaz, a lot of focus on the truck brakes when the trailer may have been pushing more than it should have.

Had a similar problem with my EcoB going down a steep Appalachian grade with lots of 20mph hairpin turns.

I ran it in 2nd gear but had to brake a lot for those hairpins. I tried first gear but revving up over 3500rpm sort of freaked me out. So at the bottom you could smell the brakes (and the trailer brakes) but there was no permanent damage.

We're just not used to high rpms with the EcoB.

But everybody tells me that's the only way we'll get much engine braking. So next time down that grade, I'm putting it in first and let it wind up almost to the red line. Then hit the brakes hard to drop it down. It'll scream, but that'll be better than the smell of cooked brakes.

And, your trailer brakes are probably set for emergency braking when just warm. You'll find as they heat up going downhill you can up the voltage applied without locking them up. Having the trailer brake itself properly by doing that will take some of the strain off your truck brakes.

Check out the stores online selling brake parts for your vehicle and get the best ones you can find. The price will be a good indicator of build quality. I replaced the factory rotors on my 1998 Chevy at 32,000 miles with the best aftermarket ones I could find and I put another 145,000 miles on the truck before I sold it and replaced only the pads one time.

Labor cost is the same and the aftermarket rotors were roughly the same price as the GM junk had I gotten the parts from the dealer.

I'm running a 3/4 ton SuperDuty truck, and my OEM brake rotors are finally in need of being turned--at 118K miles. I usually turn'em once and then replace them the second time my foot's getting a little chatter. Auto parts stores will turn rotors for $12 each.

I'm a firm believer in using premium brake pads, and my Hawk LTS brakes have lasted a ridiculously long time. RockAuto.com recently had incredibly low prices on Wagner pads for $20 and $22 a pair.

Padlin wrote:
I am new to the longer mountain runs found out west, this trip was the first I've encountered them so I could definitly be.doing something wrong. I had heard to go down in the same gear you go up in. Went up in 4th or 5th, came down in 3rd. I could have stepped harder on the brake when in 3rd and it would have down shifted to 2nd, but I didn't have to so I didn't for e it. Instead I used the brakes if I needed to slow below what 3rd would do.

No brake issues other then the throb or pulse one gets when the rotors have overheated, and that mostly just when hot, with or without the trailer. There is no lack of braking.

If everyone thinks I sould let it downshift further that's what I'll try on next years trip, and replace the rotors and pads. The truck, when in tow/haul seems to downshift based on my braking, the I brake the more it down shifts. Light braking on the down hills does not do it, takes more then that.

Took a look at your profile to see what your TV was, but didn't see it. I made a similar trip two years ago (for the first time) and was really concerned about the downslopes in the Rockies. Prior to leaving on that trip, I found some info on the net about Duramaxes and what was a safe rpm when using the engine as a brake (I have an '07 so it doesn't have an EB). What I found was a blog talking about how to downshift and that the DMax is engineered to rev up close to the redline safely so when I felt I was in a bind, I used the manual mode and downshifted appropriately, sometimes down to 2nd gear and at least once down to 1st when I ran into some construction road work and had to stop sort of suddenly. Bottom line, while I watched as the engine rev'ed up to 4200+, I cringed but trusted what I had read and it worked great. Like others have said, I also used my brakes hard for short periods of time to slow down 10-15 mph then let the engine accelerate again saving the brakes. Like I said, that was two years ago and now I have about 100k miles with no ill effects. In fact, the last time I had my tires replaced, I asked them to check the pads, rotors and shoes and I was told they have plenty of stuff left on them.

Agree with others who have said that it is most likely your driving style...

The Stop Tech article is very good, but do disagree on one thing...I've measured
run out on many rotors. Meaning they were warped.

Think your rotors were NOT warped, but high spotted with baked on friction material

Drilled rotors are pure track stuff and/or for folks who have the money to replace
them often

Cast in holes are okay (Porsche is one), but $$$$$

Slotted is a good thing. Why does the 'good' pads have a slot either cut or
molded into them?

Same reason slotted rotors are better.

The comment of reduced mass is correct...for drilled/cast 'holes' in rotors.
Depending on how they manage the placement, dia and numbers of holes...has come
lose approx 30% or more mass from those holes

Also, holes only work well for high RPMs. Meaning for those who have ~24" dia
tire OD's or driving over 100 MPH, sustained with our truck tire's OD

Slots (pad and/or rotors) allow a gas escape routing. Otherwise the out gas
pressure is high enough to float the pads off the cast iron...AKA Fade or reduced
braking

The mentioned braking HARD, then letting the cool is the best advice on HOW2
brake on inclines.

Padlin, if you haven't driven a new diesel pickup with an exhaust brake, you should. They really make downhills and uphills easy.

It is a gas engine let it rev! The stock Jake brKes on Cummins work best at 3,000 rpm! My Pacbrake will work great at 2,200 rpm, through the windshield at 3,200!
Make your Tow/Haul work, you she avoid the service brakes.

Padlin wrote:
It would drop me to 3rd gear, slowed me down a good amount but not enough for a 6% slope. I was hesitant to let it go.to 2nd gear when your doing 40 or 50 mph.

I know on some of the steep mtn's leaving Yellowstone heading toward the Black Hills I did 2nd gear and only braked before going around corners and my trailer is 7200 pounds

Padlin wrote:
I am new to the longer mountain runs found out west, this trip was the first I've encountered them so I could definitly be.doing something wrong. I had heard to go down in the same gear you go up in. Went up in 4th or 5th, came down in 3rd. I could have stepped harder on the brake when in 3rd and it would have down shifted to 2nd, but I didn't have to so I didn't for e it. Instead I used the brakes if I needed to slow below what 3rd would do.

No brake issues other then the throb or pulse one gets when the rotors have overheated, and that mostly just when hot, with or without the trailer. There is no lack of braking.

If everyone thinks I sould let it downshift further that's what I'll try on next years trip, and replace the rotors and pads. The truck, when in tow/haul seems to downshift based on my braking, the I brake the more it down shifts. Light braking on the down hills does not do it, takes more then that.

Sounds to me like you just rode the brakes too much then. If you put the best pads in the world on with new rotors, and go down the mountain the same way you did, you'll warp the rotors again.

Definitely work on your downhill skills, many have great advice on here to help.
A neat toy to have is a infrared thermometer, I've seen them for 20 or 30 bucks. You pull the trigger and it tells you what the temps are. I'm guessing you are getting up above 400 degrees easily if you are warping rotors.