350/3500 series pickups - any improvement to the brakes?

[noteven]

I haven't been able to discover any brake specifications for the current crop of 350/3500 series pickup trucks. Rotor size, swept area, minimum stopping distances, fade resistance.

With all the BS about uber towing capacity one would think braking information would be readily available - but the hype seems to be all about the go and not so much about the whoa...

I'd like to compare to my 2006 to see if any actual increase in braking performance has taken place.

The old buckboard pulls fine - so does a new one stop any better?

[noteven]

Thanks AH64ID - 10% increase in front brake size doesn't hurt. I don't know if any federal braking standards changed between 2006 model and 2010? If little trucks are the same as class 8 then the brakes in your example will be designed for the 14K GVWR and offer extra capacity on the 12,300 GVWR vehicle.

I've never scared myself driving a heavy truck uphill. On a couple occasions the butterflies occurred during braking situations.

I guess the HP and torque and "tow rating" and racing up grades B.S. is what sells little trucks. I can't recall ever hearing a driver climb out of the cab of a class 8 and say. "I like that rig except it has way too much brakes..."

[blt2ski]

Being as the GVWR/GAWR are heavier/ larger than before, which is what and how the brake capacity is taken from. I think one can assume the brakes should be better per say.
Reality is, to know if they are really better IMHO, you need to compare rigs with like capacities in the gawr/gvwr to know if braking is better. No use comparing 35 series trucks, if you are comparing a 10k, vs a later 11.4k vs some of the current 13k gvwr model. As yes, the newer ones will be better. Lets compare a 99 35 series 10k to a current 25 series 10k model......those might be the same, hopefully better.

Marty

[AH64ID]

FishOnOne wrote:
That looks like my Ford front suspension/brake caliper dating back to my dated '05. :W

Just a little bigger on the 15 Ram thou.

2005 F-350 306.4/272.1 (F/R in2)
2005 F-550 337.2/361.9 (F/R in2)

[larry_barnhart]

If a pickup is made to tow the weight as advertised the brakes better be large.

chevman

[AH64ID]

Yes the brakes are larger than your 2006. There was a small increase in size in 2010, and IIRC 2013. I will go and see what I can find for info.

EDIT:

2006 Front 13.9x1.39 Disc (313.2 in2), Rear 13.9x1.18 Disc (309.6 in2)

2010 Front 14.17x1.53 Disc (349.4 in2), 14.09x1.34 Disc (312.8 in2)

2015 Front 14.17x1.53 Disc (349.4 in2), 14.09x1.34 Disc (312.8 in2)

Looks like they are the same as they where in 2010, which is 11.5% bigger up front and 1% bigger out back.

It makes you wonder how much weight the brakes are really designed for?!?!? If the same brakes are used on a 14k GVWR as a 12,300 GVWR what is their true design weight?


FWIW: The 3500 C&C uses the same brakes as the 2500/3500 pickup. The 4500 C&C and 5500 C&C use the same brakes, which are also the same front and rear on those vehicles. 15.35" x 1.54" Disc (361.6in2).

[FishOnOne]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Here is the front of my 15 Dually. Don't know the size but they are huge and so are the rears.

That looks like my Ford front suspension/brake caliper dating back to my dated '05. :W

[C130]

I was never impressed with the brakes on my 2011 F250, it was the only thing I didn't like about the truck. One of the first things I noticed about the 2015 F450 was that the brakes felt much better. Maybe part of it was the dual wheels or the fact the brakes are that much better but it is much more comfortable and reassuring while braking. The exhaust brake works well also and really helps slowing down without using so brakes so much.

[noteven]

thanks 45Ricochet - I'll go to that site and check it out.

[transferred]

Grit dog wrote:

ScottG wrote:
It's a good question.
I've noticed that all of the big three have gone to larger wheels and I was hoping that meant bigger brakes.

That was true when trucks went to 17s about 10 yrs ago. Not the case now, as all 3 still offer 17" wheels in their lower trim packages.
Not saying brakes haven't improved but they are not much larger diameter.

Lot of misinformation on this site. Ram and GM vastly upgraded their HD pickup f&r disc diameter in 2013 and 2011 respectively.

[45Ricochet]

Yeah go over to Pickuptrucks.com and dig around. They have lots of tests. All three do a good job in the braking department.



They have lots of challenges. This one GM didn't compete in but there are others.

[noteven]

YnotTurbo wrote:
The beauty of the Ram 3500 is the exhaust brake. It works slow my truck down without having to use the brakes much at all if at all...The transmissions on the new trucks help in tow/haul mode as well. All the new 1 tons do a great job, but the only experience I have is with the Ram 3500.

Agree - we have an exhaust brake in the 2006 which offers downgrade control and is useful in normal driving. The info I'm after is foundation (service) brake performance in emergency stopping situations.

[Cummins12V98]

Here is the front of my 15 Dually. Don't know the size but they are huge and so are the rears.

[twodownzero]

I'm pretty sure most of the reason the heaviest-duty SRWs are going to 18s isn't for brake clearance (the 17s are big enough for that). It's because 18" tires tend to have 4-500 lbs of additional capacity per tire. While you can find 17s that are rated for nearly 4k pounds, almost all of the 18s seem to be rated for 36xx at least, which is more than the 3195 that most factory 17s are rated for.

For duallies this doesn't matter as you hit the capacity of the rear axle before you will overload the four tires.

[whitecloud]

YnotTurbo wrote:
The beauty of the Ram 3500 is the exhaust brake. It works slow my truck down without having to use the brakes much at all if at all...The transmissions on the new trucks help in tow/haul mode as well. All the new 1 tons do a great job, but the only experience I have is with the Ram 3500.

We have a 2015 Ram 3500 Cummins. This is our first diesel. Our previous truck was a Tacoma. The difference in braking power and everything else is pretty amazing.