What are some of the best brake pads you can get for a two vehicle? Something that can stand up to hard braking, without fading on you. I have a set of cheap pads on my Ram 1500, and had them fade to almost nothing while towing my camper down some mountain hills in southern Arkansas.....thank god my trailer brakes were still nice and strong....I ended up using them to slow the truck down....because the truck brakes were completely gone. They were there one minute, then the next thing I know I could put the pedal to the floor and nothing happened...Very scary situation.....thank god for the manual control on the trailer brakes. Any suggestion for some good heavy duty pads?

I use Wagner, your problem sounds more like bad brake fluid, water in it

Busdriver wrote:I use Wagner, your problem sounds more like bad brake fluid, water in itI agree with fluid or master cylinder. I like middle of the road brake pads. The heavy duty metallic pads can be hard on your rotors.Brian

The TT brakes should stop the TT and the truck brakes should stop the truck. The same brakes should be the same pulling or not.Going to fast or bad brake fluid is the problem, OEM brakes should be fine.

The problem is not your brake pads.It is your driving or an undersized TV.The brakes should not be needed/used to control speed on descents. Use lower gears and or the exhaust brake. If this is not possible, then the likely cause is a undersized TV for the load.ANY brake pads will overheat if used as the primary means of controlling speed on descents.

Hot brakes can and have boiled the fluid out of the brake cylinders and can cause a no brake condition. I like Hawk or Wagner HD semi metallic pads on my trucks and trailers.

Best brake pads for a tow vehicle? | Good Sam Community

PDX_Zs
Explorer
May 10, 2017
atwowheelguy wrote:
Get some fresh brake fluid.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/bfluid.htm

Thank you. This just reminded me to flush the fluid in our new 'Burban.
transamz9
Explorer
May 10, 2017
imq707s wrote:
transamz9 wrote:
What throws me off is the OP said that the manual control on the trailer brake controller is what saved him. I am in conclusion that the brake controller is not working correctly or is not adjusted correctly. When I had an aftermarket brake controller I drove like I was riding a motorcycle. I would squeeze the manual brake controller by hand doing most of the braking and follow up with my foot brake to help.

I can't stand a timer based brake controller and the way it jerks and lunges. By operating by hand does a couple things. It eliminates the jerks and lunges and also allowed me to run the box at maximum setting so if needed I could apply full power to the trailer brakes.

Yes, I agree...I think part of my problem was that the brake controller wasn't set up right.....and/or it's a cheap one that doesn't work very well. I have a hard time getting it set so that it stops good, but not so good that it's trying to lock up the tires on the trailer....it seems like it's all or nothing.

I'm guessing that on the way down the hill, the truck brakes were doing most of the stopping.....but I'm sure that having 13yr old brake fluid in the system doesn't help either.

I'm going to flush the brake fluid, and then go from there. Not sure I'm going to hit that section of road any time soon.....that experience was enough to make me not want to try it again if I don't have too.

Changing your brake fluid not keep it from happening again. It might take a little longer to happen but it will happen again. You really either need to upgrade your controller to an inertia based controller or learn to run your current one by hand. You can turn your current one all the max up (max power) and operate it by hand. Operating it by hand completely bypasses the signal it gets from the brake pedal on the truck. Squeeze the controller until you feel it pulling back on the truck and then apply brake pressure on the trucks pedal second. If you need more power just squeeze the controller more until you feel it pull on the truck.

In quick stops like those dreaded yellow lights in the city I would squeeze my controller 100% and then apply truck brakes to finish the stop. Once you learn how to do it it will be second nature like driving a standard transmission. I still , after 4 years of having a truck with the controller built in , reach down for a controller that's not there. HAHA
imq707s
Explorer
May 10, 2017
transamz9 wrote:
What throws me off is the OP said that the manual control on the trailer brake controller is what saved him. I am in conclusion that the brake controller is not working correctly or is not adjusted correctly. When I had an aftermarket brake controller I drove like I was riding a motorcycle. I would squeeze the manual brake controller by hand doing most of the braking and follow up with my foot brake to help.

I can't stand a timer based brake controller and the way it jerks and lunges. By operating by hand does a couple things. It eliminates the jerks and lunges and also allowed me to run the box at maximum setting so if needed I could apply full power to the trailer brakes.

Yes, I agree...I think part of my problem was that the brake controller wasn't set up right.....and/or it's a cheap one that doesn't work very well. I have a hard time getting it set so that it stops good, but not so good that it's trying to lock up the tires on the trailer....it seems like it's all or nothing.

I'm guessing that on the way down the hill, the truck brakes were doing most of the stopping.....but I'm sure that having 13yr old brake fluid in the system doesn't help either.

I'm going to flush the brake fluid, and then go from there. Not sure I'm going to hit that section of road any time soon.....that experience was enough to make me not want to try it again if I don't have too.
atwowheelguy
Explorer
May 10, 2017
Get some fresh brake fluid.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/bfluid.htm
transamz9
Explorer
May 09, 2017
What throws me off is the OP said that the manual control on the trailer brake controller is what saved him. I am in conclusion that the brake controller is not working correctly or is not adjusted correctly. When I had an aftermarket brake controller I drove like I was riding a motorcycle. I would squeeze the manual brake controller by hand doing most of the braking and follow up with my foot brake to help.

I can't stand a timer based brake controller and the way it jerks and lunges. By operating by hand does a couple things. It eliminates the jerks and lunges and also allowed me to run the box at maximum setting so if needed I could apply full power to the trailer brakes.
Huntindog
Explorer
May 09, 2017
imq707s wrote:
So you are saying that the only proper way to fix my brake problem is to go out and buy a 3/4 ton truck to tow my 4,400lb camper? Sounds like an expensive fix...
No. reread my entire post.
I am of the opinion that there is nothing wrong with your brakes.
BenK
Explorer
May 09, 2017
imq707s wrote:
What are some of the best brake pads you can get for a two vehicle? Something that can stand up to hard braking, without fading on you. I have a set of cheap pads on my Ram 1500, and had them fade to almost nothing while towing my camper down some mountain hills in southern Arkansas.....thank god my trailer brakes were still nice and strong....I ended up using them to slow the truck down....because the truck brakes were completely gone. They were there one minute, then the next thing I know I could put the pedal to the floor and nothing happened...
Very scary situation.....thank god for the manual control on the trailer brakes.

Any suggestion for some good heavy duty pads?

to the PM...this is not just brake pad issue, but starts with the heat generated by the brake pads against cast iron disc...and to that PM asking if my suggested performance brake pads would solve this....NO....just answering the OP's question: "Best brake pads for a tow vehicle?"...am lambasted for 'extra' or 'verbose' info in my answers...can't win on that...this one too little info...so here are more details

'Fad' is composed of two things and can be just one or the other or both at the same time...out gassing lifting the pad material off of the disc surface to create a 'floating' pad with little to no friction material in contact...or in getting hot enough to create out gassing...it will boil the hydraulic brake fluid in the caliper that will then allow the brake pedal to go to the floor

There could also be vaporized brake fluid in the lines...even though it is inches away from the caliper

Vapor in the brake fluid is what this OP has/had experienced because his brake pedal went to the floor. Am sure out gassing was also there, but not the main issue in this instance

Higher performance friction material pads will have the ability to work at a higher temp BEFORE it out gasses, so a kinda sorta fad resistance

Not just towing either, as have experienced brake fad with a 2 seater that ways in around 2,000 lb with me in it...even my other 2 seater that weighs in at 2,400 lbs with me in it...

For this OP, guessing using the TV brakes like most do in non-towing. While towing, best to brake HARD to drop the speed down 10-15 MPH less and then do NOT touch the brakes for a short while to allow them to cool. Then repeat braking HARD to slow down 10-15 MPH and then coast. Repeat that cycle all the way down

Choose a speed you wish to be at, say 55MPH...when your speed goes above by about, say 10 MPH or 65MPH...BRAKE HARD to drop it down to around 50MPH to let it repeat again and again

Of course, other measures to control the speed. Mainly the transmission. A manual would be best, but most today have automatics and that hydraulic coupled TC has that 15% or so slippage to account for

You should be in the lowest gear without over rev'ing the ICE. Diesel's do not have much compression braking, so the why of exhaust brakes that close off the exhaust to have the diesel push exhaust gases into a closed chamber

Anytime brake pads are changed, the brake fluid should be flushed. Best practices that. NEVER top off the MC reservoir either, as it is indicative of the pad wear amount
falconbrother
Explorer II
May 09, 2017
I have observed that the brakes on the Suburban don't have to work any harder than normal when coming down a hill. The trailer brakes do all the work for the RV. If you get bored look up how electric trailer brakes work. It's pretty interesting. Not what I expected.
brulaz
Explorer
May 09, 2017
imq707s wrote:
So you are saying that the only proper way to fix my brake problem is to go out and buy a 3/4 ton truck to tow my 4,400lb camper? Sounds like an expensive fix...

If the trailer brakes on your 4400# trailer were not adjusted properly at the beginning, and doing little to slow down the trailer until you switched to manual operation, then that may explain why your truck's brakes failed.

In addition, trailer drum brakes will fade quickly on steep descents throwing off the brake controller's calibration. Manual operation may be necessary very soon on a steep descent.

And try a lower gear, even if you have to go below the speed limit.

Descents like that are not easy. Glad you made it down ok.
imq707s
Explorer
May 09, 2017
So you are saying that the only proper way to fix my brake problem is to go out and buy a 3/4 ton truck to tow my 4,400lb camper? Sounds like an expensive fix...

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