Just read an article from Bosch that said ceramic pads are not recommended for towing. Any truth to this? They didn't explain why in the article.

 

Ceramic gets hotter than traditional brakes. It could cause cracking or exploding rotors. If you tow with ceramics, make sure your trailer has brakes to eliminate the extra heat on the truck....Don't forget that your rotors wear almost as fast as those pads too!

 

yikes so whats a good (Better than stock) pad suitable for towing?

sheesh i almost bought ceramics too

 

If you have trailer brakes and they are functioning correctly...then it will not be a problem at all....it's just if you are pulling a trailer (heavy..over 2000#'s) without trailer brakes thats its an issue.

A traditional brake such as a semi-metallic or carbon-metallic will work, but here now we come accross a different problem if the brakes get too hot... they will float when they over heat. Floating is caused by gassed being expelled from the rotor and braking surface after temperatures exceed 2200 degrees F. That is what causes discoloration in the rotor and a glazing to the pad. This used to be a common problem in drum brake applications when people rode their brakes. They float and braking power fades while braking until the point that they won't stop.

The solution, don't pull a heavy trailer without trailer brakes, working correctly and use and brake pad you like on the truck....as long as it is intended for the truck from the manufacturer.

Good Luck

 

Well I don't tow all that much and the trailer does have good brakes. Think I'll try to find ceramics and possibly put some slottrd rotors on.

 

This is also known as "green pad fade" and can be avoided by bedding your pads according to the pad MFR's recommendations.

 

Slotted and cross drilled rotors are best left for racing applications.

With a ceramic, it will tear up a slotted rotor. Slotted rotors are designed to give a place for the super heated gasses to go, as well as purge dust. Since ceramics work best in heat, getting rid of it might actually increase stopping distances.

Slotted / semi-met pads...good

Slotted / ceramic pads....bad

cross drilled....only on the track.

Did you know there are no, repeat no, cross drilled rotors for sale that are legal as far at DOT is concerned on the road?

I know you didn't mention cross drilled...just wanted to mention it.

 

Jordan not Mike:

How do you avoid the heat by bedding with brakes being overloaded?

I know about green pad fade with new brake pads by not seating them correctly(hense the term "green" pad fading), but how does this pertain to pads correctly seated in the middle of their life that get overheated from over work?

I'm not trying to sound off, just asking?

 

Hmm... I think I understand your question.

That's brake fade, the result of the discs not being able to dissipate heat fast enough. They'll typically recover once they cool.

Pads floating on gasses is green pad fade, a slightly different situation with the same result - no brakes!

 

Had slotted and ceramics on my old ranger and never had a problem!

 

There are tons of vehicles that come with cross-drilled rotors from the factory. My mom's car came with them as just one example.

I've run APs and currently run QuickStop cross-drilled rotors. Never had a problem. I prefer them, actually, to solid or slotted.

I'd stay away from cheap ones, though. Cracking could be an issue, and you never know if they put a hole in the wrong spot, weakening the rotor.

I'm not sold on ceramic pads for performance/rotor wear, though ,so I stick with semi-metallics (and clean my wheels regularly).

 

most high end auto's come with crossdrilled rotors on them. but trucks do not. the amount of contact on the rotor needs to be the maximum. towing with the slotted has caused a few problems that i have dealt with in the past. the slots fill up with brake material. ceramic pads cool off faster when not being applied. so when you go to apply them it will take a tad bit longer to begin the initial stopping. thus you push on the pedal a little harder thus causing heat to build up quicker. when you tow with them it multiplies the effect. then it will go back to the individual on the towing aspects and how they drive. i9n the end i found that when towing frequently i used the stockers and had great luck with them. except the darn dust.just my 02*

 

Great Pads - Carbon Metallics, they perform well and last a long time with stock rotors