What are the Best Brakes for Towing?

When you are driving normally the stock brakes supplied with your truck are usually more than adequate to give great performance, Things change however when you add a trailer with a load into the mix. In this post we are going to look more at the extra strains on brakes when towing and how to find the best brakes to make your life easier.

Why Might You Need Different Brakes?

We may not immediately realize this but every time we add weight to our trucks through hauling, towing or even just adding larger wheels we are changing the truck's normal operations. This means that the stock brakes provided may not be the best suited for the extra strains put on the vehicle in terms of braking.

Increased weight requires brakes to work harder when it comes to stopping power. The already fitted brakes can likely handle most reasonably sized loads but they will be working harder than normal so may wear out faster.

If you will be towing regular heavy loads it may be wise to look into some stronger more heavy duty brakes. This will increase stopping power, improve performance and will put less pressure on the brakes.

Why It Is Important to Know Your Limits

When it comes to towing you really need to know your truck's capacity. Familiarize yourself with the owner's manual and check the sticker on the inside of the driver's door. You are likely to find the exact towing capacity of your model in one or both of these places.

If you push your truck's towing capacity to its maximum limits and beyond you run the risk of causing damage to the vehicle. You might damage the engine, suspension and the drivetrain. Aside from the damage you may also experience poor braking performance even with trailer brakes involved as well.

Do I Need to Upgrade My Brakes?

If you are just an occasional tower who does not come close to the maximum capacity of your truck chances are the brakes that come with your vehicle are up to the task. However if you frequently tow and additionally haul heavy loads then you may want to consider an upgrade.

Better brakes cost more so if you just got the stock most basic sets when you purchased your truck you may need to consider an upgrade. Often with new trucks you have options which may include more heavy duty braking equipment. You otherwise may have to have some aftermarket brakes fitted if you need extra braking help.

New higher performance truck brakes can make a huge difference when you are towing heavy loads. They have greater stopping power and help add to your overall stability when slowing down.

What Are the Best Types of Brake Pads for Towing

There are lots of brake options on the market so there is no shortage of options and brands. Realistically however there are just three types of brakes each of which have their own pros and cons. These include:

Organic Brake Pads:

For the environmentally conscious among us, as you might imagine organic brake pads are the best for the environment. These are made with organic materials so they do not contribute to harming the environment and produce a softer brake pad.

The benefits of these soft pads is that they do not make as much noise under braking as other types so those hauling heavy loads can enjoy a quieter ride. The biggest downfall however is that the softness allows for the brakes to wear out more quickly.

Ceramic Brake Pads:

Ceramic brake pads are well regarded for a number of reasons and make for very good towing components. These ceramic pads allow for better dissipation of heat from breaking, keeping them from getting damaged too quickly.

This consistent brake quality means ceramic brakes keep performing for a long time and they do not create an excessive amount of brake dust. Less brake dust means less wear and as a result a longer lasting set of brakes.

The obvious issue with these brakes however is that they cost a lot to manufacture so as a result are not cheap. If you have the money to spend on ceramic brakes they are most certainly worth it. Those on a budget however might want to look at something different.

Metallic Brake Pads

There are a great many benefits to metallic brake pads; they are resilient, tough and not overly expensive. Incorporating copper, steel and graphite to name just a few potential materials these types of brake pads are very long lasting.

Despite the low cost and long life there are issues with metallic brakes that may have you considering other materials. Metallic brakes tend to decrease fuel economy and can have patchy performance when the weather gets cold. So if you are going to be towing in wintery weather metal pads might not be the best option for you.

Conclusion

There are dozens of different brake brands that make components for trucks all of which will have pros and cons. The best brakes for you are very dependent on your specific needs such as climate in your towing region, weight of loads and your preferences.

Price may be a deciding factor but always consider that sometimes a more expensive brake now might last you longer and avoid the need for replacements for longer. Imagine spending $50 on a pair of shoes that lasts a year rather than $10 for a pair that you have to replace every two months. You save money overall by thinking ahead.

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