Upgrade to Slotted Rotors?

I've been reading a lot of posts both here and elsewhere about upgrading the brakes on my 2012 Dbl Cab TRD sport. It seems the overall opinion is that the stock brakes are pretty good, and that just upgrading to slotted rotors and good pads won't really make any difference day-to-day, no worse, no better.

My concerns aren't about day-to-day driving, but instead towing my camper trailer. When towing it normally, the truck brakes are good, as are the trailer brakes. What I would like to prepare for though is a couple trips we have planned with 9% grades that stretch on for decent distances. My goal for a brake upgrade is to better equip the truck to handle stopping the whole rig should the trailer brakes ever malfunction. In such an extreme situation, I think the stock brakes might overheat and become ineffective.

I'm thinking maybe EBC slotted rotors and EBC green pads?

I was also thinking perhaps braided steel lines and/or a higher grade brake fluid?

 

The best slotted rotors will do is give a wipe for excess water when driving in extra wet conditions. However, larger rotors will dissipate more heat.

EBC pads are marginal in terms of long term heat at best, at least in the world of street-legal cars on a road course. Problem is balance. Pads that work best when really hot usually have lousy cold bite, meaning not so great on normal street driving. Pads that work quite well on the street will often fade on the track.

Braided lines are fine if your rubber lines are bad and bulging. But braided lines are just a sheath over a non metallic tube, some for debris protection, some to control bulging. They don't really do much for heat.

Hi temp brake fluid is the best item on your list. Boiling the fluid is the greatest likelihood of brake failure. ATE superblue is one that works well for that.

I don't know your rig, but it seems good trailer brakes that can be manually operated, combined with gearing down on those tough grades, would be huge in saving the risk of brake overheating.

Edit:

Here's some analysis from a worthy driver on another forum I use. They might give you some ideas. You'll notice EBC of any color is not in the mix.........

I've tried Hawk Black, Porterfield R4-S, Axxis MetalMaster, and Carbotech XP8s and 10s on the track and the street. Only the Carbotechs really work for both.

Hawks - Yes, they ate my rotors at street temps. The metal shavings combined with some brake dust and made permanent rust stains on my wheels. And the pads themselves were pretty well done after one full track day.

Axxis MetalMaster - No, these are not track pads, just performance street pads that are pretty inexpensive. These were my street pads for a while and I got to do a couple of track sessions and didn't get a chance to switch. Yes, they faded toward the end of a session (going into 10A at Road Atlanta, for those of you familiar with the track), but did surprisingly well for an inexpensive road pad. These are my favorite street pads - they are quiet, feel great, last forever, make very little dust, and, as I found out, will even tolerate some track abuse without crumbling. Nice.

Porterfields - It was my mistake to think the R4-S would hold up to track use (they didn't). But even on the street, they make the worst, sticky, greasy dust this side of an OEM BMW pad.

Carbotech XP8s - YES! Great feel on the track. Dusty and noisy on the street, but they are very kind to rotors, the dust is dry (non-greasy) and very easy to wash/wipe off, non-corrosive, too. And on the track, these pads feel great. They don't "bite" as hard as the Hawks (which, for me, bite a little too abruptly anyway), but are easy to modulate and release. They were very well (last a long long time) - I got six full-day events out of my first set of fronts, and probably 9 or 10 out of the rears.

 

I used the EBC yellow pads on my Tacoma when I was pulling my '87 4Runner on a trailer a lot. I could not tell that they made a big enough difference to justify the cost over a good set of brake pads. When I went to get pads the next time I just got the "Better" pads on Rock Auto. Overall I have been just as satisfied with the Better pads as I was with the EBC.

 

Thanks for the input guys, I do appreciate it! My trailer brakes do work pretty well, and on normal grades they can, when operated manually, slow the truck and trailer down without using the truck brakes.

What I'm hearing from your advice is that it's probably ok even just to get the Toyota rotors and pads when they need to be replaced, and that the brake fluid change could be the best investment.

I'm also thinking about possibly new shocks and/or air bags in the rear. I will also need some new summer/AT tires this spring.

 

How experienced are you in towing in the mountains, ie 6%-plus grades and frequent sharp corners? Use your transmission as your primary speed control, brakes intermittently (to help cool them). Unless coming up on a corner, you should be driving slow enough to NOT pickup up speed on a straight downhill without touching the brakes. Also, turn your a/c on downhill - it will add some drag, and every bit helps.

 

Here's a great set of bags that a lot of people run on here. You can fill them up with a bicycle pump no problem!

EDIT: Might need the link.
http://www.suspensionconnection.com/2407.html

 

Adding Firestone ride right air bags was the best upgrade I did for towing with my Tacoma. It handles a full load a lot better now. IMO I would get air bags for the truck and a trailer w/ trailer brakes. Trailer brakes will stop you better than any brake upgrade will.