You probably bought your diesel truck for hauling, but what about halting? After all, if you're planning to tow some heavy loads with that diesel powerplant, there's a truck-load-literally! - of mass and inertia that you'll have to bring to a stop. So, the last thing you'd want in that situation are some clapped-out calipers or overheated rotors that have faded as badly as an old newspaper.
That is where Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (SSBC) can make a big difference. This company pioneered the stainless-steel sleeved caliper for classic Corvette and Mustangs back in 1975. Today, the company offers a wide range of disc brake conversions and performance brake upgrades for classic musclecars, late-model performance cars, street rods and customs, and, of special interest to Diesel Power readers, trucks and SUVs.
SSBC's engineering department uses CAD software for rapid research and development, including a 3-D printer that allows fabrication of sample parts in order to check the fit and design integrity. Once the design is approved, an array of precision CNC machining centers turn the drawings into a reality.
The company began developing its line of Force 10 aluminum calipers in the late-'90s. These lightweight calipers greatly reduce unsprung weight for improved ride quality.
On the Tri-Power HD model shown here, each unit is 11 pounds lighter than stock. By taking this much weight out of each corner, the ride is much smoother, with less up-and-down motion.
The calipers also feature three 51mm pistons fitted into a billet aluminum caliper (the stock caliper is made of cast iron and has just two 54mm pistons). Why the extra piston on the SSBC caliper?
"Three pistons provide better distribution of force," explains Mike Jonas, president of SSBC. "That results in more even wear, less pad distortion, and better clamping force."
In addition, the caliper's inboard-mounted reinforcing ribs and bolts ensure increased rigidity, which produces a higher net effective clamping force. Altogether, the extra pistons apply 70 percent more surface area on the rotor, and the calipers provide 40 percent more brake horsepower, the company claims.
On the vehicle shown here, an 2005 GMC 3500 Dualie with a 6.6L turbodiesel (used to tow SSBC's large show-vehicle trailer), the Force 10 Tri-Power HD aluminum calipers will fit on the stock rotors. These calipers are designed to fit on 1999-2005 3/4- and 1-ton GM trucks as well (brakes for the Ford F-250/350 and Dodge trucks are under development and should be available later this year).
You can also upgrade the rotors with SSBC's slotted and plated units. The slots help to wipe off water, road grime, and grease. "A cleaner pad lasts longer," Mike points out. As for the plating, it just looks way cooler.
The SSBC rotors also have bigger vents with staggered vanes for 30 percent better heat transfer. Since brakes work by converting kinetic energy into heat, any improvement in cooling is a performance advantage.
This brake upgrade is basically as simple as swapping out the stock parts, with the same size of caliper used on both the front and rear hubs. So, what's stopping you?
 1. The stock caliper is a...  1. The stock caliper is a cast-iron piece using two 54mm pistons. |  2. Note the difference in...  2. Note the difference in quality between the factory hydraulic line fitting for the stock caliper ... |  3. ... in contrast to the...  3. ... in contrast to the design and durability of the SSBC unit. |
 4. The slots on the SSBC...  4. The slots on the SSBC rotors (left) act as "windshield wipers," removing water and road debris, and leaving a cleaner surface for the pads to bite on. |  5. Note the differences in...  5. Note the differences in the vane configuration. The curved ones are designed to improve the flow of air for better cooling. |  6. In contrast to the factory...  6. In contrast to the factory cast-iron caliper (left), the SSBC aluminum caliper is lighter and stronger, and features three pistons for better distribution of clamping force. |