1998 Z71 SOFT BRAKE PEDAL SOLVED

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Steve A

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The brake design on the GMT-400 trucks is dependent on the model. !500/2500 with 10 x 2.25 rears and 11.16 X 2.75 rears are what GM refers to as Leading/trailing brakes. what this means is that both shoes are the same size, with this design there is a lower anchor point that prevent the shoes from rotating into the drum when applied. The purpose of using this design is to allow the rear brakes to apply and release very quickly due to having ABS.

Leading/trailing brakes have the adjuster mounted towards to top of the shoe as it's only purpose is to allow adjustment of the shoes, it plays no part in transfer of power from the shoes to the drums. These brakes are adjusted when the E brake is applied.

Not all 1500s have leading/trailing drum brakes, my 96 Yukon (4x4) has the 11 x 2.75 Duo-Servo rear drum brakes.
 

evilunclegrimace

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Not all 1500s have leading/trailing drum brakes, my 96 Yukon (4x4) has the 11 x 2.75 Duo-Servo rear drum brakes.


You are correct. My mistake, I have not had a set of 11" brakes off in a long time. I adjusted my previous post.
 

evilunclegrimace

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Thank you for that clarification!!!

So 1500 and 'heavy half' 2500 (6-lug) needs a functional parking brake

and 8-lug 2500 and 3500 can just brake in reverse.

Rich I screwed up on the brakes as Steve pointed out. The 11 brakes are duo servo and adjust with by backing up. Sorry everyone, I edited my earlier post to show the correct info.
 

Coveman

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One other good tip for trucks with 11.16 brakes is to drill out a hole on the drum backing plate so you can adjust them without removing the drums. I inserted a rubber plug to cover the hole between adjustments. (Like drums used to be, I guess the engineers were a little over confident of the auto adjuster)
 

Schurkey

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So 1500 and 'heavy half' 2500 (6-lug) needs a functional parking brake

and 8-lug 2500 and 3500 can just brake in reverse.

Correct. It's also worth checking adjustment when you're doing oil changes!
My '88 K1500 came with the hateful leading/trailing design. They never worked right, although much of the blame goes to the lame anti-lock system (the brakes were better in 4WD than in 2WD, because the anti-lock was disabled in 4WD.)

I replaced the rear axle at about 300,000 miles with a 6-lug "K2500" 14-bolt semi-float (9.5 ring gear.) That 6-lug axle had the duo-servo brakes. What a wonderful upgrade.
 

Nathaniel2g

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My '88 K1500 came with the hateful leading/trailing design. They never worked right, although much of the blame goes to the lame anti-lock system (the brakes were better in 4WD than in 2WD, because the anti-lock was disabled in 4WD.)

I replaced the rear axle at about 300,000 miles with a 6-lug "K2500" 14-bolt semi-float (9.5 ring gear.) That 6-lug axle had the duo-servo brakes. What a wonderful upgrade.

Yupe, I've got a K2500 14 bolt 6 lug under my truck as well. Definitely feels way nicer - my truck was also optioned without ABS from the factory, so god save the queen!
 

evilunclegrimace

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Yupe, I've got a K2500 14 bolt 6 lug under my truck as well. Definitely feels way nicer - my truck was also optioned without ABS from the factory, so god save the queen!

What year truck do you have that was able be ordered with out ABS? I was under the impression that ABS was standard on all C/K series trucks.
 

97K1500Silverado

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So I tried this on my 1997 k1500 with f44 package semi float rear end 6 lug. I do have ABS front and rear. I pulled drums off and adjusted shoes so it was hard to put drums back on had to beat on with 2x4 and hammer.

Well I can definitely feel the brake pedal is firmer and you feel the rear grab before front.

Drove around neighborhood and you can feel the drag from rear brakes. Got home and rear brakes were HOT. 450 degrees according to temp gun. Saw some smoke too. Yikes!

Should I remove drums again (if I can) and back off adjustment? Brakes won’t drag as bad but pedal will be back to spongy.

Before I did this I would always hear groan from rear brakes at stoplight creeping ahead unless I was hard on pedal.
 
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