My brake pedal is pulsing pretty bad. I assume its my brake drum in the rear that warped. When i looked up on autozone it appeared there was 2 different sizes for these trucks. Whats the difference, i assume one is for a heavy half? Im not sure.
94 k1500 brake shoe and drum size
- Thread starter Jjbiskup
- Start date
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Don't assume. You end up with parts ( $ ) sitting the shelf. Have read any of the threads about RPO codes ? And your brake code is on the glove box tag. In safe area get a little movement slowly apply park E brake, pulses it's rear drums. No pulsating probably front rotors. You've seen the post about OE service manual , you should get it.
Im fairly certain its the rear drums because i didnt have this problem until i slid into a curb and bent my axle shaft which made the drum rub the brake nonstop going down the road so i assume it got hot and warped or created hotspots on the drum. Im only replacing one drum. Im just seeing if anybody has replaced their rear drums on a regular 94 k1500 and has an answer rather than getting the wrong ones and having to go back to the store mid brake job.
What @GoToGuy said. You have either 10" or 11" drums. Your RPO code will tell you what you have. You can feel rear drum pulsation but is more likely rotors. Use the parking brake and see if pulses, like @GoToGuy said. The warp of the rotors and drums is a by product of the braking process. Apply brakes and create friction to slow you down and that makes heat and transfers in to the drum/rotor surfaces.
If you refer to your RPO code, you will not get wrong one. Or measure. I am not a fan of replacing one of a pair either but is your truck.
You said a key word, "assume". That costs money. Is very "easy" to check the RPO code and get it right.
If you refer to your RPO code, you will not get wrong one. Or measure. I am not a fan of replacing one of a pair either but is your truck.
You said a key word, "assume". That costs money. Is very "easy" to check the RPO code and get it right.
I tried the parking brake thing. It doesnt go to the floor but it definitely does not stop the truck, also the pulsing thing with the brakes is more of a high speed thing. As when im trying to brake going over 50 then its really noticeable, any less and its not very noticeable. Not sure how else to check unless i put a runout gauge on the rotors to verify that it is infact the drums.
At that speed, if parking brake moves the shoes at all, you should feel a pulse in the seat of your pants as the shoes touch a warped drum. If you feel a pulse/shudder in the steering wheel or in the feet on the floor, it is in the rotors.
If the park brake won't stop the vehicle, you need park-brake service which might include adjusting the service brakes and then adjusting the park brake cables, but could be far more involved.
It's most likely you have the 254mm (10") leading-trailing shoe drums. They suck.
It's most likely you have the 254mm (10") leading-trailing shoe drums. They suck.
My brakes suck, so that might be it. When i took the rotor off the shoes are cracked to hell and unevenley worn, ill get some pictures when i do the brakes next week probably.
I thought that if you feel the shake in the steering wheel then it was the front rotors, if felt in the pedal then it is in the rear. Could i be wrong?
Yes. Either one could potentially shake the main brake pedal.
Front brakes might shake the whole vehicle, but also the steering wheel.
Rear brake might shake the whole vehicle but probably not the steering wheel.
Apply park brake to distinguish between the two. Works better if the vehicle has a release handle that can be pulled during application, so the park brake isn't stuck "on", merely applied during pedal-push and instantly released with removing your foot.
Front brakes might shake the whole vehicle, but also the steering wheel.
Rear brake might shake the whole vehicle but probably not the steering wheel.
Apply park brake to distinguish between the two. Works better if the vehicle has a release handle that can be pulled during application, so the park brake isn't stuck "on", merely applied during pedal-push and instantly released with removing your foot.
