Soft Brakes

I have an 02 Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab, 4x4. This is the first Chevy I've owned(Ford guy) and I love the truck. But the brakes seem to me to be soft. They stop the truck ok and the ABS is something I've never had on my trucks before. The pedal just seems spongy. Is this normal for these trucks..??? BTW there are only 17,000 on the clock and its 4 wheel disk....

I bought a 2003 Z71 last July and have the same impression with the brakes. My old trucks have been, from most recent, 1998 Toyota Tacoma 2wd, 1992 Ford F250, 1985 Dodge D150, and the Chevy brakes seem mushy by comparison. I first noticed it with about 8,000 miles of mostly highway driving so I can't believe that the brake pads are worn yet. I had 60,000 miles on the Toyota with the original pads and they had over half the life left when I traded it in for the Silverado. I checked the brake fluid resevoir and it's filled to the "Max Level" mark.

My last truck was a 92 F-150 4x4 and the brake pedal was alot firmer then the Chevy too.. Just wondering... A buddy of mine has an 01 Silverado 2x4 extended cab.. maybe i'll ask to take it for a spin

My last truck was a 93 C1500 ext cab long bed and the brakes sucked big time. The front rotors, calipers and pads were new and the rear was like new. It still sucked. Now I have a 2000 K1500 and the brakes are much better but still mushy like PipeDreamsMarines'. However, when I pull a horse trailer with two horses or a full load of hay the 2000 wins hands down. Four wheel discs, Prodigy brake controller and two axles with electric brakes and it all stops much much better then with the old truck.
Sonny

I have a 99. My brakes also feel soft at the peddle, but very strong at the wheels, and I have towed several times.

My previous truck was a 1990, and it had a much stiffer brake peddle. It only had single piston front calipers, and rear drum as opposed to the newer truck which has dual piston calipers all the way around.

Moving four pistons is an allfull lot of displacement, maybe this has something to do with the softer peddle?

-Mike

the solft pedal is just old brake fluid. It should be completely changed every two years but most people never change it. brake fluid absorbs water and pulls it into the system over a couple of years and then it won't hold a hard pedal. The best option is to get speedbleeders (speedbleeder.com) and DOT 4 ATE super blue brake fluid. Get the fluid at a sports car stuff store on on the internet. Its about 10-15 bux a quart. you'll need about a quart to change the whole system. start in the passenger side rear by putting in the new bleeder then pump on the brakes about 10 times, taking care to refill the brake fluid reservoir under the hood. may take a few more times to see the blue brake fluid coming out. tighten the bleeder and go the the drivers side rear, pass side front, and finally the drivers side front. My '96 has got a rock hard pedal and I keep it that way by changing fluid every couple of years.
juma

the solft pedal is just old brake fluid.

What you say makes sense, and I followed your advice of changing the brake fluid every two years on my Toyota. I'm certain that doing this makes the pistons and seals last longer and will prevent leaks in the system that would otherwise be caused by premature wear from moisture causing corrosive grit.

But I bought my 2003 Silverado new, off the dealer lot in July, and It only has 10,000 miles on it, so I don't think old fluid is applicable in my case.

its got air or water in the lines if it is soft. try bleeding the brakes first by just opening the bleeder and letting it drip out for a minute or so at each wheel. don't press on the brake while you are doing this and you won't get more air in the lines.

most brake fluid attracts and absorbs water vapor quickly. even a year is soon enough to do it unless it is really good fluid like ATE superblue.

juma

I beleave we are talking about two differant issues here!
Air in your brake system will give you a (spongy) feel, my brakes feel more like thay are progressively engaging down to a solid peddle, unlike my other trucks where the brakes felt more like stepping on a brick or for lack of better words something (solid) very quickly.

I agree with changing brake fluid every couple years or so, it will take on moisture and brake dust contaminents, not good for the brake ABS modulator.

-Mike

The pedal in my 99 is soft like that too. It's not spongy at all...the pedal just doesn't get solid until it's most of the way through its travel. It has always been soft from the time I bought it. I do need a fluid change though, and that may help.


Tom

if you don't have a high and tight pedal with maybe and inch of travel before it gets pretty hard hard, you have brake fluid issues. its not dangerous or unsafe but I like a good solid pedal.

now, on the other hand if you are talking about the phenomena where you hit the pedal hard in a panic and it mushes slightly then gets hard after what seems like too long delay, that's a brake metering issue and is not fixable unless you have 4 wheel discs.
juma

I understand. I have other vehicles with a pedal that firm. Do you own a newer (99-04) Silverado? My 99 has 4 wheel discs, and I think all others do standard (at least the 1500's). The pedal is pretty soft all the way through the travel, but the truck stops fine. I don't particularly like the feel, but they work fine...the only problem is that my trailer brakes come on as soon as I touch the pedal, before the truck's brakes do. Of course, that is desirable to some degree while towing to help avoid a jack-knife.


Tom

I just bought an '01 Sierra. Test drove about 10 Silverados and Sierras (1500's and 2500's) ALL had the same softer feel than I was used to with a car. It would seem that this soft feel is part of the design. What are the odds of 10 different vehicles (all GM products) exhibiting the same characteristic?

Tom,
you should have an electrical adjustment on your trailer brake controller, to allow you to synchronize the truck brake system with the trailer.

trident26: That's what I was going to get at - I've driven a 99 Sierra Z71 and it behaved the same way. It has been almost five years, so it's tough to remember...

desertmike1: Yeah, I do have an adjustment - the problem is if I dial it down some, the trailer starts pushing the truck around. Not good. :)

I have a '97 Express van with 5.7 and I'm on my way to a new truck! Which is why I'm reading up on this board. I also have a '96 chevy caprice 9c1 (cop car). The guys on the 94-96 impala board are about 6 years ahead of you guys in working out a lot of issues and mods that improve performance and braking. That is where all my wisdom comes from. On the 94-96 caprice/impala SS, the brake balance was out of whack because chevy never changed the balance when they went to 4-wheel discs. I expect it is the same on the truck. In fact the caprice and SS have a lot of truck components and are more trucky than the owners want to admit. A couple of mods to combi valve to improve brake balance front to rear and a change to the metering to make the front brakes come on quicker really do wonders for the caprice/impala. A set of braided brake lines, speedbleeders, performance friction pads from autozone, and DOT 4 ATE superblue brake fluid give you all your gonna get from the stock brakes. To keep it in tip top shape, you change brake fluid once a year which is made easy with speedbleeders.

I've driven a new '03 short cab/bed with 5.3 and the brakes were pretty good but the truck had sat on the lot for a year so it could have been better. If you want to feel what the brakes should be on these trucks go test drive a F*rd Lightning. It is a the best example of the high tight pedal that is easily modulated.

juma

juma33,
Do either of the two vehicles have 4 wheel disc brakes!
The 2001 Express I drive (Vanpool) has big OL drums in the back. I don't know a thing about the Caprice.

-mike

the van is drum and nothing can be done with it except good fresh brake fluid and a good bleed.

the cop car caprice and impala ss, 94-96, had four wheel disc but chevy retained all the front disc, rear drum hardware like master cylinder, combi valve, brake lines, etc. After that was determined, the caprice/impala wizards starting testing and moding and came up with the the mods. Here is a thread on it. also read the hyperlinked parts for more detail:

http://impalassforum.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=23;t=001099

juma

Hi I need help for a 94 Z71 ABS system, and locking up. 4 discs, and been bleed,equaled out,no codes, I am stumped Help Please......