Solutions for Bad GM Parking Brake Design?

[stick64]

It has been well documented that GM dropped the ball on the design with their parking brakes on 1999- 2003 trucks. Has anyone come up with a fix or a better way to prevent an ongoing maintenance issue with the parking brake? Hard on the pocket book having to replace rear rotors, pads, e-pads, etc… consistently.

[chuck16]

Hmmm. I guess having only had my truck for 3 years i haven't seen the wear yet. I did all 6 brakes 2.5 years ago and they are all in great shape still.
So I can't say that my ebrake system has any problems with it. My ebrake hasn't worn a bit and nor should it. It should only be in contact when it's applied; if it's in contact more often than not then perhaps an adjustment is required???? Just my worth.

[stick64]

Chuck, you being one of the fortunate ones. There are people that do not even realize their parking brake does not work until taking it in for state inspection. Some cases of wearing out after 15k miles. For some reason the e-brake would come in contact with rotor without drivers even knowing. I would be one of those.

[chuck16]

Dude that sucks!

I must admit when I bought the truck that was one of the things i didn't test. When I put it all the way to the floor and it didn't grab I was worried. So, after inspection mine too were worn right down. So i backed the adjuster right down and put new shoes in and all was well.

Sorry to hear of your woes...

[stick64]

So Chuck, no driver's side rear rotor issues upon you replacing pads??

[silicon212]

That explains why we here at work have a '99 and an '02 and niether one has working parking brakes. I was unaware of a faulty design.

[maxwedge]

Correct, that is why the new trucks have rear drums, the update kit on the parking brake hardware is still ineffective!

[fillupread]

I removed the auto adjust on mine and do a manual adjust every so often and mine have lasted 150,000 miles!

[TexasF355F1]

I never had to replace mine. My mechanic just tightened it up and all was well.

I did always notice how the line rubbed up against the hanger bracket.

[rjeffery]

I thought I was going to have to replace mine when it failed inspection, even bought the shoes. Turns out I was able to adjust it at the shoe.

[silverado122775]

There was nothing left of my e-brake shoes on both driver and passenger sides. They even cut into the rotor. I ended up replacing the rotors, e-pads and reg pads. now all is better Now I do not have worry about relying on the parking pin when parked on a incline.

[stick64]

Originally Posted by silverado122775

There was nothing left of my e-brake shoes on both driver and passenger sides. They even cut into the rotor. I ended up replacing the rotors, e-pads and reg pads. now all is better Now I do not have worry about relying on the parking pin when parked on a incline.

How much did this set you back ??

thanx

[silverado122775]

Originally Posted by stick64

How much did this set you back ??

thanx

I bought sloted rear rotors and brakes for about $250. the ebrakes are $90 a set from the dealer. Total about $340 and I did all my own work.

[jem270]

I've got about 55000 miles on my 2003. It is an extended cab 1500 silverado with 5.3 engine. I still have origional pads on it. It stops well and the emergency brake works fine. This is the first I heard of this problem. Does the emergency brake have a separate pad from the regular disc pad?

[silverado122775]

The e-brakes are separate pads. The rear rotors are drumed and disked. The e-brakes look like a horse-shoe and are applied like a drum brake pushing out against the inside of the rotor.
Then you have the regular brakes that are disk brakes that work like the front brakes.