Brakes Don't Stop Well/won't Lock Up 2000 Silverado

[listenloud]

I have a 2000 Silverado 4x4 Ext Cab. The brake pads and rotors look good. Brake pedal feels normal. Truck doesn't seem to stop well. I can't make them lock up or make the antilock engauge no matter how hard I press the pedal. I don't drive the truck much. At first I thought it was in my head becuase my daily driver is a civic and it stops and drives like a go cart.

Is there a know problem with these?

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by listenloud

I have a 2000 Silverado 4x4 Ext Cab. The brake pads and rotors look good. Brake pedal feels normal. Truck doesn't seem to stop well. I can't make them lock up or make the antilock engauge no matter how hard I press the pedal. I don't drive the truck much. At first I thought it was in my head becuase my daily driver is a civic and it stops and drives like a go cart.

Is there a know problem with these?

the brake system will not allow the wheels to lock...this will cause the ABS to start pulsing so as to prevent this..On solid/dry pavement, with good rubber and a fairly loaded vehicle with 1/2 tank of fuel it will take alot of effort to get the ABS to come on..

replacing the brake fluid with new , is a good way to keep the braking system working correctly..with time and heat the brake fluid does not create the pressures as new fluid would...also moisture at the brake calipers causes them to get stuck reducing you braking effort..

[Streetwise]

From experience, I would rebuild the brakes. Front, rear, calipers, pads and rotors. Also, bleed the fluid for a while and get some fresh stuff in there. I learned the hard way. I thought I would just go in and replace the pads and rotors, no sweat. Wrong. If there is any kind of corrosion, you may need to free up the brakes. I rebuilt my rears which are disk. I had to replace everything because the calipers were INOP and rotted out. Disk in the rea, not a great idea. Unless you get high performance aftermarket, replacing them with OEM will result in the same. I have to inspect my brakes every 6-8 months. Although the pads looks great, they may be glazed and not working, which will not stop well and after a while, will warp the rotors.
As far as the ABS, another crap design. It's combined with the bearing hub assembly. And most stop working 100%. ABS should activate in MOST situations, not just when it's wet or snowy. The point is to help stop without locking the wheels into a skid. One or the other should result. If not, I would suspect the brakes as a whole are not working right. Most likey the pads are not moving free enough and are glazed.

[listenloud]

I pulled the wheels. i found the rear pads were worn paper thin on the inner pads and the pads were not making good contact with the rotor. The inside surface of the rear rotors looked like it has been soaked in salt water. Large flaking chunks of rust!

I replaced rear rotors, pads and park brake linings. Brakes work better, but still seem weak. Caliper pistons moved freely. If the ABS is coming on when I try to lock up the brakes, I can't hear or feel it.

The parking brake didn't work at all before. Now it works a little, but pedal goes all the way to the floor.

The little tiny bolt that hold the park brake shoe clip in place broke off as soon as I touched it. I knocked out a stud and drilled it out through the stud hole in the axle.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by listenloud

I pulled the wheels. i found the rear pads were worn paper thin on the inner pads and the pads were not making good contact with the rotor. The inside surface of the rear rotors looked like it has been soaked in salt water. Large flaking chunks of rust!

I replaced rear rotors, pads and park brake linings. Brakes work better, but still seem weak. Caliper pistons moved freely. If the ABS is coming on when I try to lock up the brakes, I can't hear or feel it.

The parking brake didn't work at all before. Now it works a little, but pedal goes all the way to the floor.

The little tiny bolt that hold the park brake shoe clip in place broke off as soon as I touched it. I knocked out a stud and drilled it out through the stud hole in the axle.

I like your posting on your work completed so far ....

with this it appears your calipers are binding check to see if it is the pins rusted ,,if not then you must replace the calipers as the pistions are binding ...the pads should be worn the same ...if not it is the caliper binding ..also make sure the pads are not binding this may mean filing off the steel pad backer plate that has metal burrs ..

on your park brake make sure that hold down clip holds the park brake shoes tightly ....adjust the park brake shoes so that the dog ear on the park brake cable is off the brake dust shield 1/4 of the total travel possible..

[brophycreek]

I have the same problem on an 02 1500HD 4WD. Pads were worn, replaced, turned rotors. New pads are the Carbon Metallic, supposed to be best. Brakes now seem weak. A lot weaker than with the old worn pads. When I try to stop hard, the back anti-locks start to work as if the back is on the edge of locking up. Seem like there is just not enough braking power in the front. I took it back apart, reinspected all. Cannot find anything wrong. Checked both sides, both pistons on the calipers seem to move freely and back off slightly when the pedal is released. Bled them and got no air at all, clean, clear fluid only. Although totally clear, the fluid appeared a little green??

Any ideas?

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by brophycreek

I have the same problem on an 02 1500HD 4WD. Pads were worn, replaced, turned rotors. New pads are the Carbon Metallic, supposed to be best. Brakes now seem weak. A lot weaker than with the old worn pads. When I try to stop hard, the back anti-locks start to work as if the back is on the edge of locking up. Seem like there is just not enough braking power in the front. I took it back apart, reinspected all. Cannot find anything wrong. Checked both sides, both pistons on the calipers seem to move freely and back off slightly when the pedal is released. Bled them and got no air at all, clean, clear fluid only. Although totally clear, the fluid appeared a little green??

Any ideas?

I would use the semi- met pads. use the same type manufacturer front / rear.

cutting of the rotors if for minor rust removal is OK any cutting other than a slight touch up is not recommended. don't be surprised if later you get rotor distortions with the thinner rotors .

[brophycreek]

I have heard nothing but good things about the carbon metallic pads. Substantially longer life is what I hear most. In regard to turning then warping. I do not recall what the spec was for these, but on a the 1500HD Crew the rotors are very beefy to start with. If I remember correctly I had more than .25" of material above the discard spec. Also, there is no indication of warping. Pulsing etc The problem was also immediately noticeable after I did the pads and rotors. Something weird with this one.



Thanks for the reply though.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by brophycreek

I have heard nothing but good things about the carbon metallic pads. Substantially longer life is what I hear most. In regard to turning then warping. I do not recall what the spec was for these, but on a the 1500HD Crew the rotors are very beefy to start with. If I remember correctly I had more than .25" of material above the discard spec. Also, there is no indication of warping. Pulsing etc The problem was also immediately noticeable after I did the pads and rotors. Something weird with this one.



Thanks for the reply though.

not weird to me !