73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Wheels & Tires => Topic started by: Dr_Snooz on November 28, 2013, 12:48:55 pm
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Hi everyone. I haven't been on since I blew up my '86 crew cab a couple years ago. It's still in the yard waiting for a heart transplant.
In the meantime, I'm driving my '90 C3500. I know the truck is outside the purview of this site, but I can't really find another site with as deep a knowledge base, so please bear with me. I am a carpenter and pull a 10' cargo trailer full of tools every day. I live in a mountainous area and have to be careful on steep descents or my front brakes will overheat badly. From what I've heard, the front brakes for these trucks are undersized. This is also the truck I load my camper onto for vacations, so it needs better brakes. Does anyone have any recommendations for improving my brake situation without spending a year's wages on glitzy aftermarket kits?
Thanks a bunch.
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By the way, Happy Thanksgiving!
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I guess I stumped the board. +1 for me.
I went looking for big brake kits and various other aftermarket solutions, but those don't exist for 1-ton trucks. Thinking about it, my problem is chiefly with the pads. They get hot, fade and smoke like crazy. I'm not warping rotors or boiling fluid that I can tell. I have no idea what brand of pads the PO installed, but they were new when I bought the truck and it wouldn't surprise me if they are the cheapest Autozone pad available. They need to go.
I went to the local auto parts store and talked it over with them. They sent me home with a set of Wagner Severe Duty pads. Apparently, these are what the farmers here use for their fleet trucks. I'll install these and see how it goes. I will also give the trailer brakes a thorough going-over. They are old and worn and new pads and drums are definitely in order.
Wish me well.
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If you are smoking front pads your rears aren't working as they should IMO. I have 2 one tons in my fleet, both are the best stopping trucks I have ever had. My 85 C20 had some partially frozen wheel cylinders that only gave about 1/2 the rear braking as it should have had. Cheap pads could be the problem but I would pull the rear drums and make sure everything is up to snuff with them. My $.02
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I have to agree with you on that. I've had issues with the rears since I got the truck. The PO had a boat and the rears were all rusted up from being constantly dunked in the lake. They were grabby like crazy and I've been in and out of them trying to get them working properly. The shoes are still in real good shape and everything is cleaned up and greased now. The drums have been turned and I don't have the grabbiness or pulsation anymore. Pedal feel is good too though I could probably adjust the star adjusters out a tiny bit more. The only remaining issue with the rears is a clicking when I brake. I'm open to suggestions on what that could be.
Is there anything else I'm overlooking here?
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Rear rubber brake line, cheap enough to go ahead and replace it "just because"... Also is your height proportioning valve connected and working? Not sure if it is a 3/4T only thing or not as I have never had any need to look under either of my C30's. When I do the rear brakes on any 14 bolt FF I replace everything shy of the parking brake cable. Mine gets a new spring kit, wheel cylinders and the best shoes money can buy and I use Napa for those items. Autozone is good for belts and hoses but I use a real auto parts store for items that I don't want to touch for a very long time...
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I used to be a fan of Napa, but I got tired of getting broken parts from them. Their quality has really gone downhill, so I don't go near them anymore. I beat the Autozone bug about a decade ago after one of their alternators left me stranded in the middle of nowhere with a big tow bill to boot. I have a locally owned store that I use now. They supply all the farm fleets, so they can't afford to sell junk.
I went through the braking system last week. Replaced the master cylinder (Napa part that was bad out of the box), front brake pads (Wagner Severe Duty), all the flexible lines and finished up with a good bleeding. I don't have any pedal mushiness, but the pedal goes down a lot farther before grabbing now. I suspect its a combination of a new master cylinder and a much harder pad compound.