Brake job 93 burb

3442 Views 17 Replies 7 Participants Last post by justcuz, Aug 27, 2007

unplugged

Discussion Starter · Aug 8, 2007

Just finished a late night session with the rear drum brakes on the burb. If you don't think this is a job you can handle. You might consider it next time you hear that grinding noise from the rear. I heard the noise and just assumed it was coming from the front pads. Did the pads on Sunday and the noise was still there. How do you check if it is the rear brakes? While driving hold out the emergency brake release and apply the emergency brake. If you hear the grinding noise it is the rear brakes. If not, the front brakes are the culprit. Since I forgot to use this method, the front pads were changed 10 -15k miles early. Since I had them apart I thought I'd upgrade to the "carbon fibre" pads from AutoZone. I'll post pics of the front and rear brake work later. Beddy bye time for now.

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Cableguy

· #2 · Aug 8, 2007

unplugged said:
Since I forgot to use this method, the front pads were changed 10 -15k miles early.

A little nappy on the couch pervents mishaps like this...At least thats what I tell the wife.

unplugged

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 9, 2007

Zzzzzz, Zzzzzzz

Yep, I'm a big fan of naps. Think I'll take one now.

ut:

ChevyFan

· #4 · Aug 9, 2007

I'm about due for some brakes on the Trailblazer. We'll see if I have time to do it in the next few weeks. It's so hot here that I dread doing it unless it's before 8 am on a Saturday or so.

84fiero123

· #5 · Aug 9, 2007

I hate doing rear drum brakes. I would rather do 2 sets of disc brakes than one set of drums.

Way to many springs and to much dust.

Cableguy

· #6 · Aug 9, 2007

2

84fiero123 said:
I hate doing rear drum brakes. I would rather do 2 sets of disc brakes than one set of drums.

Way to many springs and to much dust.

No kidding Steve, eh. Having the right gadgets to do the job takes some of the (BS knuckle scrapping, tool throwing, and cussing) out of the job though..

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TrailLeadr

· #7 · Aug 10, 2007 (Edited)

I've always carried my tools with me, but special tools like that I leave at home. One time I had to do an emergency drum brake repair, and only had the normal tools with me. I ended up using a pair of vise-grips to lock onto the spring so I could set it. The vise-grips slipped off, and I ended up punching myself in the face. I think that was the only time I ever got a fat lip from fixing my car.

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Cableguy

· #8 · Aug 10, 2007

TrailLeadr said:
The vise-grips slipped off, and I ended up punching myself in the face. I think that was the only time I ever got a fat lip from fixing my car.

:rofl: Oh man if I'd been there for that you'd never hear the end of it...:rofl:

unplugged

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 10, 2007

2

I had help.

I made the job interesting. I did the driver's side first with the assistance of my 17 year old. He kept offering to "help" with those tough springs, but I kept telling him that I could handle it. Then we moved to the passenger side and I handed him the tools and told him that I was saving this wheel for him. He did very well with only one spring at the top that was more than he could muscle. I got the help I needed and my son got a chance to learn a little more about cars. (He's decided that he is going to buy cars that have 4 wheel disc brakes.)

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Cableguy

· #10 · Aug 10, 2007

Thats kinda nice of him to help and learn. The back brakes were on the rivots?..Oh the backs are so neglected on vehicles...

ljjcsautomotive

· #11 · Aug 16, 2007

What is the big deal with doing the rear brakes. I bought my 99 Burb brand new and have replaced the rear 5 times. The easiest way to get the springs off is to use a flat screwdriver like a pry bar. I worked on Big rigs for ten years so these little springs are easy. The tools they sell for installing and removing the springs sometimes work great other times they are useless. As far as the dust goes before you open the drum take off the rubber protector for the adjuster and spray a little water in there that keeps it down some and once you get the drum off spray it down with brake cleaner. Maybe I've just been doing it too long.

Cableguy

· #12 · Aug 16, 2007

ljjcsautomotive said:
What is the big deal with doing the rear brakes. I bought my 99 Burb brand new and have replaced the rear 5 times.

This year for GM truck brakes was not a good year. There is about a million TSB on there BS brakes for 99 Vans/truck. Good thing you have your own shop, you'd be broke getting a shop to do it.

unplugged

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 17, 2007

No cheese with my whine please.

What is the big deal with doing the rear brakes.

Compared to disc brakes the job does require a little hand strength. You are correct it isn't that big a deal, my teenager tackled it without a lot of trouble......sometimes I just like to whine.:slap:

justcuz

· #14 · Aug 24, 2007

Had problems with the rear brakes on my 99 Suburban, took it to the dealer several times, finally decided to look at it myself. The dogbone style spreader bar that applies pressure to the rear shoe when you apply the parking brake was installed backwards (offset to the inside) it was hanging up on the backing plate stud and interferring with the application of the rear shoe! In 2000 when they went to 4 wheel disc brakes the bad brakes on Subs were gone. I have friends that have gone almost 100 thousand miles on the factory brakes with 4 wheel discs. Now Chevy has gone back to rear drums on pickups! They had a great braking system, why change?:no:

84fiero123

· #15 · Aug 25, 2007

justcuz said:
In 2000 when they went to 4 wheel disc brakes the bad brakes on Subs were gone. I have friends that have gone almost 100 thousand miles on the factory brakes with 4 wheel discs. Now Chevy has gone back to rear drums on pickups! They had a great braking system, why change?:no:

Just wondering, on that rear wheel disc set up.

How was the emergency brake set up?

I just did the front brakes on my nieces 03 Jeep Liberty and was quite impressed with their e-brake system. It was completely separate from the disc system.

It’s nice to have a friend who lets me use his lift when I need to, no bending down.

unplugged

Discussion Starter · #16 · Aug 26, 2007

I haven't looked underneath my 06, but mfg's use a variety of methods for e-brake application on 4wheel disc. My 85 Camaro used a separate actuator on the rear rotors. The piston was engaged mechanically via cable. The Chevy truck begining in 2000 uses a drum hat / rotor combination on the rear with a set of shoes for the e-brake. I am sure that one of the reasons for the switch back to drum brakes was maintenance. The e-brake shoes needed to be replaced as often as every 15k. Here is an exploded view of the typical GM rear brake assembly. Part #41 is the e-brake shoe. Part #42 is the drum hat / rotor.

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TrailLeadr

· #17 · Aug 26, 2007

that's the exact same setup on our '02 Avalanche. I always wondered how they did the parking brake on rear discs until I had to adjust them.

justcuz

· #18 · Aug 27, 2007

Yep, you are probably right, the parking brakes are kind of wimpy and don't last long, but the rest of the braking system works great. Chevy should do a caliper parking brake like the ones Isuzu used on the Trooper.

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