Okay, I've owned my truck since new. It never really had great brakes but it stoppped even when pulling the heavy boat.
The pedal was never really firm, a couple of quick jabs and it would firm up. The brake system had never been opened up or even topped off.
I went through a number of front pads but no rear shoes.
I read about the swap out to the GM one ton cylinders and thought that might be a good idea.
I did that last weekend. Along with new shoes.
I bled the wheel cylinders.
Definitely stopped better but the pedal was the same. Couple of quick jabs and it is pretty firm but if you push hard on the pedal it slowly makes its way to the floor.
It was suggested that I do a brake system flush and bleed. Seemed like a good idea so I paid Firestone 86 bucks to do that. Seemed like they were done awful quick and then when I took off it was the same as before.
So is that just how it is? Is it the rear anti lock that allows the pedal to keep going down?
Was there always air in the system? Did Firestone not bleed properly? It really took them less than 30 minutes. I'm not accustomed to paying someone to work on my truck, it usually just reinforces my DIYA (do it yourself attitude).
Thanks in advance.

Peter

 

A slow creeping to floor usually indicates an internal master cylinder leak. These are caused by rust from water and grit from dirty fluid tearing up the seals
No t worth rebuilding yourself since a rebuilt master isn't that much, around $75.

 

I have some stainless break lines I keep planning on putting on to replace the rubber ones. I hopeing this takes alot of the mush out of the break system because it will eliminate the rubber lines expanding when you smash the peddle. I think others have done it if you ask around maybe someone can tell you if it really works or not

 

So Captain,
Are you saying that your pedal is sorta mushy as well?
Mine has been this way pretty much since new.
I drove my brothers 06 last weekend, it sure stops nice.

Peter

 

My ’96 is the same way. The pedal is mushy, and if you push on it hard, with the engine on, it creeps to the floor slowly, but gets firm with a few fast stabs. I’ve had this truck for only about two months, so I wasn’t sure if it was normal or not. I’ve also changed, shoes, pads, added Chevy wheel cylinders, bleed system, and still the pedal is mushy. The pedal is high, and the truck stops fine. For comparison, my ’01 with rear drums has a very firm pedal, which is very solid and does not creep, the only difference is that this truck has hydroboost instead of a vacuum booster.

Infidel is right; a pedal that creeps to the floor means a bad master cylinder. So I was going to try new master cylinder to see if that firmed up the pedal. However, you say that you’ve had your truck since new and the pedal has always been creepy and mushy. So now I’m thinking maybe it’s not the master cylinder? Also on my truck the pedal is very firm and does not creep to the floor when the engine is off, it only creeps to the floor when the engine is running. I’ve heard that its actually the vacuum booster that over taxes the vacuum pump and that’s what causes the pedal to firm up when the pedal is depressed quickly and repeatedly. Others say it’s the rear ABS that causes the pedal to creep to the floor.

Does anybody else have this problem? Infidel do you still think our master cylinders are bad? Thanks.

 

My 95's pedal was always kinda mushy and would very slowly sink to the floor if pushed hard. Some people on this board told me to replace the master cylinder. I bought a new one and installed it. My brake pedal feels exactly the same!! It did not improve things at all. Its posable I got a bad one, but I doubt it. My dads 00 has done the same thing since new. I have replaced my front rotors and pads. My next step is the chevy wheel cylinders. Are they worth doing?

Thanks

Fred

 

The brake system, like any closed hydraulic system, should not creep on you. Liquid does not compress. If the pedal is creeping down you have a leak, air in the system or bleed by at the master or other cylinder. Most likely at the master. The teflon-steel braided lines help some as they do not baloon at pressure like the oem lines do with age. The GM cylinders at rear of drum setups help as they have larger piston surface area devloping more pressure on the drums at a stop. You still have air in system or are getting blow by at the master.

Think CLEAN,, it's just like working on an auto tranny,, any dirt will screw it up big time!!

 

DO those have ABS? I know when I bled the brakes on my Silverado, I had to put a clamp on an ABS button when I was bleeding everything. I don't really remember anything about how I did it, I just remember doing it.