Proper way to change brakes???

96 Vortec · May 23, 2001

I have a 96 K1500. I am having trouble with the front brakes. It seems like they are warped sometime but not others. It occured to me that the abs is kicking in during normal braking. I can feel the pedal pushing back ever so gently sometimes. Now the question.

I think I might have brought this on through my own stupidity. How are you supposed to go about pushing the caliper piston back in on front disc brakes with abs. I used the trusty ol c-clamp when changing pads. 1 year later, I think that might have been the wrong way. The truck still has the extended warrenty, but only for a couple more months. If this isn't my fault, I need to know so I can get it to dealer. If it is my fault, I need to know so that I can suck up my pride, not tell my fiance, and fix it.

Thanks guys

Shaners · May 23, 2001

It sounds like your rotors may be warped. Did you have them turned when you replaced the pads?

There is nothing wrong with using the C-Clamp. That's what I've always done and it has worked fine for me...

The pulsing in the peddle that you describe sounds to me like it's the rotors and not the ABS. If it was ABS then you would feel and HEAR a ratatatat sound. I'm not sure but I think the '96 trucks had ABS on the rear brakes only (correct me please if I'm wrong). I'd pull a front wheel and put an indicator on the rotor and spin the rotor to see how much run-out you have. If there is run-out then have the rotors turned.

76BBSub · May 23, 2001

The rotors on my '96 warped really easily, I had to have them turned after only about 16K miles, and their faces were somewhat "checked" with what looked like small surface cracks. A couple places didn't even want to turn them for me...finally got them resurfaced and installed and they warped again pretty quickly, I think about 15K miles. If you didn't turn them when you replaced the pads that is probably causing your pulsation.

Nothing wrong with the C-clamp on ABS brakes, your ABS should be fine as long as the light isn't lit while driving, it is self diagnostic. I also found that the ABS on my '96 (and '99 too) would come on if I drove over bumps, railroad tracks, etc while braking, even if only braking lightly. Kind of irritating, but I'd just back out of the pedal a little bit and get back into it again.

Try running a little less air pressure in the rear tires when not carrying a load, about 28 psi worked great on my '96. Reduces tire squeal around corners, smooths ride, helps on the ABS cutting in too much in the rear. I usually ran about 32 psi in the front tires.

BTW, I believe the '96 is 4-wheel ABS.

96 Vortec · May 23, 2001

The rotors aren't the problem. I can say that because that would cause the problem to be consistant. It isn't.

I will be driving and braking like normal with absolutly no problems. Then maybe three stoplights down, the truck will shake violently from the braking (like the rotors are really warped).

It isn't a heat thing either. It has happened at the first stop sign I've come to in the morning when there is snow on the ground.

What I have discovered is this: If the brakes shake the truck really bad, if I hit the brakes really hard at about 2-3 mph and stop really quickly, the problem will go away for some time.

As far as the abs, I'm pretty sure it is only the front brakes and only when in 2wd.

Zane · May 23, 2001

Quote: from 96 Vortec on 9:23 am on May 23, 2001
The rotors aren't the problem. I can say that because that would cause the problem to be consistant. It isn't.

I will be driving and braking like normal with absolutly no problems. Then maybe three stoplights down, the truck will shake violently from the braking (like the rotors are really warped).

It isn't a heat thing either. It has happened at the first stop sign I've come to in the morning when there is snow on the ground.

What I have discovered is this: If the brakes shake the truck really bad, if I hit the brakes really hard at about 2-3 mph and stop really quickly, the problem will go away for some time.

As far as the abs, I'm pretty sure it is only the front brakes and only when in 2wd.

I'm not 100%, but our 93 van was recalled becuase the abs was kicking in before it should. Now i belive the 96 trucks use the same system, or a compareable system. maybee you should go to the dealer and see if that, or another recall affects your truck.

I would also go and ask them to take a look under warrenty, worse thing they call tell you is that its not covered. At least then you what is wrong.

Frank S · May 23, 2001

Quote: from 96 Vortec on 8:23 am on May 23, 2001
The rotors aren't the problem. I can say that because that would cause the problem to be consistant. It isn't.

I will be driving and braking like normal with absolutly no problems. Then maybe three stoplights down, the truck will shake violently from the braking (like the rotors are really warped).

It isn't a heat thing either. It has happened at the first stop sign I've come to in the morning when there is snow on the ground.

What I have discovered is this: If the brakes shake the truck really bad, if I hit the brakes really hard at about 2-3 mph and stop really quickly, the problem will go away for some time.

As far as the abs, I'm pretty sure it is only the front brakes and only when in 2wd.

It can still be the rotrs.

Trust me because the Grand Cherokee that my wife had before the Tahoe she drives now did the exact same thing that you are describing and it turned out to be the rotors.

I know it doesn't make sense but that can happen.

If you take the rotors off and have them inspected and they turn out ok,I would have to say that you have an intermitent glitch with the computer controlled branking system.

I'd just take it to the dealer because you should be able to trust any work that they do and it may turn out to be fixable through the warranty.