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2006 Full sized truck rear DRUM brakes

groger

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groger New Member

groger

Posted
Posted

I am going to sell my 2002 Chevy truck and get a new truck. After my dealer closed I went to the lot and looked at the 2006 full sized half tonne trucks. I am shocked that Chevy cheapened out and went to drum brakes. What a rip off. Why did chevy do this? Should I go Toyota? Drum brakes are so old technology.

fossil Enthusiast

fossil

Posted
Posted

My O5 has rear drums. They say its for better pedal feel, but apparently they have had a lot of troubles with their rear disks. I replaced the rear rotors at 30000KM on my 2000 and again at 55000KM and both times they were totally ground down. I think the troubles arise if you're in dusty conditions.

redvett Senior Enthusiast

redvett

Posted
Posted

GM went to drums in 05 because of rocks & dirt getting in the rotors. They increased the front rotors & calipers to give the truck better brakes then previous models. Some other MFR's did the same. You do about 65% of you braking with front brakes anyway.

Ape0r Enthusiast

Ape0r

Posted
Posted

Allegedly the new for '05 rear drums and redesigned master cylinder/booster reduced stopping distance by two feet. I'm sure the same can't be said for brake fade, though.

 

Think of it this way, with the new system, you'll never have to worry about servicing the parking brake separately =).

 

Other things are cheapened for '06 as well, if you get in one you'll notice a changed cluster.

 

Instead of a green LCD for your gear selection indication, the PRND321 is printed in white letters on the cluster, with an LED below each letter.

 

If my truck blew up today I'd either get a new Impala (mpg) or an 04/05 Silvy.

GMCMan4.8 Enthusiast

GMCMan4.8

Posted
Posted

Drums are obviously older technology, however I'd prefer that design as opposed to the crap rotor w/ a drum parking brake inside like is on the earlier turcks. Most of those just had/have problems and big bucks to repair!

Not the best solution by the engineering dept. to do this, but I'd take it over the set-up as mentioned above that I have.

patyukon Enthusiast

patyukon

Posted
Posted

I have an 05 1500 crew with the drum brakes and a 2003 Yukon with disks. The difference in braking power is astoundingly better with the drums. Going "retro" to drums was a great idea, based on the results.

MS3DALE Senior Enthusiast

MS3DALE

Posted
Posted

When you drive an '05-'06 with rear drums you won't want the rear disc's.

Believe me,The braking system they use now on the 1/2 tons is awesome,THEY ACTUALLY STOP THE TRUCK! :cheers::banghead::cheers:

I-H8-4Ds Enthusiast

I-H8-4Ds

Posted
Posted

I had an 03 Silverado with rear drums, and traded it in last July for an 05. The difference in braking is phenomenal. Personally, I don't care that drum brakes are back there; all I know is that I don't have to stand on the pedal and hope I don't sliiiiiiiide into the garage wall anymore. Trailer brakes were a MUST before, even with a light trailer.

hcvone Enthusiast

hcvone

Posted
Posted

I had 6 Suburbans with drum brakes, my Escalade has rear discs, the stopping on the Escalade is so much better than the Suburban's, after 30k miles the rear brake pads look new, I would not buy another truck without rear discs.

XR Man Enthusiast

XR Man

Posted
Posted

I have to believe the switch to drums is purley cost saving on GM's part. I do not doubt the braking is improved on the new trucks but it is from the other improved componets, not the drums vs. discs.

Ben Enthusiast

Ben

Posted
Posted

NB-Disc-Rust.jpg

 

Picture is of a 2500 rear disc, but 1500's also have the same problem. Both

poor supplier quality and GM's recieving QA inspection. This occurs more

in heavily salted areas vs better weather states. It's not rust, but flaking

off of layers from the surface.

 

Not just GM, but other badges also have rear disc brake rotor problems

like this. Not all, or every single one, but enough to say they do too.

 

Plus, they are only "parking" brakes and no longer "Emergency" brakes

with disc's on full sized trucks. Notice the glove box manual and any brochure.

They didn't use the term "Emergency Brake" when they went to rear disc.

 

Wonder if the newer drum rears now have "Emergency Brake" back?

 

GM paid Bosch lots of money to reveiw and redesign the brakes of which

you speak.

 

The biggest change is with the front brakes. Stiffer caliper bridge and larger

rotor. The old caliper bent and not all of the hydraulic pressure evenly

distributed to both sides of the rotor. The piston side got more than the

anvile side and why the piston side pad wore out faster than the anvile

side.

 

Drums cost more than disc brakes. More parts, more parts to assemble,

more parts to stock, etc. Plus with more parts, there are more potential

failures. GM did *NOT* go back to drums to reduce cost, IMHO.

 

I haven't found out if GM changed the front/rear bias. The old drum setup

had 85/15 for the Sub's and a TSB changed it to 80/20. Still not enough

rear bias. Why I recommend manually adjusting the rear drums at

each oil/filter change.

lrymal Senior Enthusiast

lrymal

Posted
Posted

Well, ok.... I don't care if it is Fred Flintstone sitting in the back, digging his heels in the ground, to get the back end to do its part in stopping the pickup. The '05 Z71 brakes are the best brakes I have ever had with a pickup. I need to resurrect all my old letters on this every topic everytime it keeps coming up.

 

Secondly, the parking brake actually WORKS.

 

Finally, compared to the much older GM pickups that used a very horrid drum brake system in the back... This '05 design and upwards is simply better-than-amazing.

ProSport Tim Enthusiast

ProSport Tim

Posted
Posted

Ditto to what Irymal said. Just last night we were wreching on my buddies 2500HD. The rotors were shot to hell and the pads were missing chunks. Trucks only got 29,000 miles on it, WTF?! As they sat outside in the 19 degree balmy weather, I thought to myself..."d**n am I glad I'll never have to deal with this". However, at 100k I hope I'm not banging my drums off with a 5lb sledge either. But by 100k my truck will be long gone. The brakes flat out WORK in the 05' half tons. To the point I think they're too touchy.

bigdogxx Enthusiast

bigdogxx

Posted
Posted
I had 6 Suburbans with drum brakes, my Escalade has rear discs, the stopping on the Escalade is so much better than the Suburban's, after 30k miles the rear brake pads look new, I would not buy another truck without rear discs.

 

 

 

 

 

Well hate the break the news to you but the drums on my 05 will stop this truck a hell of alot better then your escalade and thats not opinion that is fact!One of the factors on me not wanting a sss is because they still use rear disc and that thing can barley bring it's self to a halt!

ProSport Tim Enthusiast

ProSport Tim

Posted
Posted

I don't think anyone will really buy into the drums until they've tried them, themselves. I drove my buds 02 1500 (reg. cab mind you) home from inspection the other day and almost plowed through 3 stoplights. Missed my truck that day for sure.

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