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Rear Disc Emergency Brake Adjustment

Z71Rider

By Z71Rider
in Ask A GM Technician

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Z71Rider Enthusiast

Z71Rider

Posted
Posted

Guys,

I hope this is an easy one....

02 Silverado 4x4 Ext Cab. It's got the rear discs. When I park on the boat ramp, it's always (somewhat) comforting to feel the emergency brake hold the truck (and boat), before I put it into park. Well, my emergency brake does almost nothing, and I'm sure would let the whole rig into the drink if the thing would happen to hop out of park. Not good.

 

The brake pads are OK. How can this be adjusted to do the job it's supposed to do?

 

Thanks!

activ Enthusiast

activ

Posted
Posted

The rear discs have a rear drum too. From what I can tell, there is an "auto-ratchet" catch at the EBrake foot pedal, but it doesn't seem to take up much slack. When I had the same problem in my 2002 Sierra Denali, I pulled the rear discs and inspected the EBrake pads. This is a single circular steel "shoe". These have been known to wear down alot but mine was OK. All I had to do was rotate the adjuster (just like a "regular" drum adjuster) until the EBrake "shoe" was almost tight. Put it back togther and it has been fine for two years.

 

Couple words of warning, if you do have to replace the EBrake shoe, be SUPER CAREFUL when putting the new one on. It does not slide over the axle flange "straight on" - you have to slip it on a little and rotate it around to get it over the axle flange. If you brute force it on, (like I did the first time) you'll bend the shoe and it won't fit right and then you're screwed - you won't be able to squeeze it back while its on the truck... Also, if you replace the shoe, be super careful not to spin off the screw that holds the EBrake shoe on - didn't happen to me, but I saw another thread where the guy was going to have to pull his axle in order to drill/extract the broken screw. (The axle flange is in the way)

 

Also, when you have the rear discs off, check the inside rotor surfaces. Both my fronts and rears had a ridiculous amount of rust on them to the point where maybe 30% of the pad was actually in play.

 

Apparently the rotor surface issue and the EBrake issue are very common with these trucks.

 

Hope this helps

royg Enthusiast

royg

Posted
Posted

you have to take the rotor off and there is a pair of small brake shoes. To adjust them the right way you need a tool to measure the drum and and adjust these little shoes 26 thousanths smaller. If i remember right it is 26 thousandths. When you take the rotor off you will see the drum on the inside. You can also try to adjust and put the rotor back on and keep doing this until you get what you think is 26 thousandths. Be careful not to damage the seals. The disc pads are not the parking brake. You have to slack the parking brake cable by having someone pull on the cable and you have to stick a punch or something in the hole on the pedal assembly. You know when you got it when the cable is slacked. After you get it all back together, hold the parking brake release and depress the parking brake pedal 3 times or so, or you can try this last step first before you take it apart it might adjust and you don't have to take it apart. Its late for me so hope you understand this.

ddp1960 Enthusiast

ddp1960

Posted
Posted

This concerns me, I am just about to buy a new 07 Sierra 6.0L so it will have the rear discs. I pull a 5000+ boat and yes the emergency brakes are critical on the boat ramp. Are the 07 Disc Brakes any better? This could be a big enough issue to make me want to buy something without disc on the real.

Thoughts?

jhm Senior Enthusiast

jhm

Posted
Posted
This concerns me, I am just about to buy a new 07 Sierra 6.0L so it will have the rear discs. I pull a 5000+ boat and yes the emergency brakes are critical on the boat ramp. Are the 07 Disc Brakes any better? This could be a big enough issue to make me want to buy something without disc on the real.

Thoughts?

I thought they went back to drums on the rear?? The rear discs are not the problem, it is the drum style parking brake set up. Mine worked fine for almost 6 years, then one day it just stopped holding.

vxaxv17 Enthusiast

vxaxv17

Posted
Posted
This concerns me, I am just about to buy a new 07 Sierra 6.0L so it will have the rear discs. I pull a 5000+ boat and yes the emergency brakes are critical on the boat ramp. Are the 07 Disc Brakes any better? This could be a big enough issue to make me want to buy something without disc on the real.

Thoughts?

 

02 2500hd sierra 4x4. 4 wheel disc. Have had no problems with my parking brake in 5+ years. I cant say if the issue is "common" or not, but it certainly isnt ALL of these trucks. Why not test drive one and try it out before deciding to buy another truck?

 

And as others have mentioned, the e-brake has NOTHING to do with the rear discs. On the inside of the rotor, there is a separate smaller drum which the e-brake pushes against. You could completely remove your rear disc pads and the e-brake would still work.

 

If for some reason, it doesnt hold, I'd just pull the rear rotors and adjust the slack accordingly. There really shouldnt be any problems.

jhm Senior Enthusiast

jhm

Posted
Posted
This concerns me, I am just about to buy a new 07 Sierra 6.0L so it will have the rear discs. I pull a 5000+ boat and yes the emergency brakes are critical on the boat ramp. Are the 07 Disc Brakes any better? This could be a big enough issue to make me want to buy something without disc on the real.

Thoughts?

 

02 2500hd sierra 4x4. 4 wheel disc. Have had no problems with my parking brake in 5+ years. I cant say if the issue is "common" or not, but it certainly isnt ALL of these trucks. Why not test drive one and try it out before deciding to buy another truck?

 

And as others have mentioned, the e-brake has NOTHING to do with the rear discs. On the inside of the rotor, there is a separate smaller drum which the e-brake pushes against. You could completely remove your rear disc pads and the e-brake would still work.

 

If for some reason, it doesnt hold, I'd just pull the rear rotors and adjust the slack accordingly. There really shouldnt be any problems.

 

The problem is very common which is why GM did a recall. Problem is they only covered standard transmission trucks.

:D

TBLAZER Enthusiast

TBLAZER

Posted
Posted

This is a very common problem but only on the 1500 model truck or SUV with rear disc brakes,on 2003 models the retaining clip for the shoe was redesign and improved the performance of the parking brake.

The parking brake can only be adjusted by removing the rear rotors and the drum surface of the rotor has to be in good condition for the parking brake to properly work.

Frank Sub Enthusiast

Frank Sub

Posted
Posted

Hi--One drive away with the parking brake on will wipe out the small pads. Happened to my 2001 Suburban when my new driver grandaughter drove off with the parking brake on. Dealer repair cost $200. Note that this brake is no longer referred to as an emergency brake, as is will not stop you in an emergency. It is only a parking brake.--Frank Sub

alvocado Enthusiast

alvocado

Posted
Posted
Had the same problem. The e-brake is a joke and should not be trusted.

I went to the dealer and they rebuilt the sytem at 1/2?? price but it cost me around $100

 

A properly adjusted eBrake with good shoes will hold the truck. I had to replace my eBrake shoes at 3 years. They were cracked and not holding. After replacing and adjusting, it has worked great. If you need to rely on the ebrake for holding a boat, etc. and you don't feel comfortable adjusting it, it would be money well spent to pay a shop to do it. I can't imagine they would charge much.

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