07-08 Brakes

ffmedic74 · February 8, 2009

I am new to the forum and need some feedback on the 2007-2008 chevy 1500 crew cab brakes. My old truck is a 2001 ext cab and the brakes have always been horrible when towing a 3500lb boat. SO bad that I couldn't even get the hydraulic actuator on the trailer brakes to work. I bought an 07 tundra crew max and the braking is GREAT. I hate everything else about the truck and getting rid of it. Thanks for your input!

VMax2007 · February 8, 2009

I am new to the forum and need some feedback on the 2007-2008 chevy 1500 crew cab brakes. My old truck is a 2001 ext cab and the brakes have always been horrible when towing a 3500lb boat. SO bad that I couldn't even get the hydraulic actuator on the trailer brakes to work. I bought an 07 tundra crew max and the braking is GREAT. I hate everything else about the truck and getting rid of it. Thanks for your input!

Mine work great and I also tow a 3500 lb boat. I have the Vmax CC, so I have 4 wheel discs. Most GMT900 1/2 tons have the front discs with rear drums, but those are also much improved and work fine as far as I have heard.

Glad to hear your dumping the POS Tundra, consider it a "lesson learned"

ctahoe · February 8, 2009

Wish the OE brakes on my '07 were better. Running stock 17" wheels with LT285/70R17/D's. I suggest when you go for your new Silverado/Sierra you go for Stabiltrak which has the added bonus of having disc brakes on all 4 wheels. I've already added them to my list of must haves on my next truck. Have not decided for sure yet but looking into getting the SSBC upgrade for my truck for better brakes.

Forgot to add, I've already had to get new pads up front and the rotors turned at around 25K.

VMax2007 · February 8, 2009

Wish the OE brakes on my '07 were better. Running stock 17" wheels with LT285/70R17/D's. I suggest when you go for your new Silverado/Sierra you go for Stabiltrak which has the added bonus of having disc brakes on all 4 wheels. I've already added them to my list of must haves on my next truck. Have not decided for sure yet but looking into getting the SSBC upgrade for my truck for better brakes.

It also requires the 6.0 engine in the 07/08s and I assume the 6.0 or 6.2 in the 09s.

ALL 5.3 or smaller engines get the rear drums.

66nova · February 8, 2009

I am very pleased with the brakes on my 07 CC. I tow my car (car and trailer a little over 5000lbs) and I current don't have a break controller. It stops great!

I do plan on adding a Prodigy break controller though, you can never have enough stopping power. If you tow on a regular basis, I highly suggest getting a brake controller also.

ctahoe · February 8, 2009

Really? Good to know. Guess no stabilitrak without a 6.0? I can't imagine stabilitrak working with the old drum technology?

Wish the OE brakes on my '07 were better. Running stock 17" wheels with LT285/70R17/D's. I suggest when you go for your new Silverado/Sierra you go for Stabiltrak which has the added bonus of having disc brakes on all 4 wheels. I've already added them to my list of must haves on my next truck. Have not decided for sure yet but looking into getting the SSBC upgrade for my truck for better brakes.

It also requires the 6.0 engine in the 07/08s and I assume the 6.0 or 6.2 in the 09s.

ALL 5.3 or smaller engines get the rear drums.

VMax2007 · February 8, 2009

Really? Good to know. Guess no stabilitrak without a 6.0? I can't imagine stabilitrak working with the old drum technology?

Nope, Stabilitrak is std on ALL crewcabs and optional on ext cabs, regardless of engine.

For 07/08 anyway, I am not 100% sure what, if any, changes were made for 09.

music · February 8, 2009

... I suggest when you go for your new Silverado/Sierra you go for Stabiltrak which has the added bonus of having disc brakes on all 4 wheels.

It also requires the 6.0 engine in the 07/08s and I assume the 6.0 or 6.2 in the 09s.

It depends on the body style. My 2008 Crew Cab SLE1 w/ 5.3L has rear drum brakes and Stabilitrak. All 07+ crew-cabs and all 09 models have stabilitrak, to my knowledge.

As to the brakes question, I pull a 4500 lb camper, but it has electric brakes. My 99 GMC had 4-wheel disc brakes, while my 2008 has rear drums, but the 2008 stops better. The '99 disc brakes performed well, but the emergency brake was weak. My 2008 stops much better than I expected, since I (wrongly) assumed the rear drums wouldn't be as good. That hasn't been the case, and the emergency brake holds the truck AND my camper on a hill without a slip.

C. Charles Hahn · February 8, 2009

I have no complaints about the brakes on my truck with the drums in back, discs up front... stops fine. I drove an 08 SD with the four wheel discs and couldn't tell a significant difference.

Outbacker · February 8, 2009

My old truck is a 2001 ext cab and the brakes have always been horrible when towing a 3500lb boat. SO bad that I couldn't even get the hydraulic actuator on the trailer brakes to work.

Your truck is not the problem. Your trailer brakes are not working. Bleed your surge brakes on the trailer. The slightest decrease in acceleration should trigger your surge brakes by putting trailer momentum forward on the piston.

Try this: Unplug your electrical harness & try to back the trailer. You should not be able to back your trailer with the surge brakes working properly. Plug your harness back in & it should release the solenoid & back fine.

Exactly. Your trailer brakes should be stopping the trailer as opposed to the truck stopping both. I have a 2008 Sierra 1500 with disc forward and drum rear, and I tow a 5000 lb trailer. I have never had a problem braking with the trailer, or even with the truck alone. Bleed your system and this will give you a more responsive braking system.

Doomsday · February 8, 2009

My old truck is a 2001 ext cab and the brakes have always been horrible when towing a 3500lb boat. SO bad that I couldn't even get the hydraulic actuator on the trailer brakes to work.

Your truck is not the problem. Your trailer brakes are not working. Bleed your surge brakes on the trailer. The slightest decrease in acceleration should trigger your surge brakes by putting trailer momentum forward on the piston.

Try this: Unplug your electrical harness & try to back the trailer. You should not be able to back your trailer with the surge brakes working properly. Plug your harness back in & it should release the solenoid & back fine.

Exactly...

I have the 6.0l with rear drums and have zero problems towing and I tow 4k every now and again. Drum brakes still work great!

Spurshot · February 8, 2009

I think Hunglo got to the bottom of it.

Depending on how much you tow, you may want to consider a 3/4 ton truck. A 1/2 ton will do fine, but a 3/4 ton will do it so you barely feel it. I can tell you my 99 3/4 truck has fantastic brakes for towing. A 3/4 ton has larger diameter brakes, heavier suspension, etc. Kinda depends on how much towing and whether or not the truck will be primarily driven lightly loaded as a commutor etc. My new truck is my commutor, so I went down to a 1/2 ton, but with the 6.0 L Vmax and heavy trailering suspension. The suspension is rougher than my 3/4 ton actually, and my 3/4 ton has a trailering package. I'd have never figured on a 1/2 ton riding rougher.

ffmedic74 · February 8, 2009

Thanks for the replies. I am more confident now. My trailer brakes work great and the Toyota has enough braking power to lock the trailer brakes up. The issue was my last truck which did not have enough braking power especially during a panic/emergency stop.

music · February 8, 2009

Thanks for the replies. I am more confident now. My trailer brakes work great and the Toyota has enough braking power to lock the trailer brakes up. The issue was my last truck which did not have enough braking power especially during a panic/emergency stop.

I'm curious, what is it about the Tundra that's causing you to change? I test drove the Tundra numerous times before buying my GMC last year, and definitely preferred the GM overall. I thought the Tundra had some attractive features (primarily the 5.7L/6-spd), but I wasn't too thrilled with the frame or body designs.

1990ss · February 8, 2009

My old truck is a 2001 ext cab and the brakes have always been horrible when towing a 3500lb boat. SO bad that I couldn't even get the hydraulic actuator on the trailer brakes to work.

Your truck is not the problem. Your trailer brakes are not working. Bleed your surge brakes on the trailer. The slightest decrease in acceleration should trigger your surge brakes by putting trailer momentum forward on the piston.

Try this: Unplug your electrical harness & try to back the trailer. You should not be able to back your trailer with the surge brakes working properly. Plug your harness back in & it should release the solenoid & back fine.

Exactly...

I have the 6.0l with rear drums and have zero problems towing and I tow 4k every now and again. Drum brakes still work great!

Are you sure you have rear drums? I believe all 6.0L engines have rear disc. I have an '08 max as well and I have rear disc. I don't know if it makes a difference being a crew cab or not.