Sluggish Brakes

[georgerosen06]

Hey guys! drove my dads 07 or 08 avalanche and I have to say wow! the braking power is amazing way better than my 04...I was wondering if anyone else that has an 04 with all wheel disks feels that the breaks are a bit sluggish? In my dads truck it feels like if i touch the pedal I get a lot of braking power, whereas in my truck I feel like I have to push the pedal a lot further down to get the same braking power. Is there something wrong or is this how all of these trucks are. Also if it is not just me has anyone found something to correct this (in my mind) problem? new pads or calipers?

[svensk]

You think yours are bad, my brakes are terrible on my 2000.

[sc4808]

I don't agree, I have an 2008 and an 2003, the 2003 has 4 wheel disc.

 

I wish the 08 had them as well, the brakes on my 03 have been simply amazing, they have always performed very well and the mileage that I have been able to get out of them is truely amazing, the truck has 170,000 miles and still has the Original Front Pads and the rear were not changed until 120,000.

 

Don't get me wrong, the 08 stops good, I just wish that it had 4 wheel disc.

[pennzoil29]

You think yours are bad, my brakes are terrible on my 2000.

 

The brakes on my '99 act like a woman, of course I need to replace the rear wheel cylinders. I can do disc brakes all day long, just don't have the patience for drum brakes though.

[blankey]

I have an '04 also and I feel the brakes are a little sluggish/weak also. I never thought they were the greatest but last weekend while I was hauling some steel beams on our trailer, I put them thru quite a workout and now I feel I need to upgrade some how. Before anyone asks, yes the trailer has brakes. Like you asked would different pads or larger calipers help? My truck only has 28,000 miles so I'm sure it's not the pads that are wore out.

[MikeInCtown]

Don't just look at the mileage when thinking how long your brakes will last. It's how you drive, where you drive, how much is being hauled, and how you stop that determines how long they will last. Don't forget that these trucks weigh a lot and every time you stop you are wearing the pads out some.

 

I notice that on my 04 I get bettr braking when the brakes are warm and if they get pumped just once the performance is amazing. Regardless of pumping or not pumping the brakes, mine stop well at any time, even when getting off the highway and needing to slow down from speed.

[txab]

I've got 70k on my '04, original pads. I have no stopping complaints even when pulling the heaviest of loads.

[Lincoln30]

I feel the same when comparing the braking feel between my 99 and 08. I think each generation of GM trucks gets better brakes. When I got my 99, I got it instead of a used GMT400 b/c the brakes were so bad on all the 400 series trucks I drove and 800 series seemed alot better. Now that I have a GMT900 too, I can see just how crappy the GMT800 brakes really are

[TheTrueMoron]

My 2001 seems sluggish at times but if I need it to stop, it really stops. I don't have standard brake fluid in the system, though. I don't remember what's in there but it made a difference when it was put in.

[spock]

Mine (2004) are disappointing. I upgraded with Hawk pads which helped. They put bigger front rotors on and redesigned the brake system in '05. Anyone know if the larger '05 and up rotors/calipers will work on an '04? I looked at big brake kits but they all require 18" wheels min. and I want to keep my stock 17s.

[VMax2007]

You think yours are bad, my brakes are terrible on my 2000.

 

The only complaint I had about the brakes in my 2000 was the parking brake sucked. Otherwise they worked great! But I must say, the brakes in my 07 are better, even though the rotors are cheap and likely won't last long (damn chinese crap! ).

[MarkD]

Mine (03) are disappointing, especially when towing my flat trailer (w/out trailer brakes).

[svensk]

You think yours are bad, my brakes are terrible on my 2000.

 

The only complaint I had about the brakes in my 2000 was the parking brake sucked. Otherwise they worked great! But I must say, the brakes in my 07 are better, even though the rotors are cheap and likely won't last long (damn chinese crap! ).

 

It's alright. I put high quality chinese crap NAPA gold rotors on mine and they made little difference. The diameter is just too small for the size of the vehicle. The '05+ seem like they stop on a dime.

[jljhlhl]

I just bought an 04 Sierra with 4 wheel discs, 180k kilometers on the clock, and after driving it for a week I jumped into my dad's 06 Sierra with the rear drums, 36k kilometers, and the first time I hit the brakes I almost went through the dash. I know my 04 is on original rotors, unsure how old the pads are, but I have to apply MUCH more pressure in my 04 to stop than I do in my dad's 06. I'm looking into new brakes on mine to hopefully help, but from what others have said it appears that its just a weaker system to begin with.

[VMax2007]

I just bought an 04 Sierra with 4 wheel discs, 180k kilometers on the clock, and after driving it for a week I jumped into my dad's 06 Sierra with the rear drums, 36k kilometers, and the first time I hit the brakes I almost went through the dash. I know my 04 is on original rotors, unsure how old the pads are, but I have to apply MUCH more pressure in my 04 to stop than I do in my dad's 06. I'm looking into new brakes on mine to hopefully help, but from what others have said it appears that its just a weaker system to begin with.

 

That's because your dad's 06 has much larger front disc brakes than your 04. They upsized the front brakes when they went back to rear drums in 05.

 

My truck has the larger front discs AND rear discs.