2004 silverado does not want to stop

[chrismoore701]

Hey guys, my dad has a 2004 Silverado and brakes seem squishy. seems like there might be air in the lines. 4 wheel disc, he had new calipers and pads installed and the rear, new pads on front and the lines bled. still not working. the shop said take it to chevy, they said it is the pads. se the replaced all the pads again, about a week later. that was bull**** to begin with and the truck still does not want to stop. I have a 2009 and you hit the brakes in that, you hit the windshield. any ideas? chevy says that is just the way it is. they are going to find another truck of the same style and put the 2 side by side tomorrow, I need some pointers. thanks

[crazy longhorn]

It sounds like air in the lines to me also....I will say that my DD is an 02 silverado, with fresh disc brakes on both ends. She does NOT stop like my old 69(disc front , drum rear). Maybe it is inpart due to the antilock, on the 02, or the fact that the old longhorn is a stick shift manual disc/drum....but the power brake "lever" has always been in my right hand! Dont feel good, just drop a gear or 2 & let the clutch up? The brakes on my 02 DD, dont really scare me.....but I dont feel that they are up to par. crazyL

[67ChevyRedneck]

Is this a truck he just bought and had the brakes put on or had be been driving it before so he could compare it to how it was before?

To be honest, the brakes do "suck" on the 99-07 classic trucks. They have a very squishy pedal feel and it is normal. If the pedal feels squishy but the truck stops good it's actually fine. If the truck isn't stopping worth a crap something is definitely wrong.

I had to bleed mine A LOT when I did my brakes a while back. I bled them with the truck running a couple times as well.

[chrismoore701]

my dad has had this truck for about 3-4 years and they seem to have gotten worse. One thing I did yesterday was got up to about 10 mph hit the brake with my left foot and the gas with my right and kind of hammered down on both and I could not stop the truck, then engine would drag it. I tried that in my 09 and everything flew out from under the back seat and I about kissed the windshield. I feel something is wrong, put it this way, it is better with the oem brakes on there, but before that I would not want my mom to drive it. And if you asked if I am a satisfied customer with my brake job, I would say no. I just feel they need to be better

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

my dad has had this truck for about 3-4 years and they seem to have gotten worse. One thing I did yesterday was got up to about 10 mph hit the brake with my left foot and the gas with my right and kind of hammered down on both and I could not stop the truck, then engine would drag it. I tried that in my 09 and everything flew out from under the back seat and I about kissed the windshield. I feel something is wrong, put it this way, it is better with the oem brakes on there, but before that I would not want my mom to drive it. And if you asked if I am a satisfied customer with my brake job, I would say no. I just feel they need to be better

What pads are you running? Delco's? Ceramic? Ive owned quite a few 99-04 1/2 tons & never noticed any problems with the brakes as far as a design/engineering issue. The parking brake on the other hand sucks. The brakes are ALOT better than the 88-98 trucks.

Ceramic pads require a long "break in" before they stop good. Are the caliper slides & harware in good shape?

Wagner HD semi-metallic pads would make it stop! Brake rotor wear, brake dust & noise whould follow but it would stop.

[chrismoore701]

Chevy replaced the new pads with oem pads, so what ever they use

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by chrismoore701

Chevy replaced the new pads with oem pads, so what ever they use

ACdelco has 3 different lines, Organic, Semi-metallic and Ceramic. If they installed organic....It will never stop good. Friction material has a GREAT impact on stopping power.

I run Wagner ThermoQuiet pads, Just installed some on my 06 2500HD, Still breaking-in, But way better than the Organic pads that were on it.

[kylep]

its gotta be air. i bet les schwab will get that air out in half an hour.

[chrismoore701]

I went back and they let me drive another truck same year, and its brakes suck just as bad, I guess they just suck, my 09 stops right now, dads takes about 2 blocks at 30 mph. not that bad, but they still seem squishy, however they are better with oem. It just sucks that chevy had to replace brand new pads and polish the rotors for like $250, and that is discounted. I guess it is what it is and he has to deal with it.

[clinebarger]

I think the brakes on 99-04 trucks are fine, But I think its just a difference of opinion. My wifes 2010 Toyota Corolla will put you through the windshield & its down right annoying to me.

The rear disc brakes were eliminated in the 05 1500 trucks, The switch to rear drum came larger front rotors. A Disc/Drum set-up has less "hydraulic piston surface area" Than a Disc/Disc set-up....This can cause a "low" pedal feeling on a truck that has 8 caliper pistons to move v.s. 4 caliper pistons & 2 small wheel cylinders.