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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
My truck sat for quite some time and was giving symptoms of a bad M/C. On the good advice from a few board members, I decided to give the system an overhaul.
I replaced the booster and master cylinder as well as the 3 rubber hoses and thoroughly bled the system (old fluid was nasty stuff). The pads and shoes were in good shape (recently replaced prior to sitting) and the wheel cylinders were not leaking or have visible issues, so I did not change them. The truck now seems to require much more pedal pressure to stop the truck than before ie: the pedal is too firm. The booster seems to be functioning correctly (pedal falls 1/2-1" after being pumped up and then having the engine started). There are no leaks or anything visible that I can find. The truck will still lock up the front wheels just fine but it requires a great deal of pedal pressure. The truck has front disk/rear drum and all the components I replaced are correct (which took some time to figure out on my mixed bag of parts). Reman Delco 3/4 ton 10.5" dual booster, new brake best premium (OReilly store brand) M/C, and brake best flex lines. Synthetic DOT 3 fluid. Can a booster be bad even if the pump-up/engine on test passes?
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e |
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#2 |
Cluster King
![]() Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Junction City, OR
Posts: 5,263
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Give it some time. Drive it and put the brakes through some heat cycles and see if anything changes.
A good test for the booster is to apply the brake while driving and on the gas. Lets say you are going 50 - 60 mph on the gas and apply some brake. The pedal should be very hard to push until you let off the gas and then it should feel normal. It sounds like you covered the basics fairly well. |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Topeka,KS
Posts: 778
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
I just replaced a original booster on my 3/4 ton cause the pedal was hard with reman Cardone from O'Reilly's and it's a "little" better. Sometimes it works perfect. Different weather conditions? sitting for awhile? The old one was hard all the time. I just haven't pulled it off and warrantied it yet.
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68' C20. 283CI w/55CC 305HO heads, NP435 Close Ratio, Corp. 14 bolt FF 3.21, 75' front end swap (everything but the X-member). |
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#4 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Copied from CPP:
Quote:
I will try driving it (slowly) and see if it improves. My other thought is possibly a larger bore M/C piston? I didnt compare the two when I swapped them... Thank you for the responses! edit: Rockauto only lists a 1.25" bore on the M/C for a C20. 1.25" would be for a C10. C30 also lists 1.25", so I dont see how there could be a mixup. Double edit: When I bench bled the MC it was VERY stiff. Perhaps that has something to do with it and it will loosen up with driving?
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e Last edited by chevy72blu; 06-01-2013 at 06:46 PM. |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Granbury ,TX
Posts: 268
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
try with truck running pull vacuum line from booster. should run rough and maybe die, and you will here a sucking sound from intake vacumm,
if so, then you got good vacuum. you could drive around the block with booster disconnected, then connected, and see the difference, if booster is a problem. |
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: daytonabeach
Posts: 22,956
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
did you set the clearances with the pushrods for both the master cylinder and power booster
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71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
lazypineapple,
Removing the booster line nearly killed the motor. I touched my finger to the hose and thought I was going to be sucked in! Its definitely pulling plenty of vacuum. CDowns, Can you give me some more info? I have seen that referenced in other threads but I'm not sure what that exactly means. The pushrod for the booster was the same length as the original - it bolted right up. I compared the M/C rod between the old and new and they were close to the same size (new rod is perhaps 1/16 shorter). I just bolted them up with no adjustment.
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Edwards, CA
Posts: 7,503
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
IIRC there was a previous question about the booster bracket that I lost track of.
Now you had a single diaphragm booster, correct? Is the booster bracket assembly interchangable between a single and a dual diaphragm booster? Finally my point, is the relay linkage inside the bracket the same ratio between the two?
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Thanks, Tim * VIN/Model Decoders * Power Team Charts (engine/transmission/gear ratio) * Post Your Pickup SPID ** Blazer SPID ** Suburban/Panel SPID * RTFM ... Read The Factory Manuals... download 'em here Highlanders ** Do you have a 1972 Plaid Pickup? ** Plaid Blazer ** Plaid Suburban |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Tim,
You are correct about my previous questions. On your advice from that thread, I did some more digging and found the correct (stock) equipment. The booster is a 10.5" unit that I believe is double diaphragm (stock on 3/4 tons and 1 tons). The 1/2 ton unit is a few inches thinner and has a different bolt pattern on the bracket. The correct one for my truck (which I installed) is this type: The 1/2 ton booster (which does not fit) is this style: Pics borrowed from here: http://outintheshop.com/faq/Brakes/brakeinfo.html More info on the differences is on that site I can take pics of my setup as well. I have a new stock style 1/2 ton booster that a board vendor mistaken told me was correct. They insisted that GM never made a different type of booster for C10s and 20s/30s
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Update: Went out for another drive (unpopulated area) and it seems to be somewhat better. I had my wife drive so I could watch the pedal and it looks to be traveling a good 2" with light input before slowing the vehicle. Past 2", its very firm.
Perhaps the issue could be adjustment like cdowns mentioned? If someone has instructions on how to do this I would really appreciate it! I bled until I saw no air (full quart) but perhaps there is still some trapped?
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Edwards, CA
Posts: 7,503
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
OK thanks for clearing that up. So even if there is a ratio difference in the relay you have the correct application. Running out of ideas here.
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Thanks, Tim * VIN/Model Decoders * Power Team Charts (engine/transmission/gear ratio) * Post Your Pickup SPID ** Blazer SPID ** Suburban/Panel SPID * RTFM ... Read The Factory Manuals... download 'em here Highlanders ** Do you have a 1972 Plaid Pickup? ** Plaid Blazer ** Plaid Suburban |
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#12 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Quote:
I'm running out of ideas also... lol. I'm really leaning towards it being a stubborn bleed. I bled for a LONG time, way past the brake fluid running clear and no more air bubbles in the clear bleeder line on each wheel. As I understand it, any manual bleeding method is bested by power bleeding. Maybe building a power bleeder or having a shop do it again is the way to go
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e |
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#13 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: San Diego Co.
Posts: 1,166
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Quote:
I can't say for sure what your issue is exactly, but from your description, it doesn't seem to me to be one of bleeding. It sounds like you bled it well. When I did mine I only gravity bled it, and that worked just fine. Lots of other folk on here have done it the same way. And if, by chance you still had a bubble in there somewhere, you wouldn't have a firm pedal.
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1972 Chevy C-10, SWB, Fleet, 350/350, PS, PB, HEI, mostly stock, Survivor. ![]() |
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#14 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Quote:
Still scratching my head... I'm not above taking it to a brake shop but going to a new place + having no clue whats wrong is a good way to get jerked around.
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
I swapped out the booster rods which I mentioned earlier.
![]() The rod on the right is the old one, the left unit is "new" but is heavily pitted and approx 1/16" shorter than the old unit (bad angle to see the size difference). The "old" booster rod seems to be somewhat better - pedal feel is the same but the brakes engage slightly quicker. I'm going to try plugging the booster line and see if it feels much different on the road without a booster. I've never driven a car with manual brakes, but I imagine this is what they feel like. Edit: The booster is definitely doing something. With no booster it wouldnt be safe to drive around the block. Now I'm back to my original question: Can a booster only be working partially as well as it should?
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e Last edited by chevy72blu; 06-02-2013 at 01:56 PM. |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Longview TX
Posts: 40
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
I'm having the same problem with a firm pedal. Did you get yours figured out?
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#18 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Northport, Alabama
Posts: 1,353
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
. . . .
Here's something from another thread that I'm going to try on my 70: . . . . |
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#19 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ozark, MO
Posts: 4,887
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Boosters are bad out of the box more often than you might think...also the brake best select pads are iffy. Those points aside, I would bleed the master cylinder again. Since it's on the truck level it and return clear hoses into each reservoir, one at a time while blocking off the other port. You may still have a small bubble in one. Sound like maybe your front brakes have a bubble and the rears are the only active circuit.
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'20 Silverado Trail Boss ~ '17 Tahoe ~ '79 K15 Sierra Grande ~ '76 Blazer 2wd ~ '71 Cheyenne swb ~ '55 Pontiac Safari ~'50 3100 bagged ~ '80 Wife ~ Late model kids
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 2,188
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Re: Pedal too firm after brake overhaul
Update:
I've gotten a few PM's about this problem so I figure a post would do better for people looking in the future. The Oreilly brand M/C was certainly part of the problem, as mentioned by luvbowties. I warranty exchanged it and found that it was significantly easier to operate the piston. I think the first one was out of spec/tolerance too tight. This improved the pedal feel by a good 40-50%. I've put perhaps 2-300 miles on the truck since then going to little cruises and quick trips to the store. The pedal has improved another 20-30% - my belief is the old pads/shoes were glazed over/hardened from sitting. That could be 100% impossible/incorrect, but it has definitely improved with several heat up/cool-down cycles. I'm glad I revisited the thread though as I didnt know about 5/16" rod adjustment. I dont remember seeing when I did the overhaul, but I'll pull the M/C tonight and give it a shot. The explanation makes perfect sense with the amount of pre-travel prior to engagement. The truck now stops easily with one foot and locks them up without too much effort. You still need to be serious about it, but it does not feel at all unsafe. Still, its not quite the pedal I remember - the only real issue is the amount of pedal pressure required sitting at a stoplight. I plan on replacing the pads and shoes in a week or so once its back from the suspension shop (getting the front end rebuilt) and I'll post if there is any change. Still plenty of material on them, but I imagine a higher quality brake lining cant hurt performance compared to the stock/economy type on it now.
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RIP EastSideLowLife '72 C20 SWB convert. 5 lug, LS1/4l60e |
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