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Chevy/GMC Parking Brake issues

18K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  NOODLES 
#1 · (Edited)
I have two GMC pickups, 01 2500HD, and 02 3500, both are duramax/allison 4x4's. The parking brake is less than to be desired on both. Is this normal, and is there anything that can be done about it?
 
#2 ·
Mine doesent work very well on my 03 either...........Have you tried adjusting it?

On a side note, are you or anyone you know going wheelin' on new years day?
 
#12 ·
they are just out of adjustment. and easy to fix, i have done many. the shoes are about 80 bucks if you do replace them. they can not be relined, thats why they are so expensive. pull of wheel, pull caliper bracket off, and pull off rotor. adjust the adjuster, and test fit the rotor to make sure it is right, then slap the caliper bracket back on and the wheel and be happy. even adjusted they aren't too great, and feel even worse at the pedal, but when it matters they really do work.
 
#4 ·
I believe new chevy half tons have drums because of these problems. They were having alot of problems w/ their POS parking brakes not passing state inspections.

Why didn't they just use a caliper with a built in parking brake lever?
 
#5 ·
Found this:

More than 142,000 1500 Series 1999-2002 Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierra pickups were also recalled, along with 2500/3500 Series 2001-2004 manual transmission pickups, on potential parking brake problems.

There are a few more recalls too.

General Motors Corp. is recalling more than 2 million vehicles, mostly sold in the United States, on a variety of potential safety defects, the company said Monday.

GM, the world's largest automaker, said the largest of the recalls includes nearly 1.5 million pickup trucks and sport/utility vehicles with second-row seat belts that may be difficult to properly position across passengers' hips.

The possible seatbelt defect affects Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab, Suburban, Tahoe and Avalanche vehicles from the 2003-2005 model years.

It also affects Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT, GMC Sierra Crew Cab, Yukon XL, Yukon and Hummer H2 autos from the same model years.

Dealers will repair the safety belts for free, the company said in a statement.

GM also announced a safety recall for more than 330,000 Chevrolet Suburban, 1500 Series, and Yukon XL from the 2000-2001 model years for possible overheating of fuel pump wires that could lead to engine problems.
 

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#6 ·
"Mine doesent work very well on my 03 either...........Have you tried adjusting it?"
Yeah, we took it to the brake shop that does our company work and they fixed it, but it only fixed the problem for a little while. Sounds like I will have to go somewhere aftermarket to fix it permanently. I will check into those MICO's
 
#8 · (Edited)
no the HD trucks have always had 4 wheel discs, with the rear parking brake being a drum brake inside the disc. Agreed, the parking brake on the 01-07 GMT-800 HD trucks SUCKS! Ive found that most of the problems stem from leaking rear axle seals. Look all around the inside or pull the wheel off to see if the axle seal is leaking, fairly common problem. So if the rear axle seal leaks, it saturates the parking brake shoes with oil and the parking prake doesnt work. Replace the axle seal, press it in, preload it properly etc... and then clean the inside of the rotor where the parking brake shoes contact it really well with brake cleaner or something like that. Then put the rotor back on the hub. Press the parking brake down a few clicks and see if the shoes engage the inside of the roter (try to turn it). If you can turn it easilly the parking brake needs to beadjusted so realse the parking brake and turn the star wheel thing until the parking brake shoes just BARELY touch (or are really close to touching) the inside of the rotor. Put the wheel back on etc... and test it out. The parking brake shouldnt go to the floor, and it should hold the truck on a hill (in neutral) and it should hold the truck from moving on flat ground when the truck is in drive, foot off the brake pedal....you'll know/feel if the parking brake is working like it should. Its a stupid problem and all of the -800 HD's do it, but if you take the time to replace the seals and adjust the parking brake properly it actually works decently IMO.

but on the other hand, I dont worry about it really in mine. The allison park pawl is HUGE and ive seen a truck in 4wd, engine off in park, be dragged a hundred feet or so on pavement by another truck (some construction site where there was a dmax/ally parked with a trailer on and a crane operater thought it was in neutral and towed it), all the wheels skidding the whole way, didnt hurt the trans at all.

hope that helsp

ben
 
#9 · (Edited)
no the HD trucks have always had 4 wheel discs, with the rear parking brake being a drum brake inside the disc. Agreed, the parking brake on the 01-07 GMT-800 HD trucks SUCKS!
Man, I was talking and thinking about the GMT-800 1/2's. Forgot he had the HD!:eek:
 
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