Squishy brakes- help!

[Grit dog]

^Theres some definite misunderstandings going on with the OPs opinion of things.

 

[SirRobyn0]

Good to hear.
You’re also misusing the term “late model”. That means “newer” not older.
Regardless, idk what you’re trying to say. What adjustments are you referring to? Disc/drum or even drum/drum will stop just the same and just as quick as disk/disk when you push the pedal.
Heck, my ‘74 CJ5 may have the second best brakes in the fleet, behind my wife’s SRT8 (with 6 piston Brembos up front). That old Jeep with 4 wheel drums will almost do an endo or a stoppie!

Agreed. My 1980 K25 with 14BFF and rear 13" drums will stop as well(or maybe better) than my 2011 K1500 Suburban. Solid pedal feel and stops on a dime. Rear disk brakes are not going to fix anything unless your rear brakes had an issue to begin with.

I kind of missed out on this thread earlier, but I agree with what you all are saying. I hear folks talk about how poor the brakes are on these trucks and I'm tell ya mine are not poor at all. I haul loads with my truck I need it to stop and stop correctly and it does that every time. I think some times folks forget that back when these vehicles were made new they were expected to do work, haul loads, suburbans haul families, stop quickly and safely under varying conditions.

 

[Dano500]

So, I also tried this and bled the brakes and started with furthest first, but it didn’t help much, if at all. I had just replaced the MC and that helped a tiny bit.

What I did notice was that brake fluid would come out of the caliper only about a foot and then it wouldn’t matter how many times I pumped the brakes, no more would come out.

Does that mean there isn’t enough fluid, or too much air?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ricko1966]

Fiush out all of the lines and put in fresh fluid. Willwood has in-line back pressure devices that keep some pressure on the line for quicker reaction.

Those are called residual pressure valves,and he shouldn't need to add any. They would be a mask over the real issue. Residual pressure valves would be factory in the combination valve,if needed,and generally not needed if the master cylinder is mounted higher than the wheel cylinders. If he wants to run some the actual name is residual pressure valve and they come in different values depending on disc or drum brakes. Don't be surprised if you keep tripping the combination valve trying to bleed the brakes,if you have problems,post back,my combination valve is almost impossible to bleed the brakes old school way.

 

[fast 99]

GM trucks had a very good, hard pedal until ABS came on the scene. Not a fan of the pedal. It can be pushed almost to the floor on a new system. Do like the ABS function and they are reasonably reliable.


Back to the OP.

Drums brakes can have many issues that will create excessive pedal travel or poor stopping. From something as simple as air to an oversize drum, old or bad linings. And yes, old linings even with adequate material can be a problem. If rear brakes are unknown, best to get new and do it right. Brake parts are really not that expensive in the grand scheme.