From: stryped on
I have a brake question. I have a 1996 chevy Silverado. I have had it
for about 4-5 years. I bought it from my dad. It has 315,000 miles on
it. It has always had a soft spongy pedal. Brakes seem to work, but
like I said the pedal sinks when holding it.

This weekend was a nightmare. I replaced one side of my back drum
brakes. I will have to finish the other side this weekend as I ran out
of time. I noticed when I was trying to force on the pads in the back,
I developed some liquid at the master cylinder boot.

This weekend is a long one so I plan on doing this right. Replacing
the other set of rear pads. I guess I need to replace that wheel
cylinder now too. (Will I hurt anything by driving the truck this week
with one set of new pads on one set of old pads?) For the record, the
pads had a lot of life left on them but there were some superficial
cracks so I attempted to replace them.

Also, for the last year my antilock brake light has been on.

Anyway, Part of me is afraid to replace the master cylinder and re
bleed everything. I have heard of people doing this and somehow
getting air on the anti lock module? Have you heard of this?

I appreciate any help and advice! I just want to get this done and be
finished with it. This summer by the way I had to replace my vacuum
booster. It went out. I have no fluid leakage that I can see by the
way.

I appreciate any help!
From: stryped on
On May 24, 8:06 am, stryped <stryp...(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have a brake question. I have a 1996 chevy Silverado. I have had it
> for about 4-5 years. I bought it from my dad. It has 315,000 miles on
> it. It has always had a soft spongy pedal. Brakes seem to work, but
> like I said the pedal sinks when holding it.
>
> This weekend was a nightmare. I replaced one side of my back drum
> brakes. I will have to finish the other side this weekend as I ran out
> of time. I noticed when I was trying to force on the pads in the back,
> I developed some liquid at the master cylinder boot.
>
> This weekend is a long one so I plan on doing this right. Replacing
> the other set of rear pads. I guess I need to replace that wheel
> cylinder now too. (Will I hurt anything by driving the truck this week
> with one set of new pads on one set of old pads?) For the record, the
> pads had a lot of life left on them but there were some superficial
> cracks so I attempted to replace them.
>
> Also, for the last year my antilock brake light has been on.
>
> Anyway, Part of me is afraid to replace the master cylinder and re
> bleed everything. I have heard of people doing this and somehow
> getting air on the anti lock module? Have you heard of this?
>
> I appreciate any help and advice! I just want to get this done and be
> finished with it. This summer by the way I had to replace my vacuum
> booster. It went out. I have no fluid leakage that I can see by the
> way.
>
> I appreciate any help!

How do I tell if the master cylinder is bad? I recently found where
whne my dad had the truck he had midas replace the brakes. There was
somethign about a master cylinder which he "declined".
From: m6onz5a on
On May 24, 9:06 am, stryped <stryp...(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have a brake question. I have a 1996 chevy Silverado. I have had it
> for about 4-5 years. I bought it from my dad. It has 315,000 miles on
> it. It has always had a soft spongy pedal. Brakes seem to work, but
> like I said the pedal sinks when holding it.
>
> This weekend was a nightmare. I replaced one side of my back drum
> brakes. I will have to finish the other side this weekend as I ran out
> of time. I noticed when I was trying to force on the pads in the back,
> I developed some liquid at the master cylinder boot.
>
> This weekend is a long one so I plan on doing this right. Replacing
> the other set of rear pads. I guess I need to replace that wheel
> cylinder now too. (Will I hurt anything by driving the truck this week
> with one set of new pads on one set of old pads?) For the record, the
> pads had a lot of life left on them but there were some superficial
> cracks so I attempted to replace them.
>
> Also, for the last year my antilock brake light has been on.
>
> Anyway, Part of me is afraid to replace the master cylinder and re
> bleed everything. I have heard of people doing this and somehow
> getting air on the anti lock module? Have you heard of this?
>
> I appreciate any help and advice! I just want to get this done and be
> finished with it. This summer by the way I had to replace my vacuum
> booster. It went out. I have no fluid leakage that I can see by the
> way.
>
> I appreciate any help!

a spongy feel usually means air is still in the lines. You could just
gravity bleed the system, or do it the old fashioned way
From: hls on

"stryped" <stryped1(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5df294e3-3cb0-4c74-9234-41bb13406571(a)j27g2000vbp.googlegroups.com...
****On May 24, 8:06 am, stryped <stryp...(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have a brake question. I have a 1996 chevy Silverado. I have had it
> for about 4-5 years. I bought it from my dad. It has 315,000 miles on
> it. It has always had a soft spongy pedal. Brakes seem to work, but
> like I said the pedal sinks when holding it.
>
> This weekend was a nightmare. I replaced one side of my back drum
> brakes. I will have to finish the other side this weekend as I ran out
> of time. I noticed when I was trying to force on the pads in the back,
> I developed some liquid at the master cylinder boot.
>
> This weekend is a long one so I plan on doing this right. Replacing
> the other set of rear pads. I guess I need to replace that wheel
> cylinder now too. (Will I hurt anything by driving the truck this week
> with one set of new pads on one set of old pads?) For the record, the
> pads had a lot of life left on them but there were some superficial
> cracks so I attempted to replace them.
>
> Also, for the last year my antilock brake light has been on.
>
> Anyway, Part of me is afraid to replace the master cylinder and re
> bleed everything. I have heard of people doing this and somehow
> getting air on the anti lock module? Have you heard of this?
>
> I appreciate any help and advice! I just want to get this done and be
> finished with it. This summer by the way I had to replace my vacuum
> booster. It went out. I have no fluid leakage that I can see by the
> way.
>
> I appreciate any help!

How do I tell if the master cylinder is bad? I recently found where
whne my dad had the truck he had midas replace the brakes. There was
somethign about a master cylinder which he "declined".

********
Pump up the brakes and hold them. If the pedal begins to creep to the
floor, that is a very good indication the master cylinder is toast.**

By the way, you said you had rear drum brakes. You dont replace pads
on drum brakes.. You replace "shoes".

You probably already know this, but dont work on one side without doing
the other side as well.

Finally, where did you find the brake fluid leak?? On the slave cylinder
boot at the rear drum brakes? If, as I suspect, it is the slave cylinder,
then
you may have just pumped the piston out too far when you were replacing
the shoes and caused a temporary leak, ** OR you have a corroded and
leaking rear slave cylinder. Did you rebuild the cylinder, hone it, replace
the rubber parts, pistons, or ???

From: stryped on
On May 24, 9:52 am, "hls" <h...(a)nospam.nix> wrote:
> "stryped" <stryp...(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:5df294e3-3cb0-4c74-9234-41bb13406571(a)j27g2000vbp.googlegroups.com...
> ****On May 24, 8:06 am, stryped <stryp...(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > I have a brake question. I have a 1996 chevy Silverado. I have had it
> > for about 4-5 years. I bought it from my dad. It has 315,000 miles on
> > it. It has always had a soft spongy pedal. Brakes seem to work, but
> > like I said the pedal sinks when holding it.
>
> > This weekend was a nightmare. I replaced one side of my back drum
> > brakes. I will have to finish the other side this weekend as I ran out
> > of time. I noticed when I was trying to force on the pads in the back,
> > I developed some liquid at the master cylinder boot.
>
> > This weekend is a long one so I plan on doing this right. Replacing
> > the other set of rear pads. I guess I need to replace that wheel
> > cylinder now too. (Will I hurt anything by driving the truck this week
> > with one set of new pads on one set of old pads?) For the record, the
> > pads had a lot of life left on them but there were some superficial
> > cracks so I attempted to replace them.
>
> > Also, for the last year my antilock brake light has been on.
>
> > Anyway, Part of me is afraid to replace the master cylinder and re
> > bleed everything. I have heard of people doing this and somehow
> > getting air on the anti lock module? Have you heard of this?
>
> > I appreciate any help and advice! I just want to get this done and be
> > finished with it. This summer by the way I had to replace my vacuum
> > booster. It went out. I have no fluid leakage that I can see by the
> > way.
>
> > I appreciate any help!
>
> How do I tell if the master cylinder is bad? I recently found where
> whne my dad had the truck he had midas replace the brakes. There was
> somethign about a master cylinder which he "declined".
>
> ********
> Pump up the brakes and hold them.   If the pedal begins to creep to the
> floor, that is a very good indication the master cylinder is toast.**
>
> By the way, you said you had rear drum brakes.  You dont replace pads
> on drum brakes.. You replace "shoes".
>
> You probably already know this, but dont work on one side without doing
> the other side as well.
>
> Finally, where did you find the brake fluid leak?? On the slave cylinder
> boot at the rear drum brakes?    If, as I suspect, it is the slave cylinder,
> then
> you may have just pumped the piston out too far when you were replacing
> the shoes and caused a temporary leak, ** OR you have a corroded and
> leaking rear slave cylinder. Did you rebuild the cylinder, hone it, replace
> the rubber parts, pistons, or ???- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks so much for your reply.

I know you are supposed to replace both "shoes" but I ran out of time.
I hope this is ok to just delay a week. SHoudl I also have the drums
resurfaced? On the one side I replaced the shoes and all the springs.
Plan to do the same to the other side.

I did not replace any wheel cylinders. I had to force the shoes on
because of the spring tension. Where the shoe contacts the rubber boot
I saw oil dripping down. I have checked under the vehcile after
drivign and parkign overnight and see nothing ont he ground. Could
this cylinder be ok? I really dont want to replace it. My manual says
the shoes have to come back off and I had a heck of a time getting
them on there.

FWIW by the way my emergency brake is not working very good. (It
started several weeks before I even attempted to replace shoes.)

Do I pump the brakes with engine on or off?
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