rear brake job chevy truck

[all thumbs]

Hope somebody will know. For the disc rear brakes of 1/2 ton 2004 chevy truck. There is a housing that holds the caliper that has two, looks like 1/2 in. bolts.The caliper then has two bolts that connect to that housing. For the first two bolts do I use lock tite or anti-sieze compound? It had some kind of coumpound on the threads that look like anti- sieze.
Thanks A T

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

You can put an anti-seize compound on there if you want. It won't hurt if you do, it won't hurt if you don't. With the proper torque, they will not back out or come loose. I have had my Impala rear brakes apart 4 times, and not used anti-seize on them, and they are tight and come loose fine. (The brakes are virtually identical)

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

When you pull your calipers off. Look at the guide bushings. make sure they can slide. If your caliper can't slide, then you will wear one pad faster. Or even heat your disc and warp it.

I like to use the anti-seize. Especially if you are the one going to be removing them next time. It will make it a lot easier.

 

[all thumbs]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

I used anti-sieze , the drivers side rotor was hard to get off , stuck on the emergency brake. Front brakes are fine 25,000 mi. and rear brakes went bad. I've heard their light duty trucks are famous for this. The chevy dealer said the fix is to install mud flaps. one hundred dollars for the set. Dirt gets into brakes and scores the rotors. I can't see how a mud flap will help that.

 

[dingbat]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

I have a 2001 Tahoe. I'm on my 3rd set of rear brakes in 116K miles. First time @ 40K, second time @ 80K miles. Pads / rotor not an issue. The emergency brake housing keeps cracking. Dealer says problem compounded by my constant driving on the beach.

It still has the original pads on the front but will need changed out by the end of the summer.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

I doubt the dirt is the real reason for bad rotors, but it's possible. I used to warped rotors every 16,000mi in my 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004 Impalas. One car had all the brakes replaced with GM parts, and of course 15,000mi later it did it again. I put three sets of rotors on my 2004 all while keeping the original pads. The pads lasted 100,000 miles on my 2004 (it's the only one I had past 64k). I finally changed the pads to something other than GM, and guess what? No motor warped rotors! My wife's 2003 also had had the brakes replace at Pep Boys at about 50k, and when we sold it with 72k on it, no warped rotors. City driving actually helps too, as opposed to highway miles then stabbing the brakes to get off an exit.
So my official recommendation is to to not use GM parts. I hope when you changed them you used some other brand.

 

[gss036]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

If you notice on the new trucks, they no longer have rear disc brakes. I heard it was because of rotor problem, probably all the salt used on the roads back that way.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

drum brakes are cheaper...that is why they changed

 

[68C15]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

do not, I repeat DO NOT use anti-sieze on any bolt threads. it can and will allow the bolt to loosen over time. the factory used thread locker for a reason. clean the bolt and use the blue stuff torquing to specs. IIRC the bracket bolts get 63'lbs while the caliper bolts get 25'lbs. I could be off on the specs, I would have to check with alldata today.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

No your specs are just fine. Pretty close, anyway. If a person putting the bolts back in has ever tightened a bolt in their life before, the torque value is obvious.

While it is true they used thread locker, i can tell you from experience, if they can come loose without any locker, it must take a LONG time, cause mine have never come loose, and it's been 2 years and 40,000miles since they were last off.

 

[gregp321]

Re: rear brake job chevy truck

Hi, i've been a licenced automotive tech. for 15 years and i can tell you dont put anything other than slider lube on the caliper sliders, anything else can cause the rubbers to swell and prevent them from moving like they should. as for the caliper bracket, no need for locktite or anything just tighten them up you'll be fine.