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Looking for proportioning valve

RNation

RNation

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St.Peters, MO
I am looking for a new proportioning valve but am having troubles finding one. No one in my area carries one. I wanted to replace mine to be able to rule that out for a break issue I'm having. I've already replaced master cylinder, pads, drum pads (not sure what their called), wheel cylinders, and even a brake line. The back passenger bleed valve doesn't have the same amount of fluid coming out of it when bleeding like the other ones do (it has new wheel cylinder and brake line from the "T" in the back).

Anyhow I think if I can replace the proportioning valve, either the problem should be fixed or that's 1 more part to rule out. Plus I've replaced so many parts on this truck, I kind of like putting new parts on here as I go.

Thanks in advance.
 
first note, drum pads are called shoes.

did you remember to centre to valve after bleeding out the brakes? there is a pin on the end(PS I think) you have to have pushed/held in. make sure that's done on the last pump of the brake pedel. is your brake light on? it's another indicator of the valve being off center .
 
I didn't notice anything to be centered. Your talking about the valve that you loosen on the wheel cylinder where the fluid comes out of? If so I didn't do that on any of the bleeder valves. But the brake light is not on, I'm not positive that my vehicle has a brake light though.
 
the pin is on the proportaning valve itself. IIRC it has a rubber cover over it. as far as the possibility of no brake light, see if it comes on when you turn the keys on but not starting(bulb check). might just be a burnt bulb.

A word to the wise. If your going to change the proportaning valve be prepared to change the lines.
 
I didn't realize you meant the pin was on the proportioner valve haha....I was trying so hard to visualize a valve on the wheel cylinder but couldn't do it. It's dark here at my house now so I'll have to wait till tomorrow to check for the pin and the bulb. Anyways, I never did anything with the pin when I bled out the brakes, I didn't realize that needed to be done.

So if I replace the proportion valve there's a good chance I'd have to replace the lines also? I don't want to do that if I don't need to. What causes the lines to need replacement?
 
most of the time the lines are rusted and in a bad spot. if your lucky and they come off your doing great.

Is there a thread somewhere on your brake problem?
 
Amazingly enough of all the threads I've started I don't believe I have started one on my brakes. I do know that in one of the threads I posted about a leaky hydro booster. I'm not sure if that would be related or not to the brakes. But I do have a new hydro booster, I'm just waiting for warmer weather ( I did put some lucas stuff in the power steering fluid container and it appears the leak has stopped for now). I was kind of hesitant to start a new thread about it now because I'm not a big fan of working on my truck in winter haha.
 
ok. well the hydroboost is a big part of the brakes. what are the brakes doing or should I say not doing?

by the way, the hydroboost looks worse than it is. you have 6 bolts total and the lines. that's it
 
I don't think the brakes stop well enough especially when the road is a little wet and I have my work trailer hooked up (10' enclosed trailer, usually with only tools and light job material). I've slid through a few stop lights that turn yellow at the wrong time and I'm not able to completely stop in time. I've been down shifting though and that works fine. The rear wheel cylinder wasn't pushing fluid out like the others when bleeding the lines also. It's a new wheel cylinder, and I ran a new brake line from the "T" in the back to the cylinder. Maybe a bad cylinder? Also when I hit the brakes the truck pulls to the left. I have a feeling that's due to when I replaced the pads one of the caliper bolt holes on the steering knuckle stripped out a bit. So I put locktight or jb weld or something on it (I didn't have the time or money to get another steering knuckle). The truck pulled to the left before that though but the bolt hole may have been stripped out before that also. So I guess overall I know the brakes can be a little better, I don't know if they can be as good as I have it in my head though.

For the hydrobooster, I think the hardest part will be to try and lock the arm into the brake pedal. I have about 6"s worth of space and it's fairly high above the bottom of the dash board.
 
I waned to edit my last post but don't see the edit button.

To be more clear on the stripped bolt. It's the driver side that has the one caliper bolt stripped and I put the lock tight or jb weld on the bolt then screwed it back into place. It is stripped but not completely, it got to where I had to use a socket to get it in all the way but when I got to the end it would keep turning.
 
more questions for ya

which set of brakes lock up, front or rear?

are you a 1500 or 2500?

is there a valve(can't think of the proper name) on the rear brake line? it'll be mounted on the diff with a arm hooked to the frame/body.

what material of brake pads are you using? organic, ceramic, performance or even a brand name might tell me.

as far as the stripped bolt goes I'd just put a thread insert into it and be done.
 
Last edited:
just a number said:
is there a valve(can't think of the proper name) on the rear brake line? it'll be mounted on the diff with a arm hooked to the frame/body.



.
Click to expand...
Have not seen those on a Suburban/truck, but they are also a propotioning valve. One that varies with the amount of load onboard.
 
There isn't a valve of any sort in the rear. The only thing I could see is the main brake line runs down the passenger side frame then runs into a "T" that's mounted on what I think is the rear axle housing (it's the bulky part in the middle of the axle, it may be the diff you were talking about. But there isn't a hook type of anything going to the frame other than where the main line is bolted to it. It doesn't seem to pressure sensitive or anything though, it's just bolted to the bottom of the "C" shape frame.

Remembering the brake type though is the tricky part because my memory isn't the best and I did them between 6 months to a year ago. I'm pretty sure I bought the heavy duty pads from either autozone or o reillys, more than likely o reillys. I called them and they said the ones they carry are semi-mettalic, so I'm not sure which category that falls under, organic or ceramic. The brand was brake best at o reillys and duralast at autozone.

My suburban is 3/4 ton so I believe that's the 2500 series. And it appears to me that the front brakes are the ones that lock up.

After I noticed that there's only 1 main line to the rear brakes that splits off at the "T" to each of the rear brakes I don't think it would make sense to be the proportioner valve because I think that would mean when bleeding both rear brakes they would both be weak, but when I bled them only 1 was weak and the other one had a good amount of fluid coming out of it.
 
LOL semi-metallic is it's own kind, I just forgot about it. the 3/4 are the 20/250/2500 series.

when you check to flow to each brake, where was it checked at the bleeder or the line before the wheel cylinder?

when you did you rear brakes did you clean the drum with anything?

was there any fluid inside of the drum?

did you set the shoes close enough? they should just start to drag slightly and then back them off a notch or 2 on the starwheel.

setting the shoes is a biggie for drum brakes. they only move a hair. too close and they drag but too far and the don't apply enough pressure to the drum.


be thankful you don't have the valve at the back. it makes bleeding slower and a PITA to do.



side note: add the 3/4 ton to your signature.
 
When I checked the flow, I checked it at the wheel cylinder but I replaced the line to take that out of the equation. I didn't clean the drum, I did spray pb blaster all over the place to help loosen stuff though. No fluid inside the drum anywhere. I might need to adjust the passenger side shoe because I don't recall if I did or not, the driver side I know was done later on at a mechanics shop (it was in there for another reason other than brakes).

I could see the adjustment helping with the stopping but it wouldn't affect the low fluid flow on that one side right?
 
this ones got me stumped. the only spot that can affect the flow to one side is the 'T' in the line. but it just that, a 'T'. the're's nothing special about it.

the new line is the one with the lower flow right?

when you checked the flow, was it free flow(open line) or restricked cracked open fitting but still attached?

which side did you change the line on?




and yes the big chuck in the middle is the diff(differential),well I guess it's the diff housing. also called a pumpkin.
 
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