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REAR BRAKE UPGRADE AND FRONTS FOR 94 K3500 4X4 SRW??

94 k3500 nick

94 k3500 nick

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Location
ny long island
wanted to know what u guys would suggest on rear brake upgrades and fronts too as mine on my truck are done all around might as well upgrade them for better safety and performance.
i searched the forums for a few suggestions and companies that sell the conversion kit from rear drum to disk TSM,EGR,Blackbird are a few companies mentioned wanted to know who has the best kits with the least problems
i really dont like the drums but if there is a alternate way or parts list to upgrade my braking system that someone can provide instead of buying from any of those companies to help save me some $ that would be great too
 
I would do the front brake upgrade. There are threads on here about how to use a newer style rotor - that does not require pulling the bearing to remove the rotor - the rotor pulls right off. like on every other normal vehicle. I wish I had done it on all of my vehicles.

I looked into it a long time ago. I never got it figured out. Later on after a couple of guys figured it out, I haven't had time & or funds to do the swap.

I surely do wish somebody sold a kit for this. It would be good for all GMT400's
 
Are you looking for alot more braking, or just a basic upgrade? I run RAYBESTOS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY semi metalic front pads, the AC DELCO DURASTOP rear shoes, with stainless braided brake lines, and have pretty good brakes IMHO. Another upgrade I am goign to do is put the wheel cylinders in the drums from a 3500 dually as they are 1 3/16" VS the SRW trucks 1 1/16".
 
Im looking for anything better than stock a upgrade setup and i dont like drums they r a pita to do for me at least
Like the drum to disk upgrade that i mentioned those companies have they sell. Also for the fronts too
 
JayTheCPA said:
Do it! It makes a nice addition to the Burb (along with the correct proportioning valve) :)
Click to expand...
I did my valve when I did the engine swap, but I had just put new wheel cylinders in not long before, and when I did them I thought the 1 1/16" were the biggest you coudl get. My next rockauto order I plan on putting them in it.
 
Not talking anybody out of a rear disk conversion, but . . . When I bought the Burb, rear disks were high on the conversion list until I talked with the local brake shop whom felt that I would end up with less braking force compared to the current 3-1/2" wide shoes.

At first I was still not happy with the rear drums as they tended to lock at low speeds whenever the humidity was high (rain, summer mornings, etc . . .).

Recently, I put on Raybestos (the more expensive set) shoes & pads and did the TSB proportioning valve (for Suburbans) where the truck now has a nice dig to a stop and no more grabby-when-moist.


If you are completely set on rear disks, look for a set from a C3500HD.

And while doing brake work, consider replacing all the steel lines with stainless.



For GMT400 Burb drivers, follow this thread (http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/th...rge-rear-brake-cylinders-on-my-99-burb.37663/) and you *will* like the results. As usual, FERM nailed what we need to do!
 
anyone else with advice on what im looking to do? disk all around and upgraded fronts. which company would be best and easiest to buy from and bolt on or piece together their kits and hopefully save some $ if anyone know what i need to look for to piece together my own upgraded disk brake kit??
 
To be blunt: "Don't do it!"

:rage: Using the words "Save money" and "Cheap" anywhere near the words Brake System is a bad idea! You are already wanting to go cheap or save money on doing this upgrade so maybe it's best to just forget it!

The above advice is the most frugal with your existing brake system as our systems are head and shoulders above the 1/2 ton undersized junk GM Bean counters gave us.

As far as kits are concerned you get what you pay for. The amount of extra fabrication that is required and extra 'not included parts' you have to find help decide what kit or path you can or want to go down. Parking/E brake setup is a big factor.

JayTheCPA more or less nailed it with his entire post and the 3500HD disc parts source.

:facepalm: Disks are for computers. Disc brakes are for vehicles...
 
I have a complete TSM dually kit here, not installed yet....

Yes it cost $$ but looking at the kit it's worth the money and someone else has already done ALL the r&r leg work for you and stand behind the work... so you get what you pay for...

Why do you want - need disc all around anyway.......
 
I believe I looked at right site, did you get the dual or single caliper kit. When adjusted properly my drums stop me just fine. I have to adjust them at every oil change like WarWagon does.
 
Thanks for the tip Will. I was just installing Bilstein shocks and the brake lines on 14 bolt look bad. Its time for redo on everything. I have to consider buying the whole rotor/wheel bearing assembly up front. I'm at 150k miles on the bearings, as I have no service records from PO. The 3500 dually cylinders will get installed as well.
 
That is a really nice kit. It is worth every penny like you said, Everything like parking brake thought out for you, so the state inspector will pass the truck(and safety reasons).
 
On GMT400 OBD2 and newer vehicles w/o active brake control there is an ABS controller & tire to brake calibration can be tweaked by Carcode as it has the device controller to do it.

My 1999 had braking issues after I went to taller tires w/controller I recalibrated the ABS and it fixed the problem.
 
hookedup50 said:
Thanks for the tip Will. I was just installing Bilstein shocks and the brake lines on 14 bolt look bad. Its time for redo on everything. I have to consider buying the whole rotor/wheel bearing assembly up front. I'm at 150k miles on the bearings, as I have no service records from PO. The 3500 dually cylinders will get installed as well.
Click to expand...

I've gone 200,000 miles plus on OEM front bearings on a 4x4 - K2500.

I would not change the bearings unless they are bad. In recent years, I've gotten away from doing some preventive maintenance.

There doesn't seem to be as much incentive to change a known to be good part for a new part as there used to be.

The quality of new parts seems to be suspect and questionable anymore. I've had new bearings only last 20,000 miles. If you can possibly get another 50,000 miles out of your current bearings, you would be better just using them as opposed to swapping to bearings that you may only get 20,000 miles out of. Just my opinion.

If I was going to swap front bearings as preventive maintenance, I would definately do the steering knuckle upgrade
 
jrsavoie said:
I've gone 200,000 miles plus on OEM front bearings on a 4x4 - K2500.

I would not change the bearings unless they are bad. In recent years, I've gotten away from doing some preventive maintenance.

There doesn't seem to be as much incentive to change a known to be good part for a new part as there used to be.

The quality of new parts seems to be suspect and questionable anymore. I've had new bearings only last 20,000 miles. If you can possibly get another 50,000 miles out of your current bearings, you would be better just using them as opposed to swapping to bearings that you may only get 20,000 miles out of. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

Sealed bearing hubs can be split open the bearings cleaned inspected and/or replaced or repacked I wrote about this in another post but forget which one.

THE FOLLOWING IS DANGEROUS AND IF DONE WRONG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SKILL SET TO TACKLE THE FOLLOWING DON'T ATTEMPT TO DO IT. AS ALWAYS THE FOLLOWING IS INFORMATIONAL ONLY IF YOU ATTEMPT TO UNDERTAKE IT THEN IT IS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

GMT400 hubs come apart easy using OTC # 6209 4 W/D front hub puller used on gm/ford/dodge/jeep, you remove the axle assembly, then loosen but do not remove completely the 3 or 4 retainer bolts holding the front hub to the steering knuckle assembly, remove the ABS sensor, then attach the OTC tool and gently pull on hub it will pull partially out of it's mounting area then because the bolts are still attached the tool will separate the 2 hub halves, you now have access to repair or PM the common bearings, to reassemble you place the lug hub down 'I like to use an old rotor for this w/hat up' then place the back half over the front half and gently bounce a brass or other type mallet around the diameter until seated install new rear seal.............

Another method is pull the ABS sensor and inject quality high temp synthetic grease into the port.
 
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It should be of note though that injecting grease through the ABS sensor port only works on 95+, up to 94 the speed sensor was external. Also if you inject grease through the speed sensor hole, you must also put a pick or something VERY CAREFULLY between the the shaft and seal in the bearing to allow air and old grease to escape. If you don't give it a place to go out, then it will destroy the hub bearings seal, and your bearing will fail shortly after. I did mine this way over 50K miles ago, and my bearings currently have roughly 226K on the original factory bearings.
 
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