brake problems

[michael holcomb]

My 1997 chevy z71 has a brake problem. The peddle goes almost to the floor . The pads and the shoes are both new and it has good stopping power. It just feels like the brakes don't start to work until the peddle is about 2" from the floorboard.:confused:

[wyldman]

It's probably just the rear brakes out of adjustment.Adjust the rear brakes up tight,and it should get much better.

[ratlover]

I always glob some antisieze on the threads of the little adjusting start guy since they seem to freeze up and stop doing thier little thing. If they are froze you might get stuck buying a pair.

What happens if you pump em?

[michael holcomb]

It gets a better peddle if you pump them. I'll try and tighten the back brakes up and see if that helps.

[ratlover]

might need to bleed

IMO the pumping of the brakes way of bleeding aint the way to do it. Push down the pedal, open the bleeder, close the bleeder, release the pedal, push it down, open the bleeder.......Dont pump the barkes a bunch of times than then hold it down while someone opens the bleeder.

I first start by gravity bleeding though if I have drained the line first or have alot of air.

You should flush your brake fluid every couple of years and if your bleeding it would be the time to do it IMO, just try to drain most of it with the gravity approach. Do the fronts seperate from the rears. It will be easier IMO. You dont really need to get 100% out, just getting most of it out every few years will keep it good enough IMO