99 Suburban 2500 brake help

[K588]

I have a 99 suburban 2500 454 4x4 and I am going thru front brake pads about every 10k miles. The rear brake shoes are maybe 1/2 worn with 60k miles on them. The truck has an electroncally controlled proportioning valve. Is there a way to adjust this? i have a factory service manual which doesnt say anything about adjusting it. The truck has a hard time coming to a complete stop, sometimes with smoking front brakes. Just replaced the front rotors , pads and had to install a new hydroboost, helped but didnt fix the problem. I am thinking about going with a rear disc setup if it will function with the proportioning valve, abs and the rest of the truck-- anyone know of one ?

 

[azblazor]

The factory disc brake 14 bolt axle should be compatible. They came out in 2000 - there might be some 99 aplications.

 

[88sub4x4]

I have the same truck with the same prob. I was thinking it might be the wheel cylinders, but I need new drums so I was going to convert to rear disks. I have the same questions. sweetk30 is doing a swap right now, so I'm waiting to see how his turns out.

 

[88sub4x4]

Well, I fixed my brake prob. The same as you described. I replaced the cracked shoes, and heat cracked drums, and replaced the wheel cylinders. Both my wheel cylinders were working for the first approx. 1/3 of their travel and then they hit a rust ridge, and would stop. The new brakes make the truck stop like new. The 13x3.5" brakes have an amazing amount of power for a drum setup.

 

[K588]

I also just replaced both of the rear wheel cylinders as 1 was bad and it did make a noticeable difference. The guy at the parts counter where I go told me to flush and replace the brake fluid at least every 2 years or when it starts to turn dark brown or black. He said that those trucks get the fluid so hot it almost is boiling and it causes condensation in the fluid which is what is rusting out the wheel cylinders etc. Mine was black. Even with this fix I still feel as though the front brakes are doing the majority of the stopping. I would still like to find out how to adjust that electronic proportioning valve or replace it with one you can adjust.

 

[ryan22re]

I would still like to find out how to adjust that electronic proportioning valve or replace it with one you can adjust.

there is no such thing as an electric prop valve. if your 99 has four wheel abs, the valve is internal to the brake pressure modulating valve (BPMV). the bpmv prob costs between $500-1000 (just a guess).

you could just do away with your abs, and install an adjustable prop valve, and go back to a regular brake system. not what i would recommend.

but the real question is, has this truck done it since new? so it has had 6 sets of front pads? (10k on pads, 60k on truck right?). what is the truck used for? lots of long downhill grades with your foot on the brake while towing? maybe you should look for an upgrade in the friction material of the pads, or rotors, or upgrade the entire brake system.


ryan