Braking issue

[swhalen]

Hi All:
I need help figuring out what to look for with a braking issue on my '94. During local, less than 40 mph driving I recently noticed that while applying the brakes I get the feeling that I am driving over rough roads, with the truck shaking. Last week on the first highway trip in months, while towing a trailer down a steep mountain pass, as I applied the brakes intermittently to slow down it felt like the whole truck was falling apart or I was in the runaway truck ramp. Steering feels as good as it ever has for a 2nd gen. My thought is that the drums are no longer true. Any thoughts? Thanks, steve whalen

 

[HHhuntitall]

Hmm, from my experience, it sounds either hot spots in the drums or warped rotors on the front.... can you feel the shaking in the steering wheel.. like it's fighting back, kinda shaking back and forth? If in the steering wheel, its in the front end, otherwise, it's possible it could be in the rear end. The drums may be still be true, but have hot spots where the pads won't grab, slide easy, then grab again.... A quick removal and inspection would give you a little insight to what might be the problem....

 

[GAmes]

https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.genosgarage.com/downloads/TechPDF/TDR50_BrakeUtopia.pdf

 

[swhalen]

Thanks for the replies GAmes and HHHuntitall. I took the truck to my local mechanic and it turned out to be the front rotors. That makes sense from the perspective that the steering wheel tried to come out of my hands on modest downhill braking on an interstate mountain pass pulling a trailer. New rotors and pads and all is well. Regards, steve whalen