Silverado Rear Brake Problems

The rear brakes on the Chevy Silverado have evolved over the years. Beginning with a drum brake system, in 2003 General Motors switched to a disc brake system that utilized a "Drum In Hat" style parking brake system. The decision to return to a drum brake system in 2005 was due to problems with the parking brake system. The rear disc brake system was reintroduced in 2006. Both the drum brakes and the disc brakes have minor commonly occurring problems, but for the most part are durable.

One of the more common problems with the rear brake system on the Chevy Silverado is not a brake failure at all. Axle seals commonly malfunction, and this allows the rear brakes to be saturated with gear oil. The result ranges from groaning when a small leak occurs to shuddering and smoking when a severe leak is present. To prevent this, inspect the brake system and axle seals frequently, and replace the seals at the first sign of a leak developing.

Drum brake system problems center on the lack of maintenance of the drum brake system. The common complaint ranges from premature brake shoe wear, to brake system lock-up due to frozen brake cylinders. The cure again is frequent inspection and service of the brake system.

In the disc brake system used on the Silverado, we begin to experience rear brake squeal for the first time. The problem centers on the disk brakes tendency to vibrate. The cure is to follow proper procedures when machining rear discs, and completing the break in procedure of eight to 10 slow stops from 30 mph, with 30 seconds of cool down time between stops.

Perhaps the most common cause of rear brake problems on the Chevy Silverado are the parking brakes on the rear disc brake equipped trucks. The "Drum In Hat" design has a separate set of brake shoes that grip the machined inside of the disc hat, acting like a small set of mechanical drum brakes. The problem is the fact that, while the disc brakes are self adjusting, the parking brakes are not. This requires frequent servicing of the parking brakes to keep the parking brakes operational. Should the brake shoes ever wear to the point of metal to metal contact, the disc must be replaced with the shoes. The inner friction surface of the disc that the shoes ride on is not servicable.

The solution to the common brake problems found in the Chevy Silverado can be found in maintenance. Frequent inspection and maintenance will insure a long service life of the entire brake system on this truck.