Ideas on how you can improve your brakes. And keeping the cost down.

[Bob Dunahugh]

Subject line didn't cover the meat of my last E-mail. A comm=
on upgrade has Been the 80 MM GM caliper. We bought our first GMC in 2003.=
At every GMCMI event since. The talk has been that the original brakes le=
ft something to be desired. My thought was that. How did GM get the GMC =
out to the public with brakes that lacked performance in the area of brakin=
g. The problem has been how self adjusting rear drum brakes function. To=
self adjust properly. You have to have brisk braking in reverse. We never =
do that. Thus the adjuster can't do the job. So for 13 years. I jacked up =
the rear axles once a year to adjust the rear brakes manually. I tow all th=
e time in the range of 17,to 24,000 GVW. Live in the flat Midwest. Been ver=
y happy with the braking of all 6 wheels. Even when we have been out West.=
But. To get the best braking from the original braking system. YOU MUST ad=
just those rear brakes once a year. Two years ago. I decided to reduce my a=
djusting by 50%. I installed Disc on the front rear axle only. Braking is i=
mproved. Have Quad bags with the rear disc. No reaction arm, or true track=
. Haven't experienced rear/rear lockup. Adjust the rears properly. Or add =
the rear disc first. Before trying to add more braking to the front. The f=
ront is already doing the most. Bob Dunahugh

 

[Tom Lins]

> Subject line didn't cover the meat of my last E-mail. A common upgrade has Been the 80 MM GM caliper. We bought our first GMC in 2003. At every
> GMCMI event since. The talk has been that the original brakes left something to be desired. My thought was that. How did GM get the GMC out to
> the public with brakes that lacked performance in the area of braking. The problem has been how self adjusting rear drum brakes function. To self
> adjust properly. You have to have brisk braking in reverse. We never do that. Thus the adjuster can't do the job. So for 13 years. I jacked up the
> rear axles once a year to adjust the rear brakes manually. I tow all the time in the range of 17,to 24,000 GVW. Live in the flat Midwest. Been very
> happy with the braking of all 6 wheels. Even when we have been out West. But. To get the best braking from the original braking system. YOU MUST
> adjust those rear brakes once a year. Two years ago. I decided to reduce my adjusting by 50%. I installed Disc on the front rear axle only. Braking
> is improved. Have Quad bags with the rear disc. No reaction arm, or true track. Haven't experienced rear/rear lockup. Adjust the rears properly.
> Or add the rear disc first. Before trying to add more braking to the front. The front is already doing the most. Bob Dunahugh
> _______________________________________________
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Bob
What are you towing that weighs 6k to 13k?
And what is your final drive ratio?

--
Tom Lins
Elkton, FL
77 GM Rear Twin, Dry Bath, 455
Manuals on DVD
http://www.bdub.net/tomlins/

 

[Bob Dunahugh]

Tom. I tow Linda's handicap Chevy Uplander lift van at 5,000+ on a dolly. =
Or my 24 ft enclosed trailer with a shop, and Yenko to road race track even=
ts around the country coast to coast. The Royales are the heaviest GMC's. I=
t's a pure stock GMC except for a 3:70 FD, and a Howell EFI with spark cont=
rol on the 403. Just climbed out of Albuquerque NM,heading East. With Linda=
's van. 60 at the bottom. 50 at the top. Trans never shifted down. No more =
then half throttle. I'll never have a GMC without a 3;70, or 4:10 FD again=
. Towing or not. Bob Dunahugh 78 Royale ________________________=
________ From: Bob Dunahugh Sent: Friday, May 18=
, 2018 1:56 PM To: gmclist Subject: Ideas on how you ca=
n improve your brakes. And keeping the cost down. Subject=
line didn't cover the meat of my last E-mail. A common upgrade has Been =
the 80 MM GM caliper. We bought our first GMC in 2003. At every GMCMI even=
t since. The talk has been that the original brakes left something to be =
desired. My thought was that. How did GM get the GMC out to the public wi=
th brakes that lacked performance in the area of braking. The problem has b=
een how self adjusting rear drum brakes function. To self adjust properl=
y. You have to have brisk braking in reverse. We never do that. Thus the ad=
juster can't do the job. So for 13 years. I jacked up the rear axles once =
a year to adjust the rear brakes manually. I tow all the time in the range =
of 17,to 24,000 GVW. Live in the flat Midwest. Been very happy with the br=
aking of all 6 wheels. Even when we have been out West. But. To get the bes=
t braking from the original braking system. YOU MUST adjust those rear brak=
es once a year. Two years ago. I decided to reduce my adjusting by 50%. I i=
nstalled Disc on the front rear axle only. Braking is improved. Have Quad b=
ags with the rear disc. No reaction arm, or true track. Haven't experience=
d rear/rear lockup. Adjust the rears properly. Or add the rear disc first.=
Before trying to add more braking to the front. The front is already doin=
g the most. Bob Dunahugh