Brake Diagnosis; Rear Pads do not actuate

fsmigiel · 08-04-2006, 12:42 PM

1997 Chevy Cavalier
I replaced the front pads 6 months ago
I just replaced them again and suspect the rear pads are not actuating
The car has ABS so I'm told there's no proportion valve since it's controlled by the ECU.

How do I determine which component is bad?

**manic** · 08-04-2006, 05:16 PM

That car has four wheel disk brakes? Not familiar with the model. If it
has rear shoes, theres still a adjuster in there. Wheel cylinder, Some
cars require you to hit the emergency brake to adjust rear wheel drum
brakes. But I think GM s adjust when going in reverse. Good luck,,if its
all disk, needle in a hay stack, for me anyway.

fsmigiel · 08-04-2006, 05:21 PM

Disk in front Drum in rear
I've already tried the emergency brake and it seemed to have the correct stroke, however I'll check the amount of gap. I've also been told to bleed the back in case there's some trapped air.

**manic** · 08-04-2006, 05:27 PM

Look around the wheel cylinder boots, pull the hub, if it look all wet
and funky, you will have to replace the wheel cylinder. You will also
have to replace the shoes. The whole system will have to be bled.
Start from the rear tire furthest from the master cylinder. You may
have a bad master cylinder. The computer even though you have abs
does not monitor via a sensor for that model. Good luck, but I think you
are right in the idea that the back brakes are not working, to short of
a time frame to replace fronts.

08-04-2006, 12:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
fsmigiel Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2 OS: win2000	Brake Diagnosis; Rear Pads do not actuate 1997 Chevy Cavalier I replaced the front pads 6 months ago I just replaced them again and suspect the rear pads are not actuating The car has ABS so I'm told there's no proportion valve since it's controlled by the ECU. How do I determine which component is bad?

08-04-2006, 05:16 PM	#2 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,244 OS: xp	That car has four wheel disk brakes? Not familiar with the model. If it has rear shoes, theres still a adjuster in there. Wheel cylinder, Some cars require you to hit the emergency brake to adjust rear wheel drum brakes. But I think GM s adjust when going in reverse. Good luck,,if its all disk, needle in a hay stack, for me anyway. __________________

08-04-2006, 05:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
manic Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 5,244 OS: xp	Look around the wheel cylinder boots, pull the hub, if it look all wet and funky, you will have to replace the wheel cylinder. You will also have to replace the shoes. The whole system will have to be bled. Start from the rear tire furthest from the master cylinder. You may have a bad master cylinder. The computer even though you have abs does not monitor via a sensor for that model. Good luck, but I think you are right in the idea that the back brakes are not working, to short of a time frame to replace fronts. __________________

08-04-2006, 05:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
fsmigiel Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2 OS: win2000	Disk in front Drum in rear I've already tried the emergency brake and it seemed to have the correct stroke, however I'll check the amount of gap. I've also been told to bleed the back in case there's some trapped air.