Brake question, please help! Calling all Mechanics

[dmax9]

My buddy has a 2001 Chevy 3500 8.1l 6-speed manual reg cab dually. He has been fighting brake problems for awhile now. Has no feel in the pedal, it will stop the truck but the pedal just has no feel till you get to the floor. They replaced the Master Cylinder, that didnt help. They haul a lot of big loads with this truck and are really getting aggravated that they cant figure this out, even the local mechanics shop they took it too cant get it working. Any advice or ideas would really be appreciated.

[heymccall]

Search out "automated brake bleed".....There is a "redneck" way to bleed them, but, having a "qualified" dealer bleed them only takes an hour. Most dealers are ignorant as to how to bleed them properly, too.

You, the consumer, cannot bleed the dump valve portion of the EBCM (Electronic Brake Control Module -ABS ) without a suitable scanner, or repeated ABS application followed by bleed, followed by application, followed by bleed, etc...... Hence the "redneck" nomenclature.

Furthermore, since the pedal height is an issue, the foundation hardware at each caliper needs to be free, as do the pads themselves.

If you need further links, I'll have time later to link some VERY relevant threads.

[dmax9]

thanks, if you have time i'd appreciate as many links as you can get me.

[dmax9]

Well I guess I jinxed myself, yesterday the brake line that runs over my gas tank started leaking bad. Hopefully its not too bad to change, but after reading all that stuff about bleeding the ABS correctly I guess I'll have to bring it to a shop to get that done.

[kcb37]

If you can keep the master clyinder full you may not.
But I would advise it anyway as the air will try to work it's way up.
I have not replaced any lines on my 03 yet but did do the rear line on my 96.
That one was not to bad. (I did get a roll, cut, bent, and flared it myself)

[dmax9]

Im most likely gonna bend it myself too, but one day I would like to get the Stainless Steel complete kit and do the whole truck.

[kcb37]

Not sure how it's going to work on these but I would imagine it won't be that much different either.
I cut the line about at the firewall, then at the axle just pulled it out the back of the truck.
Put a vacuum line/port cap on end of the new line, and unrolled and feed it up the frame. Bent/shaped the front got it hooked up.
Then I was able to get the line back into the clips along the frame. Broke one.

[heymccall]

To make the brakes work as designed, the important links are in here 2007 chevy 3500 with brake problems