94 GMC: Disc or drum bakes?

Fergienewbee · Apr 7, 2014

I went to change a tire yesterday and discovered all the lug nuts are broken. Does the truck have disc or drum brakes? I may have to have it towed, the lugs torched off, and new lugs pressed in.

Larry

farmer boy · Apr 7, 2014

??? I'm not really following here. If the lug nuts are broken off, it should become pretty obvious what style of brakes it has. Fronts are disc, rears are drums. Rear bolts are pressed into the axle flange, fronts are pressed into hub assembly. If the front(and 4x4), you may want to look into replacing the hub depending on how old it is. Hub is around $130 from Rockauto for a US made Timken. Shop labour will likely be half that, the lug nuts the other half.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 7, 2014

Disc front, drum rear I think, not to be smart-azz but if you took off the wheel and still don't know type of brakes then yes you should have it towed to a good shop!

Owen Aaland · Apr 7, 2014

What size truck? Medium duty may have disk brakes on all wheels.

ericlb · Apr 7, 2014

we need to know what size truck, medium duty can have either, and those can have the lugs for the outer wheel broke off and still have the inner fully in place, might look under the truck and see if you see the brake caliper by the wheel on the inside or just a backing plate like drum brakes have

Fergienewbee · Apr 7, 2014

Maybe I should have been more clear. I didn't get the wheel off because all the lug nuts are broken. They just spin. I wanted to know the brake type so I could decide if I wanted to take the hub off myself or have it done. Sounds like the repair shop will be getting some work. Thanks for the replies.

Larry

El Toro · Apr 7, 2014

If they look like these they're rotors. Hal

Jaden · Apr 7, 2014

Are the nuts just spinning because they have a chrome shell over a steel inner nut? If so, break off that outer shell to get to the real threaded nut.
I had to do that on my F150.

jennifer408 · Apr 7, 2014

it sounds to me that they are left hand threaded and someone striped them trying to get them off if that is possible. maybe superman or one of his peers could have striped them. some times a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.

DeltaRed · Apr 7, 2014

I was wondering the same thing.If the bolts were "broken",what was holding the wheel on?Ifyou crawl under and look,you will imediatly see what you have.If you dont know/cant tell the difference,you need to take it to a professional.

JDemaris · Apr 7, 2014

If they just "spin" and don't fall off - it's probably just the tin caps spinning. Chisel them off and jam a 6 point socket on them to remove. That is unless the entire stud is spinning.

littlered1 · Apr 7, 2014

I have a '94 Chevrolet 1500 with steel wheels. The lugs have a cover that needs to be removed (should spin off) before you can actually get to the lugs. They look similar to this. I have discs on the front and drums on the rear. I am not sure if discs were offered on the read in '94.

littlered1 · Apr 7, 2014

that should read: I am not sure if discs were offered on the rear in '94.

mkirsch · Apr 7, 2014

On a 94, disk front, drum rear.

No left-hand threads.

krm · Apr 7, 2014

Sounds to me like you are trying to get the center piece off to get to the lug nuts. If you have all the nuts on the center piece loose stick a screw driver under the center piece and pop it off and there are the lug nuts for the rim.

Fergienewbee · Apr 7, 2014

Okay, laugh away; I did. Turns out my "broken lugs" were the black plastic outer nut cover that was spinning because I was turning them off. Once I realized what they were I unscrewed them all and took the wheel off without any trouble. I got the truck from my dad before he passed and I know I was the first one to use the jack that came with the truck. I never claim any mechanical aptitude. On the other hand, better safe than sorry.

Larry

rustred · Apr 7, 2014

and u want to work on brakes??? better leave it for the qualified personal. its your life and the others you are meeting on hyway.
also the truck has to be safety inspected before being road worthy.

94 GMC: Disc or drum bakes?

Fergienewbee

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farmer boy

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Anonymous-0

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Owen Aaland

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ericlb

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