Since I bought this truck, I've always thought it took a lot more pressure on the brake petal than normal. Of course, since my other two vehicles are so much smaller (and lighter) and the only other trucks I've been driven have been 1/2 ton GMC regular cabs, I just figured it was normal since this truck weighs so much. Though I recall that the 1-ton GMC van my dad had when I was a teenager would throw the dog from the backseat all the way to the doghouse if you hit the brakes too aggressively, like if you hit the brake when you forgot it was the only automatic the family owned and tried to push the non-existent clutch in.

A couple weeks ago though I was pulling through a campground and had to roll back down a steep hill to let someone go through as the campground road was only 1 lane. When I went to stop though it felt like I was standing on the brake pedal to stop the truck rolling down the hill. I'm just wondering if it’s still just the weight of the truck and this is normal, or if I need to look at my brakes. When going forward, as I said, it does take a lot of pressure, on the other hand, I know I can make the tires chirp and cause the rear ABS to kick in on dry pavement. So maybe the truck is stopping its weight as fast as it can. My one concern is that if it feels like this now, what is it going to feel like when I tow a trailer? I have visually examined my brakes, and so has my dad who's a mechanic, and everything looks fine. I would ask my dad, but my parents are in the Alaska bush right now out of cell phone range until early September.
(And yes, I wish I was too!)

 

I'm pretty sure that I have the same issue with my 05 sd 5.4 fx4 your description matched my issue perfectly.. did you figure out a solution, because it kinda worries me when the wife has to drive my truck..

 

Haven't figured anything out yet. My wife drives my truck once in a while and she hasn't complained about it, but she's probably used to it now like I am. You only really notice it if you are trying to stop quickly from a high speed, or rolling backwards down a steep hill.

 

ya your right.. have you tried the dealer to see what they think.. thats what I'm about to do, cause it's getting to the point where it's almost unsafe, because where I"m stationed right now there's a lot of interstate traffic, and stop and go.. and you are right about the sudden stop delay... and sometimes I feel like my right brake up front sticks when I hit the brakes hard... people here can't drive..

 

Brake fluid absorbs water so over time, the fluid becomes more compressable. A flush may be in order. Also the rubber part of the brake lines can weaken allowing the rubber to expand when you apply the brakes.
A couple of ideas anywho.