Just got a 97 Traiblazer, the foot brake set-up is disconnected and they bolted a flat piece of aluminum over the end where the brake arm used to be, the brakes work fine otherwise, was this a common mod, were these foot brakes a problem and commonly disconnected, or did the previous owner just butcher it for some reason, is it worth hunting down the pieces and reconnecting it???

 

they were really only a back up brake system that half the time it didnt work w/out braking your foot to use it.

 

The backup brake also only operated the back brakes and was just a backup. The brake lever on your bars operates both brakes and they work through a proportioning valve to govern the braking between front and rear.