Sticky drum brakes

[Cubey]

This has been going on for a month or so now but so far hasn’t been a dire thing.

Do the rear brakes on these truck “self” adjust? At times it stops ok, other times it lurches forward a bit diagonally, as if one side of the rear is locking and the other isn’t.

I had a 1 ton van with poor rear braking and the whole thing lurched during braking because it was relying on the front brakes.

On a bit of gravel yesterday, I noticed it slid to a stop in the rear.

What is this a typical symptom of?

Sometimes it feels normal, other times it feels too grabby like the drums are trying to lock up, hence the sliding to a stop in gravel, without excessively pressing the brake pedal.

Oh and when taking off from a stop, I let off the brake but it takes a second or so before it clunks pretty loudly and the brakes let go.

 

[79jasper]

Well, they're "supposed" to auto adjust. Most of the time don't. Lol
I would pull the drums and look for leaking hub seals.

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[Thewespaul]

That’s a sign of poor adjustment or contaminated brake shoes

 

[Cubey]

I did the hub seal on one side last year around March. Maybe the other has started leaking too. I left the oil soaked brake shoes (but cleaned as best as possible) way back over 6 months ago and 5000 miles or so. This is way more recent this started though.

Hopefully it’s adjustment. It might just need new shoes too.

I do use the parking brake almost every time which is what adjusts if not mistaken?

 

[snicklas]

I'd say start with new shoes. Once contaminated, always contaminated.

No, the "self adjuster" is supposed to do its thing when you are backing up and applying the brakes, but you have to be moving at a decent rate (more than just rolling) and stab the brake pedal is the only time I've seen it work.

Best suggestion I can make is new shoes and some time with a spoon.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The park brake doesn't do any adjusting. The adjustment is supposed to be when you use the brakes while backing up. This can't be a gentle touch of the pedal. It has to be a firm push.

 

[Cubey]

I hate doing drum brake adjustments but I did it almost a year ago and it’s only recently starting having issues, so I guess I did an okay job. I have a proper brake spoon that works ok with it.

 

[79jasper]

I have to adjust mine at least once a month. Lol

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[Thewespaul]

I have to adjust mine at least once a month. Lol

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same here

 

[icanfixall]

Your shoes are oiled up. So this causes them to grab differently from side to side. Our rear adjusters really never work "as designed". Allowing the rears to get way out of adjustment puts ALL the braking on the front discs and that overheats them to the point of cracking. I cracked several till I found out the deal with the rears. Best way to "check" how far out of adjustment yours are is set the parking brake.If it sets more than 1/2 way to the floor your needing to manual adjust. Another "feeling" you may get is come to a full stop. Then the brake peddle slowly sinks and the rig starts moving forwards. Some help can be done by applying a few clicks of the parking brake. If you do this your brake peddle will be higher when you stop.

 

[Cubey]

Your shoes are oiled up. So this causes them to grab differently from side to side. Our rear adjusters really never work "as designed". Allowing the rears to get way out of adjustment puts ALL the braking on the front discs and that overheats them to the point of cracking. I cracked several till I found out the deal with the rears. Best way to "check" how far out of adjustment yours are is set the parking brake.If it sets more than 1/2 way to the floor your needing to manual adjust. Another "feeling" you may get is come to a full stop. Then the brake peddle slowly sinks and the rig starts moving forwards. Some help can be done by applying a few clicks of the parking brake. If you do this your brake peddle will be higher when you stop.

I think the parking brake has always gone down far. I never adjusted it though so it could be needing it too. Maybe I’m just remembering wrong though.

The truck doesn’t try to take off any while pressing the brake. In fact, the last bit of stopping power? when I press just a bit more to finish the stop, it grabs hard usually, as if I stomped it up the floor and it tries to lock the wheels.

It’s like they are adjusted out too far and/or maybe they aren’t releasing fully right away, and are hypersensitive at times, a normal amount of brake pedal pressure makes it act like I stomped the pedal with both feet and all my weight on it.

 

[Cubey]

same here

Monthly?!?!

 

[austin92]

My parking brake sets to the floor and sometimes I take off I second not realizing it’s set but in snow and gravel the rears lock up first. Rear brakes and seals less than a year old


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[Hydro-idi]

If your parking brake sets to the floor, this is a sure indicator that your rear brake shoes are out of adjustment.
Fully pressed, the emergency brake should go about halfway down.

 

[Cubey]

I’m barely driving it right now and not towing so I’m going to wait until it warms up a bit before I look into things. Maybe next week.

I’ll check both for leaking seals first then just adjust for now. Before, I paid almost $50 retail for that seal. This time I’ll order online for half the price.

I might just do it anyway on the passenger side as a preventative even if it’s not leaking. The driver side I did had a very old seal.

If there’s no leaking oil right now, I’ll just throw the drum back on and adjust until it’s closer to time for me to hit the road again. Then I’ll do new shoes and springs. That way I have brand new, fresh rear brakes while towing.

At least it doesn’t cost a lot to have a shop adjust them. Although I do haul a 3 ton floor jack so I guess I can always do it myself in a pinch in any paved parking lot.

Do you guys remove the tire to adjust or no?