Update: Front brakes won't disengage after rear brake job

[HicksNthaStix]

A couple of weeks ago I had complete failure of my rear brakes. When tearing into them I found that the PO failed to install the lower return springs. First time I put a heavy loads behind the truck I fried the brakes. So anyway, between work, rain, cold, and waiting for parts this project lasted a couple of weeks. I finally got everything back together this evening and got ready for a test drive, as I went to pull off it sounds and feels like one or both of the front brakes are locked up, like the pedal is to the floor even though it's not. I moved the truck about a foot and called it a night before I tore up anything. The front brakes were working fine when I parked it.
FYI I did bleed the rear brakes, as I replaced the wheel cylinders. And I didn't touch anything on the front brakes.
Any ideas on why suddenly the front brakes are sticking? I suppose I'll tackle it in the morning when I have some light and more every.
And this is why I'll never buy another vehicle from anyone under the age of 35 again!

 

[Oledirtypearl86]

I've never had this happen to me but I'd pull the tires check everything compress the calipers like you were putting new pads on it and pump it up see what it does

 

[79jasper]

How sure are you that they are sticking?or is it just noise you are hearing?

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[HicksNthaStix]

How sure are you that they are sticking?or is it just noise you are hearing?

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Noise and I can feel them working. It feels like the brakes are fully engaged as I let the clutch out. Not too sure about anything because it just doesn't make sense to me, but I can't imagine what could be causing that other than a caliper sticking.

 

[Runningaford]

Noise and I can feel them working. It feels like the brakes are fully engaged as I let the clutch out. Not too sure about anything because it just doesn't make sense to me, but I can't imagine what could be causing that other than a caliper sticking.

I'm sure this isn't your case, but on the thought of 'can't imagine what', my front passenger wheel locked up, due to a rock caught between the wheel, and backer plate/caliper. It wouldn't fall out, due to the flat wide portion of the wheel; it actually rode like that for quite a while; at least it appears to since it wore a slight groove into the top of the wheel.

 

[Thewespaul]

So if the rear brakes werent working and you said you cooked the brakes then I’d check your calipers for leaks, if you overheated the brakes the seals may have gotten wiped out. It could also be your adjustment is too tight in the rear.

 

[Oledirtypearl86]

Good call Wes I didn't even think of that if I feel a corner is hanging up I usually jack it up and spin the tire to check

 

[austin92]

Put it on gravel/mud and see if it pushes the front tires or feels the same. You could also set the e brake and see if it feels the same/gets worse. That’s what I’d do to see if it was front or rears sticking


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[HicksNthaStix]

Update:
The issue is not with the front brakes, as I had originally thought. I jacked up the front end and both front tires spin freely. I moved the truck back and forth 20 feet or so several times. I ran my star wheel adjusters all of the way in when I installed the new brakes on the rear so I have no more adjustment to go that way. I'm stumped, thoughts? I did make sure that my parking brake was disengaged.

 

[DrCharles]

Did you also bleed the RABS valve after the rear wheel cylinders?

 

[HicksNthaStix]

Did you also bleed the RABS valve after the rear wheel cylinders?

I did not, I'll try that.

 

[icanfixall]

Did you install the correct brake shoes??? We have two different width shoes for the back drums. This is a wild ass guess at best. You know we have a left and right star wheel adjusters on the back drums.Get that wrong and the brakes continue to tighten up...If the adjusters work..Most adjusters don't work. Can you tell the forum how far down the parking brake goes when set??

 

[79jasper]

Didn't think it was the front's.
Hiw does the parking brake cable feel? Tight? Loose?

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[HicksNthaStix]

Okay the issue is resolved and I do feel a little bit stupid. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to rack their brain to help me solve my problem.

So when I tore into this thing 2 weeks ago I found that it was equipped with 2" wheel spacers. Having a strong dislike for parts that serve only a cosmetic purpose (and a dumb one at that) I chucked them in the scrap pile 2 weeks ago. Now I'm not sure why these things are needed, evidently somewhere along the way someone put either a different axle or different wheels on the truck. When I put everything together without the spacers it caused the inside wheel to rub the leaf springs, which is what was causing the noise as well as the resistance. I reinstalled the spacers and everything is working as it should, mostly.

Seems to stop fine but the parking brake isn't working. I suspect that the cable is over stretched. I'll have to revisit how to adjust the cable, it's been a while and if I recall correctly there is a factory adjustor but it's pretty crappy.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Don't feel stupid for that. I probably would have done the same thing! The only crazy brake thing that I've seen (and it was VERY crazy) was on a 84 Chevy. It had some kind of mechanical "line lock" (for lack of a better term) on the front brakes, and it didn't work properly. After changing out the engine in it, I could tell that the front brakes were hanging up so badly that the front tires were almost dragging. I couldn't test drive the truck that way (I was glad since it was a real POS). The gal (B word would be more accurate) who owned it was called and she acted like we were stupid. She told us how to release the brakes and to go test drive it, not politely I might add. I tried to release the brakes, the shop foreman tried to release them too. neither of us could get them to release. Finally, we gave up and just drove the thing outside into the parking lot. She wasn't happy about it when she finally got there. Since she had trailered it to us, and I was already working on the next truck, I have no idea if the brakes ever released.