Rear brakes. How bad is this?

[Thomas DeBusk]

I just had my Wag up in the air testing the 4WD and realized I was having a hard time stopping the rear wheels with the brakes. With the transmission in Drive it was hard to get the rear wheels to stop. Don't tell me this is normal?

It doesn't seem to me like my brakes are in the best shape, but I've rebuilt or replaced just about everything on this axle over the last six months. Could glazing of the brakes shoes do this? Or is this grease on the pads? Based on the history, I doubt it's bad wheel cylinders, but I'd believe poor bleeding.

Thomas

[ August 13, 2002, 10:54 PM: Message edited by: Thomas DeBusk ]

[angry joe]

thats normal. the truck or car has to be on the ground for it to stop. up in the air the wheels are just free floating. to stop it you turn the car off while in drive wait for it to come to a complete stop then shift it back to park.

[joe]

I can't see where that'd be normal...your brakes don't know or care if the rig is on the ground, in the air or upside down. You push the pedal it shoves juice through the wheel cyl's expanding the brakes.
Have you tried adjusting them Tom? Sounds like your self-adjusters aren't doing their job. I suppose they could be glazed but not likely if they're only 6 months old. It's not grease or axle lube. That will have just the opposite effect. If you had axle lube on the shoes you'd come to a screeching halt cause the brakes would lock up each time. BTDT smile.gif

[porchpiggy]

I would agree about checking the adjustment first. I know my 88 GW does not have any holes to adjust the rear brakes so I adjust them out as far as i can and still get the drum on, and from ther on it's up to the auto adjusters, which don't always work so good. I know I have a lot more pedal travel and a lot less braking efficiency when the back brakes are even only a little out of adjustment.

[J4GRAND]

The rear brakes should be adjusted so that with the rear wheels in the air, spinning the tire results in no more than 2 revolutions before the drag on the brakes stops it. -Joe is right about the self-adjusters. Most of the time they don't work for squat. The star wheel may also be frozen and not allowing adjustment to occur. I've had that happen- a quick soaking with penetrating oil does the trick. Even with my drums all the way around, my J4000 stops really well after adjustment.

[angry joe]

i said that was normal cause i work at a body shop and i work on over 15 cars day and when were checking our work on alignments, suspension.i've done it and other techs here at the shop have done it on cars, trucks wheels have all spun free.i suggest somebody try it that knows for sure their brakes work good and see if the wheels stop.

if i'm wrong then i'll be the first to admit it.it's just that it's always done it and the brakes were perfectly fine.

[Arborman]

Whoah. Originally posted by angry joe:
thats normal. the truck or car has to be on the ground for it to stop. up in the air the wheels are just free floating. to stop it you turn the car off while in drive wait for it to come to a complete stop then shift it back to park.

[angry joe]

alright i'll back off. SORRY for the whole thing.

[Bob Barry]

AJ:

Do you mean that the wheels still spin when the tires are in the air and the brakes are properly adjusted, or that the wheels still spin when the tires are in the air and the brakes are APPLIED?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

I would check for air in the system, since you have mentioned possibilty of poor bleeding. If you have the rig up in the air and in drive and 4 wheel drive and hit the brakes ALL wheels should STOP. I would double check for air in the system, adjustment of the rear brakes.