brake issues...

weird problem i've been having lately - every time it rains (it seems to be only when it rains anyway, i haven't noticed it any other time) and i come out and start the truck up and get ready to go, the first few times i use the brakes it feels like i'm locking up the rear passenger wheel, and the jeep skids to a stop. it usually happens until i get the wheels turning and the truck moving about 35-40 mph for a while, then when i come to a stop after that the brakes work fine (not the best policy to go that fast when i'm having braking issues, i know)...

what could the issue be? i do have a small hole (about an inch in diameter) in the body immediately behind the rear passenger tire, but i have tape over it (haven't gotten a chance to get the body fixed yet and it's my secondary / winter vehicle so i wasn't in that much of a hurry)...not sure if that could be causing problems but i doubt it. i seem to remember the problem starting after i last had my brakes changed, at which point the hole was already there...

i should also say that my parking brake doesn't work - last time i had the brakes changed, it worked immediately when i left the shop but didn't work again after that...i put it on, then after taking it off it no longer functioned...

flash rust on the rotors. If you look next time, or after it has sat a while it is probably visable. Our suburban tow vehicle acts like that on occasion.

alright, how do i go about fixing it (or getting it fixed)? sorry if it's a silly question, i'm a newbie trying to find my way...lol

wet drum brakes can be "grabby"
the shoes absorb water and get sticky.

you might have a leaky wheel cylinder on that side as well.

so in addition to a set of 4 brake shoes, and hold down hardware, you should replace both wheel cylinders.
Some replace the drums as well, regardless of the thickness or runout. I just scuff the surfaces with sandpaper and reuse them.

Year? You say this began after the brakes were done. If you have drums/shoes in the rear the shoes might have been installed incorrectly. The leading shoe is longer than the trailing shoe. It's installed toward the front of vehicle. I've even seen two leading shoes on one wheel and two trailing shoes on the other. If the shoes are installed backwards, the rear wheel(s) will lock up the first time the brakes are applied, sometimes with a loud clunk. I'd pop the rear hubs off and take a look.

Yes, you might also have a leaky wheel cylinder, which will cause brakes to grab.

it's an '88

the part that confused me was how it only seems to happen when it rains...at least if it happens in good weather it's not nearly as noticeable.

it's the nature of the beast. every jeep i've owned has done this. i think the primary shoe (one facing front) is the shorter shoe on both sides. you might check that but i really don't think you can do anything about the "sticking" when raining. enjoy the ride.

92DripCherokee said:

wet drum brakes can be "grabby"
the shoes absorb water and get sticky.

you might have a leaky wheel cylinder on that side as well.

so in addition to a set of 4 brake shoes, and hold down hardware, you should replace both wheel cylinders.
Some replace the drums as well, regardless of the thickness or runout. I just scuff the surfaces with sandpaper and reuse them.

Click to expand...

X2

Brake fluid sucks up moisture (humidity, water whatever). if the wheel cylinder is leaking onto the shoes they absorb water and swell, it can get real grabby until the shoes heat up and the moisture boils off. My 88 is doing the same thing right now, I know it's my wheel cylinder and brake fluid soaked shoes. They also often start squeaking pretty bad.
Rusty drums or discs usually wear in fast after a few stops, doesn't really hurt anything. They just grab a bit for the first few stops.
I'd recheck the rear brake hardware, sounds like the parking brake lever where it hooks into the shoe may have popped out or the cable end may have popped out of the slot in the lever.

Cheep organic linings will cause this .Have seen happens a lot of times with drum brakes.My granfather ,Dad and uncle all worked at shops i remember my grandfather working at a dodge dealership they wouldn't put on cheap shoes unless some one asked .He worked there for 38 yrs my uncle told me the some never buy organic lined shoes he had a shop for allmost 50yrs tilled he retired at 72 .My Dad told me the same thing .He worked at a chevy dealer for allmost 30 yrs and showed me one time how much water a cheap brake shoe will take in and swell up its a lot about 1/16 in in thickness . so I figg they knew what they were talking about

can you recommend a good shoe to get? also, if i wanted to try this myself, how complicated is it and what tools do i need (and how much are they going to run me)? i would love to learn to do it myself so i can do it myself from that point on, but i don't want to bite off more than i can chew...my friend's dad is a mechanic so he has some knowledge of how to do stuff like this, but he said he didn't think we had the tools...

A leaky axle seal will cause this problem. Gear lube saturates the shoes & makes them grab, but once they warm up they work OK. Weather probably would not affect it though.

Look on gojeep site i think he has a write up on changing rear brakes.A set of line whenches a 7/16 socket to remove wheel cyl and brake ajuster tool ,hold down pin & spring removing tool and a set of brake pliers should be all that needed about 20.00 in tools .and a bleader whench

Your shoes are either adjusted too loose which makes the tops travel too far and can cause them to grab.... You can have a leaky wheel cylinder or axle seal which saturates the shoes and makes them grab...

It has been posted both ways in this thread about which shoe faces forward..... The shoe with the shorter lining on it is the one that faces forward.