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rear brakes locking up

I

Irbys19

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Murfreesboro TN
Today my rear brakes started locking up when i hit the brake pedal. when i let off the wheel spins fine. oh BTW its an 87 xj 4x4 all stock. I pulled the wheel off and all the hardware and shoes look ok. visually no leaking fluid from either side in the rear. but the only one locking up is the driver side. I was hoping someone has had this problem before.
 
Is it just wet? Mine will do that when very damp or wet. I ride the pedal gently for half a block then it's okay.
 
i didnt try that i left it at work due to that. I will try that in the morning but it was raining all day and it was fine going to work and then going to lunch just started as soon as i wanted to go home.
 
Mine does that in the morning after the truck has been sitting for a while, especially when it's colder. Rears lock up SUPER easy. After a block it fixes itself.

I think it's a common thing with drum brakes, I had a Cavalier that did the exact same thing too.
 
Your rear shoe adjustment is probably off. Mine did that too, but mostly just the first couple of times you'd stop. It was the rear shoe adjustment. It's supposed to be automatic, but the adjuster freezes up (corrosion) sometimes. On mine, I don't think it was ever right, as the adjuster cable on one side was too long for the automatic adjuster to engage.

You've got to take a screwdriver into the backing plate holes and adjust it up until the drums stop tight from turning. Then back off until it just spins freely. Or even better disassemble the adjustment mechanism and lube it up first, then adjust.
 
sounds like what i'll try in the morning. i noticed when i jacked it up and put the E brake on it came all the way up with ease. i just bought it not long ago. You gotta love it when the previous owner neglected the hell out of it. But its my first jeep and still trying to learn all her little quirks
 
Irbys19 said:
sounds like what i'll try in the morning. i noticed when i jacked it up and put the E brake on it came all the way up with ease. i just bought it not long ago. You gotta love it when the previous owner neglected the hell out of it. But its my first jeep and still trying to learn all her little quirks
Click to expand...

I simply apply a light pressure to the break pedal with my left foot while I attempt to drive normally for about 1/2 a block then it is perfect again. It happens when there is moisture in the wheel and almost predictable in a morning after it rained in the night. It was dicussed on this forum before and the consesus seem to be the shoe type and or amount of wear and not the adjustment or lack of it. I now have discs and do not have to worry about the back locking up after an overr night rain.
 
Well nice to update that what was happening was the wheel cylinder was bad. it was pushing the lead pad and not pushing the trailing one. got it off and apart and the one side was rusted. Replaced it for a whole 10 dollars, bled it and it works fine now. someone advised me to take the wheel off and the drum and push the brake pedal and see if both sides push out and retract when you let off and using that logic i figured out the trailing side was bad and when i took it apart it was the demon. Thanks for the advice guys!!!!
 
Irbys19 said:
sounds like what i'll try in the morning. i noticed when i jacked it up and put the E brake on it came all the way up with ease. i just bought it not long ago. You gotta love it when the previous owner neglected the hell out of it. But its my first jeep and still trying to learn all her little quirks
Click to expand...
I feel your pain, I'm the maintainer of a $600 Comanche a friend of mine bought... previous owner's mantra was "if it aint broke, leave it alone till it is, then jury-rig it up till it rolls again and forget about it".

Glad you got it figured out, keep good care of the brake bleeders on the new cylinder(s) or you'll end up replacing them again next time you need to bleed the brakes...
 
Welcome to the world of drum brakes. I usually ride with the e-brake slightly up for half a block to a block and they're good to go.

You get used to expecting it on damp and rainy days before too long.
 
My 94 did that too. My assumption was the cheapo shoes that I bought for the brakes. They were always free of gear lube or brake fluid, but during high humidity, they locked up. My quick cure was like above, I would engage the e-brake and drive for 100 yards or so. The heat built up from the friction usually took care of the problem. Three winters ago, having them lock up on an icy highway (almost put me in the ditch), I had enough and replaced them with a more expensive set of brake shoes. Haven't had a problem since.
 
Sc00ter said:
My 94 did that too. My assumption was the cheapo shoes that I bought for the brakes. They were always free of gear lube or brake fluid, but during high humidity, they locked up. My quick cure was like above, I would engage the e-brake and drive for 100 yards or so. The heat built up from the friction usually took care of the problem. Three winters ago, having them lock up on an icy highway (almost put me in the ditch), I had enough and replaced them with a more expensive set of brake shoes. Haven't had a problem since.
Click to expand...

What brake shoes are you running? Mine get real bad up here in the cold. Just tapping the pedal usually locks them up. Its annoying.
 
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