Rear brakes lock up WAY before fronts

**uber noob here when it comes to drum brakes**

I know disks fairly well. Have done at least 10 pairs of them if not more, drums on the other hand....

'95 sport, auto, 155k

So i go to stop today after work and it sounds like i pulled the e-brake. I thought to myself that was weird, and sure enough i go to do it again and the rear wheels are draggin, and i am barely applying brake pressure. It was wet out, so it was super easy to hear. This must have been going on a while, because i always thought this car was really sketchy braking in the snow. Initially i thought i just wasn't used to not having ABS, but I am pretty sure its because the rear locks up and makes it squirly. I have had the car for a month or so, and the ebrake cable/handle doesn't move at all. I assume its rusted in there.

As i drove, it was less apparent. I actually have to slam on the brakes pretty good to get it to happen.

Any help here? I am not afraid to rip apart the drums, a DIY would be super helpful.

Was it moist/raining/snowing?

robhurlburt said:

It was wet out, so it was super easy to hear.

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Glenn B said:

Was it moist/raining/snowing?

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:thumbup:

LOL, I missed that. Probably the brake lining absorbing moisture. Maybe switch to a better compound.

A leaky rear axle seal will let oil get on the brake shoes and cause premature lockup. If the brakes were recently apart, they PO could have swapped the leading and trailing shoes.

I've had a rusted e-brake cable cause drag on the brakes. Also had an XJ that the PO had installed the wrong e-brake cable causing constant slight drag on the brakes.
Use a Haynes and/or Chiltons manual to do the drum brakes. Get the special tool that helps deal with removing/replacing the little springs. It's usually not too bad.
hth, Doug

so this isn't normal? i didn't think so.

i'll take the brakes apart, and replace the e-brake cable. if i am going with 3-3.5in of lift do i need to use the longer cable?

No, longer cable won't be needed.

Just open'em up and have a look. Drums are a PITA, but, I'd recommend doing atleast one drum break job in your life.

Get comfortable with working on them... They're not to scary once you do.

bmpweXJ said:

Just open'em up and have a look. Drums are a PITA, but, I'd recommend doing atleast one drum break job in your life.

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i gotta learn sometime :read:

Drums are easy. I have done them four times... in the last month... on the same Jeep... and the @##@^&* thing still wont stop. changing the master and booster now.

as for your problem, probably just the drag from the parking brake cable but it is a good idea to look at everything and be sure. is it one wheel or both?

Kevinma255 said:

Drums are easy. I have done them four times... in the last month... on the same Jeep... and the @##@^&* thing still wont stop. changing the master and booster now.

as for your problem, probably just the drag from the parking brake cable but it is a good idea to look at everything and be sure. is it one wheel or both?

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pass side locks up before the driver side.

I know this is an older thread, but it's exactly the problem I'm having with my '99 Sport. The right rear brake locks up well before the rest under certain circumstances. How did this one get resolved?

I had been thinking about doing a disc brake conversion to fix the problem but, if the stock setup shouldn't be doing this, I'd prefer a stock fix. BTW, we had the same problem with my son's '92 base XJ. That one has since been sold.

My '92 doesn't get out much, and the rears are always grabby. After a few stops, they act normal. For years they sucked, not working/stopping real well. Then the hard line to the rear broke. I got the car home, replaced the line, and, WOW, I had brakes. Turns out the line was full of crud. New soft line from body to axle, too. A clogged soft line can act like a check valve, with your foot forcing fluid to the rear cylinders, and the brake springs can't push it back, causing dragging/overheating, and premature wear and rear drum thump (all of which I'd had). Did the line five years ago, and they're perfect to this day (except for the grab, but once the flash rust is scraped off, they behave fine).