88' Ranger XLT, S-Cab, 2.3L EFI, 5sp, 4x2

My truck just wants to be slow! I know it is only a 2.3L, but DAMN, just when it was feeling good with my returned power. I am convinced it is against me after all the minor PITA problems that I have had with the idle, timing, and now the brakes!

Recently I got most of my power back with a timing adjustment, but the truck STILL feels like it is being held back. I jack up the back end and the LR spins freely w/o the e-brake on. With the e-brake on it just has "some" resistance on it. I go over to the RR and it will barely spin with the e-brake on or off. I pulled the drum and the axle will spin just fine, so I know it is the brakes dragging. I did try to retract the shoes with the adjuster, and then re-adjust the e-brake cable. Now the cable is semi tight and the pedal will go down 1/2 way until it locks in place, but I still don't have a solid engagement of the brakes. IE - the truck will still roll.

I just can't figure out what I am missing. It feels like the rear brakes are dragging, and I believe I confirmed this with the drum off, and the lug nuts are hot to the touch, so I am reasonably sure it is the right rear screwing me. Anyone know why just this side would be dragging.

Answer to "have you changed the brakes lately"? Well, it was ~1yr ago (> 5000mi) and I really haven't noticed this until 1-2 weeks ago.

 

Check the return springs in the drum. Mine did the same thing. I went out turkey hunting & ended up breaking a spring along the way...limped it back to the house, ripped it apart & found the "red" spring in the back, under the pads had snapped. This allowed the brakes to engage all the time. $7.50 for a spring kit, and it is fixed.

-Still havn't decided what to do with my front rotor problem...

 

I did have a quick look around inside when I pulled the drum off. I didn't notice anything that looked out of place, or broken. I know I will have to dig around in there in the next day or two.

Has anyone heard of springs that "stretched" out of spec at random times even if they are new? I replaced the hardware when I changed the shoes last year, and even though they are a royal PITA to get in everything seem to hold fine.


As for your rotors.... The cheapest solution would probably be to pull them and have them turned at your local service center. Then do a thorough bedding of the pads to lay down the required pad material on the surface evenly. If you don't have specific steps outlined by your pads mfgr you can use this one.

 

Check the park brake actuating arm, and make shure it pivots freely.

 

You replaced the rear brakes last year, so all that should be good short of broken springs. The emergency brake cable goes from a single cable from the pedal to an adjuster under the truck where it splits into two cables. One for each side. The cable then runs through jackets through to the backing plates of the rear axle. Those jackets fill with crap and corrode. The reason its one side and not the other is because one of those cable jackets is worse than the other side. The reason that they won't engage properly is that the cable is jammed inside the jackets. Don't even try to clean, lube or otherwise free up the cables inside the jackets. I've tried. It's a waste of time and it's causing more grief than its worth to you and your brakes.

Replace the whole set up from the adjusters back. Get a new adjuster too. When you disconnect the pedal cable from the aduster, see how the pedal cable slides through its jacket. If its free and clear, just spray some lube into it. If its jamming, replace it too. It's a bit of a pain, but that's the only way.

Fred

 

ranger88a - I will check this weekend. As I said, I took a quick look and didn't notice anything broken or binding.

fflintstone - Thanks. I understand the basics of the e-brake cable, and I did try to adjust it with little success. I may tend to agree with the "cable full of crap" binding inside that could be my issue. That is going to be one major PITA if I have to pull all those stupid springs apart just to get to those cables. Stupid truck just won't be happy until I have replaced nearly everything on it.

 

At the junction where flinstone is talking about, pull down hard on the single cable(before it splits into two). Ive had this happen to an 87 supercab I had only after using the e-brake. Once I pulled down on the cable, all was well. I know its temporary, but it will save headache for a brief moment.
Good luck!