This just started a couple weeks ago, but my brakes felt fine going foward and reverse and the parking even worked, but I was plowing a couple weeks ago and while backing up the left rear brake locked up without hitting the pedal. I pull foward and it is fine for a little whilke then when backing up it locks up again?

Well yesterday I was pushing the snow pile's back for this new snow coming, and it locked up and then BANG it freed up? and now I have a soft pedal and going down the road the ABS is chattering like mad, the parking break still works fine? any ideas?

 

well you will definately need to pull the drums off. I would do it with wheel cylinders, hardware kit, adjuster kits and brake shoes all sitting beside you. More than likely you have some springs that are broken or you have the fiction material that has come off the brake shoe and getting wedged in there.

 

TJ sounds right on.

I plowed w the diesel for the first few weeks this year but it sucks so much more fuel dollars than my '99 SD w 4.30's and discs in the rear.
Anyhoo... I noticed the rear adjusters must have taken every last little bit of slack out and they would give a chirp or squeak as I stopped in reverse. But ohhhh the power...
Back to the thread - I think the adjusters do their thing on the reverse travel and at the end of the braking action? But once tight I think they stop ratcheting tighter?

As TK said tho... Get everything. Brakes have a tough life down in there. Put it all in new and you will be happy you did. Nothing like new clean parts - fresh, un-rusted bleeders are cheap too. Have fun...

 

Gee I like how you say HAVE FUN. I CANT EVEN GET THE LUG NUTS OFF, I just had all 4 tires put on just 2 months ago.

 

Now that you mention it - I just got this truck on the road last fall and that was one of the things on my list to check. Well... it has them stock aluminum alloys and BEAT and BEAT and BEAT to get them things off the rear hubs with the full floater. A big chunk of fire wood and the splitting maul.
You talk about fun! Swinging the sledge on your side in the gravel...

No one ever accused my Mom of raisin' any bright chil'ren

 

Ford should have included a sledge and block with the tire tools.The first time you get caught changing a flat out on the road the sledge gets a new home in toolbox.

 

and maybe a onboard Air Compressor with a 600 pound inpact gun to get the lug nuts off. I broke 2 1/2 inch breaker bars trying. only 2 free'd on 2 wheel, wow 14 more to go! I sprayed them all with PB Blaster, Guess I will let it sit and keep spraying every day till it warms up again. UP here in CNY is cold right now with 3 foot of snow on the ground,

OH also to the one who said they plowed first time this year with their diesel. I put that bully dog 6 position chip in mine, and well on highway I get close to 20MPG, I have 2 tanks I think one is a 17 and one is a 18? but I filled the front one (18) up back in December, and I still have 1/4 tank left. Plowing only locally, 3 driveways within 1.5 miles. and we had like 6-8 major storms up here in Tug Hill NY < Like I said above right now we have like 3 foot of snow on the ground, but back a month ago we lost a good couple feet.. My Diesel I feel dows very well on fuel.. now can't say the same with rear brakes though.

 

well got the lug nuts off. and OMG the drums. all it was on both sides was the linings decided to leave the shoes/ so I installed all new except the wheel cyl. it was fine. and the self adjuster was fine also. I took the self adjuster out happen again!

 

What does that mean? are you all fixed or do you still have problems?

 

all done, re did everything with out self adjuster so it don't do it again

 

You will find that, over time you will get more and more brake pedal travel, before you get braking effect, as the mastercylinder's travel/fluid is being used up just to open the rear shoes. Can be dangerous.

Or... you will have to be adjusting them open/tighter fairly regularly. For me - it ain't gonna happen as I don't have that kind of time.

 

heck, I have to do it on my 57 nomad, just takes 10 min a wheel, just needs to adjust about once a month.. shure beats them locking up and pealing off the linings

 

its very doubtful that the self adjuster made the shoes come apart. Age, wear, heat and quality of the lining play into the life of the lining. The self adjuster hardly are self anything. They rarely keep the brakes where they should. You will have no problems with what you did as long as you still manually adjust them though.